The Allahabad High Court recently remarked that the idea of live-in relationships contradicts the "settled law in the Indian Middle Class Society," while granting bail to a man accused of sexually exploiting a woman on the false promise of marriage.
A single bench of Justice Siddharth expressed concern over the increasing number of such cases being brought before courts.
“After live-in-relationship has been legalized by the Apex Court, the Court had fed up [sic] such cases. These cases are coming to the Court because the concept of live-in-relationship is against the settled law in the Indian Middle Class Society…”
Read Also:- Kerala High Court Quashes Charges Under Section 304A IPC Against Contractor in Accidental Death Case
The Court noted that these relationships often cause greater harm to women. The judge highlighted that while men can move on and remarry, women usually struggle to find a life partner after such breakups.
The remarks came while hearing a bail application filed by Shane Alam, who was booked under several sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. He was accused of establishing a physical relationship with the woman based on a false promise of marriage, which he later refused to fulfil.
Read Also:- HDFC Faces Court Scrutiny Over ₹74 Lakh Fraud; Customer Claims Contact Details Were Hacked
The counsel for the informant argued that the accused had ruined the prosecutrix's life, claiming that no one would now agree to marry her.
“The concept of live-in-relationship has attracted the young generation a lot, its after-effects are seen in cases like the present one,” the Court observed.
After reviewing the facts, the Court granted bail to the accused, considering factors such as his detention since February 25, absence of prior criminal history, nature of the allegations, and jail overcrowding.
