Calangute: High Court has acquitted a 25-year-old Saligao, Bardez resident in a 2023 Arpora rape case, setting aside his 10-year prison sentence after finding the prosecution failed to prove the charge beyond reasonable doubt.
He was accused of raping a 18-year-old woman at a holiday home in Arpora, where she had gone with a friend. The court cited contradictions in the complainant’s statements, nearly 48-hour delay in filing the FIR, medical evidence that did not match the alleged timeline, and lack of conclusive CCTV proof placing the accused inside the hotel room.
The court also noted the complainant’s admission during cross-examination that she had demanded ₹5 lakh from the accused’s wife to settle the matter. The accused was ordered to be released unless required in another case.
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