Repeated intimacy doesn’t mean consensual relationship, rules Madras high court

MADURAI: Repeated sexual intimacy does not mean a is consensual between an accused person and the victim, Madras high court has said. “The surrounding circumstances in which the acts occurred, the absence of free and informed choice, and the existence of coercion, deception, or intimidation must all be carefully evaluated before concluding that there was valid consent in the eye of law," said a division bench of Justice N Anand Venkatesh and Justice K K Ramakrishnan on Tuesday. Courts must examine the parties’ entire course of conduct, including how the relationship began, the accused’s intentions and whether the relationship was founded on genuine affection or calculated deception, the judges said. The judges, sitting at the Madurai bench of the high court, also cautioned youngsters and their families against ‘romance fraud’ and asked them to exercise utmost caution while getting into online or tech-facilitated relationships.