Supreme Court Quashes Rape On False Marriage Promise Case Against Tamil Director-Politician Seeman After Parties Settle Dispute

The Supreme Court on Wednesday quashed the rape-on-false-promise-of-marriage case filed by an actress against Tamil film director and politician Seeman, after both parties filed affidavits agreeing to end all litigation between them.

A bench of Justice BV Nagarathna and Justice R Mahadevan noted that Seeman had, in his affidavit, tendered an unconditional apology, withdrawn allegations made against the actress, and undertaken not to contact her in any manner. The actress, in turn, filed an affidavit withdrawing her complaint and FIR against Seeman.

Recording the settlement, the bench observed, “the object and purpose of filing these affidavits by the parties is in order to give a quietus to all controversies and litigations between the parties. The affidavits have been filed in a spirit of bringing to an end all litigations and court proceedings between the parties.”

The Court further noted that the parties do not intend to continue any litigation and that the actress has agreed not to make any statement against Seeman before any media, including digital or social media.

Senior Advocate Shadan Farasat for the actress submitted that his client's decision to withdraw the complaint could also be implied as an apology to Seeman.

Farasat further requested that members of Seeman's political party should also refrain from making statements against the actress. Senior Advocate Gopal Sankarnarayanan, representing Seeman, responded, “That we will make sure.”

“We find that interest of justice would be served if the impugned order is set aside,” the Court said, referring to the Madras High Court judgment that had refused to quash the FIR against Seeman.

The Court noted that since the complainant had stated in her affidavit that she would withdraw all complaints and FIRs filed against Seeman, the FIR stands quashed. The Court directed both parties to abide by the statements made in their affidavits “in letter and in spirit.”

The case arose from an FIR registered against Seeman in 2011 under Sections 417, 420, 354, 376, and 506(1) of the IPC, read with Section 4 of the Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Harassment of Women Act, based on allegations that he had been in a relationship with the complainant between 2007 and 2011 on a false promise of marriage.

In March 2025, the Supreme Court had stayed the Madras High Court order refusing to quash the FIR to explore the possibility of a settlement between the parties.

On September 12, 2025, the Supreme Court had suggested that Seeman tender an apology to the complainant for his remarks made against her, observing that it would consider quashing the FIR if he did so. The present order quashing the FIR brings the case to a close.

Case no. – SLP(Crl) No. 3287/2025

Case Title – Seeman v. State