SAMBALPUR: The Kuchinda SDJM court in Sambalpur on Tuesday acquitted three men accused in a 20-year-old theft case involving gutkha packets and cigarettes worth only Rs 52.
The acquitted persons are Ganesh Jaipuria, Amesh Bankara and Hemant Sahu, all from Bamra block. They were booked in a case registered in 2006 on basis of a complaint lodged by betel shop owner Prafulla Sahu from Station Basti under Bamra’s Govindpur police limits. In his complaint, Prafulla stated that some gutka packets and cigarettes worth Rs 52 were stolen from his shop.
After investigation, police had arrested four persons from Nuniamunda on charges of theft, while Hemant was booked for allegedly buying the stolen items. All of them were later released on bail and continued to attend court hearings over the years.
As the case went on for nearly two decades, proceedings reportedly slowed considerably due to repeated absence of witnesses. During this period, two of the accused and Prafulla passed away before the trial could conclude.
The matter resurfaced recently when the remaining three accused received fresh warrants from the court. Police subsequently arrested Jaipuria, Bankara and Hemant, and produced them before the Kuchinda SDJM Court. After hearing the matter, the court acquitted all of them.
Advocate Minaketan Mishra said the delay was mainly caused by repeated non-appearance of eyewitnesses during hearings. Hemant said that they had spent 29 days in jail after their arrest in 2006 before securing bail, and continued fighting the case for the last 20 years before finally being cleared by the court.