‘Suspicion Cannot Substitute Proof’: Bombay HC Acquits Man Sentenced To Death In 2016 Vile Parle Murder
The Bombay High Court has acquitted Debashish Dhara, who had been sentenced to death for the rape and murder of a 24-year-old physiotherapist in Vile Parle in December 2016. The court observed that "suspicion in no case can substitute proof" and stated that the prosecution had failed to establish a complete chain of evidence linking Dhara to the crime.
The bench of Justices Bharati Dangre and Manjusha Deshpande highlighted several shortcomings in the investigation and prosecution case, emphasizing that the criminal justice system must not sacrifice the innocent based on suspicion or probability of guilt. Dhara was acquitted on September 7, 2026, and the detailed 76-page judgment was made available on Thursday.
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