A California man who spent 16 years behind bars for sexual assault convictions is now free after a judge ruled his accuser may have fabricated the charges. Ajay Dev, 58, had been serving a staggering 378-year prison sentence before his release last week.

According to People, Superior Court Judge Janene Beronio overturned Dev’s conviction after finding substantial evidence that his adopted daughter, Sapna Dev, falsified the allegations. The judge determined that Sapna may have lied to secure her immigration status and retaliate against Dev.

Dev, an immigrant from Nepal, was convicted in 2009 on 76 counts of sexual assault after Sapna accused him of assaulting her multiple times a week for years. However, new witness testimony and evidence suggest the accusations were fabricated. A trial-setting conference is scheduled for June 13, where prosecutors will decide whether to retry the case.

Judge rules accuser had motive to lie

Judge Beronio concluded that Sapna Dev had a clear motive to lie—she allegedly wanted to punish her adoptive father and improve her chances of staying in the U.S. Four witnesses testified that Sapna admitted the accusations were false, with one stating she needed the charges to return to America.

The judge also noted that Sapna had sent Dev and his wife affectionate messages and cards between 1999 and 2004, contradicting her claims of abuse. “If jurors had heard that evidence, the result of this case could have and most likely would have been different,” Beronio said, as reported by the San Francisco Chronicle.

Dev’s attorney, Jennifer Mouzis, emphasized that her client had no prior criminal record and maintained a clean disciplinary record in prison. Advocacy groups supporting Dev have long argued that the case was built on unreliable testimony, and Judge Beronio’s ruling marks the first time a court has seriously reconsidered the evidence.

Accuser’s credibility questioned in court

Sapna Dev, who was adopted from Nepal at age 15, initially accused Dev of assault after her boyfriend broke up with her in 2004. She claimed the abuse occurred multiple times a week for years, but witnesses now say she admitted the allegations were false.

One witness, described by the judge as “credible,” testified that Sapna said she “was determined to return to the United States and needed to use the criminal charges to do that.” The Davis Vanguard reported that Beronio found this testimony compelling enough to overturn the conviction.

Patricia Purcell, a member of an advocacy group supporting Dev, told the San Francisco Chronicle that Judge Beronio was the first to thoroughly examine the case. “She read every document,” Purcell said, suggesting previous courts had overlooked critical flaws in the prosecution’s case.

What happens next for Dev

Dev was released on his own recognizance on May 23, and a hearing is set for June 13 to determine whether prosecutors will retry him. The Yolo County District Attorney’s Office has not yet announced its decision, leaving Dev’s legal future uncertain.

If the case is not retried, Dev could walk free permanently after serving 16 years of what was originally a near-impossible 378-year sentence. His supporters argue that the overturned conviction highlights flaws in the justice system, particularly in cases relying heavily on a single accuser’s testimony.

Meanwhile, Sapna Dev has not publicly responded to the judge’s ruling. The case has reignited debates over the reliability of sexual assault allegations and the potential for false accusations to derail lives.

Why this story matters

Cases like this highlight the life-altering consequences of a conviction based on incomplete or disputed evidence. They also underscore the importance of judicial review in uncovering possible miscarriages of justice. The Dev case stands as a reminder of why ongoing vigilance, ethical, legal procedures, and transparency are essential for public trust in the legal system.

Concluding reflections

The overturned conviction of Ajay Dev after 16 years in prison reflects a dramatic shift in the trajectory of a case that once seemed legally resolved. Dev, who was adopted father to Sapna Dev, faced decades of incarceration following her accusations of routine sexual abuse, which began after a breakup she reportedly blamed on him.

New court testimony and tangible evidence suggest Sapna may have made false claims, partly to gain reentry into the United States. Judge Janene Beronio’s ruling emphasized that this evidence, had it been available during the trial, might have changed the jury’s decision significantly.