The Special POCSO Court at Panaji has acquitted a 38-year‘old man who had been booked and chargesheeted by Porvorim police for allegedly sexually assaulting and attempting to rape his 16‘year‘old daughter. The court acquitted him after the minor, in her testimony, said she had made a false complaint out of anger.
The matter came to light when the girl’s high‘school teacher received messages and photographs on April 4, 2026, showing bruises on the girl. The victim asked to be rescued, saying her father had severely beaten her. Following helpline notifications and child‘welfare protocols, the minor was placed in the care of the Child Welfare Committee, North Goa.
While in CWC custody, the girl gave a statement in which she alleged for the first time that her father had sexually abused and attempted to assault her.
During trial proceedings, after the victim had undergone counselling to ensure she was not under duress, she turned hostile on the sexual‘assault claims. She maintained that her father had scolded and beaten her for not studying, and expressly testified in court that, because she was angry with him, she had given a false statement accusing him of sexual abuse.
After concluding the trial, the court acquitted the accused and noted that when the victim first approached her headmistress and tuition teacher, she had mentioned only physical violence and had made no allegations of sexual abuse or molestation.
