A Thane court acquitted 10 individuals in a 2014 murder case after key witnesses failed to corroborate the prosecution's claims, highlighting the challenges in securing convictions without strong witness support.
A Thane court has acquitted all 10 accused in a 2014 murder and rioting case, noting that key witnesses failed to support the prosecution.
Additional Sessions Judge A S Bhagwat, in the order on Tuesday, said the prosecution could not prove the charges beyond a reasonable doubt.
The case stemmed from an alleged violent clash in the Kalwa area of Maharashtra's Thane city on December 16, 2014, resulting in the death of Bhaskar alias Shankar Anant Kadam and injuries to several others.
According to the prosecution, the accused, armed with knives and choppers, allegedly attacked Kadam and others.
During the trial, the prosecution examined 14 witnesses, including the deceased's wife, who is the complainant in the case.
The court, however, observed that she denied the contents of her initial complaint that the accused had repeatedly struck the deceased.
The complainant also said in her cross-examination that she did not know the contents of the document she signed, and that she could not state the reasons behind the discrepancies in her statements.
The eyewitnesses also did not identify the assailants or confirm they carried weapons.
The prosecution failed to establish the charges, including unlawful assembly, rioting, and murder, under various sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Indian Arms Act, the judge noted while ordering the acquittal of 10 accused persons.
Another accused died during the pendency of the trial, and proceedings against him were abated in August 2024.