2014 Dhandari rape case: Four walk free due to lack of evidence

The rape case was registered at the Sahnewal police station on October 27, 2014. A month later, on December 4, 2014, the girl was set on fire inside her home.

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Three of the accused— Babbu, Shahjad and Anwar — will continue to be behind bars as they are also among those charged in a separate case pertaining to the 16-year-old’s murder. (Representational image)

A local court in Ludhiana Wednesday acquitted all four accused in the 2014 Dhandhari rape case of a 16-year-old schoolgirl. Additional Session Judge Tarntaran Singh Bindra acquitted Mohammad Shahjad, Anwar, Babbu and Vicky “due to lack of sufficient evidence”. Three among them — Babbu, Shahjad and Anwar — will continue to be behind bars as they are also among those charged in a separate case pertaining to the 16-year-old’s murder. Vicky will be released.

The rape case was registered at the Sahnewal police station on October 27, 2014. A month later, on December 4, 2014, the girl was set on fire inside her home. Before succumbing to her injuries on December 8, she had named six for setting her on fire. While the murder trail continues in another court, the rape case was decided on Thursday.

In the rape case verdict, all four accused were cleared of charges under Section 376 (rape), 506 (Criminal intimidation), 365 (kidnapping), 354 (assault or criminal force with woman to outrage her modesty) and 34 (act done with common intention) of IPC.

Advocate Trilok Sood, counsel for the accused, said that there were several loopholes and contradictions in the case due to which prosecution failed to prove charges against the accused.

“The girl changed her own statement multiple times. First, she alleged that she was molested, then she alleged it was attempt to rape. Later, police added rape charges just on suspicion of some semen drops present on her clothes. However, doctors in the medical report said that there were no signs of any sexual intercourse with the girl. Also, she refused to undergo medical examination initially and agreed for it only four days later,” said Sood.

He added: “Father of the girl who is the main complainant in the case also claimed that his wife was present at home when their daughter was abducted and taken away by the accused, but later his wife (victim’s mother) did not record her statement in the court. Court acquitted all the accused due to lack of sufficient and reliable evidence.”

The case had led to widespread protests across Ludhiana. While girl’s family had alleged that she was abducted and raped by four accused, families of the accused had claimed that their boys were ‘framed’ by girl’s family due to an old enmity.

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