CHENNAI: Holding that the prosecution has miserably failed to prove the charges, the Madras High Court acquitted all the accused persons convicted in murdering AIADMK councilor Guru in broad daylight nearly a decade ago.
Raising doubts over the reliability of the witnesses a division bench of Justice MS Ramesh and C Kumarappan wrote that after removing the grain from the chaff "we find that there are no corroboration of each witness from the other witnesses".
Hence, the bench set aside the conviction imposed on all the accused persons by an additional sessions court Poonamalle, while the allowing the appeals moved by the convicts.
There are several contradictions between the evidences of the prosecution starting from witnesses' statements to material evidences, wrote the bench, "To crown it all, though the recovered weapon had blood stains, admittedly, there is no reference or evidence connecting those weapons with the occurrence", read the judgment.
The trial court has proceeded to believe all the witnesses, which according to us, is not in tandem with law, thus, "we hold that the prosecution has miserably failed to prove the charges against the accused beyond all reasonable doubts", the bench added.
On September 30, 2015 the deceased Guru, 86th ward councilor of Chennai corporation represented AIADMK was hacked to death by a gang with deadly weapons, while he was on his way to the council meet.
Based on the complaint and statement of Guru's driver, the police registered a case. After collecting evidences and witnesses statements the police arrested Sridhar, Suresh Kumar, M Pravinkumar, Rajkumar and J Pravinkumar.
After the investigation the police filed a charge sheet against the accused persons before the third additional sessions court Poonamallee.
On pursuing the papers the court found all the accused guilty and sentenced them in 2016.
Aggrieved by the conviction the convicts moved the appeals seeking to set aside the sentence.