SC Warns Against Trivializing Rape Allegations, Stresses Need for Concrete Evidence
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In a landmark ruling, the Supreme Court has cautioned against labeling every failed or contentious relationship as rape, stating that it trivializes the severity of the crime and inflicts irreparable harm on the accused. The court emphasized that the law should only be invoked in cases where there is clear evidence of sexual violence or a lack of consent. A three-year intimate relationship between a Maharashtra-based lawyer and a woman, who had initially sought his help in a maintenance case, was at the center of the dispute. The woman filed a complaint alleging rape and intimidation, but the Supreme Court disagreed, stating that the evidence showed a consensual relationship that turned sour. The court noted that the woman, an educated and major individual, voluntarily remained in contact with the lawyer, met him frequently, and stayed in a close relationship for nearly three years. The judges stressed that physical intimacy during a consensual relationship cannot be retroactively labeled as rape simply because the relationship ended without a marriage. The Supreme Court's decision comes amid concerns about the misuse of the criminal justice system in cases of failed relationships. The court acknowledged that in Indian society, women often consent to relationships on the promise of marriage, and such consent may be tainted if the promise was made in bad faith. However, the judges emphasized that such allegations must be backed by concrete evidence and not unsubstantiated claims. In this case, the Supreme Court found that there was no credible evidence to support the woman's allegations of rape, and the relationship was a classic instance of a consensual relationship that turned acrimonious. The court's ruling serves as a reminder of the need for a nuanced approach to handling allegations of rape and the importance of ensuring that the law is invoked only in cases where there is clear evidence of a crime.
