Women can’t always be treated as “innocent gullible victims” in all the cases, a Delhi court said in a case where a women was found ‘lying’ about sexual harassment by her employer. Considering the growing trend of false FIRs of rape and other sexual crimes, the court noted that stereotyping women as “innocent gullible victims” in all scenarios is not correct and such false cases should be dealt with sternly.
According to a MEDIA report, the court’s observations came in a case where a woman on charges of furnishing false evidence.
According to the report, the woman had alleged sexual harassment by her employer as she was the only employee left in the company. However, the employer, refuted the charges and claimed that the woman was trying to extort money.
While deposing before court, the woman had claimed that she had not lodged any complaint against the accused. She also denied giving statements, bearing her signatures, either before the police or under 164 CrPC before the court. But when court asked her to sign on a blank sheet to compare it to the earlier statements having her signatures, the court found the woman had “deliberately” signed in a “shaky writing” to turn hostile.
Calling it disregard of legal process, the court said evasive replies of the complainant show she is deliberately lying before the court. The court went on to say the it can’t shut eyes to the reality of false FIRs. It said that the court should not stand as a mute spectator on these actions of subversion of judicial process
“Judicial process can’t be overturned by witnesses who do somersaults in court. Such witnesses should be dealt with sternly,” the court said.
