The Tripura High Court has acquitted a man who was convicted and sentenced to 10 years in prison for rape, ruling that a consensual relationship between a married couple does not qualify as rape under Section 375 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
Court Ruling
A division bench comprising Justice T Amarnath Goud and Justice S Datta Purkayastha set aside the conviction of Sukanta Murasing, which had been awarded by a Belonia court in January 2025. The high court observed that the complainant admitted to a long-term romantic relationship with the accused and confirmed that their marriage was still valid.
Case Background
The case originated from an FIR filed in October 2022, alleging sexual assault in 2017. The couple later married in January 2018 and signed a notarized declaration. However, the complainant alleged that the accused refused to acknowledge the marriage in front of local community leaders.
Key Observations
The high court noted that the complainant lived with Murasing as his wife after the alleged incident, with no evidence of resistance or immediate complaint. This suggested the relationship was consensual. The court emphasized that a marital relationship, when consensual, does not fall under the definition of rape under Section 375 IPC.
The judgment has sparked discussions on the legal interpretation of marital consent and its implications under Indian law.
