Three acquitted in 2019 murder case due to lack of evidence

Mohali: A local court has acquitted all three persons in a murder case that was registered in 2019 under the jurisdiction of the Phase-XI police station. The court exonerated Gujram, a resident of Majhatri village, Satvir alias Satta of Hoshiarpur, and Mahavir Singh of Amb Sahib Colony, holding that the prosecution had failed to prove the charges of murder and robbery beyond reasonable doubt.

During the trial, the court found that the evidence and witness testimonies produced by the prosecution were insufficient to establish the guilt of the accused. Observing that the prosecution had not been able to substantiate the allegations, the court granted the accused the benefit of doubt and acquitted all three.

With the verdict, legal proceedings in a case that remained under trial for several years have effectively come to an end.

According to the prosecution, the incident occurred on the night of Oct 29, 2019, a day after Diwali. Police alleged that Shyam Singh and several others had been gambling in Amb Sahib Colony, where Shyam Singh reportedly won around Rs 60,000 while the accused suffered losses.

The police claimed that the accused, allegedly motivated by resentment over their losses, intercepted Shyam Singh while he was returning home. They allegedly attacked him with a stone, causing serious head injuries, and robbed him of his cash, wallet and mobile phone. Shyam Singh was admitted to a hospital in Sector 32, Chandigarh, where he later succumbed to his injuries during treatment.

Following the incident, a case of murder and robbery was registered, and an investigation was launched.

The police claimed to have solved the case nearly eight months after the crime. The investigators maintained that the deceased’s mobile phone proved to be the crucial link in the investigation. According to the police, the accused fled with the victim’s mobile phone and cash after the crime. They were allegedly traced after the mobile phone was switched on, enabling investigators to track its location through technical surveillance.

During the course of the investigation, Satvir alias Satta was arrested from Hoshiarpur. Police records indicated that theft cases had previously been registered against Satvir and Gujram at the Phase-XI and Sohana police stations.

However, after examining the evidence presented during the trial, the court concluded that the prosecution had failed to establish the charges beyond reasonable doubt and acquitted all three accused.