Overview

• An FIR filed in September 2018 relied solely on the victim’s account of a January 2018 incident, and the court held that the nine-month delay undermined the complainant’s credibility
• Special Judge Satyanarayan R Navander found no independent witnesses from the building or the victim’s mother to support allegations of stalking or indecent gestures
• The judge noted that two eye surgeries and leg implants made it implausible for the 78-year-old to wink or swiftly climb five flights of stairs
• Prosecutors failed to summon key witnesses—including the girl’s friend and her father—who were allegedly present during the disputed interaction
• The ruling emphasized that child testimony requires extra caution under the POCSO Act due to young children’s susceptibility to suggestion without corroborating evidence