New Delhi, Aug. 19:
Delhi High Court said that lodging of rape cases arbitrarily cannot be allowed
as it sets a wrong precedent.
Over the past couple
of years, the cases of rape filed have increased drastically. Sources claim
that it is because the stigma of rape has changed. Victims are coming forward
and FIR’s are being filed without hesitation.
The “MeToo” movement
opened up the conversations surrounding rape, and molestations, drawing many
out from the dark.
However, over the past
couple of months, the Delhi High Court has come across false cases. A recent
case in the court, lead the High Court to release a stern warning to the
public. Speaking on the matter is Justice Subramonium Prasad.
"People who make
such false allegations of rape cannot be permitted to go scot-free", he
said. This court is pained to note that there is an alarming increase of false
cases of rape and offenses under Section 354, 354 A, 354 B, 354 C, and 354 D (IPC)
only to arm-twist the accused and make them succumb to the demands of the
complainant”.
Justice Subramonium
went on to speak about the trauma faced by the person who is being accused of
rape. He says that the trauma is lifelong.
This comes after a couple
filed rape allegations against each other. Annoyed with the situation, judges
are asking advocates to be more respectful of the law itself and ensure to
follow all guidelines before defending their clients.
The court said that because of these recent rape charges, the court has asked complainants to err on the side of caution and refrain from “casually” filing rape cases. The court went on to say an “iron hand” should deal with false accusations in the future.