Manjunatha S/o Ramaji Rathod, Age 30 Yrs, Occ Coolie vs Kembhavi PS — 5017/2025

Case Summary: Crl.A. 5017/2025 Court Decision: The appellate court dismissed the appeal and upheld the conviction, confirming the trial court's judgment dated March 12, 2024. Key Facts: On April 21, 2019, a 20-year-old student was alone in her house when her uncle, Manjunatha Rathod (age 30), suddenly entered, held her hands and nightgown, dragged her, slapped her, and threatened her with death if she disclosed the incident. Neighbors rescued her; she later reported the assault to police. Court's Reasoning: The appellate judge found the victim's testimony credible, consistent, and reliable. The court rejected the accused's defense that her father's alleged illegal liquor business motivated a false complaint, noting no self-respecting woman would fabricate such humiliating allegations. The judge upheld IPC Section 354 (outraging modesty) conviction, emphasizing that sexual assault cases occurring within homes need not require eyewitnesses, and the victim's sworn testimony alone suffices when trustworthy. Minor investigative lapses (like non-seizure of the torn nightgown) do not undermine otherwise solid evidence. This case analysis is maintained by casestatus.in based on publicly available court records.