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Allahabad High Court has raised concern over a rising trend where failed intimate relationships are being increasingly turned into criminal cases. The observation came while granting bail to a 42-year-old married man accused of rape by a 25-year-old woman.
Justice Krishan Pahal, while hearing the bail plea of Arun Kumar Mishra, noted that the complainant entered into a relationship with the accused with full awareness of his marital history. Mishra, who had previously been married three times, was granted bail after the court examined the delay in filing the FIR and the nature of the relationship.
“The FIR was filed after a delay of six months and seems to be more of an outcome of emotional fallout rather than a genuine grievance of criminal misconduct,” the court said in its order.
‘Casanova’
The applicant’s counsel argued that the relationship between the two was consensual, with the woman accompanying Mishra to various places and staying with him in hotels. Meanwhile, the complainant’s lawyer described Mishra as a “casanova” with a pattern of luring women into relationships despite being married.
Commenting on the larger social implications, the court remarked, “This case is reflective of a broader societal shift, where the sanctity and solemnity once associated with intimate relationships have seen a marked decline. The prevalence of transient and uncommitted relationships, often formed and dissolved at will, raises critical questions about individual responsibility and the misuse of legal provisions, especially when such relationships turn sour.”
The bench added that invoking penal laws in the aftermath of failed relationships is becoming increasingly common, and cautioned against giving “personal fallouts” a criminal dimension.
After reviewing the case documents, the delay in complaint, and the victim’s background as a well-qualified individual, the court found it appropriate to grant bail to the accused.
