Thane, February 12 A court in Maharashtra's Thane district has acquitted two men in a 2002 train robbery case, noting that the prosecution had failed to examine even a single material witness over the past two decades.
In a judgment delivered on February 9, Additional Sessions Judge P R Ashturkar from Kalyan held that there was "absolutely nothing on record" to indicate the involvement of the accused, Shaikh Babu, alias Chhota Babu Shaikh Pyare, and Shaikh Ayub Shaikh Yusuf.
According to the prosecution, the accused allegedly robbed a female passenger on board the Chalukya Express on July 24, 2002, near Kalyan.
The court noted that despite repeated attempts, no prosecution witness could be found.
"There is absolutely nothing on record which would even remotely indicate the involvement and active participation of the accused in the said matter," it said.
Only one witness, a police constable tasked with serving summons, was examined, who testified that the witnesses were untraceable.
The court acquitted both accused, stating that continuing to investigate the matter would be a futile exercise without any outcome.