Allahabad High Court Overturns Life Imprisonment of Rape Accused After 13 Years Due To Lack of Evidence

The Allahabad High Court has overturned the life imprisonment sentence of Mohammad Hamid, who spent 13 years in jail for allegedly raping a four-year-old girl in Azamgarh, citing a lack of concrete evidence. The Court ordered his immediate release if he is not wanted in any other case.

The division bench of Justice Ashwani Kumar Mishra and Justice Dr. Gautam Chaudhary issued the ruling, accepting Hamid’s appeal. Advocates Adarsh Shukla and Ashutosh Tripathi represented Hamid in the case.

Prosecution Relied Solely on Medical Report

The case, registered at Mubarakpur police station in Azamgarh, involved allegations that Hamid raped a four-year-old girl in 2011 while her parents were not at home. In 2013, the Sessions Court sentenced Hamid to life imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs 20,000.

During the trial, all prosecution witnesses turned hostile, and there were no eyewitnesses to the incident. Hamid’s conviction relied solely on a medical report. Evidence revealed that neither the complainant nor his wife were present at the scene during the incident.

Court Cites Lack of Forensic Evidence

The prosecution argued that villagers caught the accused near the crime scene and that the medical report confirmed the rape. The doctor’s testimony supported the prosecution’s claims.

However, the Court found that the only evidence was the medical report and scientific findings, neither of which directly linked Hamid to the crime. The Court noted the absence of a medical examination of the accused and any forensic evidence on his clothing. The prosecution failed to prove Hamid’s involvement beyond a reasonable doubt, entitling him to the benefit of doubt.

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