2 Mumbai men, who got death sentence for raping, killing 14-year-old and her mother, set free

According to the prosecution, on May 28, 2015, two passers-by found Chand Shaikh’s wife Noorjeha and daughter Parveen dead in their house. They then informed the police.

The Bombay high court on Tuesday set free two men sentenced to death for alleged rape and murder of a 14-year-old and her mother at Choramba in Beed district in May 2015 .

“The evidence brought on record by the prosecution is not cogent, sufficient, convincing and do not inspire confidence to prove the offence against the appellants beyond reasonable doubt,” said a division bench of Justice SS Shinde and Justice KK Sonawane, while setting aside the death sentence handed down to Kirshna Ridde, 23, and Achyut Chunche, 24.

According to the prosecution, on May 28, 2015, two passers-by found Chand Shaikh’s wife Noorjeha and daughter Parveen dead in their house. They then informed the police.

Read: 11 years on, Bombay high court acquits 4 of rape, murder of 3-year-old girl

The two accused were arrested on June 2. They were prosecuted for double murder and rape on the basis of circumstantial evidence. On August 17, 2016, an additional sessions judge at Majalgaon convicted both the accused and sentenced them to death.

“We find considerable force in the argument that the investigation in the present case to some extent was motivated,” said the bench, adding it was probably due to the visit of political leaders like NCP President Sharad Pawar, MPs like Preetam Munde, Ramdas Athwale and the local MLA Jaidatt Kshirsagar.

The high court noted that the political leaders had met the investigating officer and had inquired with him about the arrests made in the case.