Mumbai: Sessions Court Acquits Man Accused of Raping Daughter-in-Law in 2014 Case, Flags Contradictions in Testimony

A sessions court has acquitted a man accused of raping his daughter-in-law in a case registered in January 2014, citing serious inconsistencies and weaknesses in the woman’s evidence. The court observed that the prosecution failed to present a coherent and reliable version of events, as the victim’s statements contained material contradictions. After examining the records and arguments, the court concluded that the testimony could not be accepted as trustworthy. On these grounds, the accused was given the benefit of doubt and cleared of all charges, bringing an end to the long-pending criminal proceedings linked to the alleged incident.

According to the prosecution, the woman had approached Chunabhatti police alleging that the incident occurred in late 2013 at her marital home in Kurla. She claimed that while other family members had travelled to Nashik, she remained at home and was allegedly assaulted by her father-in-law after he returned alone. The woman stated that despite resisting, she was forcibly subjected to sexual assault, which she alleged was repeated the following day. She further claimed that she later went to her parental home in Surat for a family function but initially chose not to disclose the incident to anyone.

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The defence strongly challenged the prosecution’s case, pointing to an unexplained delay in filing the complaint nearly three months after the alleged incidents. Advocate Tariq Khan argued that during cross-examination, the complainant was unable to clearly recall dates, casting doubt on her version. It was also highlighted that she did not inform close relatives or even her husband, which the defence said was unnatural conduct. Additionally, the alleged crime scene was described as a crowded locality, making the occurrence improbable. Accepting these arguments, the court ruled that the prosecution failed to prove the charges beyond reasonable doubt.