Mumbai: Sessions Court Acquits 70-Year-Old Man In 1984 Rape Case After Victim’s Cousin Reveals They Were Married For 39 Yrs

Mumbai: The rape case registered 40 years before in 1984, came to haunt the 70 year old man now. The sessions court on Tuesday acquitted a 70 year old man in a rape case registered in November 1984, after victim’s cousin told the court that victim, who has now died, had eloped with the accused and they were happily married for so many years and had four children.

“As the matter is too old, maximum witnesses of the prosecution are either not traceable or expired,” the sessions judge Madhuri. M. Deshpande observed while acquiting the man.

A case of kidnaping and raping a minor girl was registered against the accused on November 27, 1984. The accuses was also arrested for the case on December 2, 1984. However, after he was released on bail, he was recorded as absconding in court records from August 1985. However, after 39 years, the man was again arrested on May 7, 2024.

The prosecution claimed that the victim was 15 year old and The accused was known to the family members of the complainant. He was residing in their area. The victim girl left the house by intimating that she is going to bathroom and did not come back. The complainant searched for her everywhere but could not find. Hence they first registered a missing complaint but later converted it into a case of kidnaping and rape.

The accused was put to trial as he pleaded not guilty. The prosecution examined victim’s cousin sister. The cousin however testified that, The victim was having love affair with the accused. She had seen the victim talking with the accused and they were having love affair. Victim ran away with the accused and got married with him. Victim had run away. She further deposed that victim had got married with the accused and they had four children. She further said that after marriage the girl had shifted to Agra, Uttar pradesh.

Beside, the cousin said, victim’s mother, father and other witnesses have expired and also said that two of the four children have also expired by now. Apart from this, the prosecution could not bring any material witnesses apart from an officer who was part of the investigating team.

Hence the court said, “There is no iota of evidence on record to connect the accused with this crime. In absence of any evidence as regard to the incident and charge levelled against the accused, it is difficult to connect the accused with the said crime,” the court said while acquiting the man.

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