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2w ago

Supreme Court Strikes Down False Rape FIRs, Emphasizes Clear Evidence Requirement

It underscored that courts must distinguish personal disputes from criminal conduct by requiring clear proof of coercion or deception.

A bench comprising Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta said allowing prosecution of the accused would be a travesty of justice.

Overview

  • On May 26 a bench led by Justices BV Nagarathna and Satish Chandra Sharma quashed proceedings against a 23-year-old accused, ruling that a consensual relationship turning sour cannot ground rape charges.
  • On May 29 a separate bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta labeled an FIR under rape and SC/ST Act provisions a “bundle of lies” and terminated prosecution for lack of substantiation.
  • The court highlighted WhatsApp chats in which the complainant admitted to manipulative tactics, including plans to “trap” partners and move on to a “next victim.”
  • Justices observed stark contradictions between a 2021 FIR alleging a single encounter and a 2022 FIR citing multiple incidents, undermining the complainant’s credibility.
  • The Supreme Court warned against using rape laws for personal vendettas and cautioned lower courts against treating every broken marriage promise as grounds for criminal action.