New Delhi: A man, chargesheeted for raping a
woman last year, has been acquitted as the rape victim has
gone missing and become unavailable to the court for recording
of her statement.
Additional Sessions Judge Sanjay Garg discharged the
alleged rapist after investigating officer of the case told
the court that his best efforts to trace the complainant have
failed.
"A number of opportunities have been given to the
prosecution to serve the victim but she remained untraceable.
Investigating Officer (IO) has also filed a report in this
regard and submitted that despite best efforts made by him,
the victim is untraceable," the court said while setting the
man free.
"In the absence of testimony of the victim, all the
remaining prosecution witnesses are formal in nature. Four
witnesses have been examined but all are formal in nature. No
useful purpose would be served by examining remaining
witnesses," the court said.
"There being no incriminating evidence against
accused...he is acquitted," it added.
The court also noted that the investigating officer,
with help from the complainant`s telephonic call detail
records, had tried to trace her by calling all the numbers but
to no avail.
The woman had lodged her complaint at Shakarpur police
station in east Delhi alleging that accused Shokeen had raped
her in June last year after making her eat the food he had
brought. After eating the food, she had lost consciousness,
she alleged.
She had also stated in her complaint that after
gaining consciousness, she called up her husband and told him
about the incident. Her husband, in turn, lodged the case with
police.
PTI
