India, Oct. 31 -- The Supreme Court has raised concerns over an emerging trend of failed consensual relationships being turned into criminal rape cases, questioning whether a man has the right to walk away from a relationship without facing allegations of sexual assault.

A bench comprising Justices BV Nagarathna and R Mahadevan made the observations while acquitting a man accused of rape.

The judges stressed that criminal law should not be weaponised following emotional disputes or the breakdown of relationships between two consenting adults.

'Does a man have no right to withdraw from a relationship?'

The court drew a distinction between sexual relationships in which consent was obtained through deception or false promises from the ou...