False Promise of Marriage

Criminal Law September 2026
Legal RoundUpTopic-wise Roundup

The September 2026 Criminal Law Roundup highlights important decisions of the Supreme Court and High Courts on crime against women and children, illegal arrest or detention, bail under NDPS Act, false promise of marriage, punishment under POCSO, cruelty under 498-A, victim’s testimony under rape cases, abetment of suicide and quashment of proceedings under domestic violence Act.

Delhi HC fake matrimonial profiles bail
Case BriefsHigh Courts

Delhi High Court held that the creation and operation of 9 matrimonial profiles, including one posing as a woman, prima facie lent credence to the State’s argument that the accused was a “predator of innocent girls” and found the case not fit for grant of bail.

Section 69 BNS
Case BriefsSupreme Court

“The BNS by incorporating Section 69 brought in a separate offence carving out the fraudulent and deceitful conduct as spoken of therein from the grave offence of rape, while at the same time providing a penalty for the deceptive conduct alleged therein.”

Tinder relationship false promise of marriage
Case BriefsHigh Courts

It was alleged by the applicant that the social website named “Tinder app” is not a matrimonial site, but is a popular site among youngsters, and the said website is meant for making friends.

Promise of Marriage Under S. 69 BNS
Case BriefsHigh Courts

In the present case, an alleged promise of marriage made was by a man who was already married. The Court examined whether such a promise could amount to “deceitful means” and the applicability of the bar contained under Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989.

refusal to marry due to Kundali mismatch
Case BriefsHigh Courts

“The contention that the marriage could not take place due to non-matching of kundalis appears inconsistent with his own conduct and representations made over the years. If the issue of kundali matching was indeed of such determinative importance for the applicant and his family, the same should have been resolved at the threshold before entering into physical relations.”

False promise of marriage under Section 69 BNS
SCC Times NewsflashWATCH NOW

The Allahabad High Court has held that criminal proceedings under Section 69 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, alleging sexual relations on

false promise of marriage
Case BriefsHigh Courts

Section 69 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 creates a distinct offence of sexual intercourse by deceitful means, including a false promise of marriage, and the allegations in the FIR disclose prima facie facts justifying continuation of the criminal proceedings.

prior consensual relationship not rape
Case BriefsHigh Courts

“The consent given by the prosecutrix to sexual intercourse with a person with whom she is deeply in love with, on a promise that he would marry her, cannot be considered to be given under a misconception of fact.”

High Court November 2025
High Court Round UpLegal RoundUp

A quick legal roundup to cover important stories from all High Courts this week.

Photograph of place of occurrence of rape
Case BriefsHigh Courts

“In a prosecution for the offence of rape, the building or the place where the sexual intercourse between the offender and the survivor took place, was one of the facts which constituted the state of things under which the occasion or cause of rape happened.”

Bar on anticipatory bail under SCST Act
Case BriefsHigh Courts

“The prima facie conclusion that the accused had not committed any offence under Sections 376(2)(n) and 506 IPC, automatically lead to a conclusion that they had not committed an offence under Section 3(2)(v) of the SC/ST Act.”

woman aware of marital status not exploited
Case BriefsHigh Courts

“It cannot be held that the complainant had been compelled into a sexual relationship on the false pretext of marriage, particularly when she herself continued to meet the petitioner and maintain sexual relations with him even after becoming aware that he had contracted another marriage”

False promise of marriage when victim married
Case BriefsHigh Courts

“The prosecution could not convince the Court that the custodial interrogation of the accused was necessary but opined that he must subject himself to interrogation for the purpose of completing the investigation under a limited custody”

false promise to marry by married person
Case BriefsHigh Courts

“While considering the cases alleging rape based on the promise of marriage, it is difficult for this Court at this juncture to enter a conclusion regarding whether the relationship was consensual or not.”

Rajasthan High Court
Case BriefsHigh Courts

“In Indian societal norms, the matters relating to sexual assault in large number of cases are not being reported by women timely… The possibility of accused taking benefit of the situation… cannot be ruled out.”

sexual intercourse false promise of marriage
Case BriefsSupreme Court

The Court opined that the chats depicted the stark reality about the behavioural pattern of the complainant who appeared to be having manipulative and vindictive tendency.

Madhya Pradesh High Court
Case BriefsHigh Courts

The Court directed accused to handover his all electronic gadgets like mobile, laptop etc. to the investigating agency along with the password of his all social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, whatsapp etc. for the investigation.

Himachal Pradesh High Court
Case BriefsHigh Courts

No doubt, offence alleged to have been committed by the petitioner-accused is of heinous nature, but guilt, if any, of the petitioner is yet to be established on record by leading cogent and convincing evidence.

rape on false promise to marry
Case BriefsSupreme Court

Supreme Court took note of the evident consent of the complainant as well as her parents and daughter, who were living in the same house.