On Wednesday, the Supreme Court declined to cancel anticipatory bail granted to a man accused in a “promise to marry” case, observing that the complainant woman was already married during the course of their relationship.
A bench comprising Justices MM Sundresh and N Kotishwar Singh upheld the Patna High Court’s earlier decision, choosing not to intervene. The apex court took note of the woman’s marital status at the time of the alleged relationship and questioned her role and conduct.
“Why did you accompany him to hotels multiple times? You were married and fully aware of the nature of the relationship,” the bench remarked. The Court also pointed out that the woman, being a mature individual with two children, engaged in a consensual relationship outside of marriage, which also raised concerns.
According to the woman’s petition, she met the accused in 2016 through social media. In 2022, she alleged that she was drugged and sexually assaulted, and later blackmailed with videos into continuing the relationship under the pretext of marriage. She claimed that under this pressure, she obtained a divorce, but the accused then refused to marry her.
The High Court granted the man anticipatory bail, citing the absence of intimate contact post-divorce. Despite arguments about alleged coercion, the Supreme Court found no legal grounds to overturn the decision.