SC flags rise in rape cases on the false promise of marriage

NEW DELHI The Supreme Court on Wednesday expressed concern over the increasing number of rape cases filed on the grounds of false promises of marriage, cautioning against criminalising relationships that do not culminate in wedlock. A bench of justices MM Sundresh and Rajesh Bindal remarked that failed romances and break-ups should not automatically lead to rape allegations, particularly in the context of evolving societal norms. The court was hearing a petition filed by a man seeking to quash rape charges levelled against him by a woman to whom he was engaged. Senior counsel Geeta Luthra appeared for the man while senior advocate Madhavi Divan represented the woman.