Pune Sessions Court Clears Cab Driver in 2009 Wife Murder Case After Decade in Jail
In a significant judicial ruling, a sessions court in Pune has acquitted Nagnath Tukaram Manjule, a 46-year-old cab driver from Darphal village in Solapur district, of charges related to the murder of his wife and disposal of her body in the Karha river near Saswad, Pune district, on February 5, 2009. The verdict comes after Manjule endured over 10 years in jail as an undertrial prisoner, highlighting critical flaws in the prosecution's case.
Case Background and Initial Investigation Challenges
The tragic incident remained undetected for nearly seven years after the victim's body was discovered in the Karha river, as police struggled to establish her identity. On July 2, 2010, a local court accepted the "A" final summary report from the police, which acknowledged the case as true but noted investigators' inability to locate culprits or gather sufficient evidence for a trial. Notably, Manjule did not file a missing person complaint for his wife; her relatives took that step on April 6, 2010.
Turning Point and Arrest Based on Alleged Confession
The case took a dramatic turn on December 30, 2015, when Manjule allegedly confessed to relatives, including his brother-in-law, at a wedding ceremony. He reportedly admitted to killing his wife and throwing her body into the Karha river, citing frequent quarrels over his late-night returns from work. Following this, police obtained a court directive to reopen the investigation, leading to Manjule's arrest on January 29, 2016. He remained incarcerated until the final verdict on April 9, with the prosecution's case heavily reliant on this alleged extra-judicial confession.
Court's Scrutiny and Reasons for Acquittal
Additional Sessions Judge SD Kulkarni presided over the case and delivered a detailed judgment. The court held that the prosecution's argument hinged entirely on the alleged confession but "lacked any corroborative evidence". Key investigative failures were highlighted, including:
- No seizure of the vehicle allegedly used to transport the body.
- Inadequate examination of neighbors or witnesses.
- Absence of a last-seen theory or recovery evidence linking Manjule to the crime.
Furthermore, the testimony of the key witness, Manjule's brother-in-law, was deemed "unreliable" due to strained relations, evidenced by a criminal complaint filed against him by the accused's sister, indicating a "lack of impartiality". The court observed that the prosecution failed to prove the confession was made voluntarily or in a fit state of mind, rendering it unsafe as sole basis for conviction.
Verdict and Release from Custody
Concluding that the prosecution evidence "falls short, not beyond reasonable doubt", the court extended the benefit of doubt to Manjule and acquitted him of all charges. Yerawada jail superintendent Sunil Dhamal confirmed to sources that "Manjule was released from jail after receiving directions from the court", marking the end of his prolonged legal ordeal.
This case underscores the importance of robust evidence in criminal trials and raises questions about the reliance on uncorroborated confessions within the judicial system.
