Friendship not a licence to rape or beat: Delhi High Court

Noting that friendship shouldn’t be a “licence to rape or beat somebody mercilessly”, the Delhi High Court has rejected the anticipatory bail of a person accused of sexually assaulting a 17-year-old woman in June.

Justice Swarna Kanta Sharma rejected the argument of the accused that it was a case of “consensual relationship”, noting, “even when the events involved have been associates, friendship doesn’t give any licence to the applicant to rape the sufferer repeatedly, confine her in his good friend’s home and beat her mercilessly”.

As per the case particulars, the accused had befriended the minor woman by way of a social media platform. He known as her to satisfy him on June 26, 2025, and subsequently took her to his good friend’s flat in Govindpuri in New Delhi the place he bodily assaulted her, confined her, and repeatedly sexually assaulted her earlier than lastly letting her go round 10 p.m.

The woman went to her good friend’s home in Tughlakabad after the ordeal however didn’t disclose the incident to anybody out of worry. Meanwhile, her mother and father lodged a lacking report with the police.

The subsequent morning, she was picked up by the police from he Govindpuri Metro Station. She was taken to the police station, the place her household was additionally current. Out of worry, she didn’t reveal the main points of sexual assault and refused medical examination.

She knowledgeable her mom in regards to the incident solely after 11 days, resulting in the registration of the FIR. She stated the accused had threatened to kill her if she disclosed the incident to anybody.

In trauma

The courtroom, in its order on October 17, 2025, took the view that, “being a minor, she was below trauma and a way of disgrace that had precluded her from disclosing something to her mother and father and the police”. It additionally famous that the medical examination of the sufferer had revealed bodily and sexual assault.

The courtroom additionally remarked that the accused had nonetheless not joined the investigation, although his anticipatory bail purposes had been withdrawn or rejected on 4 events up to now.

“In view of the foregoing circumstances, coupled with the intense nature of allegations levelled within the current case, prima facie corroborated by the fabric on file, this courtroom finds that no case for grant of anticipatory bail is made out,” the courtroom stated.