Thane Sessions Court in Maharashtra acquitted five individuals in a 32-year-old murder case, citing the absence of key documents and unreliable witnesses. The court ruled the prosecution failed to prove charges, calling it “torn records and lack of evidence.”
A sessions court in Thane district, Maharashtra, acquitted five individuals accused of a murder that took place 32 years ago, citing the absence of key documents and the prosecution’s failure to present credible witnesses.
The judgment was delivered by Additional Sessions Judge P F Sayyad on September 26, with the details made public on Friday.
According to the prosecution, Lucky Premchand Bhatia was attacked with sharp weapons in Samrat Ashok Nagar on December 16, 1992, and later succumbed to his injuries.
The accused named in the case are Suresh Dinanath Upadhyaya, Gautam Mahadev Gaikwad, Mohiddin Siddhique Khan, Kanahayya Basanna Koli, and Kumar Chetumal Nagrani.
The trial encountered significant obstacles, mainly due to the lengthy delay.
Following their release on bail, all five accused were absent, leading to the issuance of non-bailable warrants and a proclamation order in September 2024.
The judge noted that critical documents, including witness statements and the chargesheet, were found in a damaged state, and the postmortem report was missing from the records.
The prosecution managed to call only two witnesses, but one was found to be unreliable due to Parkinson’s disease, according to the judge.
In acquitting the five accused, the court concluded that the prosecution had not proven their guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.