Thane, May 17 – A special court in Maharashtra's Thane district has acquitted three individuals accused in a rape and human trafficking case filed under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, citing major inconsistencies in the victim’s testimony.
Special Judge D S Deshmukh acquitted Radhika alias Muskan Vinod Jadhav, Sanjeev alias Bunty Dhruv Varma, and absconding accused Pravin Omprakash Mishra of charges including kidnapping, rape, and trafficking. The order was passed on May 9, and a copy became available on Friday.
The case, registered in 2015, was filed under various provisions of the Indian Penal Code, the POCSO Act, and the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act (PITA).
Discrepancies in Age and Testimony
According to the prosecution, Mishra allegedly raped a minor girl in August 2015 and later handed her over to Jadhav, who reportedly forced her into prostitution, with Varma also implicated in the offence.However, the court found critical discrepancies in the victim's account. Judge Deshmukh observed that the evidence contradicted the prosecution’s claim that the victim was a minor at the time of the incident. The victim's own testimony indicated she willingly went with Mishra and later married him.
Further, the court noted that the victim gave birth to a child as a result of her relationship with Mishra and denied being coerced into prostitution.
Lack of Corroboration from the Victim’s Father
The prosecution’s case suffered another blow as the victim’s father did not support key allegations. He testified that his daughter was above 18 years of age at the time and did not confirm any claims of enticement or forced sex work.Based on these findings, the court ruled that the charges against the accused could not be sustained, leading to their acquittal.
