September 18, 2025

A court in Thane has done a surprising turnaround by acquitting a man charged with molesting a minor girl in 2021. The special judge, Ruby U Malvankar, on September 12 declared Akash Santosh Kolhe not guilty under IPC Section 354 and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. The order copy reached the parties on Wednesday. The case dates back to December 17, 2021, when the minor girl, said to be 17 years old then, visited an open space near a bus stop with her younger sister to use a toilet. The younger sister returned alone, telling their mother that the accused had dragged and molested her sister. However, Judge Malvankar pointed out many glaring flaws in the prosecution’s story. "A crucial requirement for a POCSO Act case is to establish that the victim is a 'child'," the judge emphasized. Yet, no solid proof like birth certificates was shown to prove the girl’s age. Even the date of birth claimed in court was not backed by any documents. Not just that, the prosecution failed to bring independent witnesses to verify the victim’s school records, which the police mentioned in their report. Adding fuel to the fire, the victim’s court testimony clashed with the First Information Report (FIR). She said the incident happened in a closed public toilet, but the FIR described an open area with shrubs nearby. The police also dropped the ball by not collecting important evidence. The victim's clothes were never seized and even the alleged rope used by the accused was missing from police records. The FIR didn’t mention any rope involvement, exposing contradictions in the case. The court underlined poor investigation work, including the shocking fact that the victim’s younger sister — a key eyewitness — was never questioned by the prosecution. "This creates a bigger lacuna in the case of the prosecution," the judge remarked. Even the panch witness was found unreliable since he had close ties with the police officer and had previously served as a panch in other cases. With such huge gaps and doubts, the court said the prosecution failed to prove its case beyond reasonable doubt. Hence, the accused got the benefit of doubt and walked free. This verdict shines a light on the importance of a strong, clear case especially in sensitive crimes under the POCSO Act. Justice demands evidence that speaks loud and clear — not a story full of holes.

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Tags: Thane court, Molestation case, Pocso act, Lack of evidence, Minor girl, Acquittal,