Nine years after being charged with rape, a man has been acquitted by a Delhi court, which found the alleged victim’s testimonies unclear, inconsistent, and lacking credibility. The allegations were not supported by other material evidence. Additional Sessions Judge Priyanka Bhagat of the Tis Hazari district court acquitted Mahender, who had been charged by the Subzi Mandi police station under provisions for rape and criminal intimidation.
The prosecutrix stated that in 2014, Mahender took her to Nainital, spiked her food, and raped her after she fell unconscious also filmed the act.
Upon her return to Delhi, the accused allegedly threatened to share the video and raped her again at an under-construction building while keeping her confined.
“…The testimonies of prosecution witness 12 or victim are not clear, cogent, credible and trustworthy and the same are not corroborated by other material evidence,” the court stated in its verdict on July 9.
“For the reasons stated above, this court is of the considered opinion that the prosecution has failed to prove the case against the accused beyond reasonable doubt. Hence, accused Mahender is hereby acquitted,” the bench said.
The court noted that the prosecution’s case relied solely on the woman’s statement, highlighting significant contradictions in her account of the food being spiked, which undermined the credibility of her claims.
Concerning the allegations of rape at the under-construction building, the court pointed out that the alleged victim acknowledged the presence of other workers there when she met Mahender. The court deemed her claim of being raped in a location with others present as unlikely, especially since she reportedly cried, as stated in her complaint.
Additionally, the court found it unconvincing that she did not seek help from the workers or file a police report immediately, undermining her assertion that she was raped under threat of having the video circulated.
Regarding the alleged wrongful confinement from November 11 to 15, 2014, the court again highlighted her contradictory statements.
