Thane Court Acquits Man Accused of Killing Friend in Drunken Altercation

Thane: A court in Maharashtra 's Thane district acquitted a 29-year-old man accused of attacking and killing his friend in an inebriated state.

Principal district and sessions judge S B Agrawal acquitted Ashu Chhotelal Berman of charges under section 302 (murder) of the Indian Penal Code, stating that he needed to be given the benefit of the doubt.

The order was passed on September 24.

According to the prosecution, Berman attacked his friend Raju alias Sudama Rajkaran Patel with a log following a drunken altercation over a sum of Rs 150 on October 15, 2020.

The victim's post-mortem report indicated that the cause of death was "cardiorespiratory arrest, shock, polytrauma", and a forensic investigation followed.

During the trial, the judge noted, "Although it appears that some quarrel took place at that time, in the absence of clear and cogent material, the accused cannot be held liable for having committed murder." Judge Agrawal emphasised that in such circumstances, the accused is entitled to the benefit of the doubt and acquitted him. 

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