Kolkata, September 3: A court in West Bengal's Kolkata recently acquitted a man in a rape case after the complainant woman told the court that she had lodged the complaint "due to some misunderstanding". The accused was arrested in the rape case filed against him on November 24, 2020. Post this, he spent 51 days in jail before a court granted him bail. In her complaint, the woman said she had been in a relationship with the man since 2017.

The complainant also told cops that she spent a night with the accused at a hotel in Salt Lake after he promised to marry her, reports PTI. The woman further said that the two developed a physical relationship during their time at the hotel. The next morning, the accused refused to marry the woman and allegedly fled. After this, the woman approached the police and lodged a complaint against the accused. Kolkata Shocker: Man Detained for Beating His Mother to Death in West Bengal’s Beliaghata Area.

Accused and Victim Were in a Relationship Since 2017

Acting on the woman's complaint, the police arrested the accused on November 25, 2020. He spent 51 days in jail until a court granted him bail on January 14, 2021. The man claimed to be innocent and pleaded not guilty to all the allegations made by the woman. As per the court documents, during the trial, the woman claimed that she lodged a complaint against the man "due to a misunderstanding".

Kolkata Court Declares Accused 'Not Guilty'

She also alleged that "she did not remember anything else." Furthermore, the woman claimed that her friend wrote the complaint, and she signed it without knowing its contents. Anindya Banerjee, judge of the Additional District and Sessions, Fast Track 2nd Court, Calcutta, pronounced the accused "not guilty". "The prosecution has miserably failed to bring home the charge u/s 417/376 of IPC and the accused is entitled to the benefit of doubt," the court said.

'It Appears That Two Adult Persons Indulged in Consensual Sex'

In its order dated August 28, the court noted that the only allegation made by the woman complainant against the man was that he indulged in a physical relationship with her. The court further said, "It appears that two adult persons indulged in consensual sex." The judge observed that the complaint against the man had not been proven before the court. The court also added that the complainant did not make any allegation against the accused under sections 376 and 417 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) during her evidence. West Bengal Shocker: Man Arrested for Killing His 3-and-a-Half-Month-Old Baby Girl in Siliguri.

The Kolkata-based court further noted that none of the witnesses, including the woman's mother, grandmother, and a neighbour, produced by the prosecution, corroborated the complainant's allegations against the man.

Men's Helpline Numbers:

Milaap: 9990588768; All India Men Helpline: 9911666498; Men Welfare Trust: 8882498498.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 03, 2025 05:20 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).