NEW DELHI: A court here on Monday acquitted three persons, including AAP MLA Dinesh Mohaniya, in a molestation case, observing that the prosecution could not build a case against the accused "beyond the reasonable doubt".
The MLA was booked on June 23, 2016 for allegedly misbehaving with a group of women who had approached him with a complaint of a water crisis.
"It is held that the prosecution has not been able to successfully build the case against the accused beyond reasonable doubt. Accordingly, all the accused are entitled to be given benefit of doubt. Hence, accused persons namely Dinesh Mohaniya, Subhash Shukla and Lalit Chaudhary stand acquitted," Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Vishal Pahuja said in his verdict.
The court further observed that there were material discrepancies and contradictions in the testimony of star witnesses and none of the other independent public witnesses supported the version of complainant, this leaving a big cloud of doubt.
Mohaniya was charged under Sections 323 (voluntary causing hurt), 354 (Assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty), 506 (criminal intimidation) and 509 (intending to insult the modesty of any woman, utters any word, makes any sound or gesture) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
The trio have now been acquitted of the charges but directed to submit a bail bond of Rs 20,000 each, as per practice.