In Brief
The appellant was convicted under IPC Sections 376 (rape), 452 (criminal intimidation) and 506 (criminal threats) for allegedly entering a woman's residence and committing rape while brandishing a knife. The Supreme Court allowed the appeal and acquitted him. The Court held that the conviction was unsustainable because: the sole eye-witness (the victim's brother) was not examined; there was a 28-day unexplained delay in filing the complaint; the alleged weapon was never recovered; and no external injuries were found on the victim. Critically, the victim's father was unwilling to allow his daughter to marry the appellant despite the appellant's desire to do so—suggesting a family dispute rather than a crime. The courts below failed to properly appreciate these contextual matters and were swayed by the victim's testimony alone.
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