4 absolved of murder charge as witness turns hostile

A Delhi court has acquitted four persons of charges of killing a man after an eye-witness and younger brother of the victim turned hostile.

A Delhi court has acquitted four persons of charges of killing a man after an eye-witness and younger brother of the victim turned hostile.

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"There was single star witness of the prosecution namely Ajay. However, during the course of his examination, this witness has completely turned hostile and did not support the prosecution at all. He even denied being an eye-witness of the incident...," Additional Sessions Judge Bharat Prashar said.

The court, which ordered forthwith release of undertrials Puhar Suraj, Sanjay, Somveer and Rohit, said that proclamation notice against fifth absconding accused Vishal be withdrawn.

It also ordered closure of recording of evidence and dispensed away with procedural aspects saying "no fruitful purpose will be served by continuing further with the present trial as the prosecution has miserably failed to connect the accused with the offence in question."

The accused had conspired and stabbed Vijay, a resident of Mangolpuri in New Delhi, to death on the night of August three last year following a minor dispute, prosecution said.

Earlier, Ajay allegedly claimed before the police that he witnessed the offence.

However, he took a u-turn during the trial saying he was not present at the spot, leading to premature end of the trial.