Rape accused gets bail in Mumbai due to ’live-in relationship agreement’. But there’s a twist

A 46-year-old man produced before a court a "live-in relationship agreement" to secure pre-arrest bail in a rape case filed against him by his partner in Mumbai. According to a report, the man claimed that the agreement states the couple would not file any case of sexual harassment against each other. However, there was a twist in the case.

The woman, 29, told a Mumbai court that the signature on the "live-in relationship agreement" was not hers. Police are trying to verify the so-called relationship pact.

As per the report, the man was granted bail in the rape case on August 29.

How the case unfolded

According to the NDTV report, police said the accused works as a government employee, while the woman is a caregiver for the elderly.

The woman alleged that the accused had promised to marry her and had raped her multiple times during the time they were living together. The prosecution said the 30-year-old woman met the accused on October 6, 2023. The woman was a divorcee and the man proposed marriage to her.

The woman eventually discovered that the accused was involved with another woman, India Today reported. The woman further claimed that the accused blackmailed her with obscene videos and insisted on continuing their relationship. 

She further alleged that she got pregnant, but the accused forced her to take abortion pills. Later, she found out that the man was already married, the report added.

The complaint was filed on August 23, 2024, accusing the man of repeatedly raping her under the false promise of marriage.

However, the accused's lawyer called it a "case of fraud".

The man's lawyer reportedly told the court that the accused "is a victim of circumstances" and that "the agreement shows that both of them had agreed to be in a relationship". The lawyer said, "The agreement was made, the woman signed it..."

The man was granted pre-arrest bail by a Mumbai court in the rape case after the court examined a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) presented by the accused, which claimed that the two had entered into a contractual live-in relationship for 11 months from August 1, 2024, to June 30, 2025, India Today reported.

Why did judge grant bail to accused?

As per the report, Judge Shayana Patil reviewed all evidence and statements, and noted that the relationship appeared to be consensual initially and that both parties were adults. The judge observed the delay in filing the FIR, considering the relationship allegedly started in October 2023 without any immediate complaint.

The judge also noted that the document presented was merely a xerox copy with a notary stamp, with no concrete evidence to ascertain its authenticity.

The judge was quoted by India Today as saying, "The allegations about any obscene videos of the complainant are not specific. Moreover, the accused can be asked to cooperate with the investigation on this aspect," said Judge Patil."