False rape charge: Court orders woman’s prosecution

Saurabh Malik

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, May 5

Accused of rape, 26-year-old Ravi found himself among the category of accused held guilty by society till proven innocent. To make the matters worse for him, the Rewari district resident had to remain in the custody during the period of trial.

Coming to his rescue, a Rewari court has not only acquitted him of the charges but also ordered prosecution of the woman complainant. The judgment, expected to act as a deterrent against false rape cases, was pronounced by Rewari Additional Sessions Judge Phalit Sharma.

Taking up the matter, the Judge asserted the court was convinced that the prosecution had told a bundle of lies to the police and the court. It warranted her prosecution in accordance with law for letting the police to prosecute accused Ravi on wrong facts and false deposition before the court.

Ravi was booked for rape, criminal intimidation and other offences after an FIR was registered in February last year at Rampura police station in Rewari.

The prosecutrix had deposed that accused Ravi and another person kidnapped her when she had gone to pick up her children from school. The public prosecutor had added the prosecutrix was subsequently raped.

Judge Sharma asserted there was no occasion for the prosecutrix to have gone to the school to pick up her children as it was closed. Besides, the complainant herself gave two versions regarding the place of occurrence of the crime. In her statement before the magistrate, the complainant stated that she had gone voluntarily with Ravi as she did not want to reside with her husband. Also, there was unexplained delay in reporting the matter to the police.

“Before parting with the judgment, this court intends to bring on record its anguish after having seen misconduct of the prosecutrix. She by concocting a story has not only misused the process of law, but further ruined the precious years of accused Ravi who remained in custody for no fault of his during the period of trial.

“In this case, this court would not hesitate to launch prosecution under Section 211, IPC, as the prosecutrix has levelled specific false charges of abduction and rape against Ravi and set the criminal law in motion”.