Sat Mar 29 13:39:15 UTC 2025: ## Air Force Officer Acquitted of Rape Charges in Delhi Court
**New Delhi, [Date of Publication]** – A Delhi court has acquitted an Indian Air Force officer, Pramod Kumar, of rape charges, citing inconsistencies in the complainant’s testimony and evidence suggesting a consensual relationship. The Patiala House Court’s Additional Sessions Judge (ASJ) Pawan Kumar delivered the verdict on March 7th, granting the accused the benefit of the doubt.
The case, registered at Vasant Kunj Police Station in 2018, stemmed from an alleged incident on February 16, 2018. The prosecution alleged that Kumar, having met the complainant on a matrimonial website, lured her to a hotel room, where he allegedly drugged and raped her. The subsequent failure of their families to agree on a marriage, and Kumar’s refusal to marry her, led to the filing of the FIR.
However, the court found significant discrepancies in the complainant’s statements throughout the investigation and trial. Judge Kumar noted the existence of intimate and candid chats between the accused and the complainant, which directly contradicted the rape allegation. The judge highlighted the complainant’s actions, including taking selfies of intimate moments and even attempting to enter the washroom while Kumar was inside, as inconsistent with the claim of a forced sexual encounter. Further, selfies taken in the car after the alleged incident were also noted by the court.
The judge stated that the complainant’s testimony lacked credibility and was insufficient to support a conviction. The court concluded that it would be unsafe to convict the accused based solely on uncorroborated and contradictory testimony. The judge ruled that the evidence pointed towards a failed relationship rather than a criminal act, with the FIR likely filed out of vengeance following the breakdown of the relationship. The court ultimately acquitted Kumar, emphasizing the benefit of the doubt given the inconsistencies and lack of corroborating evidence.
First Piper 