Bombay High Court Upholds Conviction in Mother-in-Law Rape Case

The Bombay High Court has upheld a 14-year sentence for a man convicted of raping his mother-in-law, dismissing his claims of a consensual relationship. The court emphasized the gravity of the crime, noting that the victim would not risk societal stigma with false allegations.

The Nagpur bench of the Bombay High Court has upheld the 14-year sentence of a man convicted of raping his 55-year-old mother-in-law in 2018, labeling the act as deeply "shameful." The court, led by Justice G.A. Sanap, emphasized that the woman, being the age of his own mother, would not have subjected herself to the societal stigma of a false allegation.

The case traces back to December 2018, when the accused allegedly sought the woman’s help in reuniting with her estranged wife. The victim went to his residence under his insistence, where he, intoxicated, reportedly committed the crime. The woman disclosed the incident to her daughter, who then filed a police report.

In his appeal, the man claimed the interaction was consensual and that he was falsely accused. The high court dismissed this argument, reasoning that a woman of her age would be unlikely to invite such harm to her reputation without cause. Justice Sanap stated that such accusations bring immense social consequences, underscoring that the woman had no motivation to fabricate the incident. The bench added that the victim would never have anticipated that her son-in-law would commit such a betrayal.

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The ruling highlights the court's stance on protecting survivors and the need for accountability in cases of familial abuse. It stands as a reminder of the legal system's role in addressing both the crime’s gravity and its devastating impact on family relations and societal trust.