No evidence, says Thane court; acquits man who had walked into police station and ‘confessed to murder’ four years ago

Thane: A 33-year-old man, Himanshu Gujale, who had walked into a police station four years ago and allegedly confessed to killing a woman, was acquitted by a Thane court due to lack of evidence.

The case dates back to March 27, 2019, when the decomposed body of a woman, identified only as Darshana, was found near Desai village in Kalyan, prompting Diaghar police to register a murder case. The victim had suffered a severe neck injury, indicating a violent attack. Despite extensive investigation, police failed to crack the case or trace the accused. With no concrete leads, investigators filed an ‘A’ summary report in February 2021, effectively shelving the murder probe.

The case took a sensational turn in July 2023, when Gujale allegedly walked into Laxmi Nagar police station in Kolhapur and claimed involvement in the murder, reportedly driven by remorse. His statement triggered the reopening of the cold case. Police took him into custody and claimed he led investigators to the alleged crime scene and locations where the weapon and clothes used in the crime had supposedly been discarded.

However, what initially appeared to be a major breakthrough soon unravelled in court. During trial, the prosecution’s case came under intense scrutiny as the sessions court pointed out that confessions made before police officers are inadmissible under law. The court further noted that despite Gujale allegedly revealing crucial details about the murder, investigators failed to recover the murder weapon, bloodstained clothes, or any forensic evidence linking him to the crime.

The prosecution examined four witnesses, including the informant, medical officer, panch witness, and investigating officer. However, the court observed that the case rested almost entirely on the alleged confession and disclosure statements, without any independent corroborative evidence.

Calling the evidence insufficient to establish guilt beyond reasonable doubt, principal district and sessions judge S B Agrawal acquitted Gujale of murder charges under IPC Sections 302 and 201 and ordered his immediate release, if not required in any other case.