India, March 3 -- The Delhi high court has acquitted a man in a rape case, ruling that a long-term consensual sexual relationship does not automatically imply the woman's consent was solely based on a promise of marriage.

A bench of justice Jasmeet Singh emphasised that a conviction for rape under the false pretence of marriage requires strong evidence proving the relationship was established solely on a broken promise made in bad faith.

"Also, it is noted that if the consensual physical relationship continues for over a substantial/long/extended period, it cannot be said that the consent was purely based on the promise to marry. In order to convict a person on false pretext of marriage, there must be clinching and clear evidence that p...