Court acquits murder accused due to mismatch of evidence, contentions

 Hyderabad: A murder case reported at the Gandhi Nagar police station in 2021 ended in the acquittal of the accused, due to a mismatch of contentions and reports, besides a lack of sufficient evidence.

The cause of death mentioned by the prosecution based on the evidence submitted by the police contradicted the cause of death in the forensics and autopsy reports.

The Special Court for the trial of offences under SCs & STs (POA) Act-cum-VI Additional Metropolitan Sessions judge at Secunderabad, while delivering the verdict on July 12, also found that the police violated the Indian Evidence Act while recording the confession of the accused.

The court found that except for the sole testimony of a mediator, concerning the extrajudicial confession, there was no other evidence. The court observed that the confession of the accused and subsequent seizure of materials is not admissible as evidence under the Indian Evidence Act.

Further, the prosecution said that the accused assaulted the deceased with a cement brick and the latter died due to a head injury, while the forensics and autopsy reports stated the cause of death as a throat cut injury.

“But in the present case, the investigation officer did not collect any sharp-edged weapon and it is not their case that the accused slit the throat of the deceased, resulting in his death,” the court stated.

Previously, the police claimed that the deceased and accused were friends and consumed liquor frequently. On one such occasion, the deceased allegedly asked the accused for money, and upon his refusal, allegedly cut his face with a sharp blade, leaving a scar.

According to the police, the accused was not able to find matches for marriage due to the scar and killed his friend due to a grudge.