NEW DELHI, June 20: A Delhi court has acquitted a man accused of raping an eight-year-old girl in 2010, observing that elders are “misusing” minors for their own interest by lodging such false cases.
Additional Sessions Judge Ramesh Kumar also said that people should not be allowed to lodge false case as it causes harassment and damages the honour of children.
“It is very shameful that elder are misusing minors for their own interest and benefits, which should be frustrated and should not be allowed to lodge such type of case merely on their interest and causing harassment and damaging the honour of minor children,” the court said and observed there was no injuries over the victim’s body.
The judge also said it cannot be ruled out that the minor was tutored and acquitted North East Delhi resident Sabir by giving him “benefit of doubt”.
According to the prosecution, the incident took place on August 15, 2010, “when the minor was flying kite on her roof and the accused had asked her to bring tobacco packet for him. He then misbehaved with her and raped her in a room.”
The accused had threatened the victim not to disclose the incident to anyone and the girl had escaped from his clutches by biting at his hand, it said.
The girl narrated the incident to her mother who told her husband about it and they lodged a case against Sabir, the lawyer said.
Sabir, however, told the court that he was implicated in the case as the family wanted to evict his sister from the tenanted premises owned by the girl’s father.
He said there was enmity between the two families and that is why a false rape case was registered against him.
The court said since it has been admitted by the sister of accused that she was illegally possessing the shop of the complainant (victim’s father), false acquisition against Sabir also “cannot be ruled out”.
The judge said it was “very strange” that investigating officer of the case had neither examined father of victim nor cited him as a witness.
“It has also come on record that victim along with her mother and lawyer had come to the court. In these circumstances, tutoring of this witness cannot be ruled out,” the court observed. (PTI)
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