The Delhi High Court has directed the deportation of an Afghan national who has been residing in India without a valid visa.
The individual was arrested for exploiting a U.S. national sexually and financially under the false promise of marriage.
The court quashed the FIR in the case on account of the settlement between the two parties. It said given the fact that “the complainant is not supporting the case of the prosecution, even if the criminal trial is permitted to go ahead, the chances of conviction are bleak”.
It added that as the complainant is a foreign national and would not be available during the trial to support the prosecution’s case, the “continuation of criminal proceedings will be an exercise in futility”.
The court had, in its October 9 order, directed the jail authorities to hand over the accused to the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO).
The accused was remanded in police custody after the complainant lodged an FIR against him in 2017 on charges of rape, cheating and other offences under the Indian Penal Code, Foreigners Act and Information Technology Act.
As per the FIR, the victim and the accused, who had faked his identity, became friends over 2016-17. He went on to fraudulently siphon off a total of $90,000 from her.
The police investigation revealed that the accused was married and had cheated similarly-placed women previously.
Published – October 13, 2024 02:12 am IST