Overview

• The Chhattisgarh High Court overturned the conviction of a man accused of marital rape and unnatural sexual acts that allegedly caused his wife's death in 2017.
• The court ruled that under Indian law, non-consensual sexual acts by a husband with his wife cannot be classified as rape, citing Exception 2 under Section 375 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
• Despite the victim's dying declaration implicating her husband, the court found insufficient evidence to uphold the charges of rape, unnatural sex, and culpable homicide.
• India's legal framework does not criminalize marital rape, a stance defended by the government, which argues that such a move could disrupt the institution of marriage.
• The case highlights ongoing legal and societal debates in India over marital consent and the rights of women, with petitions challenging the marital rape exemption pending before the Supreme Court.