Court acquits 5 of murder charge

The sessions court on Friday acquitted five men after the prosecution failed to prove the motive of the murder, reports HT Correspondent.

The sessions court on Friday acquitted five men after the prosecution failed to prove the motive of the murder.

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On February 4, 2009, the police found the body of Mandar Patil (33), manager of Cinemax at Versova, with stabs in the head, neck and abdomen.

During investigation, the police learnt that Patil had told a friend that he was going to meet Anil Thakur, one of the accused.

On the basis of friend’s statement, they also arrested Thakur’s aides Shrinath Jogi, Ramesh Paria, Anil Thakur, Sanja Kanojia and Anil Diwakar.

Jogi and Thakur reportedly confessed that Patil used to make often make sexual advances and threatened to sack them if they did not comply.

The duo allegedly sought help from their friends to kill Patil.

During the trial, the prosecution argued that the accused had planned and killed Patil as he used to force them to have sex with him.

Patil’s wife identified the jewellery on the body and three witnesses, who knew Patil, told the court that he was gay.

During cross-examination, defence lawyer Abdul Wabab Khan proved that the accused did not belong to their group and were not gays.

“The witnesses negated the prosecution’s theory who maintained that the accused were gay and belonged to the same elite club as the witnesses, thereby negating the motive of the murder that the police had propounded,” said Khan.

Khan also brought out discrepancy in the police and Patil’s wife’s statements.

Patil’s wife had said that on February 4, 2009, she had gone to police station and his jewellery was shown to her.

But the police told the court that Patil’s belongings were recovered at various stages of investigation.

The court acquitted the accused for lack of evidence and prosecution’s failure to prove the case.