Delhi Court Acquits Man Accused Of Kidnapping And Forcibly Marrying Minor

The Delhi court acquitted a man accused of kidnapping and forcibly marrying a 16-year-old girl stating that the prosecution failed to prove the fact that he enticed the victim. The accused, Shivraj Singh Sudama, had allegedly kidnapped a girl from Jaitpur on August 14, 2021, PTI reported. 

"That apart, the prosecution has also failed to prove that the accused had actually enticed or induced the victim. In fact, when the victim was examined, she clearly and categorically asserted that she accompanied the accused for an excursion with the permission of her mother," the court said.

In an order dated October 17, the court said that the minor’s statement confirmed that she married the accused before leaving her house and said that the prosecution failed to prove that the alleged victim was a minor on the date of the offence.

It said the victim's statement gave a "deadly blow" to the allegations of the prosecution under IPC Section 363 (procuration of a minor girl).

Noting the evidence before it, the court said the allegation under IPC Section 366 (kidnapping or abducting a woman to compel her for marriage) collapsed automatically.

It said the prosecution also failed to prove that the accused married the victim at the given time.

Acquitting him, the court said there was no material to convict him in the case. 

With PTI inputs