CRL.M.C. 6304/2026 Page 1 of 11 $~82 * IN THE HIGH COURT OF DELHI AT NEW DELHI # CNR No. DLHC010399982026 + CRL.M.C. 6304/2026 CHANDRA MANI MAHAUR AND ORS .....Petitioners Through: Mohammad Danish, Mr. Shadan Parvez, Mr. Majid Khan, Mr. Praveen Kumar Gupta & Mohd. Mohsin, Advs. versus STATE OFN.C.T. OF DELHI AND ANR .....Respondents Through: Mr. Hemant Mehla, APP SI Manisha, PS Ghazipur CORAM: HON'BLE MS. JUSTICE MADHU JAIN O R D E R % 25.08.2026 1. This hearing has been done through hybrid mode. CRL.M.A. 26262/2026 (exemption) 2. Allowed subject to all just exceptions. The application stands disposed of. CRL.M.C. 6304/2026 3. The present petition has been filed under Section 528 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (hereinafter, ‘BNSS’) seeking quashing of FIR No. 0106/2026 dated 31.03.2026, registered at Police Station Ghazipur, Delhi, for offences punishable under Sections 376/323/506/34 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860 (hereinafter, ‘IPC’), along with the proceedings emanating This is a digitally signed order. The authenticity of the order can be re-verified from Delhi High Court Order Portal by scanning the QR code shown above. The Order is downloaded from the DHC Server on 29/08/2026 at 15:11:14 CRL.M.C. 6304/2026 Page 2 of 11 therefrom. The Petitioners are four accused persons named in the FIR. 4. The FIR was registered on the complaint of Respondent No.2, who alleged that Petitioner No.1, Chandra Mani Mahaur, established physical relations with her on the assurance of marriage. She further alleged that on 30.09.2023, at the flat of Petitioner No.1 at B-631, G.D. Colony, Mayur Vihar Phase-III, Delhi, he administered an intoxicating substance to her and established physical relations without her consent. The complaint further contains allegations of subsequent physical relations on the assurance of marriage, causing abortion of her pregnancy, and allegations of threats and other acts against the remaining Petitioners. 5. Respondent No.2 stated in her complaint that she was married to one Vijay Mishra on 25.06.2012 and had a child from the said marriage. She alleged that she came into contact with Petitioner No.1 through Instagram in 2021 and that thereafter the parties met on several occasions. According to her, Petitioner No.1 represented that he would marry her and take care of her child. The allegations further refer to continued interaction between the parties over the subsequent period. 6. The FIR records the alleged date of occurrence as 30.09.2023, while the information leading to registration of the FIR was received on 31.03.2026. The FIR was accordingly registered on 31.03.2026 at Police Station Ghazipur under Sections 376/323/506/34 IPC. 7. During investigation, Respondent No.2 was medically examined at LBS Hospital. Her statement under Section 183 BNSS was thereafter recorded before the learned Judicial Magistrate on 01.04.2026, wherein, as per the investigation record, she reiterated her allegations. Site plans of the places of alleged incidents were also prepared at her instance. Petitioner No.1 This is a digitally signed order. The authenticity of the order can be re-verified from Delhi High Court Order Portal by scanning the QR code shown above. The Order is downloaded from the DHC Server on 29/08/2026 at 15:11:14 CRL.M.C. 6304/2026 Page 3 of 11 was arrested on 04.04.2026 and was subsequently remanded to judicial custody. 8. The investigation culminated in the filing of a charge-sheet against the Petitioners for offences under Sections 376/323/506/34 IPC. The charge-sheet records Petitioner No.1, Chandra Mani Mahaur, as the accused charge- sheeted in the case. 9. The learned Trial Court has taken cognizance of the offences and the matter has thereafter been committed for trial before the Court of learned Additional Sessions Judge-01, East District, Karkardooma Courts, Delhi, where the proceedings are stated to be pending and are next listed on 21.09.2026. 10. The Petitioners have accordingly approached this Court seeking quashing of the FIR and the consequential proceedings. 11. Learned counsel submits that the allegations in the FIR, even if taken at their face value, do not disclose the ingredients of the offence of rape. The FIR itself records that Respondent No.2 was already married to one Vijay Mishra and had a son, Abhinav, from the said marriage. It is thus not a case where the parties were contemplating marriage with each other without knowledge of any subsisting marriage. 12. Learned counsel further submits that the allegations themselves disclose that the parties continued to meet and remain in contact over a considerable period. Even after the alleged incident dated 30.09.2023, the parties continued to meet and, as per the prosecution's own version, physical relations continued between them. The investigation record itself records multiple instances of contact between the parties, with the last contact stated to be on 19.09.2025. This is a digitally signed order. The authenticity of the order can be re-verified from Delhi High Court Order Portal by scanning the QR code shown above. The Order is downloaded from the DHC Server on 29/08/2026 at 15:11:14 CRL.M.C. 6304/2026 Page 4 of 11 13. Learned counsel submits that Respondent No.2 admittedly remained married throughout the relevant period. The allegation is therefore not of a situation where the Petitioner held himself out as immediately capable of marrying an unmarried woman. Both parties were aware of the subsisting marriage of Respondent No.2, and any alleged promise of marriage was necessarily subject to the subsistence of that marriage and its dissolution. 14. Learned counsel submits that the FIR contains several serious allegations, including allegations regarding abortion, administration of poison and attempts to cause harm. However, apart from the allegations of Respondent No.2, there is no material collected during investigation demonstrating the commission of such acts. The medical record, as noticed in the charge-sheet, records no history of physical assault or drug abuse. 15. It is further submitted that the allegations against Petitioners Nos.2 to 4 are wholly distinct from the principal allegation of sexual relations. The alleged acts attributed to them are stated to have occurred at Bulandshahr, Uttar Pradesh, and not within Delhi. Consequently, the prosecution of Petitioners Nos.2 to 4 before the Delhi Courts is itself unsustainable for want of territorial jurisdiction. 16. Learned counsel submits that the present case is squarely covered by the principles laid down by the Hon’ble Supreme Court in the judgment dated 05.02.2026 in SLP (Crl.) No.4452/2025. In the said case also, the prosecutrix was a married woman, both parties were conscious of the subsisting marriage and the relationship had continued over a period of time. The Hon’ble Supreme Court held that, in such circumstances, the allegation of consent having been obtained solely on the basis of a promise of marriage could not sustain the prosecution for rape. This is a digitally signed order. The authenticity of the order can be re-verified from Delhi High Court Order Portal by scanning the QR code shown above. The Order is downloaded from the DHC Server on 29/08/2026 at 15:11:14 CRL.M.C. 6304/2026 Page 5 of 11 17. It is, therefore, submitted that the present case is one of a consensual relationship which subsequently became acrimonious and cannot, merely because the relationship did not culminate in marriage, be converted into an offence under Section 376 IPC. The continuation of the proceedings, in the absence of the foundational ingredients of the offence, would amount to an abuse of the process of law. 18. Learned APP for the State opposes the present petition and submits that the allegations in the FIR and the material collected during investigation disclose commission of cognizable offences and cannot be discarded at this stage merely on the basis of the defence sought to be raised by the Petitioners. 19. It is submitted that the FIR contains specific allegations regarding the Petitioners' conduct, including the allegations of physical relations, inducement on the assurance of marriage, threats and other acts attributed to them. Whether the relationship was consensual, whether any promise of marriage was false from its inception, and whether the consent of Respondent No.2 was vitiated are matters requiring appreciation of evidence and cannot be conclusively determined in proceedings under Section 528 BNSS. 20. It is further submitted that the Petitioners are seeking an appreciation of the allegations and evidence collected during investigation, including the statements of the complainant and other witnesses. Such an exercise would amount to conducting a mini-trial, which is impermissible while exercising the inherent jurisdiction of this Court. 21. Learned APP submits that the reliance placed by the Petitioners on the alleged continued relationship and subsequent meetings between the parties cannot, at this stage, conclusively establish consent in respect of each alleged occurrence. The nature and circumstances of the relationship are matters This is a digitally signed order. The authenticity of the order can be re-verified from Delhi High Court Order Portal by scanning the QR code shown above. The Order is downloaded from the DHC Server on 29/08/2026 at 15:11:14 CRL.M.C. 6304/2026 Page 6 of 11 which have to be tested during trial. 22. It is submitted that the reliance placed upon the judgment dated 05.02.2026 by the Petitioners is misplaced, as the applicability of any precedent depends upon the factual matrix of the particular case. The Petitioners cannot seek quashing merely by asserting that the prosecutrix was married, without the allegations and material collected during investigation being examined in their entirety. 23. As regards Petitioners Nos.2 to 4, learned APP submits that the question of their individual roles, the place of occurrence and the territorial jurisdiction are matters which can be appropriately considered by the learned Trial Court on the basis of the material forming part of the charge-sheet. Such disputed questions ought not to be conclusively determined in the present proceedings. ANALYSIS AND FINDINGS: 24. This Court has considered the submissions advanced by the learned counsel for the parties and perused the material placed on record. 25. The principal submission of the Petitioners is that the relationship between the parties was consensual and that Respondent No.2 was admittedly married during the relevant period. 26. However, the allegations in the FIR, read with her statement under Section 183 of the BNSS, cannot be reduced to a mere case of a consensual relationship which subsequently failed. The victim has specifically alleged that she initially refused to have physical relations, that the Petitioner assured her of marriage, and that she was thereafter subjected to sexual intercourse against her will. She has further alleged repeated physical relations on the assurance of marriage, pregnancy and forcible administration of medicines This is a digitally signed order. The authenticity of the order can be re-verified from Delhi High Court Order Portal by scanning the QR code shown above. The Order is downloaded from the DHC Server on 29/08/2026 at 15:11:14 CRL.M.C. 6304/2026 Page 7 of 11 resulting in abortion. 27. At this juncture, it would be apposite to reproduce the material portion of the statement of Respondent No.2 recorded under Section 183 of the BNSS, which reads as under: “मैं दमन की रहने वाली हूँ। मेरी शादी दमन मे ववजय वमश्रा से 16 साल की उम्र मे हुई थी। 2016 मे ववजय वमश्रा मुझे छोड़ कर चला गया था। 2015 मे मैंने अपने बेटे को जन्म वदया। 2021 मे चन्द्रमवि माहौर ने मुझे instagram पर friend request भेजी। हमारी दोस्ती शुरू हो गई और हम बात-चीत करने लगे। वो मुझसे और मेरे बेटे से दमन वमलने आए। विर उन्होने मुझे नोएडा बुलाया। मैं September 2021 मे Noida आई। चन्द्रमवि माहौर ने मुझे propose वकया और मेरे साथ sex करने की कोवशश की पर मैंने मना कर वदया। विर वो चले गए। विर जनवरी 2022 मे वो विर से दमन आए। Railway station के पास उन्होने कमरा वलया और मुझे वहाूँ अंगुठी पहनाई। मेरे साथ उन्होने विर से sex करने की कोवशश की। मैंने विर मना कर वदया। वो वहाूँ से चले गए। विर हमारी बातचीत होती होनी शुरू हुई हम घुमने भी जाने लगे साथ मे जैसे Haridwar और मथुरा। मैं 29 September 2023 2023 को मैं दमन से मथुरा आई और चन्द्रमवि माहौर वमश्रा भी वदल्ली से मथुरा आया। विर मैं उसके कहने पर वदल्ली आई और वो मुझे घ्रौली, मयुर ववहार मे अपने flat पर ले गया। वो मुझे september 2023 को अपने flat ले गया था। मेरा Birthday 1 october को आता है। चन्द्रमवि माहौर वमश्रा ने मुझसे बोला मैं कोल्ड् ींक वगैरह का इतजाम करता हूँ आप fresh हो जाओ। उसने मुझे कोल्ड् ींक वदया। उसे वपते ही मुझे चक्कर आने लगा। और मैं बेहोश हो गई। 01 october 2023 को मेरी आूँख खुली तो मैंने देखा मेरे शररर पर कपड़े नही हैं और मेरे गले पर Red वनशान थे। मुझे पेट मे ददद भी हो रहा था। मैंने चन्द्रमवि से बोला अपने मेरे साथ यह क्या वकया। मैं complain कर दुंगी। तब यहमवि मेरा हाथ पकड़कर रोने लगा और बोला मैं आपसे This is a digitally signed order. 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The Order is downloaded from the DHC Server on 29/08/2026 at 15:11:14 CRL.M.C. 6304/2026 Page 8 of 11 प्यार करता हूँ। और बोला वक मैं आपसे शादी करूगा। उसने मुझे घर वालो से भी वमलवाया। RO & AC 1 वदसंबर 2023 से 16 वदसंबर 2023 तक मवि के घर, औरंगाबाद, बुलंदशहर। उस समय चंद्रमवि के बहन की दी थी। विर मुझे जनवरी 2024 मे ता चला वक मैं Pregnant हो गई और जब मैंने चंद्रमवि को यह बताया तो उन्होने मुझे दवाई लाकर दी। मैंने उनसे बोला वक मैं यह बच्चा रखना चाहती हूँ। मुझे उसने जबरदस्तस्त दवा स्तखला दी और बोला वक मेरी नौकरी नही है, अभी मुझे मेरी नौकरी लगने दो। मुझे Pregnancy का पता जनवरी 2024 मे चला। 16 जून 2024 को चंद्रमवि ने घ्रौली, राजीव कालोनी मे कमरा वकराये पर वलया। मुझे अपनी पत्नी जैसे वहाूँ पर रखने लगा। जुलाई 2024 मे उसने बोला वक अभी आपका तलाक नही हुआ है। चंद्रमवि ने यह भी बोला वक उसके घर वाले बच्चे को रखने को तैयार नही है। आपको अपने बच्चे को पवत को देना होगा। मेरा पवत घर छोड़कर नामालूम जगह पर 2016 मे चला गया था। विर मैंने Divorce का Process चालू वकया। मैंने अपने बेटे को अपने माूँ बाप के पास छोड़ वदया। मेरी और चंद्रमवि की बातचीत होती रहती थी। अचानक चंद्रमवि ने 13 september 2025 को बात करना बंद कर वदया। 18 september 2025 को मैं वदल्ली आई। मैं उनके कमरे पर गई। चंद्रमवि ने मेरे साथ sexual intercourse वकया। मैंने जब उससे शादी के बारे मे पुछा तो उन्होने बोला वक तुझे जो करना है कर ले, मैं शादी नही करूगा। उन्होने यह बात 19 september 2025 की सुबह बोली। विर मैं सस्तख सेंटर गई। वहाूँ पर सस्तख सेंटर लाल बहादुर शास्त्री ने मुझे गाजीपुर थाना Refer वकया। थाने मे चंद्रमवि के पापा, ववरेन्द्र कु मार, भाई - वहतेश कु मार और िू िा का लड़का - वनशांत आए। चंद्रमवि भी वहाूँ था। चंद्रमवि और उसके पररवार वाले कहने लगे मुकदमा मत करो, हम शादी के वलए तैयार है। हमारा समझौता हो गया। विर मैं चंद्रमवि के साथ उसके flat पर आ गई। चंद्रमवि के घर वालो ने बोला आप चंद्रमवि के साथ- रहो हम आपकी शादी करवा देगे। विर वहाूँ से Hitesh और ववरेन्द्र चले गए। विर This is a digitally signed order. 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The Order is downloaded from the DHC Server on 29/08/2026 at 15:11:14 CRL.M.C. 6304/2026 Page 9 of 11 चंद्रमवि के पापा ने हमे वसकं दराबाद बुलाया चंद्रमवि के िू िा के घर पर। वहाूँ पर मेरे जाने के बाद ववरेन्द्र, वहतेश ने धमकाया वक तु वलख के दे हमे वक तेरा चंद्रमवि के साथ- कोई ररश्ता नही है और यहाूँ से भागजा वरना हम तुझे कोठे पर बैठा देगे। Virender मेरे साथ छे ड़ छाड़ करने लगा और कहा मुझे खुश कर दे, बेटे मे क्या रखा है। मैं तुझे अपनी बहु बना लेता हूँ। ववरेन्द्र मेरा हाथ, गाल पकड़ने लगे। विर मैंने ववरेन्द्र को धक्का मार वदया। तब चंद्रमवि ने मुझे थप्पड़ मारा, Hitesh ने मुझे धक्का वदया, वनशांत ने मुझे गाली दी और कहा हम तुझे कोठे पर बैठा देगे। Hitesh ने मुझसे बोला वक तु दो शादी कर सकती है तो वहतेश चंद्रमवि क्यो नही कर सकता। तुझे ठं डा ही होना है वो हम कर देते है ठं डा। विर मैं बाहर आकर वचल्लाने लगी तो चंद्रमवि ने मुझे थप्पड़ मारा। Hitesh विर आकर बोला वक समझो, हम गुस्से मे है, हमारे मुूँह से वनकल गया, आओ बैठ कर बाते करते है। Hitesh मुझे आश्वासन देने लगा। बोला मुझे दमन वापस जाना है। वक चंद्रमवि के घर सामान पड़ा था उसे लेने के वलए मैं उसके कमरे पर आई। तब चंद्रमवि ने बोला वक आप अभी मत जाओ, ठीक होजाना तब जाना। मेरे चेहरे और गले पर वनशान थे। 2 वदनो तक मुझे चंद्रमवि ने कमरे मे बंद रखा। विर मैं दमन चली गई। उसके बाद भी हमारी बात होती रहती थी। चंद्रमवि मुझे कहता रहता था वक मैं अपने घर वालो को मना लुंगा, आप तलाक ले लो। अक्टू बर 2025, वदवाली मे चंद्रमवि ने मुझे बुलंद शहर अपने घर बुलाया। उसने मुझे यह कह कर बुलाया वक उसके पररवार वाले शादी के वलए मान गए है। वो मुझे वहाूँ से हापुर ले गया। वहाूँ पर वो मुझे अपने ताऊजी घर ले गया। दुसरे वदन मेरी अचानक तबीयत खराब हो गई। मुझे Loose motion और vomitting होने लगी। मैं कमरे मे लेटी हुई थी तब चंद्रमवि को लगा वक मैं सो रही हूँ। उसने अपने पापा को िोन करके बोला वक पता नही वकस वमट्टी की बनी है ये, इसपे जहर का भी असर नही हो रहा है। मैं डर गई और बहाना करके दमन आ गई। हमारी बातचीत होती है। चंद्रमवि ने मुझे िोन कर के वदल्ली बुलाया और बोला वक आप This is a digitally signed order. The authenticity of the order can be re-verified from Delhi High Court Order Portal by scanning the QR code shown above. The Order is downloaded from the DHC Server on 29/08/2026 at 15:11:14 CRL.M.C. 6304/2026 Page 10 of 11 वदल्ली आ जाओ हम दोनो यही नौकरी करेगे और रहेगे। ईमान 28 february 2026 को मैं वदल्ली आई। मैं वदल्ली मे बवाना मे नौकरी भी लगा दी। मैंने चंद्रमवि से Contact करने वक बहुत कोवशश की पर उसका कु छ पता नही चला। वो अभी भी िरार है। मैंने चंद्रमवि के वपता को भी िोन वकया उन्होने कहा वक हमने चंद्रमवि को बेदखल कर वदया है। हमारा कोई लेना देना नही है उससे। उन्होने मुझे Paper की cutting भी भेजी वजसके अनुसार वो बेदखल हो गया था। Birju lodhi नाम के एक आदमी का कु छ वदन बाद िोन आया वक चंद्रमवि ने मंवदर मे शादी कर वदया। तब मैंने उसके पापा को िोन वकया तो चंद्रमवि के पापा ने बोला वक चंद्रमवि के पापा ने मामा ने उसका व्याह करा वदया और मुझे भी दबाव बनाकर ले गए। मैंने यह सुनकर िोन रखा वदया और पुवलस मे Complain कर दी” 28. The aforesaid allegations, if taken at their face value, disclose specific circumstances relating to absence of consent and the alleged assurance of marriage. Whether the said allegations are ultimately proved is a matter for trial. At this stage, therefore, it cannot be held that the prosecution is founded merely upon the subsequent failure of a consensual relationship to culminate in marriage. 29. The reliance placed by the Petitioners upon the judgment of the Hon'ble Supreme Court dated 05.02.2026 is also misplaced. In the said case, the Hon'ble Supreme Court found, on the facts before it, that the relationship was consensual and had subsequently turned acrimonious, and that there was no material demonstrating that the promise of marriage was false from its inception. The Court reiterated the distinction between a false promise made with no intention to fulfil it and a genuine relationship which subsequently This is a digitally signed order. The authenticity of the order can be re-verified from Delhi High Court Order Portal by scanning the QR code shown above. The Order is downloaded from the DHC Server on 29/08/2026 at 15:11:14 CRL.M.C. 6304/2026 Page 11 of 11 fails. 30. The fact that Respondent No.2 was married at the relevant time and subsequently initiated divorce proceedings does not, by itself, determine the allegations made in the present FIR. The existence of matrimonial proceedings cannot be treated as an answer to specific allegations of absence of consent, inducement or other criminal acts attributed to the Petitioners. The subsequent divorce, therefore, does not confer any right upon the Petitioners to seek quashing merely on that ground. 31. In the present case, the allegations contained in the FIR and the statement under Section 183 BNSS cannot be said to be inherently absurd or incapable of constituting an offence. Consequently, the case does not fall within the categories contemplated in State of Haryana v. Bhajan Lal AIR 1992 SC 604, warranting exercise of inherent jurisdiction. The issues relating to the quality of consent, the alleged promise of marriage and the respective roles of the accused are matters which require appreciation of evidence at trial. 32. Accordingly, this Court finds no ground to exercise its jurisdiction under Section 528 of the BNSS. The present petition is, therefore, dismissed. Pending application(s), if any, also stand disposed of. 33. The order be uploaded on the website forthwith. MADHU JAIN, J AUGUST 25, 2026/P This is a digitally signed order. The authenticity of the order can be re-verified from Delhi High Court Order Portal by scanning the QR code shown above. The Order is downloaded from the DHC Server on 29/08/2026 at 15:11:14