{"id":382582,"date":"2026-04-28T14:00:09","date_gmt":"2026-04-28T08:30:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/?p=382582"},"modified":"2026-04-28T13:19:18","modified_gmt":"2026-04-28T07:49:18","slug":"sc-quashing-pocso-fir-in-consensual-relationship","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/post\/2026\/04\/28\/sc-quashing-pocso-fir-in-consensual-relationship\/","title":{"rendered":"Inside Delhi High Court Guidelines for Quashing of POCSO FIR in Consensual Adolescent Relationship"},"content":{"rendered":"<style>\n.animate-charcter{background-image: linear-gradient(-225deg, #231557 0%, #44107a 29%, #ff1361 67%, #fff800 100%); background-size: 200% auto; -webkit-background-clip: text; -webkit-text-fill-color: transparent; animation: textclip 0s linear infinite;}\n@keyframes textclip {to {background-position: 200% center;}}\n<\/style>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;\">\n<p style=\"margin-bottom: 3%;\"><span style=\"font-weight: bold;\">Delhi High Court:<\/span> In a writ petition filed under Article <a href=\"https:\/\/www.scconline.com\/DocumentLink.aspx?q=JTXT-0001574969\" target=\"_blank\">226<\/a> of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.scconline.com\/DocumentLink.aspx?q=JTXT-0002726967\" target=\"_blank\">Constitution of India<\/a> read with Section <a href=\"https:\/\/www.scconline.com\/DocumentLink.aspx?q=JTXT-9001804270\" target=\"_blank\">528<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.scconline.com\/DocumentLink.aspx?q=JTXT-9001804327\" target=\"_blank\">Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023<\/a> (BNSS), instituted by the petitioner-accused, husband of Respondent 2 (prosecutrix), seeking quashing of FIR dated 13 June 2025 registered under Section <a href=\"https:\/\/www.scconline.com\/DocumentLink.aspx?q=JTXT-9001803752\" target=\"_blank\">64(1)<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.scconline.com\/DocumentLink.aspx?q=JTXT-9001804326\" target=\"_blank\">Nyaya Sanhita, 2023<\/a> (BNS) and Section <a href=\"https:\/\/www.scconline.com\/DocumentLink.aspx?q=JTXT-0001550528\" target=\"_blank\">6<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.scconline.com\/DocumentLink.aspx?q=JTXT-0002825996\" target=\"_blank\">Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012<\/a> (POCSO Act), where the prosecutrix, though a minor at the time of the alleged incident, unequivocally denied having suffered any harm and sought quashing of the FIR, thereby exposing the <span style=\"font-style: italic;\">&#8220;disconnect between a rigid legal construct and the human lives it seeks to govern&#8221;<\/span>, the Single Judge Bench of <span style=\"font-weight: bold;\">Anup Jairam Bhambhani*, J.<\/span>, in view of the absence of a de facto victim, the settled matrimonial life of the parties, the birth of a child, prevent re-victimisation of the de-jur&eacute; victim and the clear stand of the prosecutrix, held that continuation of proceedings would amount to abuse of process and result in manifest injustice. The Court quashed the FIR and all subsequent proceedings and issued guidelines for quashing of POCSO FIR in consensual adolescent relationship.<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin-bottom: 3%; font-weight: bold;\">Watch Now: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/post\/2026\/01\/19\/romeo-juliet-clause-sc-pocso-judgment\/\" target=\"_blank\">Romeo Juliet Clause : Decode SC&#8217;s POCSO Judgment<\/a><\/p>\n<h3>Factual Matrix<\/h3>\n<p style=\"margin-bottom: 3%;\">At the time alleged offences had occurred, the petitioner was about 22 years of age, whereas prosecutrix, was approximately 17 years old, thereby attracting the provisions of the POCSO Act on petitioner. Significantly, no complaint was made by the prosecutrix herself. The FIR came to be registered at the instance of doctors at Safdarjung Hospital when the prosecutrix approached the hospital for delivery of her child, and her minority was detected, compelling the hospital authorities to inform the police in compliance with Section <a href=\"https:\/\/www.scconline.com\/DocumentLink.aspx?q=JTXT-0001550499\" target=\"_blank\">21<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.scconline.com\/DocumentLink.aspx?q=JTXT-0002825996\" target=\"_blank\">POCSO Act<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin-bottom: 3%;\">It was the consistent stand of both parties that they had married according to Sikh rites on 4 September 2024 and were residing together as husband and wife along with their child. The prosecutrix filed an affidavit stating that she had voluntarily entered into the relationship, had no grievance against the petitioner, and did not wish to pursue the criminal proceedings. She further stated that continuation of proceedings would have disastrous consequences for her and her child.<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin-bottom: 3%;\">The prosecutrix had filed an affidavit affirming that she married the petitioner of her own volition, is living happily in her matrimonial home, and had no grievance whatsoever against him. She had further stated that she did not wish to pursue the criminal proceedings and had no objection to quashing of the FIR. Her statement was recorded before the Joint Registrar and again reiterated before the Court, where she categorically stated that the petitioner had committed no offence against her, that she was a willing participant in the relationship, and that continuation of proceedings would have &#8220;disastrous consequences&#8221; by destroying the young family and leaving her and her child without support.<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin-bottom: 3%;\">Though investigation had commenced, no charge-sheet had been filed at the time of consideration of the petition.<\/p>\n<h3>Issues for determination<\/h3>\n<ol style=\"list-style-type: decimal;\">\n<li>\n<p>Can there be an &#8220;offence&#8221; if no loss or injury has been claimed to have been suffered by a &#8220;victim&#8221;, as statutorily defined?<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p style=\"margin-bottom: 3%;\">Should a penal provision be so applied that it results in grave consequences on the de-jur&eacute; victim?<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h3>Analysis<\/h3>\n<p style=\"margin-bottom: 3%;\">At the outset, the Court referred to the Statement of Objects and Reasons of the POCSO Act, noting that the legislation is a comprehensive framework intended to protect children from sexual offences, recognising their vulnerability and ensuring their development in conditions of freedom and dignity. The Act is centred around the child as a victim, though it does not independently define the term &#8220;victim&#8221;. Instead, by virtue of Section 2(2), reliance is placed upon definitions contained in other statutes.<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin-bottom: 3%;\">The Court therefore referred to Section <a href=\"https:\/\/www.scconline.com\/DocumentLink.aspx?q=JTXT-0001519448\" target=\"_blank\">2<\/a>(<span style=\"font-style: italic;\">wa<\/span>), <a href=\"https:\/\/www.scconline.com\/DocumentLink.aspx?q=JTXT-0002726935\" target=\"_blank\">Criminal Procedure Code, 1973<\/a> (CrPC) and Section <a href=\"https:\/\/www.scconline.com\/DocumentLink.aspx?q=JTXT-9001803905\" target=\"_blank\">2(1)<\/a>(<span style=\"font-style: italic;\">y<\/span>) <a href=\"https:\/\/www.scconline.com\/DocumentLink.aspx?q=JTXT-9001804327\" target=\"_blank\">BNSS<\/a>, both of which define a &#8220;victim&#8221; as a person who has suffered &#8220;any loss or injury&#8221; by reason of the act or omission of the accused. From these provisions, the Court underscored that the existence of a victim presupposes the suffering of loss or injury.<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin-bottom: 3%;\">The Court noted that such situations may amount to what can be described as &#8220;victimless crimes&#8221;, where harm is presumed by law but not experienced in fact. It cautioned against a purely textual application of the statute which ignores the lived realities of the parties and collapses the distinction between presumed vulnerability and actual victimhood.<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin-bottom: 3%;\">At the same time, the Court acknowledged the settled position that the consent of a minor is of no legal value and declined to enter into the debate regarding consent or ex post facto condonation. Instead, the Court narrowed the inquiry to a more fundamental issue, <span style=\"font-style: italic;\">i.e.<\/span>, what course of action should be adopted when a person who is treated by law as a victim disclaims having suffered any loss or injury.<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin-bottom: 3%; font-weight: bold;\">Also Read: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/post\/2026\/03\/09\/mad-hc-flags-misuse-of-pocso-act-in-teenage-relationships\/\" target=\"_blank\">&#8220;Young boys bear consequences&#8221;: Madras HC flags misuse of POCSO in teenage relationships; Calls for awareness campaigns<\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"margin-left: 18pt; font-weight: bold;\">De-jur&eacute; and De-facto Victim<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin-bottom: 3%;\">The Court observed that there may be situations where the law constructs a victim by reason of minority, even though in reality no harm has been suffered. In such cases, there exists a de-jur&eacute; victim but no de facto victim. It, therefore, recognised a distinction between a &#8220;de-jur&eacute; victim&#8221; (a victim in law) and a &#8220;de facto victim&#8221; (a victim in reality), holding that the present case disclosed the former but not the latter.<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin-bottom: 3%;\">Drawing upon Joel Feinberg&#8217;s theory of &#8220;harmless wrongdoing&#8221; and &#8220;victimless crimes&#8221;, the Court noted that consensual adolescent relationships under the POCSO framework may constitute &#8220;crime without a victim&#8221;. While the law presumes harm by negating the capacity of a minor to consent, the lived experience of the parties may reveal absence of injury or grievance. This results in a conceptual dissonance where the legal system insists upon victimhood despite the absence of any felt harm.<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin-bottom: 3%;\">Discussing the consequences of rigid enforcement of penal provisions, the Court posed the question whether courts should persist with pedantic application of law even when it leads to serious re-victimisation of the person whom the law seeks to protect. The Court emphasised that enforcing the letter of the law in such circumstances may in fact cause grave injustice to the prosecutrix herself.<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin-left: 18pt; font-weight: bold;\">Predominant v. Contrary &#8212; Judicial Trend<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin-bottom: 3%;\">The Court examined several judgments of Supreme Court and the various High Courts across the country and observed that the predominant judicial trend favours quashing proceedings where the de-jur&eacute; victim disclaims that she has suffered any loss or injury, especially in cases where parties have subsequently married, are cohabiting, and have children, on the ground that <span style=\"font-style: italic;\">&#8220;continuing with trial in such cases would be an exercise in futility&#8221;<\/span>.<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin-bottom: 3%;\">At the same time, the Court also acknowledged contrary decisions which emphasised that such offences cannot be condoned on the basis of compromise or marriage. It asserted that the essential reasoning for the courts had refused to quash proceedings involving offences under the POCSO Act are variously, <span style=\"font-style: italic;\">&#8220;that the consent of a minor is of no value in law; that an offence once committed cannot be condoned ex post facto; that the legislature has left no room for condoning or compromising an offence under the POCSO Act; and that a High Court cannot, even in exercise of its inherent jurisdiction or constitutional powers, nullify the legislative intent behind the POCSO Act&#8221;.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"margin-left: 18pt; font-weight: bold;\">Victim&#8217;s Right in Criminal Jurisprudence<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin-bottom: 3%;\">The Court stated that the jurisprudential basis for the State being the prosecuting agency in criminal offences <span style=\"font-style: italic;\">&#8220;is to prevent a criminal prosecution from descending into an exercise in vengeance, where the victim goes baying-for-the-blood of the offender; and to maintain objectivity, neutrality, fairness and a sense of proportion in prosecution of an offender&#8221;.<\/span> Where the prosecutrix herself denies harm and seeks closure, the State ought not to pursue prosecution in a purely retributive manner.<\/p>\n<p class=\"animate-charcter\" style=\"margin-bottom: 3%; margin-left: 36pt; font-weight: bold;\">&#8220;Prosecuting a person on the shoulders only of a de-jur&eacute; victim would not be the prudent approach; muchless so, when the consequences of such prosecution would befall the de-jur&eacute; victim herself.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin-bottom: 3%;\">Referring to <span style=\"font-style: italic;\">Jagjeet Singh<\/span> v. <span style=\"font-style: italic;\">Ashish Mishra<\/span>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.scconline.com\/DocumentLink.aspx?q=JTXT-9001300191\" target=\"_blank\">(2022) 9 SCC 321<\/a>, where the Court reiterated that the rights of a victim are substantive and independent, and that the presence of the State does not substitute the voice of the victim.<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin-bottom: 3%;\">The Court agreed with the articulation of the law by the Supreme Court in <span style=\"font-style: italic;\">Ayyub Malik<\/span> v. <span style=\"font-style: italic;\">State of Uttarakhand<\/span>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.scconline.com\/DocumentLink.aspx?q=JTXT-9003391927\" target=\"_blank\">2026 SCC OnLine SC 637<\/a>, wherein it was held that subsequent marriage and peaceful cohabitation may outweigh the need to continue criminal proceedings, particularly where continuation would amount to harassment and abuse of process of law.<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin-bottom: 3%;\">The Court held that continuation of proceedings in the present case would result in re-victimisation by destroying the prosecutrix&#8217;s settled marital life and jeopardising the future of her child. The Court observed that the duty of a court is to do justice, and <span style=\"font-weight: bold;\">&#8220;if unleashing the letter of the law leads to manifest injustice, a court cannot look the other way&#8221;.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"margin-bottom: 3%; font-weight: bold;\">Also Read: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/post\/2025\/09\/29\/supreme-court-interim-bail-with-rehabilitation-pocso-rehabilitation-support-convict\/\" target=\"_blank\">Supreme Court grants interim bail in POCSO case; Orders housing, employment, and counselling support to facilitate convict&#8217;s reunion with prosecutrix and minor child<\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"margin-left: 18pt; font-weight: bold;\">Legislative Gap<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin-bottom: 3%;\">The Court also noted that despite repeated judicial observations, the legislature has not addressed the issue of consensual adolescent relationships under the POCSO framework. Reference was made to the Supreme Court&#8217;s suggestion in <span style=\"font-style: italic;\">State of U.P.<\/span> v. <span style=\"font-style: italic;\">Anurudh<\/span>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.scconline.com\/DocumentLink.aspx?q=JTXT-9003091325\" target=\"_blank\">2026 SCC OnLine SC 40<\/a>, regarding the need for a &#8220;Romeo-Juliet clause&#8221; thereby <span style=\"font-style: italic;\">&#8220;exempting genuine adolescent relationships from the stronghold of this law; enacting a mechanism enabling the prosecution of those persons who, by the use of these laws seeks to settle scores etc&#8221;.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"margin-bottom: 3%; font-weight: bold;\">Also Read: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/post\/2026\/01\/12\/bring-romeo-juliet-clause-in-pocso-act-to-exempt-genuine-relationships-sc\/\" target=\"_blank\">Victim&#8217;s Age determination; &#8216;Romeo-Juliet clause&#8217; to curb misuse: Inside Supreme Court&#8217;s important judgment on POCSO Act<\/a><\/p>\n<h3>Directions<\/h3>\n<p style=\"margin-bottom: 3%;\">The Court cautioned against misuse of compromise-based quashing and emphasised that courts must remain vigilant against situations where offenders exploit vulnerable victims through coercion or deception.<\/p>\n<p>The Court opined that though quashing of criminal proceedings under the POCSO Act is not anathema to the law, such quashing demands careful and sensitive consideration of the fact situation. Therefore, when examining a quashment petition under the POCSO Act based on the de-jur&eacute; victim&#8217;s consent, the court must carefully evaluate the reasons as to why the victim disclaims any loss or injury to her and must record its satisfaction on the following aspects:<\/p>\n<ol style=\"list-style-type: decimal;\">\n<li>\n<p>Based on the circumstances of a given case, must be satisfied that in granting a &#8220;no objection&#8221; to the quashing of criminal proceedings, the de-jur&eacute; victim is genuinely acting on her own free will and volition, and has not been misled, pressurised or deceived into offering such no objection.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>The victim&#8217;s statement is voluntary and unequivocal, and that she understands the nature and consequences of the statement that she is making.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>The case does not disclose any element of exploitation, coercion, force or deceit, and that the relationship between the parties was not of such a nature as would attract the mischief that the POCSO Act seeks to address.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>Whether the facts disclose a genuine relationship between young persons, and not a case involving predatory conduct or sexual exploitation of a minor.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>The age difference and attendant circumstances must be evaluated, to rule out any undue influence, dominance or misuse of position by the accused.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>Whether the continuation of criminal proceedings would result in serious prejudice or re-victimisation of the prosecutrix, particularly when she asserts that she has suffered no loss or injury.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>The fact that the parties have subsequently married, are cohabiting, and\/or have a child, and are living as a family unit, is a relevant circumstance in considering the impact of continuation of proceedings.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>The aforementioned considerations are only suggestive and far from exhaustive; and before quashing any criminal proceedings under the POCSO Act, the Court must interact with the parties and arrive at a subjective satisfaction that the quashing of the case is warranted on larger considerations of justice and to prevent abuse of the process of law, as discussed above.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p style=\"margin-bottom: 3%;\">The power to quash must therefore be exercised with great care and circumspection, and only in cases where the Court is fully satisfied that continuation of proceedings would not serve the ends of justice.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h3>Decision<\/h3>\n<p style=\"margin-bottom: 3%;\">The Court held that in the present case, where the factual matrix does not disclose exploitation and the prosecutrix had consistently maintained before the Court as well as on affidavit that she has suffered no loss or injury and does not wish to proceed, insisting on prosecution would amount to an exercise in futility and may result in grave injustice.<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin-bottom: 3%;\">Accordingly, the Court held that continuation of the proceedings would amount to an abuse of process of law and quashed the FIR and all proceedings arising therefrom.<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin-bottom: 3%; font-weight: bold;\">Also Read: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/post\/2026\/03\/17\/del-hc-pocso-repeated-summoning-of-minor-victims-discouraged\/\" target=\"_blank\">Delhi HC discourages repeated summoning of minor victims in POCSO trials; Reiterates safeguards for &#8220;vulnerable witnesses&#8221;<\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"margin-bottom: 3%;\">[<span style=\"font-weight: bold; color: #632423;\"><span style=\"font-style: italic;\">Harmeet Singh<\/span> v. <span style=\"font-style: italic;\">State (NCT of Delhi)<\/span>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.scconline.com\/DocumentLink.aspx?q=JTXT-9003392856\" target=\"_blank\">2026 SCC OnLine Del 1707<\/a>, decided on 16-4-2026<\/span>]<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin-bottom: 3%; text-indent: 18pt; border: 2px solid black; border-radius: 10px; text-align: center; width: 50%; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; background-color: #DCDCDC;\"><strong><span style=\"color: #000080;\">*Judgment by Justice Anup Jairam Bhambhani<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<hr\/>\n<p>Advocates who appeared in this case:<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin-left: 18pt;\">Mr. Lokesh Kumar Mishra with Mr. Abhishek Kaushik, Mr. Nadeem Ahmed, Adv., <span style=\"font-weight: bold;\">Counsel for the Petitioner<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"margin-left: 18pt;\">Mr. Anand V Khatri, ASC for the State with SI Pinki Rana, P.S.: Malviya Nagar, <span style=\"font-weight: bold;\">Counsel for the Respondent 2<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 style=\"color: #000080;\">Buy Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012 &nbsp; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ebcwebstore.com\/product_info.php?products_id=1309\" target=\"_blank\">HERE<\/a><\/h3>\n<p style=\"margin-bottom: 3%;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ebcwebstore.com\/product_info.php?products_id=1309\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/protection-of-children-from-sexual-offences-act-2012-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"protection of children from sexual offences act, 2012\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-294600\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/protection-of-children-from-sexual-offences-act-2012-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/protection-of-children-from-sexual-offences-act-2012-768x511.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/protection-of-children-from-sexual-offences-act-2012-440x293.jpg 440w, https:\/\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/protection-of-children-from-sexual-offences-act-2012-650x433.jpg 650w, https:\/\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/protection-of-children-from-sexual-offences-act-2012.jpg 886w, https:\/\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/protection-of-children-from-sexual-offences-act-2012-60x40.jpg 60w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<h3 style=\"color: #000080;\">Buy Constitution of India &nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ebcwebstore.com\/product\/the-constitution-of-india-coat-pocket-edition?products_id=100647\" target=\"_blank\">HERE<\/a><\/h3>\n<p style=\"margin-bottom: 3%;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ebcwebstore.com\/product\/the-constitution-of-india-coat-pocket-edition?products_id=100647\" target=\"_blank\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/ebcwebstore\/images\/the-constitution-of-india-coat-pocket-edition-Gopal-Sankaranarayanan-ebc-front-cover.JPG\" alt=\"Constitution of India\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-294438\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p style=\"font-style: italic;\">&#8220;The jurisprudential basis for the State being the prosecuting agency in criminal offences is to prevent a criminal prosecution from descending into an exercise in vengeance, where the victim goes baying-for-the-blood of the offender; and to maintain objectivity, neutrality, fairness and a sense of proportion in prosecution of an offender.&#8221;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":67514,"featured_media":382583,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3,10],"tags":[31236,103180,6711,103178,103179,2543,71255,23524,21114],"class_list":["post-382582","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-casebriefs","category-highcourts","tag-abuse-of-process","tag-consensual-relationship-in-adolescent","tag-criminal-law","tag-de-facto-victim","tag-de-jure-victim","tag-Delhi_High_Court","tag-justice-anup-jairam-bhambhani","tag-pocso-act","tag-quashing-of-fir"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.4 (Yoast SEO v27.4) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Del HC Guideline on Quashing POCSO FIR in Consensual Relationship | SCC Times<\/title>\n<meta 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However, Delhi High Court acknowledged the unique circumstances where the petitioner and the prosecutrix, now married with children, had reached a settlement, balancing societal concerns with the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Case Briefs&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Case Briefs","link":"https:\/\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/post\/category\/casebriefs\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Delhi High Court","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/Delhi-High-Court.webp?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/Delhi-High-Court.webp?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/Delhi-High-Court.webp?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/Delhi-High-Court.webp?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]}],"amp_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/382582","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/67514"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=382582"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/382582\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":382586,"href":"https:\/\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/382582\/revisions\/382586"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/382583"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=382582"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=382582"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=382582"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}