Mumbai Court Acquits Absconding Man In 1989 Dacoity Case After Trial In Absentia Under BNSS
Mumbai, September 12, 2026: The special court on Thursday acquitted an absconding man booked in 1989 for dacoity after conducting his trial under the provisions for trial in absentia. The same judge has so far closed several cases after conducting trial even when the accused are still wanted. The same judge is now going to hear the prosecution's plea to conduct the trial against absconding…
Special Court in Mumbai has acquitted an absconding man accused of dacoity in 1989 following a trial held in his absence. The same judge has also closed several other cases after conducting trials despite the accused still being wanted. Judge Satyanarayan Navander has disposed of several cases from the 90s and 80s where the accused were absconding.
In a landmark decision, he acquitted Rajendra Giri from Sakinaka in December last year for a 1992 dacoity case where the accused looted a house containing valuables worth Rs 3.80 lakh at gunpoint. The court appointed a lawyer to defend the absconding accused, who had been declared a proclaimed offender, to conduct the trial in their absence.
Special Judge Navander's judgment states that under Section 356 of the BNSS (provisions for proceedings against proclaimed offenders), a person can be tried as if they are present if they are declared a proclaimed offender, have absconded to evade trial, and there is no immediate prospect of arresting them. Other courts have also started the process to conduct trials in similar cases.
Special Judge A.S. Wairagade, handling child sexual abuse cases, opened around five cases last month where the accused are still absconding.
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