Senior journalist SNM Abdi was on Monday acquitted of abetment to rape charges by the Alipore Sessions Court.
Abdi, who exposed the Bhagalpur blindings of 1980, was given a clean chit by KP Burman, additional district and session judge of the third fast track court, Alipore, after a brief in-camera trial.
The complainant told judge Burman she was not aware of the contents of the FIR of 11 September 2009, as the police had obtained her signature on blank sheets of paper.
During examination by public prosecutor Susil Chakravorty, the complainant said her statement before the magistrate under Section 164 of the CrPC was as per instructions of the police.
Pronouncing Abdi not guilty, Judge Burman ruled the prosecution had "miserably failed" to prove the case.
Prime accused Saiful Alam, a railway employee, and Abdi were charged under Section 376 (g) of the IPC. The police version that Alam lured the complainant with the promise of a job to Abdi's flat and raped her was not corroborated during the trial with the complainant repeatedly proclaiming that she had no allegations against them.
"I have gone through hell. My reputation - built on 25 years as an investigative journalist - has been destroyed by the concocted case," said Abdi.
{{/usCountry}}"I have gone through hell. My reputation - built on 25 years as an investigative journalist - has been destroyed by the concocted case," said Abdi.
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