Delhi Court Acquits Man Accused of Rape 9 Years Ago Due to Lack of Credible Testimony

Additional Sessions Judge Priyanka Bhagat of Tis Hazari district court was presiding over a case against Mahender. The Subzi Mandi police station had filed an FIR against him, accusing him of rape and criminal intimidation.

According to the victim, in 2014, Mahender drugged her in Nainital, raped her while she was unconscious, and filmed the act. Upon her return to Delhi, he threatened to distribute the video and raped her again in an under-construction building after confining her.

The court, in its verdict dated July 9, stated that the prosecution witness’s testimony lacked clarity, cogency, credibility, and corroboration by other evidence. Consequently, it acquitted Mahender, as the prosecution failed to prove the case beyond reasonable doubt.

The court emphasized that the entire prosecution relied on the woman’s statement, which presented major contradictions and improvements in her testimony, affecting its credibility. It pointed out the absence of the alleged video as evidence and highlighted inconsistencies in the victim’s account of the events, particularly regarding the rape in the presence of other workers.

The court also discredited her claim of wrongful confinement, citing contradictory statements and evidence of her access to Mahender’s mobile phone during that time. Furthermore, a recorded conversation between the victim and Mahender’s brother-in-law discredited her testimony, as it indicated that she had willingly gone to live with Mahender and was attempting to manipulate the situation.

The court concluded that the contradictions and inconsistencies in the witnesses’ statements raised serious doubts about the prosecution’s case. It also stressed the lack of corroborating evidence for the victim’s version.