Maharashtra: All accused acquitted in 17-year-old Dalit boy murder case in Ahmednagar
MUMBAI: The district and sessions court of Ahmednagar acquitted the all nine accused in the murder case of a 17-year-old Dalit boy Nitin Aage after witnesses turned hostile. The murder, which took place in April 2014 at Kharda village of Jamkhed taluka of Ahmednagar district, had rocked the state due to its honour killing and caste conflict angle as well as the brutality involved.
Nitin, 17, a class X student and resident of Kharda village in Jamkhed tehsil in the district, was killed on April 28, 2014, allegedly because he was suspected to be having an affair with an upper-caste Maratha girl.
The police, after initial reluctance to register a case, was directed by the state administration to look into the matter following a statewide outcry over the issue. The then home minister R R Patil also directed that the trial to be conducted in a fast track court. However, that did not materialise.
Nitin’s father had named 13 people in his complaint that included three minors. Most of them were relatives of the girl.
Police had filed cases against Sachin Golekar, Sheshrao Yevle, Nilesh Golekar, Vinod Gatkal, Bhujang Golekar and others under various sections of the IPC and POA.
There were 26 witnesses in the case including the peons and teachers in the school from where Nitin was pulled out by the goons on that fateful day. Police had recorded their statements. However, the witnesses were declared hostile by the prosecution after their deposition before the court had severe inconsistencies.