In 2009, a man working with All India Radio befriended a fellow journalist. Later, they began dating and contemplated marriage. In 2013, the man refused to marry and was dragged to court on charges of rape. A few weeks ago, a city court acquitted him, upholding his right to say “no” to the woman.

The woman told the court that she had established physical relations with the man only after he had promised marriage.

She alleged that he had hinted at marriage earlier and proposed to her in February 2012. While negotiations regarding their marriage was on, the man’s niece fell ill and the ceremony was delayed. After that, the man kept delaying the marriage, she alleged.

The woman had filed a complaint at his office but withdrew it fearing that he would lose his job. According to the woman, when she confronted the man in his office and later at the police station, she was told that he had never intended to marry her.

The man claimed that he had initially intended to marry the woman but had changed his mind owing to the “violent and aggressive nature” of the woman. According to him, the woman had abused his father, created a scene in his office, threatened to file cases against him and his father, smashed the windscreen of his car and threatened to commit suicide.

Additional Sessions Judge Dharmesh Sharma considered the fact that the couple had established physical relations before the promise to marriage was made, while acquitting the man.

“It was a love affair between two grown-ups that did not result in a happy ending, but to cry rape by the lady is not fathomable. Marriage is a lifelong commitment that requires weighing of several options and balancing of one’s interest with the other. Therefore, to my mind, the accused despite best intentions, had his reasons to say ‘no’ to the marriage when he saw an unreasonable side of the prosecutrix. While everything was rosy when they were in love, none of them was perfect and thus, the unfortunate tragic ending,” the judge observed.

The court held that the prosecution had “miserably failed to prove its case” and acquitted the man.

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