"Ample Suspicion But...": Chhattisgarh Cops Acquitted In Girl's Murder
NDTV
Meena Khalkho's post-mortem had confirmed injuries to her private parts, the presence of semen on her clothes, and the possibility of multiple intercourses.
Two policemen, charged with the death of a tribal girl in an alleged fake encounter in 2011, were acquitted by a court in Chhattisgarh despite "ample suspicion" as the prosecution failed to submit strong evidence against the accused. The acquittal of the two cops was greeted with shock and grief by the girl's family, who say that they don't have the means to pursue the case further.
"Despite there being ample suspicion of the commission of the offence by the accused, the court could not convict the accused solely on the account of improper investigation resulting in deficiency of evidence, which was necessary to convict the accused," Raipur Session judge Shobhna Koshta said while acquitting the two cops - Dharmdutt Dhaniya and Jeevan Lal Ratnakar.
Dharmdutt Dhaniya is presently posted with National Security Guard (NSG) and Jeevan Lal Ratnakar is working as a constable with Chhattisgarh armed police.
16-year-old Meena Khalkho was killed in an encounter by a joint team of Balrampur district police and Chhattisgarh Armed Force near Chando village of Balrampur district on July 5, 2011. While police had claimed that she was a Maoist, villagers had said the girl was gangraped and murdered by police.
