The Allahabad High Court has declined to dismiss a case against a police officer accused of raping a woman under the false pretext of marriage. Justice Anish Kumar Gupta emphasized the duty of law enforcement to protect victims but highlighted the officer’s alleged exploitation of his position.

The Allahabad High Court has made a significant decision regarding a case involving a police officer accused of raping a woman after promising marriage. Justice Anish Kumar Gupta presided over the bench and refused to quash the case, citing prima facie evidence against the accused.

The victim, a divorcee, initially filed a case against another man for fraud and rape. The accused police officer was appointed as the investigation officer (IO) for the case. During the investigation, the woman alleges that the officer coerced her into a secluded area, where he raped her after giving her a contaminated drink. Subsequently, he purportedly apologized and convinced her to continue the relationship under the promise of marriage.

Despite being married with children, the accused officer allegedly continued the relationship with the victim. When she attempted to report the incident to his superiors, she claims he pressured her to withdraw the complaint. Furthermore, a case under the SC/ST Act was filed against the victim by the officer’s mother, adding to the complexity of the situation.

The victim later became pregnant and alleges that the officer coerced her into having an abortion. When she eventually filed an FIR against him, he reportedly threatened and persuaded her to retract her statement given under section 164 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC).

The accused officer’s defense argued that the relationship was consensual, pointing out that the victim was aware of his marital status. However, the court found prima facie evidence of force without consent and noted that the accused knowingly made false promises of marriage.