‘Knew what she was getting into’: SC warns woman of punishment for having an affair outside marriage

The married woman, who later got divorced, and the man, had been in a relationship after knowing each other through social media in 2016

The Supreme Court on July 16 (Wednesday) slammed a woman who was seeking cancellation of anticipatory bail to a man accused of raping her on promise of marriage. The court warned her she might be liable for prosecution for having a physical relationship with a man other than her husband during the subsistence of her marriage, The Times of India reported.

According to the report, the man was granted an anticipatory bail by Patna High Court, dismissing the plea of the woman. The trial court had, however, refused the anticipatory bail to the man, who had sought relief after the woman registered a rape complaint against him on the ‘false pretext of marriage’.

In the Supreme Court, the woman's counsel said that the man had continued to engage in a sexual relationship with his client on the false promise of marriage.

A division bench of Justices MM Sundresh and N Kotiswar Singh has been quoted as saying, "You are a married woman with two children. You are a mature person, and you understand the relationship you were getting into outside the marriage."

His counsel further informed the court that the woman was called many times to hotels and rest houses by the man for sex on the pretext of marriage.

The bench reportedly asked, "Why did you go to the hotels repeatedly at his beckoning? You very well understand that you also have committed an offence by having a sexual relationship outside the marriage."

The married woman -- who later got divorced -- and the man, had been in a relationship after knowing each other through social media in 2016.

The woman also alleged that at his behest and pressure, she had sought divorce from her husband, which was granted by a family court on March 6.

After getting divorced, she allegedly asked the man to marry her but he refused. Following that, she lodged a complaint with Bihar Police accusing him of sexually exploiting her in the false promise of marriage.

The Patna High Court had granted anticipatory bail to the man upon finding from record that he had not indulged in any sexual activity with the woman after her divorce from her husband, the report said.