IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE FOR RAJASTHAN AT JODHPUR
Pushpendra Singh Bhati, J.
Jitendra Kumar Meena S/o Shri Shankar Lal - Petitioner
Versus
State Of Rajasthan, Through Station House Officer, P.S. Kherwara and ors. – Respondents
S.B. Criminal Misc(Pet.) No. 2057, 2608 of 2018
Decided On : 20-07-2022
Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 - Section 482, 156(1), 155(2), 161 – Constitution of India, 1950 - Article 226 – Indian Penal Code, 1860 - Section 375, 90, 376, 420, 418, 506 - Pretext of Promise to Marry - Raped - Learned counsel for petitioner submits that incident when prosecutrix was studying and she came into contact with present petitioner - Prosecutrix submitted that she and present petitioner belonged to same caste and when she asked petitioner to marry her, to which he refused, but they continued to live together - As per prosecutrix, petitioner raped her and in these 11 years, she got pregnant several times, but resorted to choosing to get abortions done - Prosecutrix alleges that she was exploited by present petitioner, who allegedly had been promising marriage for 12 years – Held, Now adverting to facts and circumstances of present case, this Court finds that allegation is that on pretext of promise to marry, sexual exploitation of prosecutrix was done and nothing on record to show any kind of brutality or any kind of mal-intention on part of present petitioner - Prolonged physical relationship, multiple pregnancies, multiple abortions without any protest indicate reality of case, which is nothing more than a domestic relationship akin to matrimony deviating after 12 years between partners - Precedent law cited by learned counsel for petitioner applies in present case - This Court is of firm opinion that precedent law of State of Haryana & Ors. Vs. Bhajan Lal (supra) empowers Court to quash FIR / complaint / all criminal proceedings under Section 482 of C.P.C. when on face of it no offence is made out - In present case in hand, where on face of it, no offence is made out except for and factual matrix is only of a prolonged consensual domestic relationship, this Court deems it appropriate to allow criminal misc. petition and to quash proceedings that arose out of FIR impugned - With aforesaid observations, present misc. petition is allowed and FIR lodged at Police Station along with entire proceedings pursuant thereto qua petitioner is hereby quashed - Petition allowed.
JUDGMENT :
In S.B. Criminal Misc(Pet.) No. 2057/2018 :-
1. Learned counsel for the petitioner submits that the incident is of the year 2005-06 when the prosecutrix was studying in 12th class at Udaipur and she came into contact with the present petitioner. The prosecutrix submitted that she and the present petitioner belonged to the same caste and when she asked the petitioner to marry her, to which he refused, but they continued to live together. As per prosecutrix, the petitioner raped her from 2005-06 to 2017 and in these 11 years, she got pregnant several times, but resorted to choosing to get abortions done. The prosecutrix alleges that she was exploited by the present petitioner, who allegedly had been promising marriage for 12 years.
2. Learned counsel for the petitioner has relied upon the judgment rendered by Hon'ble Apex Court in State of Haryana & Ors. Vs. Ch.Bhajan Lal & Ors., 1992 Supp.(1) SCC 335. The relevant part of the above mentioned judgment reads as under :-
1. Where the allegations made in the First Information Report or the complaint, even if they are taken at their face value and accepted in their entirety do not prima-facie constitute any offence or make out a case against the accused.
2. Where the allegations in the First Information Report and other materials, if any, accompanying the F.I.R. do not disclose a cognizable offence, justifying an investigation by police officers Under Section 156(1) of the Code except under an order of a Magistrate within the purview of Section 155(2) of the Code.
3. Where the uncontroverted allegations made in the FIR or complaint and the evidence collected in support of the same do not disclose the commission of any offence and make out a case against the accused.
4. Where, the allegations in the F.I.R. do not constitute a cognizable offence but constitute only a non-cognizable offence, no investigation is permitted by a police officer without an order of a Magistrate as contemplated Under Section 155(2) of the Code.
5. Where the allegations made in the FIR or complaint are so absurd and inherently improbable on the basis of which no prudent person can ever reach a just conclusion that there is sufficient ground for proceeding against the accused.
6. Where there is an express legal bar engrafted in any of the provisions of the Code or the concerned Act (under which a criminal proceeding is instituted) to the institution and continuance of the proceedings and/or where there is a specific provision in the Code or the concerned Act, providing efficacious redress for the grievance of the aggrieved party.
7. Where a criminal proceeding is manifestly attended with mala fide and/or where the proceeding is maliciously instituted with an ulterior motive for wreaking vengeance on the accused and with a view to spite him due to private and personal grudge.”"
3. Learned Public Prosecutor and learned counsel for the respondent oppose the petition, but are unable to refute the aforesaid factual matrix.
4. Heard learned counsel for the parties and perused the record of the case.
5. This Court takes into consideration the following judgments as rendered by the Hon’ble Apex Court;
6. Uday v. State of Karnataka (2003) 4
Section 375 of IPC states that a man is said to commit rape if he has had any form of sexual intercourse without consent of a woman.
Consent obtained under a misconception of fact does not constitute valid consent under Section 90 IPC; a consensual relationship does not amount to rape.
(1) Exercise of inherent jurisdiction – High Court does not have to go in detail by way of minute examination about correctness or otherwise of facts alleged – Court has to examine the same by taking....
Consent obtained under a false promise of marriage does not constitute rape if the accused had no intention to deceive at the time of the promise.
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