Rajasthan court acquits 40 in 2015 murder of 5 Dalits, cites probe lapses
Rajasthan police did not conduct a Test Identification Parade of the accused or collect their samples for DNA test to match blood samples lifted from crime scene, a local court in Merta said
The Rajasthan court has acquitted 40 individuals accused of the 2015 murder of five Dalits, citing significant lapses in the police investigation. The Special Court for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Cases held that the police did not conduct a Test Identification Parade or collect DNA samples from the accused, which were crucial in proving their guilt.
The court also noted that the investigation and witness testimonies were insufficient to establish beyond reasonable doubt that the accused were not acting in private defense. Additionally, the court highlighted that no weapons were recovered from the crime scene despite the prosecution's claims, and the forensic examination found inconclusive blood evidence linking the accused to any specific injuries or deaths.
The court expressed disappointment with the investigation, stating that while human blood was found on some recovered objects, it could not conclusively connect any accused to specific injuries or deaths. Despite the acquittal, the families of the victims expressed dissatisfaction with the decision, planning to challenge it in the high court.
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