Thane court acquits two in 2018 prostitution case for lack of evidence

A sessions court in Maharashtra's Thane has acquitted a man and a woman, who were accused of operating a prostitution racket, citing the prosecution's failure to prove the charges beyond reasonable doubt. Additional Sessions Judge A S Bhagwat on Thursday cleared Saif Salauddin Israruddin Sheikh (46) and Kanchan Madharam Chaudhary (41) of all charges under the Indian Penal Code and the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act. According to the prosecution, police conducted an operation in the Kashigaon area of Thane district on May 8, 2018, seizing cash, condoms, and mobile phones. The cops also rescued five women during the raid. During cross-examination, several discrepancies emerged regarding the police procedures and the credibility of the ''independent'' witnesses. The prosecution also told the court that the victims, decoy customers and many witnesses were not traceable. ''In this situation, the prosecution could not prove any kind of charges... Accused Saif Salauddin Israruddin Sheikh and Accused Kanchan Madharam Chaudhary are hereby acquitted of the charges,'' the court said.

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