Pune Court Acquits Karnataka Man in 2018 Child Rape-Murder Case After Seven-Year Trial
In a significant ruling, the court of special judge Kavita D Shirbhate in Pune on April 11 acquitted a 29-year-old casual worker from Karnataka in the rape and murder case of a six-year-old girl. The verdict comes over seven years after the accused remained an undertrial, with the court highlighting multiple critical failures in the prosecution's case.
Court Cites Major Gaps in Prosecution Evidence
The court delivered its judgment after thoroughly examining the evidence presented. In its detailed observation, the court stated that the prosecution miserably failed to prove the guilt of the accused beyond all reasonable doubt due to insufficient oral and documentary evidence. The judge specifically noted there was no specific and cogent evidence on record to conclusively establish that the accused committed the crime.
Background of the 2018 Case
The tragic incident occurred on the evening of July 4, 2018, when a six-year-old girl was found throttled to death inside a three-wheeler tempo parked at Rajguru Chowk on Tadiwala Road in Pune. With no eyewitnesses to the crime, the police built their case entirely on circumstantial evidence.
The Bund Garden police registered an FIR on July 6, 2018, based on a complaint filed by the girl's mother. The accused was arrested the following day, July 7, 2018, after a couple of witnesses provided statements claiming they had seen him around the tempo and that he had confessed to throttling the girl to death. He has been in jail awaiting trial since his arrest.
The police filed a chargesheet in the case on October 4, 2018, setting the stage for a prolonged legal battle that would span more than seven years.
Critical Witnesses Not Examined
In its acquittal order, the special judge pointed out several crucial shortcomings in how the prosecution handled the case. Material witnesses, including the girl's parents, were not examined during the trial. Additionally, witnesses before whom the accused allegedly made an extra-judicial confession were not brought before the court.
The judge further observed that there was nothing on record indicating who actually committed the offence or killed the victim. No evidence was presented regarding the accused's fingerprints on the person or neck of the victim. Furthermore, a DNA report of the viscera and other articles belonging to the victim was not produced in court.
Lack of Concrete Evidence Leads to Acquittal
The court's ruling emphasized that without specific and cogent evidence, it could not reach the conclusion that the accused committed the offence. The prosecution's reliance on circumstantial evidence without proper corroboration proved insufficient to meet the high standard of proof required in criminal cases.
This case highlights the challenges in prosecuting crimes based solely on circumstantial evidence, particularly when key witnesses and forensic reports are not adequately presented. The acquittal after seven years of incarceration raises important questions about investigative procedures and the judicial process in such sensitive cases.
