Supreme Court bars quashing rape cases on coerced settlements

The Supreme Court examined whether such a quashing was legally valid given the nature of the offence and the victim's subsequent claim of coercion.

Who it concerns: Petitioner: Gopal Lodhi; Respondents: State of M.P. & Anr.; Bench: Justices J. B. Pardiwala and K. Vinod Chandran.

What the court decided

• Set aside the order of the High Court in Misc. Criminal Case No.15763 of 2026 that had quashed the complaint.
• Direct the trial to be proceeded with.
• Set aside the order in Criminal Appeal No.2110 of 2026.
• Grant anticipatory bail to the petitioner on conditions imposed by the Trial Court.
• Direct the petitioner to cooperate with the investigation and appear before the Trial Court when summoned.
• Dispose of the Special Leave Petition and reject any pending applications.

Also in the document

• The Court interacted with the victim via video conferencing, who stated she was coerced into the settlement and was not ready for it.
• The Court held that quashing a case involving heinous offences like rape solely on the basis of a compromise is outside the jurisdiction of Section 482 Cr.PC (or Section 528 BNS) and violates the power under Section 320 Cr.PC.
• The Court expressed apprehension regarding settlements arrived at through coercion or false complaints made with the lure of financial settlement.