Friendship Doesn’t Grant Right to Sexual Relations Without Consent: Delhi High Court

The Delhi High Court has ruled that a boy cannot assume sexual consent just because a girl is his friend. Justice Girish Kathpalia made this clear while denying bail in a POCSO case.

The accused, a construction worker, was alleged to have befriended and repeatedly raped a minor girl. He claimed the relationship was consensual and that she was an adult.

But the court pointed to school records proving she was a minor and rejected the consent argument, stating that objections from the girl made it clear the acts weren’t consensual. Bail was denied.