|
The Patiala House Special Court in Delhi has acquitted three individuals of rape charges, concluding that the allegations against the 68-year-old father-in-law were founded on a false statement by the complainant.
In its judgment, the court observed, "Upon careful scrutiny of the facts and evidence, and guided by established legal principles, this court finds the testimony of the prosecutrix riddled with material contradictions and inconsistencies. Her statements throughout the investigation and trial have been inconsistent, undermining her credibility. The testimony fails to inspire confidence and falls short of the sterling quality required. Under the given circumstances, it would be highly unsafe to convict the accused based solely on the uncorroborated testimony of the prosecutrix." The case revolved around allegations made by a woman against her father-in-law, who was 68 years old at the time of the alleged incident. The complainant, reportedly dissatisfied with her marital life, accused her father-in-law of rape and claimed that he had forcibly made her ingest a chemical substance, commonly known as "All Out," in an attempt to kill her. Advocate Ravi Drall, representing the accused, argued that the marital discord had been exaggerated into a heinous crime. Drall stated, "It is inconceivable that a 68-year-old man, who is physically incapacitated, could commit such an act against a woman 40 years younger than him." During the trial, Drall highlighted several contradictions in the complainant's statements. Despite being educated, the complainant was unable to recall the exact date of the alleged incident, though she provided detailed accounts of other events from the same period. This inconsistency raised doubts about the credibility of her claims. The allegations of poisoning were also refuted by scientific evidence. In course of medical evidence of the victim "Gastric Leavge" was seized by the IO and same was sent to FSL and as per FSL result no poison, ethyl alcohol and pesticide was detected. The court, after carefully examining the evidence and arguments presented, acquitted all three accused individuals. While acquitting the accused persons court held that, "The investigation in this case has been conducted very casually and recklessly. The call details record and the location of mobile numbers could be of significance. In the cross examination, the IO of case stated that she had sent the request for the CDR of the mobile number of the accused but the same was not collected, further held that In matrimonial cases, there is an increasing tendency of filing complaints for offence u/s 376 IPC against the in laws or any other male member of the husband's family just to exert pressure on the entire family." (ANI)
|
