Indian acquitted of molestation charges in US

CHANDIGARH - A Panjab University student, accused of molesting a British woman in the US, was acquitted by a Boston court after the complainant failed to appear before the judge and her lawyer did not furnish any evidence, family members of the young man said Saturday.

Nitin Jindal, 22, a student of the fifth semester in the University Institute of Law Studies (UILS), had gone to the US to participate in the 56th session of Harvard National Model United Nations (HNMUN) in Boston Feb 11-14.

He was arrested Feb 14 following a complaint of molestation by the Briton but was released on bail after he submitted a guarantee of $2,500. However, police confiscated his passport and visa documents and asked him not to leave the country.

During the hearing April 6, the complainant did not appear before the court and her lawyer sought time from the court. The woman again failed to appear before the court Friday, after which the judge acquitted Jindal.

“I was always confident that my son was wrongly implicated. After his acquittal he called us. We are awaiting his return,” said Bhushan Jindal, the father.

Following Jindal’s arrest, the Panjab University constituted a committee to look into the issue. It decided to debar him from appearing in the exams and started the process of expelling him from the institution.

Jindal’s final exams are scheduled to start April 16.

Asked about the varsity’s next move, an official said: “We will look into this matter and make sure that no injustice is done to anyone.”