CHENNAI: S Dashwanth (30) was released from Puzhal Central Prison on Thursday night following a Supreme Court order acquitting him of all charges. He had been convicted in 2018 for the 2017 sexual assault and murder of a seven-year-old girl in Chennai's Mangadu area and was sentenced to death, a verdict later upheld by the Madras High Court.
The Supreme Court overturned the conviction, citing serious procedural lapses in the original trial and investigation. The judgment highlighted the absence of fair legal representation, inconsistencies in witness testimony, and missing key evidence such as CCTV footage.
After eight years of incarceration, Dashwanth was freed upon the prison's receipt of the acquittal order.