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DNA Test Frees Murder Accused: Corpse Not Victim's
2 Jun
Summary
- DNA report of unidentified corpse proved to be male, not victim's.
- Accused granted bail after scientific evidence contradicted victim identification.
- Delays in reporting and FIR registration also noted by the court.
The Uttarakhand High Court has granted bail to Ramesh Ram, an individual accused in the disappearance of Sunita Devi, who has been missing since September 2025. The court's decision stemmed from a crucial DNA report concerning an unidentified corpse. Forensic science laboratory findings indicated that the recovered body was male, directly contradicting the initial claim that it was the missing woman.
Justice Ashish Naithani highlighted that the scientific evidence did not support the identification of the body as Sunita Devi. The defense team strongly contended that Ramesh Ram was falsely implicated, pointing to a lack of independent witnesses and an unproven motive. Further, they emphasized significant delays in the case, including a four-day delay in lodging the missing person report and an FIR registered approximately 18 days after the alleged kidnapping.
The defense also raised concerns about the recovery of the remains from Tanakpur, Champawat district, over 200 km away, questioning the applicant's ability to transport a body over such a distance. The absence of a postmortem report detailing the cause or approximate time of death was also a key point. An FIR was initially filed against Ramesh and another accused in Pithoragarh's Berinag police station under various sections of the BNS related to kidnapping and murder. Ramesh had been in judicial custody since December 11.
