Five alleged killers of a youth, who succumbed to stab wounds received in an incident here, have been let off by a Delhi court as the victim's father and two siblings, also the eye-witnesses, turned hostile during the trial.
Five alleged killers of a youth, who succumbed to stab wounds received in an incident here, have been let off by a Delhi court as the victim's father and two siblings, also the eye-witnesses, turned hostile during the trial.
"To utter dismay of prosecution, they all have turned hostile... All three material witnesses (father, brother and sister of the victim) were confronted with their previous statements but they remained adamant in their stand and did not whisper even a single word against any of the accused," additional sessions judge Manoj Jain said.
The court, which acquitted Jagdish, Chanchal, Deepak, Rakesh and Bharat, all hailing from Sultanpuri, ended the trial abruptly, saying that as the key eye-witnesses have turned hostile and hence, there was no need to continue with the trial proceedings.
"Prosecution could have connected the accused with the murder in question with the help of testimony of aforesaid material eyewitnesses but they all have demolished the case of prosecution by pleading their ignorance," the court said.
Om Prakash, in his early twenties, was allegedly stalked and then stabbed on the chest by one of the five accused on April 23 this year following a verbal duel, police said.
The incident was witnessed allegedly by his father Keshu, sister Meera and brother Prahlad. Murari Lal and Prakash were the other eye-witnesses.
These five witnesses, in their statements to the police, said they saw the accused committing the offence. But, they took a complete U-turn during the trial.
Discussing the testimony of the victim's father, the court said "He has, however, deposed that he was told by Prahlad that there was some crowd inside the park and then he went there and saw his other son Om Prakash lying there.
"He claimed that he did not know who had killed his son. He deposed that he had not seen anyone killing him and he did not know the accused and had not seen them at the spot."
Likewise, Prahlad, Meera, Lal and Prakash have also not supported the case, the court said.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}