The Supreme Court of India has ruled that a married woman cannot accuse a man of rape based on a promise of marriage while her own marriage is still legally valid. In a judgment delivered on June 4, 2025, the Court quashed a rape case filed by a married woman who alleged that a man sexually assaulted her under the pretense that he would marry her. The Court emphasized that a promise of marriage cannot be considered valid grounds for a rape allegation if the woman is already married, as such a promise is legally unenforceable.

In a related case, the Supreme Court quashed rape charges against a man who had a consensual relationship with a 30-year-old woman but later declined to marry her. The Court noted that the man’s decision was based on observations of the woman’s “aggressive sexual behaviour, obsessive nature, and manipulative and vindictive tendencies.” The Court concluded that these factors negated the claim of rape under the pretext of a false promise to marry, as the consent was not obtained through deception.

These rulings underscore the legal complexities surrounding consent and false promises of marriage in the context of sexual relationships, particularly when the complainant is already married.

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