A resident of Kasna in Noida has been cleared of serious charges, including dowry harassment and attempted murder, by a local court, bringing an end to a legal ordeal that lasted nearly a decade. The acquittal came after the prosecution's case fell apart when crucial witnesses, including the accused's own wife, turned hostile and refused to support the original allegations.
The Court's Verdict and Collapse of the Case
On December 11, Additional Sessions Judge (Fast Track Court) Saurabh Dwivedi ordered the acquittal of Rinku Singh. The court ruled that the prosecution had failed to prove the charges beyond a reasonable doubt. Judge Dwivedi specifically noted that the main complainant was not an eyewitness to the alleged incidents, and the purported victim herself did not corroborate the prosecution's story in court.
A Decade-Long Legal Battle: From FIR to Hostile Witnesses
The origins of this case date back to January 28, 2015. On that day, Satya Pal Singh, a resident of Etah district, filed a First Information Report (FIR) at the Mahila Police Station in Gautam Budh Nagar. He accused his son-in-law, Rinku Singh, and his family of subjecting his daughter Jyoti to dowry harassment ever since her marriage in 2010.
Satya Pal Singh's complaint contained a grave additional allegation. He claimed that on January 18, 2015, Rinku Singh and his family members had pushed Jyoti and her mother from a terrace, causing them serious injuries. Based on these accusations, the police registered a case under several sections of the Indian Penal Code:
- IPC 498A (cruelty by husband or relatives of husband)
- IPC 323 (punishment for voluntarily causing hurt)
- IPC 325 (punishment for voluntarily causing grievous hurt)
- IPC 308 (attempt to commit culpable homicide)
- IPC 506 (punishment for criminal intimidation)
Following the investigation, a chargesheet was filed solely against Rinku Singh, and the trial commenced later in 2015.
The Trial: How the Prosecution's Case Unraveled
During the trial, the prosecution presented four witnesses to prove its case. The complainant, Satya Pal Singh, testified that his daughter faced continuous dowry demands. He stated that after receiving a threatening call, his wife and sister-in-law rushed to Kasna to meet Jyoti. He alleged that his wife and daughter were then assaulted and pushed from the terrace by Rinku and his family, an account he claimed was relayed to him by his sister-in-law.
However, the prosecution's narrative completely disintegrated when the two most critical witnesses took the stand. Jyoti (the wife) and her mother both appeared in court but denied any occurrence of dowry harassment or a physical assault. Contrary to the FIR, they testified that they had slipped on water on the terrace and fallen accidentally. Both women denied having given any incriminating statements to the police and were subsequently declared hostile witnesses by the prosecution.
The final blow came from the only independent witness cited by the prosecution, Jyoti's maternal aunt, Pushpa. She also turned hostile, denying her presence at the house on the day of the incident, any knowledge of a phone call to the complainant, or accompanying the injured to the hospital. She, too, was declared hostile.
With all material witnesses retracting their statements, the court had little evidence to consider. Emphasizing the fundamental legal principle that the burden of proof lies entirely with the prosecution, the judge stated, "The prosecution is required to prove its case beyond a reasonable doubt. And in this case, the accusations were not proved by the prosecution." This observation paved the way for Rinku Singh's acquittal, closing a chapter that had stretched over ten years.
