Delhi court acquits father, uncle in POCSO case, citing lack of proof

Delhi's Tis Hazari court acquitted three accused, including a minor girl's father and uncle, in a POCSO case. The court cited the prosecution's failure to prove charges beyond a reasonable doubt, the victim's retraction, and inadmissible evidence.

Delhi's Tis Hazari court has recently acquitted three accused in a POCSO case, including the victim's father and Uncle. They were accused of not reporting the offence to the police. The court has also acquitted the man accused of the alleged molestation of a minor girl. This incident came to light on the basis of CCTV footage capturing the said incident.

The court, while acquitting the accused persons, said the prosecution had failed to prove the charges beyond a reasonable doubt. An FIR was lodged at the Hauz Khasi Police Station in 2025.

Court Cites Lack of Proof for Acquittal

Special Judge (POCSO) Sachin Gupta acquitted all accused persons, giving them the benefit of doubt after holding that the Prosecution failed to prove charges against the accused persons. Special Judge Gupta said, "I am of the considered view that prosecution has failed to prove the charge(s) framed against the accused persons and thus the accused are entitled to be acquitted of the charge(s) framed against them."

"Accordingly, the accused RN is hereby acquitted of the charges under section 137(2), 74 & 75 BNS and Section 8 POCSO Act. Accused 'Ar' (father of the victim) and 'Aa' (uncle of the victim) are hereby acquitted of the charges under section 21 POCSO Act," Special Judge ordered on May 30.

Inadmissible Evidence and Victim's Retraction

The court also noted that CCTV footage obtained in a pen drive was not a permissible piece of evidence. The footage was obtained from a person whose house the CCTV was installed.

During the hearing, the victim retracted her earlier statment and said It is not correct that RN uncle touched me in a bad manner on the day of the incident.

Case Background

The incident is of August 14, 2025. Thereafter, the CCTV footage was shared by the person in whose house the camera was installed. He shared the CCTV footage through WhatsApp with another person to identify the victim. He identified her. Her uncle was shown the footage by another person in the market. Thereafter, he inquired about the matter with the victim. She said that the accused RN had threatened him that if she told anyone, he would tell everyone that she came to him on her own.

Police said that the victim's father and uncle had knowledge of the incident since August 14, 2025. However, the case was lodged on the Complaint filed by the victim.

Advocate Deepak Sharma Counsel for the accused person 'Ar' and 'Aa' argued that the accused has nothing to do with the alleged offence, who has been falsely implicated in the present case. It was further submitted that the accused person 'Ar' and 'Aa' were not aware of any such alleged incident with the victim; that there is no evidence available on record to prove the charges framed against them in the present case.

It was alleged that the accused took the victim, who lost her way home, to a building where he touched her inappropriately. However, the incident was captured on CCTV. (ANI)

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)