Delhi court acquits man of murder, says probe tried to portray crash as premeditated killing

Delhi court acquits man of murder, says probe tried to portray crash as premeditated killing

New Delhi, A Delhi court has acquitted a man of murder and attempt to murder charges in a 2017 road accident that claimed the life of a youth but convicted him for causing death by negligence, saying that flaws in the police investigation created serious doubts about the prosecution's murder theory.

Delhi court acquits man of murder, says probe tried to portray crash as premeditated killing

The court said the investigation attempted to transform a highway collision into a premeditated, motive-driven murder by introducing delayed witnesses, omitting daily diary entries and suppressing a forensic report showing alcohol in the deceased motorcyclist's blood.

Additional Sessions Judge Hargurvarinder Singh Jaggi was hearing a case against Rohit Krishnan Mahantam, who was accused under IPC Sections 304A , 302 and 307 .

In an order dated November 3, the court said, "Over a 5-day period, the investigation attempted to transform a highway collision into a premeditated, motive-driven murder introducing delayed witnesses, omitting daily diary entries and suppressing the FSL report showing the rider's alcohol level."

The case dates back to the intervening night of September 16-17, 2017, when Mahanta's car collided with a motorcycle carrying Gurpreet Singh, 21, and his friend Maninder Singh near the AIIMS Trauma Centre. The collision also involved an autorickshaw and an Ola taxi.

The prosecution alleged that a quarrel over cigarettes outside Safdarjung Hospital, involving Mahanta and a vendor, escalated after Gurpreet and Maninder intervened. It claimed Mahanta pursued the two men in his car and deliberately rammed their motorcycle.

Rejecting the murder theory, the court said the prosecution had failed to establish beyond reasonable doubt that the collision was intentional. It noted that the earliest medical records described the incident as a road accident, allegations of threats became more elaborate over time and independent witnesses did not materially corroborate the claim of intentional assault.

The court, however, held that the evidence established rash and negligent driving resulting in Gurpreet's death.

In strong remarks on the investigation, the judge said that "the greatest disservice to Gurpreet's memory and his family was committed by the flaws in the investigation itself".

The court observed that a prompt investigation based on scientific evidence and contemporaneous statements could have made the case more conclusive, but exaggerated and improved claims created serious legal doubts.

Mahanta was sentenced to two years' imprisonment and fined ₹5 lakh. However, the court noted that he had already spent three years, nine months and 15 days in detention during the trial, exceeding the maximum imprisonment prescribed for the offence.

It directed that ₹4.75 lakh out of the fine be released as compensation to Gurpreet's legal heirs.

This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.