A 25-year-old man accused of sexually assaulting his four-year-old stepdaughter was acquitted by a sessions court in Pune on Monday. The court ruled that key witnesses, including the girl's teacher, mother, and the survivor herself, did not support the prosecution's case.
Prosecution's Failure to Establish Guilt
The court observed that the medico-legal report was not proven during the trial. Although certain documents were exhibited, their contents were not duly proved through their authors, rendering them insufficient to establish guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
On January 27, 2025, the sessions court had earlier rejected the accused's bail plea, noting that medical papers supported the prosecution and the allegations involved a minor. However, that observation was limited to the bail issue and did not involve a full appreciation of evidence as done during the trial.
Key Witnesses Turn Hostile
During the trial, the survivor identified the accused but did not make any allegation of sexual assault against him in her testimony. The court recorded that the evidence of the survivor, her mother, and the informant teacher was silent on the allegations forming the basis of the prosecution case. The mother also denied that her daughter had made any allegations against the accused.
The Bharati Vidyapeeth police had registered the case under the Indian Penal Code and Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act on June 14, 2024. The prosecution examined six witnesses, including the survivor, her mother, and the teacher who reported the matter. However, all three key witnesses failed to support the case in court.
Court's Observation
The court emphasized that the prosecution failed to establish the case beyond reasonable doubt. The acquittal was based on the lack of credible evidence and the inconsistency of witness statements.
