Madras High Court Rules Consensual Long-Term Relationships Cannot Be Criminalized as Rape

Nov 18, 2025 02:16 am CST

The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court has quashed rape proceedings against a man accused of sexual relations under false marriage promises, ruling that consensual relationships lasting nine years between educated adults cannot be retrospectively criminalized. Justice Pugalendhi emphasized that private disagreements from consensual acts should not be converted into criminal misconduct.