The Madhya Pradesh High Court has halted the execution of a prison sentence handed to a woman penalised for making conflicting statements in a rape case against her interfaith partner, with whom she has since married and raised two children.
Court Observations and Bail Conditions
Justice Jai Kumar Pillai granted bail and suspended the remaining prison term on August 17, taking into account that the woman and her husband are living together as a married couple and raising two minor children without any backing from their families. The court noted that deciding the final appeal would require a substantial amount of time, making it fit to grant relief without expressing any opinion on the merits of the case.
Background of the Case
The origin of the case dates back to an interfaith relationship where both individuals left their homes voluntarily to get married, encountering intense social pressure and hostility from both sides of their families. On May 21, 2018, the woman filed a criminal complaint charging the man under Sections 376 and 376(2)(N) of the Indian Penal Code for alleged rape based on a false promise of marriage.
Acquittal and Subsequent Conviction
During the trial, the woman departed from her initial complaint, testifying that she had filed the allegations under family pressure. She informed the court that she had accompanied the man voluntarily, lived with him willingly, and intended to marry him. After she and other prosecution witnesses declined to support the charges, the court acquitted the man. Following the acquittal, the trial court directed legal action against the woman for providing false statements, eventually convicting her under IPC Sections 182 and 193. She received sentences of one month and three years of rigorous imprisonment for providing false information and evidence.
Legal Arguments and Family Situation
Advocate Pooja Sharma, representing the woman, argued before the High Court that the conviction was legally unsustainable and requested bail due to the anticipated delay in the appeal’s final hearing. The trial court had previously suspended her sentence until August 22, 2026. In allowing the application, the High Court emphasized that the woman possesses no prior criminal record, handles household responsibilities for her family, and faces severe social isolation alongside her husband due to their interfaith union.
