In a significant ruling, Justice Radhakrishna Patnaik of the High Court has held that a long-term physical relationship cannot be termed "coercion." The court overturned a lower court's seven-year sentence for an accused in a 2006 case from Subarnapur district.
The victim had alleged that the accused, Mahendra Pradhan, engaged in forced intercourse and later coerced her into an abortion. However, the High Court observed that the relationship spanned over two years without the victim reporting it to authorities. Evidence also confirmed the victim was 19 years old at the time, not a minor.
While the court dismissed the rape charges due to the consensual nature of the long-term bond, it upheld the conviction regarding the illegal abortion.
Since Pradhan had already served his prison term during the lengthy trial process, the High Court ordered the case closed. This verdict underscores the legal distinction between prolonged intimacy and criminal intimidation.