# Allahabad HC discharges Congress MP Rakesh Rathore in rape case

2026-09-26T06:31:37+00:00 | Governance | Indian Opinion Desk

Corroboration: 3 independent outlets

The Allahabad High Court's Lucknow bench has discharged Congress MP Rakesh Rathore in a rape case registered in Sitapur. Justice Subhash Vidyarthi observed that prosecution material indicated a long-standing consensual extramarital relationship between Rathore and the complainant, contrary to the allegation of rape based on a promise of marriage. The complainant had filed an FIR in January 2025, alleging Rathore raped her in 2020 after promising to divorce his wife and marry her. The trial court had rejected Rathore's discharge application and framed charges against him. The high court set aside that order, saying continuing proceedings on such contradictory allegations would be an abuse of process.

## Indian Opinion Analysis

All three sources carried identical PTI wire copy, so the coverage is uniform straight reporting. The story itself highlights a tension the court acknowledged: the complainant's husband and children supported her allegations, yet the judge found the prosecution case incredible. The high court's reasoning turned on the complainant's own account of a political-patronage relationship and her husband's testimony about late-night visits, which the judge read as evidence of consent. The key figure to watch is whether the prosecution appeals to the Supreme Court, which would test the high court's view that this was an abuse of process rather than a case requiring trial.

## Coverage

- rediff.com (neutral report) <https://www.rediff.com/news/report/rakesh-rathore-discharged-in-rape-case-hc-cites-consensual-affair/20260926.htm>
  Straight PTI wire copy with no added framing or commentary
- thefederal.com (neutral report) <https://thefederal.com/category/states/north/uttar-pradesh/allahabad-hc-discharges-congress-mp-rakesh-rathore-in-rape-case-cites-consensual-relationship-257728>
  Straight PTI wire copy with no added framing or commentary
- ndtv.com (neutral report) <https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/consensual-extramarital-relationship-congress-mp-rakesh-rathore-discharged-in-rape-case-12100386#publisher=newsstand>
  Leads with court's 'consensual extramarital relationship' quote but no slant

Tags: Allahabad High Court, Congress, Rakesh Rathore, Sitapur
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