A special court in Uttar Pradesh's Ambedkarnagar district has delivered a significant verdict, acquitting all four individuals accused in a six-year-old case involving serious allegations of dowry harassment, assault, and caste-based abuse. The court took the extraordinary step of directing legal proceedings against the complainant for filing a false case.
Court's Verdict and Unusual Orders
On Wednesday, the special court established under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act pronounced the acquittal of the four accused. Presiding over the case, Special Judge Ram Vilas Singh cleared Rakesh Kumar, his father Ram Prakash, mother Sarita Devi, and sister Sanju of all charges.
The court's orders extended beyond the acquittal. Judge Singh mandated that legal action be initiated against the complainant, Sanno Devi, for lodging a false First Information Report (FIR). In a further consequential directive, the court ordered Sanno Devi to return all financial assistance she had received from the social welfare department within one month.
Origins of the Case and Key Allegations
The legal battle began in July 2019 when Sanno Devi, a resident of Korai Mohddeenpur in Tanda, filed a formal complaint. She alleged that following her marriage, her husband Rakesh Kumar and his family members subjected her to sustained cruelty.
Her accusations were severe. She claimed the family hurled caste-based insults at her, assaulted her physically, and harassed her for more dowry. A specific incident cited was from July 2, 2019, when she alleged she was beaten and forcibly thrown out of the marital home. Based on her representation to the Superintendent of Police, an FIR was registered, and a chargesheet was eventually submitted, leading to a trial.
Why the Court Found the Case False
During the trial, the court meticulously examined the evidence and found glaring inconsistencies that undermined the prosecution's case.
The medical examination report proved crucial. It revealed no external injuries on the complainant's body, noting only complaints of pain. This finding made the charges of severe physical assault unreliable in the eyes of the court.
Furthermore, the court noted a lack of independent evidence to support the claims of caste-based abuses being uttered in a public place. This is a specific requirement for charges under the SC/ST Act to stand, and the prosecution failed to meet this burden of proof.
In his observations, Judge Ram Vilas Singh emphasized that the act of filing false cases severely "affects the integrity of the justice system" and causes unnecessary harassment to innocent individuals. Based on these findings, the court acquitted all four accused of charges under Indian Penal Code sections 498A (dowry harassment), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 504 (intentional insult), 506 (criminal intimidation), and relevant sections of the SC/ST Act.
The final judgment not only freed the accused but also paved the way for their vindication, ordering the registration of a case against Sanno Devi for filing a false FIR and ensuring the refund of monetary benefits she had availed.
