17 February,2022 10:28 AM IST | Mumbai | Samiullah Khan
The trial lasted for four years and finally, the father was acquitted of a crime he had never committed. Representation image
A stepfather has been acquitted by the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) court after the minor informed the judge that she had registered a false case to take revenge from him as he had insulted her boyfriend. The stepfather spent four months in jail.
According to the sources, a minor girl had lodged a complaint with the Kandivli police against her stepfather alleging sexual harassment.
The trial lasted for four years and finally, the father was acquitted of a crime he had never committed.
Case registered in 2018
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A case of molestation under the POCSO Act was registered at Kandivli police station in 2018. The 16-year-old had accused her stepfather of repeatedly approaching and physically and sexually abusing her.
When she told her mother about this, she, along with her neighbour, approached the police. The police immediately registered the case and arrested the father.
The true story
The mother, later, went to the police station and revealed exactly what had happened.
As per the statement given to the police by the minor's mother, the girl was in love with a 20-year-old boy who lived in the same area. She wanted to marry him. However, he was addicted to hashish and marijuana. The stepfather was aware of this and he tried explaining the girl. Once, the father saw them walking together and scolded them in front of people. In retaliation, she made false accusations against her father.
The police also recorded the statement of the minor's boyfriend, who confessed about the incident.
Girl regrets her mistake
The girl, who was in a juvenile detention centre for six months, began to miss her parents. She regretted what she had done and finally withdrew her statement.
After she got home; her father welcomed her without blaming her for what had happened.
"She will be getting married in Uttar Pradesh, this month. I'm glad I was able to get my innocent client justice," said the lawyer Mahesh Rajpopat.
