A college professor in Hathras, India, has been acquitted of sexual exploitation charges after the court found a lack of evidence and corroboration from the alleged victims, raising questions about the case's validity.
A court here has acquitted a college professor accused of sexually exploiting female students on the pretext of helping them clear competitive examinations and secure jobs, officials said on Thursday.
According to the prosecution, the court of Additional District Judge Mahendra Kumar passed the order on Tuesday, citing a lack of evidence and absence of corroboration by the alleged victims in their statements.
The accused, Rajneesh Kumar, a geography professor at a degree college, had faced allegations of sexually exploiting students, supported by purported photos and videos. However, during the trial, none of the witnesses or victims confirmed the allegations in court.
Officials said that although some witnesses and students were produced, only one complainant recorded a statement before a magistrate, and no victim substantiated the charges of sexual exploitation during court proceedings.
The court observed that the allegations against the professor could not be proved beyond a reasonable doubt and did not rule out the possibility of fabricated evidence being presented with the intent to implicate him. In the absence of sufficient evidence, the court acquitted Kumar.
The case had come to light after a student wrote to the women's commission on March 6, 2025. Following a preliminary inquiry, police had registered a case and later arrested the accused from Prayagraj after he had gone absconding. A chargesheet was subsequently filed in court, and Kumar was out on bail during the trial.
Reacting to the verdict, defence counsel Virendra Singh said his client had been a victim of college politics.
Efforts to contact Kumar after the acquittal were unsuccessful.
College principal Mahavir Singh Chhonkar said the institution has no immediate information on Kumar's future course of action, adding that any decision regarding him would be taken by the authorities concerned.