A sessions court in Thane has delivered a verdict of acquittal for a 24-year-old tailor who was facing trial for the alleged murder of his stepmother in the year 2020. The court ruled that the prosecution failed to prove its case beyond a reasonable doubt, highlighting significant gaps in the evidence presented.
Court Cites Flaws in Prosecution's Evidence
The court identified serious lacunae in the prosecution case that ultimately led to the acquittal. Key pillars of the prosecution's argument were found to be unreliable. This included the "last seen together" evidence, which the court deemed insufficient. Furthermore, several witnesses turned hostile, and the procedures followed for the recovery of evidence were called into question.
Details of the 2020 Crime Scene
According to the prosecution, the incident occurred on the intervening night of May 28 and 29, 2020. The victim's body was discovered near the Saket–Kalwa bridge truck parking area in Rabodi, Thane. The body bore injuries indicative of a slit throat. The case against the accused was primarily built on the claim that he was the last person seen with the deceased and on certain recoveries allegedly made based on his statements.
Questionable CCTV Footage and Final Ruling
The court also scrutinized the CCTV footage submitted as evidence. It observed that the mandatory certification required under the Indian Evidence Act was mechanically signed and not reliably proved, thereby diminishing its evidentiary value. In its final analysis, the court held that the prosecution could not establish an unbroken chain of circumstantial evidence that would conclusively point to the guilt of the accused. With the benefit of the doubt favouring the defendant, the 24-year-old tailor was acquitted of all charges.
