Bumble Date to Jail: Karnataka High Court Slams ‘Mushrooming’ Misuse of Section 69 BNS, Orders Release of Man Jailed in BNS Section 69 Case

Mumbai, February 25: The Karnataka High Court has expressed concern over the rising trend of consensual s*xual relationships being criminalised under Section 69 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, after such relationships sour. On Tuesday, February 24. Justice M. Nagaprasanna granted interim relief to a man accused of deceitful s*xual intercourse, staying the investigation and ordering his immediate release from prison. The court noted that "mushrooming" litigation of this nature is becoming a classic illustration of legal misuse.

The case centres on a man who met the complainant through the dating app Bumble. After the relationship ended, the woman filed a complaint under Section 69, alleging that the petitioner had engaged in s*xual intercourse with her deceitfully by making a false promise of marriage. Karnataka High Court Declines To Quash Case Against Congress Leader Mukarram Khan Over 2022 Hijab Row Speech.

Judicial Concern Over 'Deceitful Means' Claims

Section 69 of the BNS was introduced to punish those who induce women to engage in s*xual intercourse through "deceitful means," which specifically includes false promises of marriage. However, the court observed that many such cases emerge only after long-term consensual relationships fail. "Such cases being registered on the onset of Section 69 are mushrooming before this court," Justice Nagaprasanna stated. He noted that in this particular instance, the acts appeared to be purely consensual, yet the petitioner found himself facing a potential 10-year prison sentence.

The Role of Evidence and 'The Muse'

During the proceedings, the defense presented a poem written by the complainant as evidence. According to the petitioner's counsel, the verses acknowledged the casual and consensual nature of the pair's involvement. While the State's counsel argued that the poem still hinted at a promise of marriage, the court focused on the overall context of the relationship. In a brief moment of levity, when the petitioner's counsel claimed his client was the "muse" for the complainant’s poetry, Justice Nagaprasanna remarked that the situation would "amuse" if it were not for the serious legal consequences involved.

Critique of Rampant Arrests

The High Court took significant issue with the immediate arrest of individuals in such cases. Justice Nagaprasanna orally observed that it has become common for a crime to be registered after two or three years of a consensual relationship, leading to immediate incarceration. "The State, on the score that the offence alleged is one punishable with 10 years imprisonment, is, on the moment of registration of crime, taking every accused into custody," the court noted in its interim order. The judge opined that this was not a case where the accused should have been deprived of his liberty, especially when the allegations stemmed from a relationship that both parties originally entered into voluntarily. Karnataka High Court Quashes Rape Case After Woman Accuses Advocate of Having S*xual Relations With Her on False Promise of Marriage.

Interim Order and Next Steps

The petitioner had been in judicial custody, with his detention recently extended until March 4. Finding that the arrest was unwarranted, given the consensual nature of the acts described, the court directed jail authorities to release the man immediately under specified conditions. The investigation into the matter remains stayed until the next date of hearing. This ruling adds to a growing body of judicial discourse regarding the boundary between criminal deceit and failed personal relationships under India's new criminal code.

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(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 25, 2026 08:33 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).