Justice Delayed: The Sakinaka Acquittal

In a surprising verdict, a special POCSO Act court has acquitted four men accused of the gang-rape of a mentally disabled girl in Sakinaka. The court cited insufficient evidence as the primary reason for the release of the accused.

Additional Sessions Judge Ashwini D Lokhande highlighted the prosecution's inability to firmly link the accused to the crime. The case, which has been in court since August 2019, saw the accused held in prison for over three years.

The court pointed out several shortcomings in the prosecution's approach, including failure to examine the victim, who had disappeared from Bihar. Despite a recorded statement by the victim, procedural lapses, such as not involving a special educator, questioned the prosecution's integrity and the case's outcome.