Thane, 18th October 2024: A court in Thane district, Maharashtra, has acquitted three individuals accused of coercing a woman into prostitution, citing flaws in the prosecution’s case.

On September 30, Special Judge D.S. Deshmukh delivered the verdict, clearing the accused who were charged under the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO).

According to case details, Saumyajit Narendra Singh (35), Najma Saumyajit Singh (39), and Ismail Rashidali Mandal (46) were implicated in forcing a woman into prostitution, with charges brought against them after a raid in September 2014.

In his ruling, Judge Deshmukh remarked that the prosecution’s claim that the accused had pushed the victim into prostitution seemed fabricated. He highlighted inconsistencies in the victim’s testimony, including her admission of not knowing her age at the time and conflicting statements regarding whether she was sent for illegal activities. The court found her testimony unreliable.

Ultimately, the court concluded that the prosecution had not proven that the accused had compelled the victim into prostitution or profited from it, leading to the acquittal of all three.