Murder case acquittal due to Investigation flaws

Lokmat News Network

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar

In a shocking turn of events, Additional Sessions Judge Richa D. Khedekar has acquitted two men of murder charges due to critical flaws in the investigation.

The acquainted have been identified as Sunil alias Maharaja Jawaji Harankal and Shashikant alias Chotu Narayan Mokase(both residents of Shefepur, Pishor, Taluka Kannad). The case, which involved a gruesomely dismembered body, was marred by the inability to identify the victim and a series of inconsistencies in the police's findings. The victim, Sandeep Mokase, was last seen on March 24, 2022, when he was taken by Sunil Harankal to irrigate a farm. He never returned. Two days later, on March 26, a dismembered body was discovered in a decomposed state in the Dahegaon area of Kannad Taluka. The discovery prompted the village sarpanch, Nikam, to alert the Pishor police, leading to an investigation.

However, the investigation hit a dead end. Despite extensive efforts, the identity of the deceased could not be determined. DNA tests failed to match any known individual, and crucial details, such as the exact time of death, remained uncertain. The police had not attempted to reconnect the two severed body parts, further complicating the case.

The defence, led by Advocate K.G. Bhosale, pointed out these significant lapses in the investigation, raising doubts about the validity of the charges. Despite the confessions made by Shashikant and Sunil, including details about where the victim's mobile phone and clothes were found, the court found that the evidence was insufficient to prove the murder charges beyond a reasonable doubt. Shashikant had led the police to recover the lower part of the body from a well, and Sunil had pointed to the location where the victim's belongings were disposed of. Despite these confessions, the lack of conclusive evidence led the court to acquit the accused. Advocates Avinash Bangar and K.G. Bhosale represented the accused, with support from Advocates S.K. Bhosale and Praveen Bhokare. The case serves as a reminder of the critical importance of solid evidence and proper investigation procedures in ensuring justice.