A Critical Evaluation of the Criminal Laws in India Pertaining to Sexual Offences with Focus on Accused and Acquits from A Medico-Legal Perspective

The literature review by the researcher identified that the guidelines related to the timely involvement of medico-legal investigators and forensic experts hinder the collection of important evidences in sexual offense cases. Additionally, inadequate infrastructure for gathering, recording, testing, validating, and legalizing this evidence contributes to wrongful convictions and low conviction rates. The pressure from low conviction rates and public outrage often leads to the wrongful accusation or conviction of innocent individuals. This research work examines the impact of medico-legal factors, the judiciary's approach, and the Indian Parliament's stance on these issues. The thesis critically analyzes India's current criminal laws regarding sexual offenses, aiming to ensure justice for those wrongfully accused by identifying legal, administrative, and principal gaps, and offering recommendations from a medico-legal viewpoint. Finally, the thesis suggests penalties for those who falsely accuse innocents and proposes measures to help the acquitted rebuild their lives after wrongful imprisonment.