Acquitting a 55-year-old man who spent 17 months in prison in a case of sexual assault on his two minor full-time domestic helps, a special court has said the possibility cannot be ruled out that they filed a false complaint under pressure of neighbours and housing society members.
The minors - both over 15 at the time of the alleged incidents, had not supported the complaint they filed when they appeared as witnesses before the court. One of them had told the court that the man and his wife would restrict them from speaking with outsiders, which made her angry and she filed the complaint. The other 'victim' too had denied the allegations mentioned in the complaint.
The special court said in its judgment that both complainants have not supported the case of the prosecution. "Overall evidence shows that both victim girls are aged below 18 years, but have attained age of understanding. The accused and his wife did not allow them to meet outsiders and neighbours. Possibility cannot be ruled out that they have filed false complaint under pressure of neighbours and society members," it concluded in its judgment.
The man was arrested in early May last year. The minors had stated that they started working at his home since April 2018 and that the man sexually assaulted them on numerous occasions either when his wife was out of station or sleeping. They said he had threatened them not to reveal the incidents to anyone. The complaint came to be lodged after they disclosed the incidents to a society member.
The court acquitted the man of all offences and noting that he is an undertrial prisoner, directed that he be released from prison immediately.
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