Thane, Feb 3 (PTI): A court in Thane has acquitted a 36-year-old woman accused of murdering her five-month-old son by allegedly drowning him in a water drum in 2021. The court ruled that there was no substantial evidence to support the charges against her.
In an order passed on January 20, Principal District and Sessions Judge S B Agrawal granted the woman the benefit of doubt, declaring her not guilty of the charges. A copy of the verdict was made available on Monday.
Following the incident, the woman approached the police, claiming that her son had gone missing from a hammockwhere she had put him to sleep. She reported that an unknown person had abducted the child, prompting the police to register a case of kidnapping.
The following morning, the Kalwa police were informed that the infant’s body was found inside a water drumoutside a neighbor’s house. The autopsy report confirmed drowning as the cause of death.
Despite this, the court observed that there was no direct or circumstantial evidence linking the accused to the crime.
Additionally, forensic reports, including the victim’s blood sample, were deemed unsuitable for testing, and no viscera report was presented to the court.
"There is absolutely no material to infer that the accused committed the alleged offence," the court stated, highlighting the prosecution’s failure to establish any circumstances that suggested her involvement.
"There does not appear to be any credible material to suggest that the accused was responsible for the murder of the child. In fact, none of the circumstances indicate her guilt," Judge Agrawal added.
In light of these findings, the court acquitted the woman of charges related to murder and destruction of evidence.
In an order passed on January 20, Principal District and Sessions Judge S B Agrawal granted the woman the benefit of doubt, declaring her not guilty of the charges. A copy of the verdict was made available on Monday.
Case Details & Allegations
According to the prosecution, the alleged incident occurred on December 24, 2021, when the woman reportedly threw her infant son into a water-filled drum outside her residence in Saiba Nagar, Kalwa (Thane district, Maharashtra), leading to his tragic death.Following the incident, the woman approached the police, claiming that her son had gone missing from a hammockwhere she had put him to sleep. She reported that an unknown person had abducted the child, prompting the police to register a case of kidnapping.
Investigation & Lack of Evidence
During the police investigation, CCTV footage from the area showed two unidentified women wandering around the locality around the time of the incident. However, the footage did not capture any visual evidence of them taking the child, raising doubts about their involvement.The following morning, the Kalwa police were informed that the infant’s body was found inside a water drumoutside a neighbor’s house. The autopsy report confirmed drowning as the cause of death.
Despite this, the court observed that there was no direct or circumstantial evidence linking the accused to the crime.
Court’s Observations & Verdict
The judge emphasized that none of the witnesses provided testimony that conclusively pointed to the woman’s guilt. Notably, her father-in-law, a prosecution witness, testified that the accused had actively searched for the child and had raised suspicion about the two unknown women.Additionally, forensic reports, including the victim’s blood sample, were deemed unsuitable for testing, and no viscera report was presented to the court.
"There is absolutely no material to infer that the accused committed the alleged offence," the court stated, highlighting the prosecution’s failure to establish any circumstances that suggested her involvement.
"There does not appear to be any credible material to suggest that the accused was responsible for the murder of the child. In fact, none of the circumstances indicate her guilt," Judge Agrawal added.
In light of these findings, the court acquitted the woman of charges related to murder and destruction of evidence.
