In a significant ruling, the Karnataka High Court on Saturday quashed an FIR against a Bengaluru man accused of rape, observing that the relationship between the petitioner and the complainant-who met through the dating app Bumble-was consensual in nature. The case, which had sparked quiet debates on social media consent and digital dating boundaries, came under scrutiny before Justice M. Nagaprasanna.
Background
The complainant, a young woman from Bengaluru, met the petitioner, Sampras Anthony, on Bumble. After a year of chatting on Instagram, they decided to meet in person on August 11, 2024. The two dined at a restaurant before checking into an OYO Flagship hotel, where physical intimacy allegedly took place.
The next morning, Anthony dropped the woman at her apartment. On August 13, she filed a complaint at the Konanakunte Police Station, alleging that she had withdrawn consent midway but he continued the act. The police registered an FIR under Section 64 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, corresponding to rape under the earlier penal code.
Anthony was arrested, investigated, and charge-sheeted under C.C. No. 34011 of 2024, prompting him to approach the High Court for relief.
Court’s Observations
Justice Nagaprasanna examined the chats and interactions between the two that took place over months on Instagram. The judge noted that the messages-though “not in good taste and unfit to be reproduced”-indicated ongoing intimacy and mutual willingness.
“The acts between the petitioner and the complainant appear to have been consensual,” the bench observed, emphasizing that not every case of post-relationship regret could be turned into a criminal accusation.
The court referred to several Supreme Court rulings, including Dr. Dhruvaram Murlidhar Sonar v. State of Maharashtra (2019) and Tilak Raj v. State of Himachal Pradesh (2016), which drew a clear line between consensual sexual relations and rape.
In a strongly worded paragraph, Justice Nagaprasanna stated:
“A relationship born of mutual volition, even if it founders in disappointment, cannot, save in clearest of cases, be transmuted into an offence under criminal law.”
The judge also noted that the investigating officer had ignored digital evidence submitted by the accused that supported his version of events.
Decision
Finding the prosecution to be an abuse of process, the High Court quashed both the FIR (Crime No. 306/2024) and the pending criminal case (C.C. No. 34011/2024) before the XXX Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate, Bengaluru.
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In simple terms, the court held that when two adults engage willingly, and the relationship later breaks down or causes regret, it cannot be labeled as rape unless there is clear coercion or deception.
The ruling brings attention to the complex intersection of digital-age relationships and criminal law - reminding both law enforcement and individuals that consent, once freely given, cannot be retrospectively criminalized.
Case: Sampras Anthony vs State of Karnataka & Anr.
Court: High Court of Karnataka, Bengaluru
Bench: Hon’ble Justice M. Nagaprasanna
Case Number: Writ Petition No. 31144 of 2024 (GM–RES)
Petitioner’s Counsel: Sri Athreya C. Shekar, Advocate
Respondent: State of Karnataka (Konanakunte Police Station) & Complainant (unrepresented)
Date of Judgment: Reserved on 18 September 2025; Pronounced on 25 October 2025
