Today, On 11th June, In a significant ruling, the Thane court acquitted Kunal Rajendra Wagh (35) and Rahul Ramesh Kadam (34) in the 2017 murder case. Additional Sessions Judge D.B. Bangde determined that both men deserved the benefit of the doubt, leading to their release. The decision highlights the importance of thorough evidence evaluation in criminal cases.
Thane: A court in Thane district, Maharashtra, acquitted two individuals who accused of a 2017 murder. The Additional Sessions Judge, D.B. Bangde, ruled that Kunal Rajendra Wagh (35) and Rahul Ramesh Kadam (34) should be given the benefit of the doubt, as the prosecution failed to conclusively prove the charges against them.
The court order, dated April 4, made available to the public on Tuesday.
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The prosecutor informed the court that on July 23, 2017, two men killed the victim, Sambhaji Pandurang Dhaneshwar, after he refused to give them money. According to the prosecutor, the men allegedly throttled the victim and then smashed his head with a stone.
In the judge’s order, it noted that the investigating officer had acknowledged that the scene of the incident was an open, crowded place that was easily accessible to anyone.
The defence argued that the evidence, not sufficient to establish the guilt of the accused beyond a reasonable doubt. They also pointed out procedural lapses and potential biases in the investigation.
The police recovered the stone and cloth purportedly used in the victim’s murder much after the event, casting doubt on the seizure, he stated.
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Legal experts have weighed in, suggesting that the outcome highlights the necessity for meticulous and unbiased investigations, as well as the importance of preserving the integrity of evidence.
The order read,
“There were no eyewitnesses to the crime. The prosecution could not provide CCTV footage of the alleged incident, which is a crucial piece of evidence. As a result, the prosecution failed to establish beyond a reasonable doubt that both accused were responsible for the murder of Sambhaji Pandurang Dhaneshwar,”
The Thane court‘s decision to acquit the two accused highlights the principle that in the absence of irrefutable evidence, the benefit of the doubt must be given to the defendants.
This verdict highlights the critical role of a fair trial and the judicial system’s commitment to upholding the presumption of innocence until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.