Justice Delayed: Allahabad High Court Acquits Three Men After 38 Years

After 38 years in prison, three men accused of a 1982 murder in Prayagraj have been acquitted by the Allahabad High Court. The court found that the prosecution failed to establish their guilt beyond a reasonable doubt, highlighting significant inconsistencies in the evidence presented during the trial.

In a remarkable turn of events, the Allahabad High Court has acquitted three men who had been serving life sentences for nearly four decades. The case, stemming from a 1982 murder in a village under Soraon police jurisdiction in Prayagraj, was labeled a 'blind murder' carried out by unknown assailants.

Justices J J Munir and Sanjiv Kumar emphasized the prosecution's failure in proving its case beyond reasonable doubt, noting doubts about the presence of key witnesses. The original conviction of 11 individuals in 1987, eight of whom have since died, has now been overturned.

The court criticized the trial judge's handling of the evidence, pointing out contradictions between the eyewitness testimonies and medical reports. This verdict highlights significant legal oversight in one of India's longest-standing cases of wrongful imprisonment.