Chandigarh: 19-year-old youth acquitted in rape case as victim turns hostile

The court held that the prosecution failed to establish the allegations beyond a reasonable doubt and that there was insufficient evidence to sustain the charges

A local court on Wednesday acquitted a 19-year-old boy accused of raping and sexually assaulting a 10-year-old victim. The court noted that during the trial, the complainant as well as the victim did not support the prosecution’s case and were declared hostile.

The court held that the prosecution failed to establish the allegations beyond a reasonable doubt and that there was insufficient evidence to sustain the charges. (HR File)

The court also held that the prosecution failed to establish the allegations beyond a reasonable doubt and that there was insufficient evidence to sustain the charges.

The order was passed by the court of special judge Yashika in Chandigarh. The accused was represented by advocate Rita Sharma. The case stems from an incident reported on October 26, 2024, in Bhaskar Colony, Sector 25.

According to the first information report (FIR), the alleged offence took place in a secluded jungle area near the cremation ground in Sector 25. Following the complaint, the 10-year-old victim was taken to Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), Sector 16, for medical examination.

The FIR was registered under Section 65(1) (rape of a child below 16 years of age) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and Sections 4 and 6 (penetrative sexual assault and aggravated penetrative sexual assault) of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012.

In its judgment, the court observed that there was no independent corroborative evidence linking the accused to the alleged offence. Holding that the prosecution had failed to establish the charges beyond reasonable doubt, the court acquitted the accused of all charges.