Couple in rape case agree to marry, exchange flowers in SC

The Supreme Court put a hold on the 10-year prison sentence of a man convicted of rape on the basis of a false promise of marriage after both he and the woman expressed their intention to get married.

The bench, made up of Justices B V Nagarathna and S C Sharma, helped the couple reconcile and even encouraged them to exchange flowers in court.

Advocate Mrinal Gopal Eker, representing the state of Madhya Pradesh, noted that the court itself had arranged the flowers for the occasion. In its order, the Court stated that due to the sensitive nature of the case, it had directed the couple, their parents, and their respective legal representatives to appear in the chamber. The parties complied and were heard by the bench during the pre-lunch session.

The Supreme Court noted that it had postponed the hearing to allow the parties time to discuss the possibility of engagement and marriage.

Later, when the matter was taken up again in the post-lunch session, both the petitioner and the woman involved reportedly confirmed their willingness to marry each other, Indian Express reported.

The Court mentioned that the families of both individuals would work out the details of the marriage and expressed hope that the wedding would happen soon.

It further directed that the convict be returned to jail and presented before the appropriate sessions court, which would consider his bail and set any necessary conditions.

According to the prosecution, the man and woman met through Facebook and were in a physical relationship from 2016 to 2021. The woman alleged that he had promised to marry her but later withdrew from that commitment, leading to rape charges and his subsequent conviction.

His application for suspension of sentence under Section 389(1) of the CrPC was rejected by the Jabalpur bench of the Madhya Pradesh High Court on September 5, 2024, prompting him to approach the Supreme Court.