Moga molestation: All 4 accused walk free for want of evidence
MOGA: A local court on Monday acquitted four persons, arrested in the infamous 2015 Moga molestation case in which a 13-year-old girl died after being molested and pushed off a moving bus, following lack of evidence.
The shocking case had triggered a statewide outrage and political backlash for then SADBJP government as the bus belonged to Orbit, a company owned by the Badal family.
The court of additional district and sessions judge Lakhwinder Kaur Duggal acquitted bus driver Ranjit Singh, conductor Sukhwinder Singh alias Pamma and two helpers --- Gurdeep Singh alias Jimmy and Amar Ram --- after prime witnesses, including girl’s mother Shinder Kaur, who was the complainant, and father Sukhdev Singh, turned hostile.
The accused were booked by the Baghapurana police under sections 302 (murder), 307 (attempt to murder), 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty) and 120B (punishment of criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code, Section 3 of the SC/ST Act and Section 8 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
Defence counsels Anupinder Singh Sekhon and Ramandeep Singh Aulakh said the prosecution failed to produce enough evidence against their clients in the court.After outcry, the Orbit company offered the girl’s family a compensation of Rs 24 lakh, besides offering a government job to one member of the family.