Sumit Kumar acquitted of rape charges in Panchkula

A local court in Panchkula has acquitted Sumit Kumar, accused of rape in a 2021 case, due to insufficient evidence. The court found it clear that no case could be made against him. The charges against Kumar were related to a complaint filed by a 35-year-old woman. She claimed they had a physical relationship that began in 2013 after meeting in 2010. The complaint was made after Kumar refused to marry her. Kumar was arrested in July 2021, and charges were officially framed in November of the same year. The court noted that the relationship between Kumar and the woman was consensual, and it could not be seen as criminal once the marriage promise was not fulfilled. Both parties are now married to other individuals and have moved on with their lives. The court highlighted that the woman had ample time to discover any deceit by Kumar if it had existed, and concluded there was no false promise regarding marriage. The relationship was deemed consensual, and the court ruled there was no basis for the charges under Section 376 of the Indian Penal Code.