Supreme Court Acquits Man Accused of Rape, Criticizes High Court for Ignoring Medical Evidence The Supreme Court of India on Tuesday overturned the Himachal Pradesh High Court’s conviction of Ram Singh, a man accused of raping a five-year-old girl, and restored the trial court’s acquittal. The apex court ruled that the High Court had failed to properly consider critical medical and forensic evidence, which cast doubt on the prosecution’s case. The decision marks a significant moment in the legal battle over the case, which has spanned over a decade. The case, Ram Singh v. State of Himachal Pradesh, began in 2009 when the girl’s mother alleged that Singh, who was staying with the child’s uncle, had sexually assaulted her. According to the prosecution, the child visited the uncle’s house on June 28, 2009, and returned about half an hour later. The mother claimed the child began crying during a bath and later accused Singh of the assault. Bloodstains on the child’s clothes were also reported, leading to the filing of an FIR. Singh was charged under Section 376 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) for rape. The trial court acquitted him in January 2010, citing inconsistencies in the prosecution’s evidence and concluding that the charge had not been proven. However, in June 2016, the Himachal Pradesh High Court reversed the acquittal, convicted Singh, and sentenced him to ten years’ rigorous imprisonment. Singh then appealed to the Supreme Court, arguing that the High Court had overlooked key evidence. The Supreme Court’s ruling focused on the medical and forensic findings. The court noted that the child had been examined within 12 hours of the alleged incident, but the doctor found no injuries on her body.#supreme_court_of_india #himachal_pradesh_high_court #ram_singh #state_of_himachal_pradesh #benzidine_test
