Supreme Court Questions Criminal Charge Of Sexual Assault In Long-Term Live-In Relationship The Supreme Court on Monday raised critical questions about the validity of a criminal charge of sexual assault based on a false promise of marriage in a long-term live-in relationship. A bench comprising Justice BV Nagarathna and Justice Ujjal Bhuyan was examining a woman’s plea against the Madhya Pradesh High Court’s decision to dismiss her FIR under Sections 69, 115(2), and 74 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2024. The FIR accused her former live-in partner of exploitation through a false marriage promise. The woman alleged that the accused, who was already married, had lured her at a young age, concealed his marital status, and promised to marry her. She claimed he sexually exploited her after she became a widow. During the hearing, Justice Nagarathna emphasized the need to scrutinize the nature of the relationship, questioning why the complainant had chosen to live with the accused before marriage and why she delayed filing the complaint. She remarked that such inquiries could be perceived as victim-shaming, but stressed the importance of examining the facts. The petitioner’s counsel argued that the accused had manipulated the complainant’s vulnerability after she became a widow at 18. They contended that the accused had promised marriage, leading her to enter the relationship, only to abandon her later. Justice Nagarathna, however, highlighted the inherent risks of live-in relationships, noting that separation does not automatically constitute a criminal offense. She pointed out that the complainant had lived with the accused for 15 years, had a child with him, and that his departure was a natural consequence of the lack of a legal marriage bond.#supreme_court #madhya_pradesh_high_court #justice_bv_nagarathna #justice_ujjal_bhuyan #bharatiya_nyaya_sanhita_2024
