Court acquits 3 held in theft case at Elante Mall

A local court has acquitted three persons Dilshad Ali, Sultan Ali and Ravinder arrested in a theft case after the prosecution failed to prove the charges framed against them.

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The police had arrested the accused persons on the complaint of a woman, Neha Kumari, who had stated that on December 25, 2021, she had visited a restaurant at Elante Mall, Chandigarh, to attend an office party, where she was wearing a gold chain.

Around 10.50 pm, when she came down, she found the gold chain missing. Later on, she came to know that her chain had been allegedly stolen by some restaurant worker. During the course of investigation the police arrested the accused, Dilshad

The police claimed that during interrogation the accused disclosed that he had given the gold chain to his brother Sultan. Thereafter, accused Sultan was arrested and he further disclosed that he had given the said gold chain to another accused Ravinder for sale. Thereafter, the latter was also arrested. The police claimed that the gold chain was recovered from the possession of Ravinder, which was later identified by the complainant.

After investigation the police filed the charge-sheet against the accused. Charges were framed against the accused under Sections 380 and 411 of the IPC, to which they pleaded not guilty and claimed trial.

After hearing the arguments the court observed that the whole case of the prosecution was based on the disclosure statement of the accused, but conviction could not be done merely on the basis of a disclosure statement. “The evidence of an independent witness upon the recovery-memo is important, which is missing in the present case. Clearly, the case of the prosecution lacks evidence. Resultantly, the prosecution has failed to prove the guilt of the accused persons. So, they are hereby acquitted of the charges framed against them,” the order said.