“There is absolutely no material to proceed for the trial against the accused. At the relevant time, admittedly, she was above 16 years of age. The case is of love affair and elopement. There is nothing on record that both had sexual intercourse,” the court said. (Representational Image) “There is absolutely no material to proceed for the trial against the accused. At the relevant time, admittedly, she was above 16 years of age. The case is of love affair and elopement. There is nothing on record that both had sexual intercourse,” the court said. (Representational Image)

NEARLY 33 years after a case was registered against a man, who was then 23 years old, for allegedly ‘kidnapping’ a girl, then 16, the sessions court on Saturday discharged him of all charges.

The now 56-year-old man has submitted to the court that he does not even know the whereabouts of the girl and that he is married with two children.

The girl’s father had lodged a complaint against the man on December 12, 1985, at Gamdevi police station after she did not return home from college. A day later, the girl and the accused were traced to Mahabaleshwar and brought back to Mumbai. On her return, the girl told the police that she had herself gone with the man as they were in love. The case was sent to the sessions court for trial and a non-bailable warrant was issued against the accused after he failed to appear in court.

Recently, the accused filed a discharge plea stating that there was no evidence against the man. The assistant public prosecutor said in the hearing on the plea that the girl had said she had left the house voluntarily with the accused.

“There is absolutely no material to proceed for the trial against the accused. At the relevant time, admittedly, she was above 16 years of age. The case is of love affair and elopement. There is nothing on record that both had sexual intercourse,” the court said.

📣 The Indian Express is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel (@indianexpress) and stay updated with the latest headlines

For all the latest Mumbai News, download Indian Express App.