SC Halts Rapist’s Sentence As Couple Agrees To Marry
The Supreme Court suspended a rape convict’s sentence after both parties agreed to marry. The court even asked the man to propose and exchange flowers in court.
The Supreme Court of India recently gave a significant order in a sensitive case involving a man who was convicted of rape based on a false promise of marriage.
The top court suspended his sentence after both the man and the woman (the prosecutrix) informed the judges that they wanted to get married to each other.
This matter was heard by a Bench consisting of Justice BV Nagarathna and Justice Satish Chandra Sharma. The judges spoke to both parties in private, during the court’s lunch break. After this in-chamber meeting,
the Bench announced in open court:
“We met the parties in-chamber in the lunch session. The parties have both unequivocally expressed their desire to marry each other.”
The Court then requested the man to officially propose to the woman right there in court. Following this, both were asked to exchange flowers as a gesture of their willingness to get married.
While giving the order to suspend the sentence, the Supreme Court observed:
“They (rape accused and victim) are willing to marry each other. The details of the marriage shall be worked out by the respective parents. We hope that the marriage takes place as expeditiously as possible. In such circumstances, we suspend the sentence and release the petitioner…today the petitioner appeared before this court pursuant a direction dated 6/5/2025. He shall return to jail and will be produced before the concerned sessions court as early as possible.”
Further, the top court directed the sessions court dealing with the case to grant bail to the man, based on conditions that the sessions court finds suitable.
The next date for hearing of the matter is set for July 25, 2025.
In this case, Advocate Nikhil Jain appeared on behalf of the victim.
This legal battle started with an FIR (first information report) filed in 2021. As per the FIR, the man and woman had known each other since 2016.
They got in touch via Facebook, where the woman had connected with the man’s sister. Over the next few years, they became close and developed a physical relationship.
The woman alleged that the man repeatedly assured her that he would marry her, which is why she consented to the relationship.
However, when she finally asked him to fulfill his promise of marriage, he declined and told her that his mother was not in agreement with their union.
The trial court examined the case and in September 2024, convicted the man under two provisions of the Indian Penal Code – Section 376(2)(n) which deals with repeated rape, and Section 417, which deals with cheating.
The court sentenced him to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment for rape and 2 years of imprisonment for cheating.
After being convicted, the man filed an application before the Madhya Pradesh High Court under Section 389(1) of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), which allows a convicted person to seek suspension of sentence while an appeal is pending.
However, the High Court dismissed his request on September 5, 2024. He then approached the Supreme Court, challenging the High Court’s refusal to suspend his sentence.
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This unusual case caught national attention due to its sensitive nature, legal complexity, and the final outcome where both the convict and the victim expressed mutual consent to marry each other, leading the apex court to temporarily release the man, keeping in mind the possibility of marriage and future rehabilitation.
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