Delhi High Court Upholds Victim's Statement in Assault Case

The Delhi High Court emphasized that the absence of injuries in a medical report does not negate a minor's statement about assault. It directed a reevaluation of charges against a man and his wife in a 2016 case, highlighting the importance of explicit victim statements over medical findings.

The Delhi High Court has ruled that the lack of injuries in a medical report does not invalidate a minor's explicit statement regarding her assault. This statement was issued as the court directed a trial court to reassess charges of assault and wrongful confinement against a man and his spouse, as reported by the alleged victim, a receptionist at the accused's company.

Initially, the trial court had framed charges of rape and unnatural sex against the man, while clearing him and his spouse of assault and wrongful confinement charges. Justice Girish Kathpalia observed that a medico-legal certificate's absence of injury listings does not automatically rule out violence, noting the necessity of evaluating the victim's claims with detailed scrutiny during the trial stage.

The high court disagreed with the trial court's dismissal of Section 342 (wrongful confinement) of the IPC, emphasizing that confinement within a room, without physical restraint, could constitute wrongful confinement. The court clarified that minor's claims about being confined should form the basis for a prima facie case.

(With inputs from agencies.)