Delhi court grants bail to accused in 2020 murder case

New Delhi, Aug 8 (PTI) A Delhi court has granted bail to an accused in a 2020 murder case, saying he was in prison for about five years and all material witnesses in the case had been examined.

Additional sessions judge Nipun Awasthi was hearing the bail plea of accused Sonu, who was booked under Section 302 (murder) IPC, among other provisions.

The prosecution alleged the accused along with others thrashed the victim Jagdish in the intervening night of September 25-26, 2020, when the Jagdish was returning to his shanty after walking his dog.

The victim succumbed to the injuries.

In an order on August 1, the court said, "It is found that the conduct of the investigating officers (IOs) in not recording the statement of the victim at the earliest was imprudent, indifferent, malicious or motivated and not reasonable." The victim was observed to have been attacked while returning home after walking his dog, but upon inquiry from the IOs, the dog was found to be a stray.

"Ordinary prudence does not expect that a stray dog would be taken for a special walk in midnight by someone," the court said.

The victim was taken from Acharya Bhikshu Hospital to Ram Manohar Lohia (RML) Hospital in the morning of September 26, 2020, but the time of transfer was not recorded.

"This conduct is not warranted of a judicious investigator," the court said.

It noted several other lapses, including the fact that after being brought to RML Hospital, the victim did not report to the surgery department till 3 pm.

"What happened in the intervening period is a mystery unsolved in investigation," the court said.

It granted Sonu the relief on a personal bond and surety bond of Rs 50,000 each, saying he had been in judicial custody for about five years.

The court noted "the anomalies, lacunae and abstention in investigation and preparation of record". PTI MNR MNR AMK AMK