The Orissa High Court has acquitted Madan Kanhar, a 42-year-old man who had spent 14 years behind bars for a murder conviction.
The court cited a lack of evidence in its decision, overturning Kanhar’s life sentence imposed in 2008.
In April 2005, a 20-year-old woman from Titrapanga village in Phulbani district was found dead in a jungle. Madan Kanhar, then 25, was arrested shortly after based on circumstantial evidence, as the woman had reportedly quarreled with him days before her disappearance. Convicted by a sessions court in 2008, Kanhar spent years in prison until his bail was granted in 2019.
Justices Sangam Kumar Sahoo and Chittaranjan Dash delivered the verdict on March 7, 2024. The court highlighted critical flaws in the prosecution’s case, pointing out unreliable witnesses and a lack of direct proof linking Kanhar to the crime. “Convictions cannot rely on mere suspicion,” the court emphasized, underlining the necessity of “proof beyond reasonable doubt.”
Kanhar’s lawyer, Jambeswar Pati, confirmed his client’s acquittal and the formal closure of the 19-year legal battle. The court also canceled Kanhar’s bail bonds, bringing an end to his prolonged ordeal.
This ruling underscores the importance of solid evidence in the judicial process, ensuring that convictions are based on indisputable proof rather than conjecture.
