The Supreme Court has ruled on rape allegations in Live-In relationships. The apex court have said that a woman in a long-term live-in relationship cannot later claim that she was forced into a physical relationship under the false promise of marriage to file rape charges against her partner. The significant ruling come in as the complainant, a woman lecturer, alleged that she had been in a sexual relationship with the accused for 16 years based on his assurance of marriage.

What Did The Court Say?

The court emphasized that as both the individuals were well-educated, they willingly maintained a consensual relationship. In addition to this they both frequently visited each other’s residences despite living in different towns. In this circumstances, the court said that they can’t find any charges of sexual exploitation. Judges added that the case reflected either a failed love affair or a live-in relationship that had turned sour.

“It is hard to believe that the complainant kept on bending to the demands of the appellant for a period of nearly 16 years without raising any protest to any quarter that the appellant was exploiting her sexually under the pretext of a false promise of marriage,” the court stated.

16-Year Relationship Undermines False Promise Claim

Furthermore, the Supreme Court noted that even if a false promise of marriage was made, the long duration of the relationship undermines the credibility of the claim that consent was given solely under such a pretext.

“The prolonged period of 16 years during which the sexual relations continued unabatedly between the parties is sufficient to conclude that there was never an element of force or deceit in the relationship,” the ruling added.

The Bench Comprised…

A bench comprising Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta made these remarks while dismissing the criminal case against a bank official who had been accused of rape by his live-in partner.