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Court Acquits Four in 2016 PAC Guard Murders
23 Sep
Summary
- Four men acquitted in the 2016 murder of two PAC guards.
- Court cited a lack of scientific and forensic evidence.
- Investigation flaws prevented proving the case beyond doubt.
In a significant development, a Barabanki court has acquitted four individuals accused of murdering two Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) personnel in 2016. The additional sessions judge cited a failure by the prosecution to establish guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
The court found serious deficiencies in the investigation, noting the absence of crucial forensic reports. Specifically, there was no scientific evidence linking recovered weapons or blood-stained clothing to the two slain guards, Deshraj and Om Prakash.
Further, the investigation into the incident at the district cooperative bank failed to present vital CCTV footage or technical reports concerning recovered DVRs. The court observed that no cash was stolen, and the victims' rifles remained at the scene, casting doubt on the alleged motive of dacoity.
Discrepancies in the handling and documentation of alleged evidence, such as a khukri, were also highlighted. Ultimately, the court concluded that convictions cannot be based on assumptions, leading to the acquittal of Kaleem Qureshi, Sarwar, Pankaj Verma, and Wahajuddin alias Badshah after a decade-long trial.
