The Supreme Court is looking into Monu Kisanlal Kumar’s bail request, as he alleges evidence tampering in a theft-murder case.
The Supreme Court of India is set to review the bail plea of Monu Kisanlal Kumar, a 22-year-old involved in a controversial theft-and-murder case. Kumar alleges evidence tampering by the Maharashtra Police, claiming that inculpatory gold earrings were planted on him. This case has sparked nationwide interest, raising concerns about the integrity of police investigations. The Supreme Court’s involvement highlights the significance of addressing these issues and ensuring a fair examination of the situation, with potential implications for the credibility of law enforcement practices in the country.
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Justice Hrishikesh Roy, heading the bench, has formally initiated a judicial inquiry into the murder case at a construction site in 2021, for which Kumar has been imprisoned for two years. The notice to the State of Maharashtra marks the beginning of a thorough examination of the matter.
In a surprising turn of events, Kumar’s legal team, led by Sriram Parakkat and Sana Raees Khan, contends that the crucial evidence in the prosecution’s case – the gold earrings – had been previously recovered from another individual, purportedly Kumar’s co-accused. This revelation raises questions about the timeline and attribution of the key piece of evidence, potentially reshaping the narrative surrounding Kumar’s incarceration.
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The Supreme Court’s order meticulously notes the peculiarities highlighted by Kumar’s defense.
“On the recovery of the earrings on the basis of the statement made to the police, the counsel points out that this is highly improbable in as much as on November 26, 2021, the recovery of earrings is shown from accused No. 1. Curiously, the same article is shown to have been recovered from the accused No. 2, on January 15, 2022,”
the order states, underlining the discrepancies in the police’s account of evidence recovery.
According to the police account, Kumar and his alleged accomplice, Shivkumar, were caught stealing by the victim, leading to her murder to prevent her from reporting the crime. The charges include theft of ₹30,000, various identity documents, a chain, and the victim’s gold earrings.
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However, Kumar’s defense challenges the case’s foundation, citing reliance on hearsay and the absence of direct eyewitness testimony linking Kumar to the crime. They argue that the case heavily relies on an extra-judicial confession by Shivkumar, claiming it was manipulated by the police to falsely implicate Kumar.
The outcome of this hearing could have far-reaching implications, not just for Kumar, but for the credibility of police investigations and the legal safeguards against wrongful convictions in India.
