A local court has acquitted 22-year-old youth in a case, which was registered for rape and Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO) one year ago, after the prosecution failed to prove charges against him.

The case was registered on September 4, 2024, on the complaint of the minor girl. The victim alleged that she and accused were friends for the past one year. In May 2021, the accused called victim to his house. When she went to his house, the accused was alone. The victim alleged that the accused forcibly developed physical relations with her on the promise that he would marry her.

On August 22, 2021, the accused told the victim that he was at a village in Saharanpur district of Uttar Pradesh. He asked the victim to reach Ambala, from where he would take her along with him to the village and marry her.

The victim went to Ambala and the accused took her to a hospital. The accused also took Rs 5,000 from the victim girl and asked her to wait for him at the hospital.

After sometime, victim’s family members reached hospital and took her to the house of the accused, where he refused to marry her.

During the course of investigation, the accused was arrested by the police. Statement of prosecutrix under Section 164 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) was recorded.

Statements of witnesses were also recorded under Section 161 of the CrPC.

After completion of the investigation and necessary formalities, a challan was presented against the accused in a court. Finding prima facie charges framed against him, the accused pleaded not guilty and claimed trial. Devinder Lubana, counsel of the accused, argued that his client was falsely implicated in the case. He said the accused resided with his mother and sister-in-law and was never alone at his house. Lubana said the question of developing forcible physical relations with the prosecutrix at his house did not arise. After hearing arguments, the court acquitted the accused of the charges framed against him.