Thane court acquits three in attempt to murder case

Thane, Sep 5 (PTI) A sessions court in Maharashtra’s Thane has acquitted three persons of attempting to murder a driver partner of a ride-hailing company over seven years ago.

In his order of September 2, Additional Sessions Judge Amit M. Shete gave relief to the accused citing insufficient evidence.

Additional Public Prosecutor Sanjay More told the court that the cab driver was brutally assaulted and kidnapped by four individuals after he refused to drive them to Mumbra in March 2017. He was hospitalised for nearly two weeks.

Police identified the accused as Ravi Kishan Tiwari (28), Rajkumar Lobhaji Dole (27), Monnu, alias Vishal Maheshprasad Saroj (29), and Akshay, alias Chimnay Rajesh Ugvekar. While Saroj remained at large, Ugvekar died during the trial.

Advocate Ramrao Jagtap, the defence counsel, argued that the accused were not connected to the alleged crime and should be acquitted.

Judge Shete pointed to procedural lapses by the police and noted that the arrests were made on suspicion rather than concrete evidence. No incriminating items related to the alleged robbery were recovered from them, he said.

The court acquitted them, saying they were entitled to the benefit of the doubt. PTI COR MVG NR