Bombay High Court quashes rape FIR against Kalwa man and alerts police
The Bombay High Court has quashed a rape First Information Report (FIR) lodged against a resident of Kalwa, Thane, and directed the Maharashtra Director General of Police to circulate the complainant's history of filing multiple similar cases to all police stations in the state.
Justice Ranjitsinha Bhonsale passed the order on February 20, which was made available on June 19, after observing a pattern of consensual relationships followed by criminal allegations by the 34-year-old complainant.
The quashed FIR was registered in June 2019 against the petitioner, Manoj Dhanavade of Kalwa. The court found that the relationship between the complainant and Dhanavade was consensual and concluded that the prosecution was filed with malafide motives.
According to the court's observations, the complainant is a 34-year-old married working woman who has travelled extensively. She had filed ten cases of rape, domestic violence, outraging modesty, and related offences against different men across Maharashtra and Karnataka.
Justice Bhonsale noted that an examination of all ten FIRs revealed similar grounds and allegations of fraudulently obtained consent against different individuals after engaging in consensual relationships.
To prevent further misuse, the High Court directed the Maharashtra Director General of Police to ensure all police stations in the state receive the complainant's details and the record of her complaints in their database.
The court's directive instructs police authorities to remain cautious if any complaint is received from her seeking the registration of a crime against any other individual.
Furthermore, police stations have been directed to conduct preliminary inquiries before registering any crime based on complaints from the woman. The court noted that the Karnataka High Court had issued a similar direction on September 3, 2024.
Justice Bhonsale concluded that the facts indicated the complainant is in the habit of making complaints under Sections 376, 354, and 354A of the Indian Penal Code, demonstrating malafide and criminal mischievous intent.
