BARIPADA: Habil Sindhu was arrested in 2003 and sentenced to life after being convicted of killing three persons including a minor boy over sorcery suspicion. On Thursday, Habil, now all of 59, walked out a free man after spending 18 years behind bars.
Mayurbhanj District Sessions Judge Pradip Pattnaik on Wednesday acquitted him of all charges due to lack of sufficient evidence.
“I had given up all hopes of walking out of prison. I was sure that my life will end inside the four walls of the jail. I wasn’t expecting this,” said a visibly emotional Habil.
A resident of Balarampur village in Jashipur, Habil was arrested on January 3, 2003 on the charge of brutally murdering Jamadar Pingu (26), his son Sukru (2) and uncle Turam Purti (50).
Jamadar along with his son and uncle had gone to his father-in-law’s house for a family event but went missing. During search, the trio’s mutilated bodies were found in a nearby field. The head and private parts had been severed from their bodies.
Jashipur police registered a case under sections 304 and 34 of the IPC and arrested Habil for his involvement in the murders basing on the complaint of Jamadar’s family members.
In 2005, the then Additional District Judge sentenced Habil to life imprisonment but he moved the Orissa High Court challenging the judgment. Hearing his case, an HC bench ordered fresh trial and remitted the matter back to the court of Sessions Judge, Baripada. The HC found that Habil was denied a fair trial and not provided with effective free legal services by the State defence counsel. The HC directed to engage an honorary lawyer to conduct further inquiry in the case.
After examining the statements of 13 witnesses, the District Session Judge acquitted Habil as it found the evidence against him insufficient.
Habil said his happiness knew no bounds after being able to meet his family as a free man. “During my stay in the jail, I had advised my family members not to meet me as I could never be a part of their lives anymore. All that has changed now,” he said in a voice full of excitement.