KOLKATA: A gang-rape case, reported in Amherst Avenue within the metropolis in Might 2003, that got here up for trial 20 years later — in Jan 2025 – has led to the acquittal of two individuals implicated by police.The complainant, who appeared earlier than a Kolkata trial choose on April 24, mentioned that 20 years later, she was unable to remember “what occurred” that day and who tortured her.The trial court docket, in its Might 23 order, whereas acquitting the 2 accused, additionally criticised the police for shoddy investigation the place not one of the witnesses or proof produced helped unravel the crime.Further district and periods Decide Rohan Sinha, in his judgment, mentioned, “Not a single witness examined by the prosecution might throw any mild on the incident alleged. Sadly, even the sufferer has turned turtle from her earlier assertion.”The choose additionally identified three key lapses by the investigating officer (IO) which led to the acquittal. The choose mentioned, “The sufferer couldn’t determine the wrongdoers, however, curiously, the IO didn’t attempt to get the accused individuals to face any Take a look at Identification Parade for his or her identification.”The choose additionally famous that regardless of the survivor having given an in-camera testimony to a judicial Justice of the Peace, her assertion underneath 164 CrPC was not produced in court docket. Additionally, the Amherst Avenue officer-in-charge didn’t trouble to “signal or endorse” the survivor’s assertion saying that she was gang-raped, which led to the FIR.The trial court docket additionally couldn’t rely solely on the survivor’s testimony as a result of she filed a proper utility to not proceed with the identical.The choose, in his order, recorded that the survivor “firmly deposed that as a result of passage of time of greater than 20 years, she couldn’t recollect precisely what occurred to her on the fateful day. She additionally didn’t disclose the identification of the accused, nor might she determine the accused individuals”.In keeping with the case particulars, the survivor was engaged as an off-the-cuff labourer to work in an under-construction home in Rajarhat by one of many accused. In keeping with the FIR, which was additionally corroborated within the police cost sheet filed in 2004, on Might 13, 2003, she was working when she was gang-raped by two individuals, together with the one who engaged her for work. Police, 20 years in the past, obtained the sufferer medically examined, recorded her assertion earlier than a Justice of the Peace, and charge-sheeted 4 individuals.Two amongst these named within the cost sheet had been arrested, whereas the remaining two are nonetheless absconding.