Delhi Court Acquits Father-Son Duo in 2018 Molestation Case, Cites ‘Malicious Prosecution’
By India Today Web Desk
Published On: Sep 5, 2026, 13:08 IST
A Delhi court has acquitted a father-son duo in a long-standing molestation case, delivering a stinging critique of the investigative process. Additional Sessions Judge Hargurvarinder Singh Jaggi cleared Pramod, alias Akash, and his father, Mohar Singh, of all charges—including molestation, attempted disrobing, house trespass, and criminal intimidation—ruling that the prosecution failed to provide evidence capable of proving the guilt of the accused beyond a reasonable doubt.
The case, which originated from a complaint filed at the Neb Sarai Police Station in February 2018, was dismissed by the court in an order dated August 25. The judge concluded that the entire foundation of the state’s case had disintegrated due to internal contradictions and significant procedural failures.
Prosecution Case “Collapses” Under Contradictions
Central to the court’s decision was the inconsistent testimony of the complainant. During the trial, the woman explicitly exonerated the father, Mohar Singh, stating clearly that he had committed no offense against her. While the prosecution attempted to rely on her earlier statement made before a magistrate, Judge Jaggi clarified that such statements are not substantive evidence and serve only for corroboration. With the complainant herself retracting the accusations against the elder man, the charges against him were deemed baseless.
Regarding the son, the court observed that the complainant’s testimony was “riddled with progressive improvements” and material discrepancies, rendering her version of events unreliable. This loss of credibility was further compounded when the prosecution’s primary eyewitness, Vakil (alias Parvinder), turned hostile. Although he was initially presented as the person who witnessed the alleged assault and rescued the woman, he testified under oath that he was not present during the incident and had seen neither molestation nor violence.
Claims of Police Vengeance and Procedural Lapses
The court’s ruling highlighted deep concerns regarding the conduct of the investigating officers. Judge Jaggi pointed to the arrest of Mohar Singh, a 65-year-old man who had reportedly approached police only to inquire about his son’s detention, as an indicator of “malicious prosecution out of police vengeance.” The court further noted procedural violations regarding Section 41A of the CrPC, which mandates specific protocols for arrests.
Evidence presented during the trial suggested that the complaint itself may have been fabricated by law enforcement. The woman admitted to placing her thumb impressions and signatures on blank papers provided by the police. When coupled with the admission by the investigating officer that the written complaint was entirely in his own handwriting rather than the complainant’s, the court found merit in the defence’s argument that the FIR was drafted by the police rather than the victim.
A Flawed Investigation
The court’s verdict underscored multiple investigative failures that undermined the integrity of the trial. Crucial evidence—such as the woman’s allegedly torn clothing—was never seized, and the weapon purportedly used to intimidate the family was never recovered. Furthermore, despite the alleged incident occurring on a public thoroughfare, investigators failed to secure a single independent witness, relying instead on a narrative that the court ultimately described as collapsing under its own weight.
Following the analysis of these “fatal, irreconcilable infirmities,” the court ordered the immediate acquittal of both men, bringing the eight-year-long legal ordeal to a close.
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