SC drops rape charges against man in consensual relationship
The Supreme Court has dropped rape charges against advocate Pramod Kumar Navratna, who was accused by a married colleague of repeated rape after he allegedly broke a promise to marry her.
Their relationship, which lasted from September 2022 to January 2025, ended in January 2025; she filed an FIR in February 2025 following a confrontation with the appellant's family.
Relationship was consensual, says court
The Court found their relationship was consensual and pointed out that since she was still married (with divorce pending), any marriage promise wasn't legally valid.
The judges said her claims of being deceived didn't hold up because she'd been open about her marital status from the start.
They also cautioned against using serious allegations like rape in situations where relationships simply turn sour, reminding everyone not to trivialize such charges.