The Allahabad High Court has underscored the need for a societal framework to manage live-in relationships while preserving “moral values,” recognizing the growing trend among youth despite the lack of social sanction. This observation was made by Justice Nalin Kumar Srivastava during the bail hearing of Varanasi resident Akash Keshari, who was accused under various sections of the IPC and the SC/ST Act for allegedly deceiving a woman with promises of marriage.
Justice Srivastava noted the appeal of live-in relationships to the youth, who may see it as a way to evade commitments to their partners. “It is high time we all thought and tried to find out some framework and solution to save the moral values of the society,” remarked Justice Srivastava, highlighting the necessity to reconcile these emerging social patterns with traditional moral standards.
During the proceedings, Keshari’s counsel argued that the allegations were baseless, emphasizing that the relationship was consensual and that the woman involved was an adult. The defense also refuted claims of an abortion and denied that Keshari had made any marriage promises to the woman. They revealed that the pair had been in a live-in relationship for approximately six years, further complicating the legal and moral questions at hand.
