08 April,2026 01:39 PM IST | Thane | mid-day online correspondent
The eight accused had been facing charges of attempted murder under the Indian Penal Code. Representational Pic
A court in Thane district of Maharashtra has acquitted eight men accused of attempting to murder a cop in 2016, citing the victim's inability to identify the assailants and key prosecution witnesses turning hostile, PTI reported.
In her judgment delivered on April 6, Additional Sessions Judge V L Bhosale granted the benefit of the doubt to the accused, observing that the prosecution had failed to prove its case beyond a reasonable doubt. A copy of the order was made available on Wednesday.
According to the prosecution, police constable Bhaskar Sonavane was assaulted with sticks and beer bottles outside a bar in the city's Upvan area on April 21, 2016.
As per the news agency, the attack allegedly stemmed from a dispute between the hotel management and a customer named Kamlesh, whose brother Arun reportedly led a group of 10-15 people to the spot.
Sonavane, who was at the location to meet an informant, suffered a skull fracture and brain injuries in the assault, the court was told during the trial.
According to PTI, the eight accused had been facing charges of attempted murder under the Indian Penal Code.
The court noted that the constable was unable to identify any of the accused as the assailants, as the incident took place at night, and he lost consciousness after being struck on the head.
Additionally, hotel partner Rajesh Shetty and manager Naveen Gouda, the original complainant, turned hostile, the judge observed.
"Having regard to all the evidence on record, I find that the prosecution has failed to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the accused persons committed the offences," the court said, acquitting all eight accused, PTI reported.
Earlier, a court in Thane district sentenced two men to life imprisonment for the murder of a fellow labourer following a drunken brawl nine years ago, reported news agency PTI.
In the order passed on March 18, Additional Sessions Judge R S Bhakare convicted Ashok Laljitkumar Chaurasiya (39) and his elder brother Kamleshkumar (53) under sections 302 (murder) and 34 (common intention) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and sentenced them.
The court also imposed a fine of Rs 5,000 on each convict.
The incident had occurred on the night of May 20, 2017, in a garden in the Mira Road area, where the accused, the deceased Rajendra alias Rajan Meshram and another person named Biru Netam were consuming liquor.
The prosecution said an argument began when Biru demanded more liquor from Ashok. This led to a scuffle, during which the accused duo repeatedly assaulted Rajendra on the head with a log of wood. While Rajendra succumbed to his injuries, Biru was also injured in the attack.
The court relied on circumstantial evidence, medical reports, and forensic findings, as the informant and the injured witness could not be traced for testimony during the trial.
(With PTI inputs)
