Deputy collector claimed relationship was consensual:Court rejected his defence; held him guilty of rape at govt bungalow

In Part 1 of Madhya Pradesh Crime Files, Nilesh (name changed), a resident of Barwani, was looking forward to starting a new life with his fiancée Anita (name changed). However, a phone call changed everything. The caller introduced himself as a senior officer and warned Nilesh to stay away from Anita, claiming that his life would be ruined if he did not. Soon after, Nilesh began receiving suggestive photographs of Anita and threatening messages on his mobile phone.
Now the question was, what kind of relationship existed between a Deputy Collector and a female Patwari that reached the court? Read on Anita told Nilesh that she had known Abhay Singh since 2015. At that time, Abhay was the SDM in Sendhwa, and on March 13, 2015, she joined as a Patwari under him. They met because Abhay had an admit card for an exam. A few days later, Anita went to Indore to prepare for MPPSC. During this time, a period of troubles began for her family. On March 24, 2015, Abhay’s wife reached her house and created a dispute. Later, an FIR was registered against Anita’s parents, brother, and sister-in-law based on a complaint by Abhay’s wife. In 2017, Abhay’s wife filed another case, which included the names of Anita, her brothers, and others. Anita alleged that Abhay Singh took advantage of this pressure to further strengthen his control over her. He used to blackmail her through pictures Anita alleged that on the night of December 22, 2023, Abhay Singh arrived at her rented house in Julwaniya. There, she was assaulted and given a cold drink mixed with an intoxicating substance. During this time, pictures were taken with vermilion filled in her hair parting. The woman alleged that these very pictures were later used to blackmail her. Wherever her marriage was discussed, calls would be made saying that she was already Abhay Singh’s wife. He used to threaten to get her fired from her job, carry out an acid attack, and even kill her. Anita also stated that during treatment, her name was registered as ‘Wife of Abhay Singh’ in the prescription slip of PC Sethi Hospital in Indore. This was also part of the strategy to exert pressure. Defense’s Story – Relationship was Consensual On the other hand, Deputy Collector Abhay Singh presented a completely different picture in court. He claimed that the relationship between them was entirely consensual. He treated Anita like his wife, they lived together for many years, traveled, and were a part of each other’s lives. Abhay also claimed that he had decided to give Anita a 50 percent share in his property. The Most Controversial Document in Court The most complicated aspect of the case was an alleged contract. This document stated that Abhay Singh and Anita had been living as husband and wife for the past approximately 15 years. It also mentioned giving Anita a 50 percent share in Abhay’s income, movable and immovable property, and future pension. The document contained photographs of both and Anita’s signature. But Anita completely rejected this document in court. She stated that she never married Abhay nor lived with him as husband and wife. According to her, she was made to sign without reading it and was told that by doing so, the cases filed against her family would be dropped. Abhay Singh was infuriated when Anita’s marriage to Nilesh was fixed A new twist came in the case when Anita’s marriage to Nilesh, a resident of Barwani, was fixed. Anita alleged that Abhay Singh became furious upon hearing this news. Wherever the marriage talks progressed, he would call there. He would tell people that Anita was his wife. Nilesh also received threatening calls and was warned not to marry. Nilesh started recording these calls. Later, these recordings became important evidence in court. The police seized the pen drive, got it forensically examined, and secured the recordings. The delay in the case became the biggest question The biggest challenge in the case was the nearly eight-year gap between the alleged first incident in 2016 and the FIR filed in 2024. The defence made this delay its strongest argument. They argued that if the woman was a victim, why did she not complain for so many years? Continuous contact, travels, photographs, and documents between the two indicated that the relationship was not entirely one-sided. The court sentenced him to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment However, the court also acknowledged that the accused’s behaviour was threatening and full of mental harassment. The court considered audio recordings, threatening phone calls, attempts to stop the marriage, and the use of private photos as serious. The court stated that the accused was an influential administrative officer and used his position and influence to pressure the woman. The Third Additional Sessions Court of Barwani sentenced Deputy Collector Abhay Singh Kharari to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment after convicting him on January 31, 2026.