Delhi HC: Refusing to Marry Over Kundali Mismatch Could Be an Offence
Delhi HC: Refusing to Marry Over Kundali Mismatch Could Be an Offence
Delhi High Court says backing out of marriage after a relationship built on horoscope assurances may amount to deceitful sexual relations under the BNS, affecting bail in a rape case.
In a recent ruling, the Delhi High Court noted that a man may face legal consequences for refusing to marry after a long relationship built on assurances that horoscopes matched. The court made the remark while denying bail to a man accused in a rape case registered under IPC Section 376 and Section 69 of the BNS.
Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma said that a later refusal to marry, despite assurances, raises questions about the genuineness of the promise and may attract Section 69 of the BNS, which criminalizes sexual relations induced by deceit or false assurance of marriage.
In the case, the woman alleged a long-term relationship with repeated assurances of marriage, and claimed the man allegedly assured that their birth charts matched, including WhatsApp chats in which he wrote, “Kal hi shaadi kar rahe hain hum” (we are getting married tomorrow).
The complainant had earlier withdrawn a complaint after reassurances but later alleged non-matching kundalis. The court's observation underscores how personal beliefs about astrology can intersect with criminal law in India.
This ruling signals the courts' stance on deceit in marriage promises and the potential criminal consequences for backing out after a period of intimacy.
