The Gujarat High Court on Monday observed that non-consensual intercourse by a husband cannot be dubbed as rape.

However, it also stated that subjecting his married partner to have oral or unnatural sex was akin to cruelty.

The court made these observations in a case pertaining to a woman doctor’s complaint of rape and physical harassment by her husband, also a medical professional.

Assault, dowry demand

The complainant said her husband forced her to have sexual intercourse with him against her wishes and that he would also subject her to oral sex and indulge in unnatural sexual activities, in addition to torturing her for dowry.