A Delhi court has ordered filing of FIR against a woman and her father for filing false charges of gangrape, cruelty and wrongful confinement against her husband and his family members.
The order was passed by the court in a case where FIR was filed in 2014 based on a complaint made by the father of the woman alleging that the accused husband along with the father-in-law and sister-in-law demanded dowry and used to beat and torture her.
The woman had also levelled allegations of gang rape against the father-in-law and sister-in-law.
โRape is a heinous crime which is required to be dealt strictly but simultaneously false allegations qua rape are also required to be dealt firmly since these allegations cause huge humiliation to the accused and have potential to isolate the concerned, including his family and near ones, from societyโ, said additional sessions judge Aanchal.
The court by its order passed on May 9 acquitted the husband, charged under sections 498A (cruelty by husband or relative of husband), 342 (wrongful confinement), 323 (hurt), 406 (criminal breach of trust), 506 (criminal intimidation) and 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention) along with the father-in-law and sister-in-law who were additionally charged under section 376D (gang rape) of IPC.
Acquitting the man and his family members, the court noted that the prosecution miserably failed to prove the alleged offences.
โConcerned SHO PS Janakpuri is hereby directed to register FIR U/s 211 (false charge of offence made with intent to injure) IPC against the woman and her father within 24 hours of receipt of the present judgmentโ, ordered the court.
It further directed the police to file a detailed report of the investigation before the metropolitan magistrate preferably within three months.
โThe entire system worked believing the woman the most and valuing her statement at par that of injured witness, but the woman and her father seem to have exploited even the liberal interpretation and evaluation of evidenceโ, the court lamented.
The court also noted that the woman, who was a law student and had graduated by the time trial took place, and her father, who was an advocate by profession, showed scant regard to their duty to depose truth and kept on making stories.
โTheir act is not what could be called simpliciter exaggeration but the same is what will definitely fall within the purview of an illegal act and is an offence of making false charge of offence punishable with imprisonment extending to lifeโ, court further added.