Indian Courts issue rulings on rape case settlements and convictions

The Supreme Court of India has set aside a Madhya Pradesh High Court order that quashed a rape case based solely on a settlement between the complainant and the accused. A bench comprising Justices J. B. Pardiwala and K. Vinod Chandran ruled that quashing serious offenses through compromise exceeds the inherent powers of a High Court. The court directed that the trial proceed, noting that the complainant asserted she was coerced into the settlement and that her allegations were true.

In a separate matter, the Karnataka High Court overturned a rape and criminal intimidation conviction after ten years. The court observed that the absence of expected physical injuries, given the alleged duration and rough surface of the assault, created significant doubt regarding the incident. The bench also noted the potential for false implication stemming from political rivalries between the families involved.