Love turned bitter: Allahabad High Court flags rise in FIRs after breakups

The court expressed concern over criminal complaints being filed as a result of personal fallouts, saying not all unethical behaviour warrants legal intervention

The Allahabad High Court has granted bail to a 42-year-old married man accused of rape by a 25-year-old woman, observing that the case reflects a growing concern where emotional fallout from failed relationships is leading to criminal complaints, reported Bar and Bench.

 

In an order dated 9 April, which became public on 17 April (Thursday), Justice Krishan Pahal noted that the FIR was filed several months after the alleged incident and appeared to be driven more by the emotional consequences of the relationship than by a legitimate criminal grievance.

 

“This case is reflective of a broader societal shift, where the sanctity and solemnity once associated with intimate relationships have seen a marked decline. The prevalence of transient and uncommitted relationships, often formed and dissolved at will, raises critical questions about individual responsibility and the misuse of legal provisions, especially when such relationships turn sour,” the court observed.

 

 

The case involved Arun Kumar Mishra, who had previously been married three times. Justice Pahal noted that the woman had entered into a physical relationship with him despite being fully aware of his marital history.

 

Mishra’s counsel argued that the FIR had been filed after a delay of five months, during which the complainant continued to travel with him and stayed with him at several hotels.

 

The woman’s lawyer, however, submitted that Mishra had a history of deceiving women by luring them into consensual relationships despite being married.

 

After hearing both sides, and considering the woman’s educational background and the delay in lodging the complaint, the court granted bail to Mishra.

 

The court further highlighted a worrying trend in which “personal fallouts” and “emotional discord” are increasingly being criminalised. It warned that invoking penal laws following a failed relationship is becoming common, raising serious concerns about the misuse of legal remedies.

 

Emphasising the distinction between unethical conduct and criminal behaviour, the bench said: “Not all socially or ethically questionable actions warrant legal intervention.”