Mumbai: Pointing to the need to protect the woman as the accused’s friends and relatives pressurised her to take back the case after his arrest, a sessions court rejected the bail plea of a senior software developer (28) accused of sexually exploiting a woman under the false promise of marriage.“The offence is serious in nature and against the woman. The investigation is now in progress and yet the chargesheet is not filed. Hence, the applicant is not entitled for grant of bail,” Judge Shilpa S Todkar said on Friday.The accused was arrested following an FIR registered at the Kurar police station. According to the prosecution, the man befriended the woman while residing as a paying guest at her residence. The woman, who has been living separately from her husband for seven years and has a nine-year-old daughter, alleged the man gained her confidence by promising to marry her once her pending divorce proceedings were finalised. According to the FIR, the woman told the accused her divorce was nearing completion and requested he inform his family of their marriage plans. The accused subsequently began avoiding her and, on the night of Dec 7, 2025, refused to marry her. Following an overnight dispute, the accused allegedly threatened to implicate her in a false case and summoned the police. Upon their arrival the next morning, the woman reported the breach of promise, resulting in the FIR.The lawyer appearing for the accused, argued the relationship was a consensual extramarital affair between two educated adults. The defence contended the woman had been pressurising the man to marry her, and he had been the one to call the police and lodge online complaints when the situation turned sour. The accused also claimed the woman had tampered with his mobile phone to delete chat records and argued since he was a permanent resident of Mumbai with no criminal antecedents, he should be released.The prosecution and the woman opposed the plea. She filed an affidavit alleging since the accused’s friends and relatives have been pressurising her to withdraw the case. The investigating officer expressed concern the accused might tamper with evidence if released before the chargesheet is filed. The judge took note of allegations that intimacy occurred at hotels and guest houses in Malad, Jogeshwari, Nasik, and Ujjain based on the assurance of marriage. The judge noted the accused was aware of the woman’s marital status and pending divorce when he made the promise.“On perusal, the FIR it appears that there are allegations against the applicant that under the pretext of false promise of marriage, applicant has sexual intercourse with informant at several times and thereafter refused to marry with her,” the judge said.
