‘They were in a long-standing physical relationship’: HC acquits rape accused

Bhopal/Jabalpur: The MP high court quashed the FIR and subsequent proceedings against a person accused of rape by a woman on the grounds that the accused and the complainant were in a long-standing relationship and they had a physical relationship as well, adding that the woman lodged a complaint against the petitioner only when he decided to marry another woman.The court also dismissed the plea on behalf of the complainant that the accused was blackmailing her, threatening to make her photograph and video viral, as there was no photograph or video available in the case diary presented in the court.The accused, in his petition, also pleaded with the court that he was an IPS officer and the rape accusation against him was adversely affecting his career prospects. The complainant disputed the claim and said that the petitioner was a fraud and was posing as a IPS officer to earn the court's sympathy.The court asked for verification of the claim based on documents submitted by Rajput in support of his claim. Referring to the letter from the under secretary, department of personnel & training (DoPT), the court said that the documents were true and Rajput cleared the UPSC exam. Therefore, no action was required to be taken against him on this count."The FIR was only lodged when the petitioner was about to marry another girl. There is an inordinate delay in lodging the FIR," the court said on the case.The judge further said that considering the totality of the case, and also the fact that the prosecutrix is a woman aged 31 years and is an economically independent woman, the FIR and further proceedings arising out of the crime registered under sections 376, 376(2)(n), 506 of the IPC and sections 3(1)(w)(i), 3(2)(v) of the MP Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 against the petitioner, are quashed.The court gave liberty to the complainant to file a suit for recovery of her money if she gave some money to the petitioner while allowing and disposing of the petition.
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