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Bizarre Twist: Acquittal After Appeal Withdrawal
16 Aug
Summary
- One convict withdrew his appeal, leading to others' acquittal.
- Court cited insufficient evidence and flawed police investigation.
- Dying declaration was not recorded during the victim's treatment.
In a highly unusual legal development, three men convicted of murder were acquitted on August 11, 2026. The Damoh sessions court found insufficient evidence to prove their guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. This acquittal followed a significant twist when one of the four convicts, Parsuram Ahirwar, withdrew his joint appeal against the conviction before the final arguments. He had lodged the appeal in April 2026.
The case stemmed from an incident on March 3, 2008, where Gotiram Ahirwar reportedly sought repayment of a Rs five thousand loan from Parsuram. An altercation ensued, and Gotiram was attacked with a sword and lathis by Parsuram and three others. Gotiram later died during treatment three days after the assault.
The court highlighted critical lapses in the investigation. Notably, the victim's dying declaration was not recorded during his treatment. Furthermore, the sole eyewitness's proximity to the incident site (50 to 60 feet away) and contradictions in statements raised doubts. The postmortem report also presented conflicting information regarding head injuries, with the cause of death attributed to cardiac arrest from excessive blood loss.
