Team Goemkarponn
PANAJI: A Fast Track Special Court under the POCSO Act has acquitted a man accused of sexually assaulting his daughter with special needs, after finding that the prosecution failed to provide credible evidence to support the charges.
Presiding Officer Durga Madkaikar, while delivering the verdict, observed that the medical examination did not corroborate the allegations and that the prosecution’s witnesses failed to establish the accused’s guilt. “There is no concrete evidence on record. Testimonies of teachers are hearsay, and apart from the investigating officers, no other substantial witnesses were presented,” the court noted.
The 29-year-old accused, a machinist by profession, had been charged with allegedly assaulting his 19-year-old daughter—who has developmental disabilities—at their rented home in 2023. However, during her testimony, the daughter denied any wrongdoing by her father, stating she was never assaulted and had always been treated affectionately.
The court also noted contradictions in the victim’s earlier statements, brought out during cross-examination. Additionally, the medical report confirmed there were no injuries and that the victim’s hymen remained intact, further weakening the prosecution’s case.
The victim’s mother supported the defense, stating that any marks on her daughter’s body could be attributed to play or efforts to restrain her during episodes of aggression. She also suggested that the complaint may have been prompted by friction between her husband and the school management, particularly over concerns he raised about the institution’s teaching methods.
Citing lack of medical, physical, and testimonial evidence, the court granted the accused the benefit of doubt and ordered his acquittal.
