In a sensational case of alleged rape of a foreign student at a private university in Dehradun, the court acquitted the accused foreign student on Friday. The case was registered in October 2024 under a Zero FIR at the Kashmiri Gate police station in Delhi, which was then transferred to the Dehradun police for investigation. However, the hope for justice in Dehradun proved futile, as the investigation of the Zero FIR yielded no results.
The court, in its decision to acquit the accused, made strong remarks against the then investigating officer of the Clement Town police station. It stated that the investigating officer, Sub-Inspector Sanjeet Kumar, completely ignored the scientific evidence in this case. The student alleged that she was raped while she was asleep. Under normal procedure, the police should have seized her bedsheets and clothes for forensic examination, but this was not done.
The court of Additional District and Sessions Judge Rajni Shukla acquitted Musa alias Moja Mojiz Ladu James, a student from South Sudan, of all charges. The victim, a student from South Africa, was pursuing her graduation in Dehradun. She had given a statement to the police that on the night of October 29, 2024, there was a farewell party for her group in the Clement Town police station area, attended by several students from her institution. After the party, she was sleeping when the accused, Musa, allegedly raped her while she was unconscious.
The student admitted during cross-examination that she had consumed alcohol at the party.
During cross-examination in court, the student admitted that she and all her friends had consumed alcohol at the party. Due to intoxication, she did not clearly remember who touched her and when. Other foreign students present at the party testified that the accused and the victim slept in separate rooms. One student testified that he heard the victim screaming at night, but thought she might have woken up from a bad dream. When he went to her room, the accused Musa was not there.
