Panaji: A Pocso court has acquitted a 38-year-old man of assaulting and attempting to rape his 16-year-old daughter after she did not support the prosecution’s case.The girl, living with her father, stepmother, and siblings, had sent her headmistress a Whatsapp message that she was being beaten badly by her father, and sent her photos, following which the principal informed the girl’s mother, who told her to go ahead and rescue the girl. The headmistress stated that she only told the police that the girl had been beaten by her father.Later, the girl, in her statement, said she was angry with her father and had given a false statement that she had been sexually abused by him.The court observed that although police were informed about her being beaten, they did not bother to lodge an FIR and examine whether there were instances of assault on the child and whether or not to get the child medically examined.“Therefore, apart from the bare statement of the victim that she was assaulted, without even stating the details where the injuries were caused and how the assault happened, there is nothing on record to sustain the allegation of assault. In the context of the victim stating that she had out of anger made a false statement against her father of sexual abuse, her statement, which is not even lucid or supported by any medical evidence, cannot be the sole basis of convicting the accused,” stated stated presiding o, fast track special court (Posco), Panaji, Pooja Kavlekar.“…to sustain the charge of molestation, outraging modesty, and attempt to rape, it is essential that there is clear and categorical evidence of the victim on record. In the present case, no such evidence has come on record, and therefore, the case of attempt to rape, use of criminal force to outrage modesty, unwelcome physical contact, and request for sexual favours, as well as touching the victim in an inappropriate manner, fails,” the court added.