Maharashtra Courts Acquit Men in Separate Sexual Offense Cases Citing Insufficient Evidence

Three separate courts in Maharashtra acquitted men of rape or sexual harassment charges due to insufficient evidence or inconsistencies in testimonies. In Thane, a man was acquitted after a decade-long case citing lack of resistance and financial disputes. Another 72-year-old was cleared in a 2016 child harassment case due to weak prosecution evidence. Meanwhile, a high court overturned a rape conviction of a man, accepting that the minor survivor's statement was influenced by a leading question, though other charges were upheld.