Physical relations between husband, wife not rape: Delhi court

The judge acquitted a man who was accused of raping a woman, who was living as his tenant

Physical relations between a husband and wife, even if they are against the woman's consent, does not amount to rape, a Delhi court has said while freeing a man of the charges of rape.

Additional Sessions Judge (ASJ) Virender Bhat made these observations while acquitting a man who was accused of raping a woman, who was living as his tenant, after giving her sedatives-laced soft drink. He was also accused of raping her after marrying her.

"It is the case of the prosecution itself that the accused performed Nikah with the prosecutrix (woman) in the house of his paternal aunt (Bua) in presence of a maulvi (muslim cleric) on July 20, 2012.

"The prosecutrix and the accused were legally wedded husband and wife from July 20, 2012 and the physical relations between the two thereafter, even if against the consent of the prosecutrix, do not amount to offence of rape," the court said.

It absolved Delhi resident Aftab Alam in the case saying that the testimony of the woman was "suspicious" and far from being "credible or trustworthy".

"The conscience of this court does not permit it to believe the version of the prosecution. The accused deserves to be given the benefit of doubt. Accordingly, the accused is hereby acquitted of all the charges," the court said.

"This court is not inclined to believe the version of the prosecution. The testimony of the prosecutrix is suspicious and far from being credible or trustworthy," it said.

According to the prosecution, Alam, being the son of the woman's landlord, came to her house on July 19, 2012, and gave her an intoxicated drink after which she felt unconscious and he raped her.

On the next day, he took her to his aunt's place and married her in the presence of a maulvi and raped her several times, it said, adding that Alam asked her to go back to her house.

He later on raped her at his house and at his friends place and after sometime, he burnt their marriage documents and refused to take her to her matrimonial house, it claimed.