Delhi court acquits man accused of forcing minor girl to elope

The judge said that no evidence was brought by the prosecution to show that the accused induced the child victim to go along with the CCL, with the intent that she may be compelled, forced or seduced to have illicit intercourse with the CCL and therefore, the case of the prosecution has fallen like a pack of cards.The judge further said that there was nothing on record to establish the guilt of the accused in the commission of the offence and the prosecution had failed to prove the charge beyond a reasonable doubt.

A court here has acquitted a man accused of forcing a minor girl to elope, saying the case of the prosecution has “fallen like a pack of cards”.

The court was hearing a case against Ram Kishore, who was accused of forcing the girl to go along with a minor boy. According to the prosecution, the girl went missing on March 3, 2021, and an FIR for kidnapping was registered at Kapashera police station.

After being recovered and produced before the Child Welfare Committee (CWC), the girl's medical examination was conducted, during which she said about going to Karnal with her ''boyfriend'' (child in conflict with law or CCL), having sexual relations with him and also getting married to him in a temple, the prosecution said. During the investigation, the child victim recorded her statement that accused Ram Kishore, a cousin of the CCL, told her to go along ­with the CCL, failing which he would kill her parents, the prosecution said. “Accused Ram Kishore is acquitted of the charge under section 366A (procuration of minor girl) and 506(­II) (punishment for criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code,” Additional Sessions Judge­ Vipin Kharb said in a recent order. The judge said that “no evidence was brought by the prosecution to show that the accused induced the child victim to go along­ with the CCL, with the intent that she may be compelled, forced or seduced to have illicit intercourse with the CCL and therefore, the case of the prosecution has fallen like a pack of cards”.

The judge further said that there was nothing on record to establish the guilt of the accused in the commission of the offence and the prosecution had failed to prove the charge beyond a reasonable doubt. The court noted that the child victim had turned hostile and did not support the allegations made by her in her earlier statement recorded under the Code of Criminal Procedure. The court also noted that the child victim's father and the complainant in the present case said that as the accused had previously abused him, he had implicated Ram Kishore in the present case.

Besides filing a chargesheet against the accused, a case was also filed against the CCL before the Juveline Justice Board. PTI MNR KVK KVK