Khairlanji killings: Court discharges 35 accused

NAGPUR: Thirty-five accused in the case related to the killing of four Dalits at Khairlanji village in Bhandara district were on Thursday discharged by a court here after it admitted a CBI application in this regard.

The CBI had moved the discharge application on February 12 and the court had fixed its hearing for Thursday.

The 35 accused include then police sub-inspector Siddheshwar Bharne, the police station officer of Andhalgaon who was responsible for the area where the killings occurred.

Judge SS Das of the special court, however, did not decide on the fate of 11 others who are in judicial custody.

Forty-six persons were arrested in connection with the killing of four members of the Bhotmange family, including the children Priyanka, Sudhir and Roshan, on September 29 last year.

The arguments remained inconclusive on Thursday and the case was posted for hearing on March 2.

The court asked the prosecution to furnish detailed chargesheet listing the chronology of events and crime by February 27.

A total of 46 persons were arrested by police initially for their involvement in the killing.

Later the designated court released 35 on bail and sent remining 11 accused to judicial custody.

The killings had evoked violent reactions in city that soon spread across the state.