Supreme Court acquits man convicted for rape of 5-year-old, citing no victim identification

This case involves an appeal by Dhanraj against his conviction and life imprisonment for the rape of a 5-year-old child and related offenses. The Supreme Court acquitted the appellant, finding that the victim did not identify him in court and that the identification evidence was unreliable.

Appellant: Dhanraj; Respondent: State of Rajasthan; Bench: Justice Mehta

• The Court acquitted the accused-appellant.
• The Court set aside the conviction and sentence imposed by the Special Judge and affirmed by the Rajasthan High Court.
• The Court found that the victim did not identify the accused during her sworn testimony in the trial court.
• The Court noted that the Test Identification Parade (TIP) was not credible due to prior disclosure of the accused's name by the police.
• The Court held that the absence of DNA evidence and the failure to produce a sketch of the assailant created grave doubt regarding the appellant's involvement.

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