New Delhi, A Delhi court has acquitted a man of murder and attempt to murder charges in a 2017 road accident that claimed the life of a youth but convicted him for causing death by negligence, saying that flaws in the police investigation created serious doubts about the prosecution’s murder theory.
It noted that the earliest medical records described the incident as a road accident, allegations of threats became more elaborate over time and independent witnesses did not materially corroborate the claim of intentional assault. The court, however, held that the evidence established rash and negligent driving resulting in Gurpreet’s death.
Rejecting the murder theory, the court said the prosecution had failed to establish beyond reasonable doubt that the collision was intentional.
In strong remarks on the investigation, the judge said that “the greatest disservice to Gurpreet’s memory and his family was committed by the flaws in the investigation itself”.
In an order dated November 3, the court said, “Over a 5-day period, the investigation attempted to transform a highway collision into a premeditated, motive-driven murder introducing delayed witnesses, omitting daily diary entries and suppressing the FSL report showing the rider’s alcohol level.”
Additional Sessions Judge Hargurvarinder Singh Jaggi was hearing a case against Rohit Krishnan Mahantam, who was accused under IPC Sections 304A , 302 and 307 . The court observed that a prompt investigation based on scientific evidence and contemporaneous statements could have made the case more conclusive, but exaggerated and improved claims created serious legal doubts.
The court said the investigation attempted to transform a highway collision into a premeditated, motive-driven murder by introducing delayed witnesses, omitting daily diary entries and suppressing a forensic report showing alcohol in the deceased motorcyclist’s blood.
