Seven years after a now 33-year-old man was booked for kidnapping and raping a “minor”, the special Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Pocso) Act court this week acquitted him, after finding that the girl was in fact 19 and had eloped with him.
The court said the conduct of the woman of not raising an alarm during travel by public transport at various places showed she voluntarily eloped.
The court held that the defence of the accused that though she was good in studies her family was against further education, was more probable.
Advocate Ninad Muzumdar, who represented the accused, said the court accepted the submission that it was a love affair and the girl ran away as her family was getting her married and stopping her education.
“Moreover, after knowledge of her love affair with the accused, they arranged marriage of the prosecutrix. Therefore, the prosecutrix left the house on her own,” the court said.
The court held that the auto with the help of which she eloped from college was arranged by a friend.
“There is no evidence to show the accused forcibly took her against her wishes. The evidence of the victim that accused pointed a knife and used to give threats did not appear probable. So also the fact is missing in her statement to police,” the court said.
Source Link
Picture Source :
