Overview

• On May 26, 2025, a Supreme Court bench of Justices BV Nagarathna and Satish Chandra Sharma quashed a July 2023 FIR accusing Amol Bhagwan Nehul of rape under a false promise of marriage.
• The bench found that allegations lacked evidence of force or deception required to establish offences under Sections 376(2)(n) or 506 of the Indian Penal Code.
• Court records showed the complainant maintained a consensual relationship from June 2022 to July 2023, including multiple lodge visits, despite having obtained a ‘khulanama’ from her ex-husband.
• The judgment warns against treating a breached promise to marry as grounds for rape charges and highlights the risk of misusing the criminal justice system.
• Citing the accused’s young age and potential lifelong impact, the court deemed it unjust to proceed with a trial and ordered the termination of all related proceedings.