Court Acquits Man in Navi Mumbai Rape Case Due to Mutual Consent

Court Ruling in Navi Mumbai

A court in Navi Mumbai has acquitted a 48-year-old man accused of rape and criminal intimidation. The court determined that the relationship between the man and the woman was consensual, and they had resolved the matter amicably.

Additional Sessions Judge C.V. Marathe of the Belapur court cleared the accused, Harekrishna Ramchandra Sahani, in a case dating back to 2015. The court's order was made available on Saturday, December 9.

The prosecution claimed that Sahani exploited the woman's financial difficulties to repeatedly sexually assault her. They stated that the woman had borrowed ₹20,000 from the accused in 2010, and when she was unable to repay the loan, Sahani allegedly coerced her into sexual relations.

Furthermore, the prosecution alleged that the accused threatened to kill the woman's husband if she disclosed the incidents. According to the prosecution, Sahani continued to exploit the woman until November 2015, when she finally informed her husband about the situation, leading them to approach the police.

During the trial, the woman's testimony revealed that the relationship was not forced. The judge noted in the ruling that the woman testified that she engaged in sexual relations with the accused willingly and that they had settled the matter outside of court. The court concluded that there was no evidence to suggest that the woman was coerced.