Rape victim's statement is sufficient to nail accused: court

Rape victim's statement is sufficient to nail accused: court New Delhi |Sunday, 2009 1:05:12 PM IST The statement of a rape victim is sufficient evidence to nail the accused, a city court has said in its order. Additional Sessions Judge Ravinder Dudeja said a rape victim's statement would be accepted while he sentenced a 19-year-old youth to seven years imprisonment for raping a woman after entering her house on the pretext of being an electrician. "If the victim of rape states on oath that she was forcibly subjected to sexual intercourse, the said statement will clearly be accepted, even if it is uncorroborated," the judge said in the order last week. The court said an accused could be convicted on the basis of the victim's testimony alone if it inspired confidence and looked natural. "In the tradition-bound and non-permissive society of India, a woman is more conscious of the danger of being ostracised by the society and being looked down by the society and would want to avoid publicity on account of fear of social stigma," the court said. In the present case, the convict had alleged that the woman could not be trusted as her testimony indicting him was not supported by any independent witness, despite the fact that the alleged offence was committed in a densely populated area. ks/mv/dg ( 220 Words) 2009-03-15-12:21:08 (IANS)

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