Madras HC acquits all accused in AIADMK councillor's murder

CHENNAI: The Madras High Court acquitted all the accused persons convicted in the murder of AIADMK councillor Guru, holding that the prosecution has miserably failed to prove the charges.

On September 30, 2015, Guru, the then-councillor of Ward 86 of the Chennai Corporation representing AIADMK, was hacked to death by a gang while he was on the way to the council meeting.

Raising doubts over the reliability of the witnesses, a division bench of Justice MS Ramesh and C Kumarappan wrote that after removing the grain from the chaff, “we find that there is no corroboration of each witness from the other witnesses.”

Hence, the bench set aside the conviction imposed on all the accused persons by an additional sessions court, Poonamallee, while allowing the appeals moved by the convicts.

There are several contradictions between the evidence of the prosecution, starting from witnesses’ statements to material evidence wrote the bench. “To crown it all, though the recovered weapon had blood stains, admittedly, there is no reference or evidence connecting those weapons with the occurrence,” read the judgment.

The trial court has proceeded to believe all the witnesses, which, according to us, is not in tandem with the law; thus, “We hold that the prosecution has miserably failed to prove the charges against the accused beyond all reasonable doubts,” the bench added.

Based on the complaint and statement of Guru’s driver, the police registered a case. After collecting evidence and witness statements, the police arrested Sridhar, Suresh Kumar, M Pravinkumar, Rajkumar and J Pravinkumar.

After the investigation, the police filed a charge sheet against the accused before the third additional sessions court, Poonamallee.

While pursuing the papers, the court found all the accused guilty and sentenced them in 2016. The convicts moved the appeals, aggrieved by the conviction, seeking to set aside the sentence.