Thane builder acquitted of assaulting, threatening civic officials; court cites prosecution lapses

Thane, Jun 6 (PTI) A sessions court in Maharashtra’s Thane district has acquitted a builder of assaulting and threatening civic officials, pointing to lapses in the prosecution’s case, including the failure to examine the primary witnesses.

In his order of June 3, a copy of which was made available on Friday, Additional Sessions Judge G T Pawar dropped all charges against Vinod Gangasahay Trivedi.

According to the prosecution, Trivedi had obstructed a team of the Mira Bhayandar Municipal Corporation that was photographing an under-construction building in 2015. He threatened the official and even assaulted one of them, the prosecution had claimed.

Trivedi also snatched the camera from one of the officials and deleted the photos, the prosecution said.

Judge Pawar said the individuals who were the direct subjects of the alleged acts were never brought to the witness box.

The court noted that the two officials who testified, including the informant, were not the direct victims of the alleged criminal force. “Criminal force or assault was neither caused to the two witnesses,” the judge said.

The court also observed that the police did not recover the camera.

“All these facts create doubt about the prosecution's story. Thus, I am of the view that the prosecution has failed to prove the guilt of the accused beyond reasonable doubts,” said Judge Pawar, acquitting Trivedi of all charges.

During the trial, Trivedi’s lawyer had claimed that a false case was registered against the builder at the behest of a local politician for refusing to pay an extortion amount. PTI COR NR