A court in Thane has acquitted a 69-year-old man and his son who were accused in a 2022 murder case, granting them the benefit of the doubt due to a significant lack of evidence. The verdict was delivered by Principal District and Sessions Judge S B Agrawal on Friday.
The Charges and the Allegations
The accused, identified as Avinash Rambadan Yadav and his father Rambadan Barsan Yadav, were facing charges of murder and assault. The prosecution had alleged that the duo were responsible for the death of a man named Sunil Jagannath Yadav. The case stemmed from an alleged love affair between the victim and Avinash's daughter.
According to the case presented by the prosecution, the incident took place at the Yadavs' residence. The victim, Sunil, was allegedly tied up and severely beaten. He sustained critical injuries and was later admitted to Mumbai's KEM Hospital. Tragically, he succumbed to his injuries three days after the assault. A post-mortem report revealed that the victim had suffered a staggering 46 blunt-force wounds.
The Court's Scrutiny and the Defence's Argument
However, the court found the evidence presented by the prosecution to be insufficient to secure a conviction. Judge Agrawal noted several inconsistencies that weakened the case. A key point was the delay in lodging the formal complaint (FIR) with the police. Furthermore, the court observed that the testimonies provided by neighbours and the victim's own family members were not consistent or in tandem with each other.
The defence presented a completely different narrative to the court. They argued that on the day of the incident, local residents had mistaken Sunil for a thief. The defence claimed he was seen running and was covered in wheat flour, which led to the misunderstanding and the subsequent beating. The court considered this alternate version of events put forth by the defence lawyers.
The Final Verdict: Benefit of the Doubt
After evaluating all the arguments, witness accounts, and evidence, the court concluded that the prosecution had failed to prove the charges against the father and son beyond a reasonable doubt. Principal District and Sessions Judge S B Agrawal pronounced both Avinash Rambadan Yadav and Rambadan Barsan Yadav as not guilty of the murder and assault charges.
The judgment underscores a fundamental legal principle: the burden of proof lies entirely with the prosecution. In the absence of concrete, corroborative evidence, the accused are entitled to the benefit of the doubt. This acquittal brings an end to the legal ordeal for the two accused, who have been cleared of all charges in this high-profile case from Thane.
