On May 15, 2025, the Supreme Court of India granted interim bail to a man convicted of rape under the pretext of a false promise of marriage, following the mutual agreement between him and the complainant to marry each other.

The bench, comprising Justices B.V. Nagarathna and S.C. Sharma, suspended the man’s sentence to facilitate the marriage. The case was heard in-camera, with both parties and their parents present. After private discussions, both the petitioner and the complainant expressed their willingness to marry. The Court directed their parents to arrange the marriage details promptly and scheduled the next hearing for July 25, 2025, marking the case as part-heard to maintain oversight.

The background of the case involves a First Information Report filed in Sagar, Madhya Pradesh, where the complainant alleged that the petitioner engaged in a long-term sexual relationship with her since 2016 under the false promise of marriage, including a notarized affidavit in 2018. Despite these assurances, the petitioner later refused to marry her, leading to his conviction under Sections 376(2)(n) and 417 of the Indian Penal Code and a ten-year rigorous imprisonment sentence, which was upheld by the Madhya Pradesh High Court. The Supreme Court’s decision to grant interim bail was influenced by the parties’ agreement to marry, reflecting an exceptional circumstance in the judicial process.

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