The Kerala High Court has dismissed the long-held assumption that Indian women would not file false allegations of sexual assault due to societal stigma. In a significant ruling, Justice A Badharudeen emphasized that recent years have seen an increase in cases where women have misused sexual assault laws to settle personal scores or coerce men into meeting their demands.
Case Background
The observation was made while hearing a plea seeking to quash rape charges against a man under Section 376 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). The case revolved around allegations that the petitioner had sexually assaulted a woman by falsely promising to marry her.
However, the complainant later informed the Court that she had no objection to quashing the case, raising concerns over the legitimacy of the allegations. While the Public Prosecutor opposed the plea, arguing that the First Information Report (FIR) indicated that rape had been committed, the Court examined the timeline of events and found inconsistencies in the woman’s complaint.
Court’s Observations and Ruling
Justice Badharudeen highlighted that in Indian society, there has been a prevailing belief that women are unlikely to falsely accuse someone of sexual assault because of the potential harm to their own reputation. However, he noted that this notion has weakened over time, with some cases proving to be baseless and motivated by personal grievances rather than genuine justice.
“Over the years, there has been a rise in cases where allegations of rape, molestation, and other misconduct are made without any substance, often as a means to settle personal scores or exert pressure on the accused. Therefore, such assumptions cannot be followed blindly, and each case must be analyzed on its own merit,” the Court stated.
In this particular case, the Court observed that the alleged incident took place in 2014, but the complaint was registered only in 2019. Furthermore, the woman had initially approached the Women’s Cell in 2016 but had not pursued the matter, allegedly because the petitioner had promised to marry her.
The Court questioned the credibility of the complaint, noting that waiting three years without any communication before reviving the allegations was implausible. It concluded that the relationship between the petitioner and the complainant was consensual and that the consent was not vitiated by any “misconception of facts.”
Given these findings, the High Court ruled in favor of the petitioner and quashed all proceedings against him, stating that the allegations did not hold legal merit.
Significance of the Judgment
This ruling serves as a reminder that every sexual assault case must be examined on its own facts rather than relying on presumptions about gender-based victimhood. While the Court acknowledged the need to protect genuine victims of sexual violence, it also stressed the importance of ensuring that false accusations do not undermine the credibility of real cases.
By reinforcing the necessity of scrutinizing complaints thoroughly, the Kerala High Court has reaffirmed the principle of fair trial and due process in cases involving allegations of sexual misconduct.
