Team Goemkarponn
VALPOI: Nearly nine years after the alleged violence at Valpoi market, a court has acquitted all 42 persons accused in the case, ruling that the prosecution failed to prove the charges beyond reasonable doubt.
The matter related to an incident reported on March 8, 2017, at a tea stall run by Vishant Kudtarkar in the Valpoi market area. According to police allegations, a large crowd had entered the premises and damaged property, including a scooter and several other items kept at the shop.
After investigation, police filed a chargesheet naming 42 individuals in connection with the alleged attack.
During the proceedings, the accused denied all allegations and argued that they had been falsely implicated. The complainant had earlier informed police that a crowd of around 100 persons was involved in the incident and had allegedly identified some individuals suspected to be part of the group. A witness had also claimed to possess video footage related to the episode.
While pronouncing the judgment, Judicial Magistrate First Class Purva Naik observed that the prosecution’s case suffered from several inconsistencies and lacked dependable evidence.
The court noted variations in witness statements regarding crucial aspects such as the exact date of the incident, the size of the crowd, and the sequence of events. Although investigators claimed that certain accused were present at the location when police arrived, the prosecution was unable to firmly establish their active involvement in the alleged unlawful assembly.
The judgment also highlighted shortcomings in the handling of material evidence. Despite claims of significant damage, key objects allegedly vandalised during the incident — including a scooter and other articles — were neither properly seized nor presented before the court.
The court further observed that the prosecution could not successfully establish the essential ingredients required to prove offences linked to rioting and unlawful assembly. It also failed to demonstrate that the accused had acted with a shared intention to commit the alleged offences.
Questions were also raised over the reliability of eyewitness accounts, with the court finding major contradictions in their testimonies. The alleged video evidence, too, did not sufficiently support the prosecution’s version.
In view of the gaps in evidence and inconsistencies in the case, the court extended the benefit of doubt to all 42 accused and acquitted them of all charges.
