India, Jan. 23 -- New Delhi

Adults who have had a consensual physical relationship cannot invoke rape laws to criminalise a breakup, the Delhi High Court held, quashing a rape case filed by a woman against a man with whom she had been in a consensual relationship for four years.

A bench of justice Swarana Kanta Sharma, in her verdict released on Wednesday, said that the present case was an example of "failed relationship", wherein the man's decision to break up was not accepted by the woman and resulted in a rape case.

"An educated and independent adult, upon entering into a consensual relationship, must also recognise that the law cannot be invoked to criminalise the mere failure of a relationship. The dissolution of a relationship, b...