Supreme Court Quashes Rajasthan High Court Order, Allows Rape Accused to Travel Abroad

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The Supreme Court has overturned a Rajasthan High Court order, which required the wife of a software engineer accused of rape to remain in India while he traveled abroad for a job. The accused had given an undertaking to attend court hearings via video-conferencing and to be physically present when required. The top court had previously stayed the high court's order, which directed the woman to stay in India, and asked the accused to deposit ₹2 lakh as a surety for foreign travel. The accused's wife is an American citizen, employed in the US, and was not a party to the case. The Supreme Court's decision was based on the accused's undertaking to attend court hearings and his assurance that he would be physically present when required. The court noted that there was no ground to alter the order, which had been complied with. The accused had been accused of raping a woman on a false pretext of marriage and had moved an anticipatory bail application, which was allowed. He then applied to the trial court to allow him to go abroad for a job, but his plea was dismissed. He challenged the decision in the high court, which allowed him to travel abroad but imposed the condition that his wife must remain in India. The Supreme Court's decision is seen as a victory for the accused, who can now travel abroad for a job without his wife being required to stay in India.