According to The Indian Express, a Delhi court has acquitted a man of the charges of raping his 15-year-old stepdaughter after she admitted filing a false complaint due to a quarrel between them. The court let off the man, an auto driver by profession, of the offences of rape and criminal intimidation under the IPC and sexual assault under Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO), while noting that the girl and her mother did not support the prosecution case.

“From the testimony of the girl, it is apparent that no penetrative sexual assault was committed by the accused with her. She has categorically stated in her examination that she has filed a false case of rape against the accused as he quarrelled with them (herself and her mother) after having liquor,” Additional Sessions Judge (Balwant Rai Bansal said. The court noted that the mother too supported the version of her daughter and denied the incident of rape.

“In the overall facts and circumstances of the case and keeping in view the testimonies of the victim and her mother, there being no material or evidence against the accused, he is entitled to be acquitted and is not found guilty…and consequently, he is acquitted of the said offences.

According to the complaint lodged by the girl, on August 21, 2015 she called up the police, after her drunk stepfather quarrelled with her and beat up her mother, alleging that the man had raped her.

However, during her examination in court, she denied the charges following which the statement of the accused under Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) was dispensed with.