Court frees Delhi man after woman denies rape

New Delhi, Dec 2 (IANS) A court here has acquitted a married man of the charge of raping a widow, stating the woman admitted that he never committed forcible sexual intercourse with her and the relationship between them was consensual.

Additional Sessions Judge Virender Bhat acquitted west Delhi resident Sanjay Kumar, who was facing trial for raping the widow.

"The prosecutrix (widow) has very clearly admitted in her cross examination that the accused never committed forcible sexual intercourse with her and the sexual relations between them were with her consent on each occasion," the judge said.

According to the prosecution, Sanjay Kumar raped the woman on the false pretext of marrying her in 2007.

At that time, the woman’s husband was alive but they were living separately.

"The perusal of the overall testimony of the prosecutrix (woman) clearly manifests that after separation from her husband in 2002, the prosecutrix developed intimacy with the accused and was having consensual sexual relations with him," the court said.

"It is evident that in 2007, when the physical relations between the prosecutrix and the accused took place for the first time, she was a married lady as her husband was alive."

The court said the woman knew that she could not marry the accused, as her husband was alive, and she was aware of the fact that Sanjay Kumar was a married man.

After the woman’s husband died, Sanjay Kumar visited her house in April 2013 in a drunken condition and beat her. He also had physical relations with her against her consent, the prosecution alleged.

The court order came on Saturday but was released to the media on Monday.