'Assault was in dream': IAF personnel acquitted in POCSO case after minor retracts allegations

During the trial, the girl said that she was on antibiotics on the night of the alleged incident and was in a semi-conscious state.

In a bizarre incident, a special court in Kanpur acquitted an Indian Air Force personnel accused of molesting his minor sister-in-law after it was revealed that the alleged incident took place only in her dream.

The case was registered on August 3, 2019 at the Naubasta Police Station based on the complaint by the 15-year-old girl. She alleged that her brother-in-law, Anurag Shukla, had molested her while she was asleep. However, the complainant said that the alarm was a misunderstanding.

According to the FIR, the alleged incident happened on the night of March 8, 2019, when the girl was staying at her sister-in-law's house in Khadepur

During the trial, the girl said that she was on antibiotics on the night and was in a semi-conscious state.

She added that she had felt "felt in a dream" that Shukla had grabbed and molested her, following which she woke up frightened and raised an alarm, defence counsel Karim Ahmad Siddiqui told PTI.

Her father Vijay Tiwari and elder sister, who is Shukla's wife, told the court that the complaint had been filed under a misunderstanding.

Shukla had married Shivani on February 10, 2019 and at the time of the alleged incident, he was living in Khadepur. He has since shifted to Bithoor.

Speaking to PTI, Shukla said he was arrested on September 29, 2019, and spent 19 days in jail before being granted bail on October 17 that year.

The special court framed charges under provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, including molestation and sexual assault of a minor following a chargesheet filed in November 2019 under the

However, during the trial, the complainant retracted her earlier allegations.

Noting the girl's testimony and statements of family members. the special court presided over by Judge Rashmi Singh acquitted Shukla of all charges on March 7, holding that the prosecution had failed to prove the case beyond a reasonable doubt.

Shukla told PTI that the case caused him severe mental stress and harmed his social reputation and career prospects.

He claimed he could not secure a promotion to the rank of corporal in the IAF in 2020 and continues to serve as a leading aircraftman.

(With PTI inputs)