Man acquitted of murder charges due to lack of evidence

Two years after the arrest of Pillai, the principle sessions judge acquitted him immediately when both public prosecutor Lata Chheda and defense lawyers Nitin Kamble and Pankaj More concluded their arguments calling that the prosecution miserably failed to prove the case.

A sessions court recently acquitted a man, more than two years after he was booked for allegedly murdering his friend over a monetary dispute. The court held that the prosecution miserably failed to prove the guilt of the accused.

The court however, held that the evidence produced by the prosecution was not enough. The court held that the witness hardly had any time to see the assailant. (HT file photo)

As per the prosecution, Murari Bansode was allegedly stabbed by accused Suresh Pillai on the railway tracks near Ghansoli station on April 28, 2014. In July 2014, Pillai was arrested by the anti-extortion cell, Navi Mumbai, and handed over to Vashi police station.

Two years after the arrest of Pillai, the principle sessions judge acquitted him immediately when both public prosecutor Lata Chheda and defense lawyers Nitin Kamble and Pankaj More concluded their arguments calling that the prosecution miserably failed to prove the case.

The prosecution case rested solely on the testimony of an alleged eyewitness, John Alappa, who claimed that he saw the accused running away to bushes after stabbing Bansode. Alappas also identified Pillai during a police parade. The witness also identified him later in court and allegedly in the test identification parade held in jail after Pillai’s arrest. the prosecution also claimed that the knife used in the murder was also recovered from the accused.

The court however, held that the evidence produced by the prosecution was not enough. The court held that the witness hardly had any time to see the assailant. Further the clothes recovered from accused also did not have any blood stains. The court also noted that the report of the chemical analyser for the clothes of the deceased and the stones and knife show human blood with inconclusive grouping and held it and held it inconsequential.