Gwalior: After 41 years, man acquitted of Rs 20 theft charge

A man from Gwalior has been acquitted of all charges and finally set free following a protracted 41-year legal battle against a petty crime charge of stealing a mere Rs 20.

On Saturday, in a judicial enquiry in a people's court, accused Ismail Khan was acquitted for a crime that he allegedly committed 41 years ago in 1978. At the time, victim Babulal, then 20 years old, alleged that Khan (then 26) stole Rs 20 from him at a roadways bus stop while he was buying a ticket.

Babulal then registered a complaint against Khan at a nearby police station. As a result, the police asked the accused to appear before the court of law. However, after making a few appearances before the judge in the initial period, Khan stopped coming to the court.

Subsequently, in 2004, an arrest warrant was issued against Khan; he was however, arrested in April this year. Reportedly, the court had sent summons to the accused as well as the victim for a trial in the court. Since Khan had no one in his family to file for his bail and his health has since deteriorated, victim Babulal requested the court for a settlement.

Speaking to DNA, Anil Kumar Namdev, Judicial Magistrate First Class, People's Court said, "The case was very important for us since the under-trial was in jail and no one was there to bail him out as there was not a single member in his family.

"However, due to the victim's proposal of a settlement, the case was finally buried and the accused can finally be free," he added.

— Zee Media Newsroom