Thane: Man acquitted in 11-year-old molestation case due to lack of evidence

THANE: A sessions court in Thane acquitted a 29-year-old man accused of molestation and criminal intimidation in a case dating back to 2013.The defence lawyer, Amresh Jadhav, said the court observed that the charges, filed under Sections 354 and 506 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), could not be proven beyond reasonable doubt.According to the prosecution, the alleged incident took place on the night of September 20, 2013. The complainant, a nurse working in a hospital in Thane (West), claimed that while she was walking outside her residential building around 9:30 pm, the accused—whom she was previously acquainted with—approached her, held her hand, and attempted to hug her despite her resistance. She further alleged that she raised an alarm, prompting two bystanders to intervene, after which the accused fled the scene.The complainant later revealed that she was previously in a relationship with the accused, whom she initially knew under a false name. She also testified that he misrepresented his marital status and persistently tried to contact her even after she cut off communication.However, during the trial, the court observed several discrepancies and gaps in the prosecution’s case. Notably, the key witnesses who were allegedly present during the incident were not examined, the exact location of the incident was unclear, and no panchnama (spot inspection report) was conducted.

Furthermore, the court noted that the FIR was filed almost 18 hours after the incident, with no adequate explanation for the delay.Given the contradictions in the complainant’s statements and lack of corroborative evidence, the court concluded that the prosecution failed to establish the charges. The accused was acquitted of all charges, and his bail bonds were cancelled. He was, however, directed to furnish a surety bond as per legal procedure.