Serial child molester and rapist acquitted in one of the cases | Mumbai News

MUMBAI: The Dindoshi court has acquitted Rehan Abdul Rashid Qureshi. The accused is accused of abducting, sexually assaulting and/or raping at least 22 minor girls in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region. The case was filed at Goregaon police station. Special Judge SM Takalikar said, “The prosecution failed to prove that the accused violated the modesty of the girl, wrongfully restrained her, threatened her and sexually assaulted her with sexual intent.” The 43-year-old was acquitted of the charge of sexually assaulting a 10-year-old girl in Goregaon on December 5, 2015.

The incident took place on December 5, 2015, when the girl went to get a book for her sister. After she did not return for some time, her family and neighbours searched for her. She returned after an hour and claimed that an unknown man took her to an empty building and molested her. The Goregaon police, acting on a complaint lodged by her mother, filed a case against Qureshi, who was facing similar charges in 21 other cases.

Qureshi was arrested on April 8, 2019 and prosecuted under the Indian Penal Code and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012. During the trial, his lawyer Nazneen Khatri argued that there was no evidence of sexual harassment, citing inconsistencies in the complaint and lack of identification details. The court also questioned the test identification process due to poor lighting.