Man acquitted in 1977 kidnapping case; remained absconding throughout trial

Thane, Oct 6 (PTI) A man was acquitted in a kidnapping case nearly five decades after it was registered in Vitthalwadi police station in Maharashtra's Thane district.

The trial was conducted in absentia as the accused remained absconding and was declared a proclaimed offender.

The case under Indian Penal Code sections 363 (kidnap) and 366 (kidnapping or abducting a woman to compel her marriage or to cause her defilement etc) was registered on March 9, 1977 against Virpal Jaswant Walmiki, while the chargesheet was filed almost a quarter of a century later on March 28, 2001.

The case remained pending for an extensive duration, with the formal charges framed only on August 7, 2025.

Walmiki was accused of kidnapping a 16-year-old girl from Camp No.3, Zopadpatti, Ulhasnagar on March 9, 1977 with the intention of forcibly marrying her.

In his order of September 26, a copy of which was made available recently, Additional Sessions Judge S.G. Inamdar noted the significant delay and the prosecution's inability to secure the accused's presence despite issuing Non-Bailable Warrants (NBW) and a proclamation under Section 82 of Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC).

The prosecution could only examine one witness, a summons duty police constable who testified that the informant and other vital witnesses were not traceable and not residing at the given address.

In its order, the court said the prosecution has miserably failed to prove its case beyond reasonable doubt against accused, who is, therefore, entitled for acquittal. PTI COR BNM