The courtroom fell unusually quiet when the Supreme Court took up the appeal filed by Sandeep Singh Thakur. What began as a challenge to the High Court’s refusal to suspend a sentence soon took a turn few present had expected. By the end of the hearing, the bench would go far beyond interim relief and bring the entire criminal case to a close, invoking its extraordinary powers to “do complete justice.”
Background
The appeal arose from an order of the Madhya Pradesh High Court, which had rejected Thakur’s plea seeking suspension of sentence during the pendency of his criminal appeal. Thakur had been convicted by a sessions court in Sagar for rape on the allegation of a false promise of marriage and cheating. The trial court sentenced him to ten years’ rigorous imprisonment under the Indian Penal Code, along with fines.
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According to the record, the complainant and the accused had met through social media several years earlier. A relationship followed, which later soured when marriage did not take place as initially discussed. The woman subsequently approached the police, and an FIR was registered, leading to Thakur’s arrest, trial, and conviction.
When the Supreme Court heard the appeal against the refusal to suspend sentence, the focus was initially narrow. But during the proceedings, the bench sensed that the dispute had deeper personal dimensions than the cold language of the case papers suggested.
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Court’s Observations
In a rare and candid observation, the bench noted that this was “one of those rare cases” where the court felt that the parties could possibly reconcile. The judges interacted with both the appellant and the prosecutrix, along with their parents, in chambers.
“The bench observed that owing to a misunderstanding, a consensual relationship was given a criminal colour,” the judgment records. It further noted that the delay in marriage appeared to have triggered insecurity, leading to the filing of the complaint.
Following these interactions, the court granted interim bail to the appellant. Soon after, the parties informed the court that they had married and were living together. Their families, the judges were told, were satisfied with the development.
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Decision
Taking note of the marriage and the joint request made by both sides, the Supreme Court exercised its powers under Article 142 of the Constitution. The bench quashed the FIR, set aside the conviction and sentence, and declared the pending appeal before the High Court infructuous.
The court held that continuing the criminal proceedings would serve no purpose in the changed circumstances. With this, the appeal was disposed of, bringing an end to a case that had travelled from a social media friendship to the country’s highest court.
Case Title: Sandeep Singh Thakur vs State of Madhya Pradesh & Another
Case No.: Criminal Appeal No. 5256 of 2025
Case Type: Criminal Appeal (against rejection of suspension of sentence; conviction under IPC)
Decision Date: December 5, 2025
