Railway court acquits phatka gang member for lack of evidence

A railway court recently acquitted a phatka gang member because of lack of evidence. The gang member was accused of attacking a passenger and stealing his mobile phone.

Judge DJ Kalaskar acquitted Dinesh Barshi, who allegedly attacked Hanif Khalifa in 2006, when he was aboard a local train from Dombivli to Mumbra. It was claimed that Khalifa was in the last compartment of the CSMT-bound train and was talking over the phone.

As the train left the station, something hit his hand, following which the mobile phone fell on the tracks. The accused then leaped out of the running train, took the phone and ran away. Since, the train had picked up speed Khalifa could not chase him down.

The police had nabbed the accused on October 27, 2006, and seized 14 phones from him. They asked the complainant to collect his phone and also give a statement to the police. The accused was arrested shortly after this.

During his trial, the prosecution examined three witnesses. However, the court held that none of them had given any clear description of the lost mobile phone that was seized from Barshi.

Therefore, it held the accused not guilty and acquitted him. It directed the police to return the seized mobile phones to the complainants after signing an undertaking.