Court Acquits Prime Suspect in 2017 Lonavala Student Murders

A Pune court acquitted Saleem Shaikh, the primary suspect, in the 2017 murder case of two Sinhgad Engineering College students, citing insufficient evidence. The bodies were found near Lonavala. The court pointed out flaws in the prosecution's case, including unreliable witness testimony and lack of scientific evidence.

A Pune court on Tuesday acquitted Saleem Shaikh, the main accused in the 2017 double murder of engineering students near Lonavala. The verdict was delivered by Principal District & Sessions Judge Mahendra Mahajan.

Shaikh was cleared of all charges after the prosecution, led by special public prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam, failed to prove the case beyond reasonable doubt. The detailed court order is pending release.

The bodies of Sarthak Wakchoure and Shruti Dumbre were discovered on April 3, 2017, in a forest area. They had been bludgeoned, and their hands were bound. Two months later, Shaikh and a minor were arrested, both accused of committing the murders during a robbery.

Defence lawyer Afroz Shaikh criticized the weight given to extra-judicial statements and the lack of scientific evidence such as DNA tests in the investigation. The court also noted discrepancies in the prosecution's narrative about the disposal of the victims' phones.

Separately, the trial involving the minor accused continues before the Juvenile Justice Board.