21-yr-old acquitted of dad’s murder for lack of evidence

Chandigarh: In a major setback to the prosecution, a district court acquitted 21-year-old Asha of charges of murdering her father, Sumai Lal, citing lack of credible evidence and serious contradictions in the case.The court observed that the prosecution failed to prove the charges beyond reasonable doubt, noting that its key witness did not support the police version. Asha had been booked by IT Park police for allegedly conspiring to kill her father, who was found stabbed to death on Aug 10, 2023, at his Kishangarh residence.The case hinged on neighbour Gulab Singh's statement that Asha confessed to him about the killing. However, during trial, Gulab Singh denied making such claims, leaving the FIR version unsupported.Defence counsel Gurdit Singh Saini highlighted gaps in the investigation, including the absence of a lethal weapon. He argued that the alleged kitchen knife could not have caused the deep chest wound found on the deceased.According to case records, Gulab Singh had gone to Sumai Lal's house to fetch water and found him bleeding, with Asha and other children present. The victim was rushed to hospital but declared dead. Police alleged the murder was a conspiracy driven by domestic discord, but the court found no concrete evidence or reliable testimony to substantiate motive or conspiracy. After reviewing the material and hearing arguments, the court acquitted Asha of all charges.