Thane court acquits four men booked in 2011 dacoity case

Thane, Dec 16 (PTI) A court in Thane district has acquitted four persons booked under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) in a 2011 dacoity case, citing insufficient evidence.

Special (MCOC) judge Amit M Shete acquitted Shravan alias Sarya Nago Waghe (40), Shankar Nago Waghe ( 33), Somnath alias Sonu Chintaman Kate (34), and Yashwant alias Buta Chandar Waghe (33), of charges of dacoity, criminal conspiracy, and running a crime syndicate.

Two other accused died before the trial, and the case against them was abated.

A copy of the order passed on December 12 was made available on Monday.

According to the prosecution, the incident occurred in a water park in Kalyan on December 2, 2011, where a group of assailants armed with iron rods, choppers, and swords attacked employees, tied them up, and looted valuables.

An FIR was registered under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), the Bombay Police Act, and the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA).

The prosecution alleged that the accused were part of an organised crime syndicate, citing their criminal history and previous chargesheets.

They argued that the accused used intimidation and violence during the dacoity and aimed to create fear in the locality.

The prosecution relied on confessional statements, medical evidence from injured witnesses, and circumstantial evidence to build its case.

The court, however, found significant lapses in the investigation and noted that the prosecution failed to present concrete evidence linking the accused to the crime.

It also noted procedural lapses in recording the confessions, including failure to present the accused promptly before a magistrate and inadequate verification of their treatment during custody.

The court stated that the prosecution's case relied heavily on circumstantial evidence and confessions, which were not enough for a conviction. PTI COR ARU