The Nagpur bench of the Bombay High Court has upheld the conviction of a man who raped his 55-year-old mother-in-law, describing the crime as shameful and stating that the victim had been defiled by her son-in-law, who was like a son to her.
In a ruling on Tuesday, Justice G.A. Sanap emphasized the gravity of the crime, noting that the victim, who was of the same age as the convict’s mother, never imagined that her son-in-law would commit such a heinous act. The court stated that the woman would carry the stigma of the crime for the rest of her life.
The court further remarked, “The appellant (convict) has committed this shameful act with his mother-in-law, who is the age of his own mother. He defiled her womanhood.” It highlighted that the victim had trusted the accused due to their familial relationship, and she would never have expected such a violent betrayal.
The convict had appealed against his conviction and 14-year sentence, which had been handed down by a sessions court in March 2022 for the rape of his mother-in-law in December 2018. The prosecution presented strong evidence, including the victim’s testimony, which the court found sufficient to prove the charges beyond doubt. The bench agreed that the sentence was appropriate given the severity of the crime.
The woman had alleged that the convict, who had been estranged from his wife, visited her home on the day of the incident. After a quarrel, he pressured her to help reconcile him with his wife. She reluctantly agreed to accompany him to his house. During the journey, the accused consumed alcohol and then raped her multiple times.
Afterward, the woman confided in her daughter and filed a police complaint.
The convict, in his appeal, claimed that the sexual encounter was consensual and that he had been falsely implicated in the case. However, the court rejected this argument, pointing out that the victim, a 55-year-old woman, would not have falsely reported such a matter to the police. “If it was a consensual act, she would not have reported it to the police or disclosed it to her daughter,” the court stated.
Court’s decision reaffirms the seriousness of sexual offenses within families and underscores the importance of supporting victims who come forward with allegations, no matter how difficult or stigmatizing the process may be.
