The Allahabad High Court has granted bail to a 42-year-old man accused of rape. While passing the order on April 9, Justice Krishan Pahal observed that criminal laws are being misused more frequently in the aftermath of failed relationships.

The court pointed out that emotional disputes and personal breakups are increasingly being turned into legal battles by labelling them as criminal cases. It added that such actions can not only harm innocent individuals but also weaken the seriousness of actual criminal cases.

The remarks were made while hearing the man’s bail plea, where he was accused of rape by a woman he had been in a relationship with him. The man was arrested last year after a 25-year-old woman filed a complaint, saying he had forced himself on her, recorded the act, and then blackmailed her. She also claimed he had promised to marry her but later abandoned her.

The woman told the court that the man was a “Casanova” who had tricked many women into relationships and had been married three times before. She said he was wealthy and used his money and influence to ruin her life.

However, the man’s lawyer told the court that the woman was aware he was already married when she entered into a relationship with him. The lawyer also denied claims that the man had been married three times.

While granting bail, the court observed that failed relationships are often turned into criminal cases and that such matters need to be looked at carefully to avoid misuse of the law.

However, the man's lawyer told the court that the woman was fully aware of his marital status when the relationship began. He also denied that the man had multiple marriages.

After hearing both sides, the court said the case seemed to be more about emotions following a breakup than a serious criminal offence. It was observed that the relationship between the two was consensual, and the woman knew about the man's past.

The judge added, “Not all socially or morally questionable actions require legal action. The law does not deal with every issue of morality.” The court warned against misusing criminal laws in personal matters and stressed the importance of careful examination in such cases.

 

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