The Bombay High Court has quashed the conviction of a 43-year-old lecturer of biology who was accused of sexually abusing a minor girl in 2010. The case was registered against Firoz Rauttar at Kalamboli police station and the Alibaug sessions court had convicted him in 2013. The high court judge quashed the conviction order on March 23.

Rauttar, imprisoned in Kolhapur jail, was serving a life sentence. He had started teaching English to his inmates. “He is known as Rauttar sir in the jail,” said his wife. Rauttar had been accused under Section 376(2)(f) (rape of a girl under 12 years of age) of the IPC. “I was sure that my husband could not outrage the modesty of anyone, including a girl child. It was the reason I fully supported him and we won the battle,” added his wife.