‘We may be old-fashioned’: SC urges caution in physical relationships before marriage

“We may be old-fashioned but a boy and girl before marriage are total strangers," the court said.

The Supreme Court on Monday advised caution in pre-marital relationships, while saying that a boy and girl are "total strangers" before marriage.

The bench said “nobody should believe anybody before marriage.” (PTI)

A bench of Justices B V Nagarathna and Ujjal Bhuyan said that people must be cautious while indulging in physical relationships before marriage, PTI news agency reported.

“We may be old-fashioned but a boy and girl before marriage are total strangers. They should be circumspect in indulging in physical relationships before marriage,” the bench noted.

The court made the observation while hearing the bail plea of a man accused of rape on a false promise of marriage.

“Whatever may be the thick and thin of their relationship, we fail to understand how they can be indulging in physical relationship before marriage,” the bench said, while adding that “nobody should believe anybody before marriage.”

What was the case?

The case before the court pertained to a bail plea of a man accused of rape on the false pretext of marriage. The counsel for the complainant woman said she had met the man on a matrimonial website in 2022. The counsel further stated he had allegedly established physical relations with her on a false promise of marriage on multiple occasions in Delhi and later in Dubai, according to the PTI report.

The bench questioned the complainant woman why she travelled all the way to Dubai where they indulged in physical relationship. Justice Nagarathna observed that the relationship appeared to be consensual, PTI reported.

“She should not have gone before marriage if she was so strict about it,” Justice Nagarathna said, adding that the court would send them to mediation. “These are not cases which are to be tried and convicted when there is consensual relationship,” Justice Nagarathna further said, while asking the counsel for the man to pay some compensation to the complainant.

The bench also urged the woman's counsel to explore the possibility of settlement, and posted the matter for hearing on Wednesday to know the views of both sides.