India, Sept. 30 -- The Delhi High Court has quashed a rape case against a 72-year-old retired army officer, holding that false cases can gravely tarnish an individual's reputation in society and subject them to needless trial.

A bench of justice Amit Mahajan delivered the ruling on Friday while hearing the officer's plea against a trial court order of August 26, 2020, which had directed police to register an FIR under charges including rape and attempt to murder.

The FIR was filed on the complaint of a woman who alleged that in April 2020, the officer cornered her in a park inside their residential colony, snatched her phone, assaulted her, tore her clothes and attempted to rape her. She further claimed he sexually assaulted her and tri...