By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, April 23: The High Court of Meghalaya has quashed a POCSO case registered in 2021 after noting that the accused and the victim are now married and living together with their five-year-old daughter.
In its order dated April 22, 2026, the bench of Chief Justice Revati Mohite Dere allowed a criminal petition seeking quashing of an FIR lodged with Madanrting Police Station under Sections 5 and 6 of the POCSO Act.
The relationship between the petitioner (then 23) and the victim (then 17 years and 8 months) was consensual, which resulted in the birth of a child in May 2021. The FIR had been filed by the victim’s mother at the time. During the pendency of the case, the couple solemnised their marriage on April 3, 2025.
The court noted that both the victim and her mother (the complainant) expressed no objection to the quashing of the proceedings. A report from the High Court Legal Services Committee confirmed that the victim’s consent was informed and voluntary, and that she is currently living happily with her husband and child.
Taking into account the “peculiar facts” of the case, including the couple’s marriage and the welfare of the child, the court held that continuing criminal proceedings would not serve the ends of justice.
The judgment also referred to earlier observations of the court highlighting the ground realities in Meghalaya, where consensual adolescent relationships often culminate in marriage and family life. It emphasised the need to balance legal enforcement with social context, particularly in so-called “Romeo-Juliet” cases.
The court directed that the woman and her child be extended benefits under various Central and state welfare schemes as may be applicable to them. Authorities have been instructed to ensure that these benefits are provided within eight weeks.
