Kanpur | A special court in Kanpur has acquitted a man who spent nearly five years in jail after being arrested in connection with a 2021 rape case, holding that the prosecution failed to establish his involvement. The court has also directed the Police Commissioner and the District Magistrate to conduct an inquiry into the role of the then investigating officer and the supervisory officers over alleged lapses in the investigation. The acquitted man’s legal counsel has indicated that compensation will be sought for his prolonged incarceration.
The case originated on May 25, 2021, when a 13-year-old girl from the Bidhnu area allegedly reported that she had been forcibly taken into nearby bushes and sexually assaulted by a man identified as “Vicky” while returning home after refilling a cooking gas cylinder. Following the registration of the case, police arrested Amin Layal, a resident of Swarn Jayanti Vihar in Bidhnu, alleging that he was the accused.
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After his acquittal, Amin Layal claimed he had repeatedly informed the police that he was not the person named “Vicky” and had no involvement in the incident. He stated that on the day of the alleged offence he had returned from Varanasi late at night after visiting his aunt. According to him, police personnel took him into custody shortly after he reached home. He further alleged that despite his repeated assertions of innocence, he was assaulted in custody and falsely implicated in the case. These allegations remain his claims.
During the trial, the victim’s parents reportedly did not identify Amin Layal as the alleged offender. According to court proceedings, the victim’s father stated that while an offence had occurred, the person standing in court was not the individual known as “Vicky.” The victim’s mother also reportedly stated that the actual suspect was a different individual who had lived several houses away and had allegedly absconded after the incident. The victim, after being shown the accused, also reportedly stated that he was not the person who had assaulted her.
Medical evidence placed before the court also became a significant aspect of the proceedings. According to testimony cited during the trial, the doctor who conducted the medical examination stated that the medical findings did not confirm sexual assault. The report reportedly did not record injuries to the victim’s private parts or the presence of semen. The medical evidence was considered along with other material available on record during the trial.
The defence argued that the investigation suffered from serious procedural deficiencies. According to defence counsel, no Test Identification Parade (TIP) was conducted, the accused’s identity was allegedly never verified through proper legal procedures, and no reliable identification exercise involving the victim or her family was carried out before the charge sheet was filed. The defence maintained that the prosecution proceeded without establishing the identity of the actual suspect.
Special POCSO Judge Pawan Kumar Rai ultimately acquitted Amin Layal after finding that the prosecution had failed to prove the charges beyond reasonable doubt. The court also directed the Police Commissioner and the District Magistrate to examine the conduct of the then Station House Officer, Vinod Kumar Singh, and the supervisory officers responsible for overseeing the investigation, and to take appropriate action if warranted.
Following the acquittal, the defence announced that it would seek compensation from the government, arguing that the alleged investigative lapses resulted in the loss of nearly five years of the man’s life. The case underscores the importance of accurate identification procedures, thorough investigation, and adherence to due process in criminal prosecutions. The court’s observations and directions relate to this specific case, and any further administrative or legal action will depend on the outcome of the ordered inquiry.
