Thane court acquitted 2 men after victim remains untraceable

THANE: The additional sessions court acquitted two men, aged 25 and 35, who were accused of gang raping a woman after allegedly making her drink excessive alcohol on May 22, 2021. The accused and the victim resided in the Diva area and were acquainted with each other.
The case, which was under trial for a few years, took a decisive turn as the victim remained untraceable throughout the investigation and trial. The allegations against the accused involved luring the woman under false pretences, making her drink, and subsequently committing the crime. Subsequently, a case was registered against the duo at Mumbra police station under relevant sections of rape and other sections of the Indian Penal Code.
However, during the course of the investigation and subsequent trial, the prosecution was unable to locate the victim to provide testimony or corroborate the charges. The court was presented with relevant documents and records pertaining to the victim’s absence over the past four years. In light of this, and the lack of substantive evidence, the court ruled in favour of acquitting the accused, the judge noted in the order.
The judge pointed out the importance of direct evidence in such cases, highlighting that the prolonged absence of the victim rendered the prosecution’s case incomplete and insufficient to secure a conviction.