Maharashtra Court Acquits Man in 2019 Murder-and-Suicide Case

A court in Maharashtra's Thane district has acquitted a man accused of murder and suicide attempt, citing procedural failures in proving the allegations. Kundan Harekrishan Aacharya was freed of charges that he murdered Ankita Rawal and then tried to take his own life, following a lack of evidence beyond a reasonable doubt.

Judge S B Agrawal, overseeing the case, emphasized that the prosecution's account heavily relied on circumstantial evidence, with no eyewitnesses to the incident. Despite being at the scene, Aacharya's alternative narrative of self-defense and lack of conclusive evidence prompted his acquittal.

The ruling highlighted inconsistencies in witness testimonies, including statements from the victim's family, and medical assessments that raised doubts about the prosecution's claims, resulting in the 'not guilty' verdict for Aacharya.

(With inputs from agencies.)