Jammu, May 13 -- A Kishtwar court has acquitted a man accused in an alleged abduction and rape case, observing that the prosecution failed to establish charges beyond reasonable doubt and that the investigation suffered from "serious lapses".

The judgment was delivered by the court of principal sessions judge, Kishtwar, Sudhir Kumar Khajuria, in connection with an FIR registered under Sections 376 (punishment of rape), 366 (kidnapping a woman), 498 (enticing or taking away or detaining with a criminal intent a married woman) and 343 (Wrongful confinement for three or more days) of the Indian Penal Code at Chatroo police station, in 2021.

According to the prosecution, in June 2021 a married woman was travelling to her parental home when ...