In Brief
Four men were convicted of gang rape under Section 376(2)(g) IPC and criminal intimidation for allegedly abducting and assaulting a woman in April 1998. The victim filed a complaint three months later, claiming she remained silent due to fear. The trial court and high court upheld the conviction. The Supreme Court set aside the conviction, finding that the victim's testimony alone was insufficient because: it contained material inconsistencies between the FIR and her court statement; no medical or corroborative evidence was produced; she did not disclose the incident to family members until months later, which was unnatural; and no witness she claimed to have told actually testified. The Court held that conviction cannot rest solely on uncorroborated testimony lacking credibility and confidence, particularly with unexplained delays and inconsistencies.
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