A sessions court in Pune has acquitted three individuals accused in the dacoity and murder of Anil Dhole, a close associate of Kalyani Deshpande, who operated a prostitution racket from her 'White House' bungalow on Sus Road. The crime occurred on December 3, 2007.
Prosecution Case Lacked Key Evidence
The court identified multiple deficiencies in the prosecution's case, including the failure to examine crucial witnesses and the inability to establish a complete chain of circumstances, which is essential for conviction in cases relying solely on circumstantial evidence.
Mastermind Still at Large
The alleged mastermind, Babu Parmar, remains absconding 18 years after the crime. The court had separated his trial and directed the Chatushrungi police on April 27 this year to file a separate chargesheet against him when he is arrested.
Delayed Trial Proceedings
The three accused were granted bail within a year of the crime, though one remains in jail for another offense. The chargesheet was filed in 2008, but charges were framed only in 2020, taking 12 years. The trial commenced two years later in 2022.
Additional Public Prosecutor Namdeo Taralgatti stated, "The delay was mainly due to the main accused being absconding and the three co-accused being on bail. We revived the case and examined one witness, Kalyani, who was in jail. Other witnesses, including women confined by the accused and Kalyani's driver, could not be traced."
A juvenile offender involved in the crime was tried separately by a juvenile court.
Court Observations
Judge S.R. Agrawal noted that no direct eyewitness was examined, and key witnesses, including injured survivors, were not produced in court. "Their non-examination creates a serious doubt regarding the veracity of the prosecution case," the judge remarked.
The court emphasized that the case rested entirely on circumstantial evidence and alleged recoveries, without any direct eyewitness account. It reiterated the requirement for the prosecution to establish a complete and unbroken chain of circumstances pointing solely to the guilt of the accused.
