Recently, the MP High Court has said that live-in relationships are giving rise to sexual offences.

Justice Subodh Abhyankar of the Indore bench of the high court made the observation while rejecting a pre-arrest (anticipatory) bail plea of a 25-year-old man accused of raping a woman.

In the order dated April 12, the court said, “Taking note of the spurt of such offences in recent times arising out of live-in relationships, this court is forced to observe that the bane of live-in-relationship is a by-product of Constitutional guarantee as provided under Art. 21, engulfing the ethos of Indian society, and promoting lascivious behaviour, giving further rise to sexual offences.” Article 21 guarantees the right to life and personal liberty. The courts, over the years, have widened its ambit to cover many things including the right to dignity and privacy.

The applicant even sent video messages to the would-be in-laws of the woman where he threatened that he would commit suicide and they would also be held responsible for it besides the woman’s family, the court noted.

This led to the cancellation of the woman’s marriage, the high court said, citing the prosecution’s case.

Justice Abhankar remarked, “Taking note of the spurt of such offences in recent times arising out of live-in relationships, this court is forced to observe that the bane of live-in-relationship is a by-product of Constitutional guarantee as provided under Art. 21, engulfing the ethos of Indian society, and promoting lascivious behaviour, giving further rise to sexual offences.”