Two men accused of murdering a shepherd in Thane, Maharashtra, have been acquitted after a court found a lack of evidence and a key witness turned hostile, undermining the prosecution's case.
A court in Maharashtra's Thane has acquitted two men charged with the murder of a shepherd nearly three years ago, citing lack of evidence and the failure of a key eyewitness to support the prosecution's case.
In his judgment delivered on March 16, Principal District and Sessions Judge S B Agrawal cleared Anna, alias Abraham Mundarangi (50), and Anil Basavraj Maratha (32) of all charges.
The duo had been accused of assaulting Nagesh Raju Kamble with a belt and bamboo on the night of April 12, 2023, leading to his death.
According to the prosecution, Kamble worked for Mundarangi. It was alleged that Mundarangi thrashed Kamble after he had returned late with the sheep owned by the former. However, the case faltered when the sole eyewitness, Ganesh Amuksiddha Bhosale, turned hostile.
Advocate Sudhakar Parad represented the accused individuals.
The court noted gaps in the forensic and circumstantial evidence. "The chemical analysis report does not denote anything," the judge observed.
Regarding the recovery of the alleged murder weapons, a belt and a bamboo, the court found the link unproven.
The recovery is inconsequential because there is absolutely nothing to show that it was this belt and bamboo with which the deceased was assaulted, it said. The chemical analysis report "does not make out said fact or the fact that there were blood stains on these articles", the judge held.
While a medical report confirmed "the death was homicidal due to head injuries", the court found the testimonies of the victim's siblings inconsistent.
"It cannot be said that the prosecution has been successful in bringing home the guilt of the accused beyond reasonable doubt," the court said and acquitted the two accused of all charges.