Court acquits man accused of sexually harassing minor cousin
Thane (PTI): A court in Maharashtra's Thane district has acquitted a 23-year-old man, accused of sexually harassing and threatening his minor female cousin, as the victim and key prosecution witnesses failed to support the police case.
The order was passed on April 27 by special judge Premal S Vithalani, hearing cases under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. It was made available on Thursday.
The prosecution alleged that on November 18, 2018, the accused, who is a cousin of the victim, took the then 14-year-old girl in an auto-rickshaw, made sexual advances, and threatened to circulate her photographs on social media if she refused to marry him.
During the trial, the victim and her family members turned hostile.
The court noted that while the prosecution successfully proved the victim was a minor at the time of the incident through school records and birth certificates, it failed to prove the "foundational facts" of the alleged crime.
In the judgment, the court said, "The star witnesses namely victim, her cousin brother and her grandmother have not stated anything about the incident. Therefore, it cannot be said that the prosecution has succeeded in proving its case."
Referring to the testimony of the victim, the court said, "Even the victim has not supported the prosecution's case. She has specifically denied the incident. She denied that on the date of incident, accused took her in an auto-rickshaw, sexually harassed her by moving his hand on her breast, abused her and threatened her."
The court further highlighted that the victim's grandmother, who was the original informant, admitted during cross-examination that she was illiterate and had lodged the complaint based on what she was told, later stating that the accused had not even come to her house on the day of the incident.
The accused was facing charges under sections 354-A (1) (i) (sexual harassment), 504 (intentional insult), and 506-II (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), along with relevant sections of the POCSO Act.
"In view of the discussion made above, the accused is required to be acquitted," the judge ruled.
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HC orders preservation of Sunjay Kapur's assets on plea by Karisma Kapoors' children
New Delhi (PTI): The Delhi High Court on Thursday directed preservation of the assets of late Sunjay Kapur, ruling that all "suspicious circumstances" raised by the industrialist's children from his marriage with actor Karisma Kapoor have to be completely removed by his third wife, Priya Kapur, before the acceptance of his purported last will.
Justice Jyoti Singh passed the interim order on an application filed by Karisma Kapoor's children to restrain Priya Kapur from alienating their father's assets, reportedly worth Rs 30,000 crore.
The interim application was filed in a suit by the children, challenging their late father's purported will of his assets.
"Having heard and on examination of the material on record, I have the considered view that all legitimate suspicious circumstances raised by the plaintiffs will have to be completely removed by defendant number one (Priya Kapur) before the document is accepted as the last will," the judge said.
"Plaintiffs have made out a prima-facie case that the assets which are subject matter need to be protected, preserved, pending disposal of the suit," she added.
Justice Singh ordered that the equity shareholdings in the three Indian companies of the deceased cannot be changed and also restrained the disposal of his personal effects, including artwork.
The court said if the assets are not preserved and Priya Kapur ultimately fails to prove the validity and genuineness of the will, the deceased's children from his marriage with Karisma Kapoor -- his second wife -- and his mother Rani Kapur would be deprived of their legitimate shares.
"I have restrained from alienating, transferring, pledging, liquidating or in any other manner changing the equity shareholdings in the three Indian companies. I have restrained from withdrawing the PF amount. I have restrained from withdrawing monies from the three accounts except to the extent of discharging liabilities towards the children," the judge said.
The court clarified that it has not passed the order with respect to immovable foreign assets.
A detailed copy of the verdict is awaited.
Sunjay Kapur died on June 12, 2025, after collapsing during a polo match in England. He had reportedly suffered a sudden cardiac arrest.
