Mumbai: Observing that it was difficult to believe that only five women overpowered 10 to 12 policemen and assaulted them, a sessions court recently acquitted the women accused of causing an affray and assaulting police officers inside Bhandup police station in 2015. The judge cited lack of credible evidence and inconsistencies in testimonies of police witnesses. The case dates back to May 2015, when two feuding groups arrived at the police station to file complaints against each other.“When prosecution relies upon testimonies of police witnesses only, their testimony should be of sterling quality — their testimony should be free from any embellishment and contradictions. Police witnesses were interested witnesses. Conviction cannot be based on such uncorroborated and untrustworthy testimonies of police witnesses,” the judge said.The accused women were out on bail. According to the prosecution, three cops attempted to intervene when the two groups began verbally abusing and physically assaulting each other inside the Station House Officer’s (SHO) room. The police officers alleged that Reena and Geeta slapped and manhandled them.The court found significant flaws in the prosecution’s case, primarily on reliability of police witnesses testimony. The judgment highlighted “material improvements and aberrations” in depositions, casting “serious aspersion over reliability”. The informant, police constable Mangala Patil, contradicted her initial statement by testifying in cross-examination that the scuffle was outside the police station compound wall, a significant shift in the alleged scene of crime. Mumbai: Observing that it was difficult to believe that only five women overpowered 10 to 12 policemen and assaulted them, a sessions court recently acquitted the women accused of causing an affray and assaulting police officers inside Bhandup police station in 2015. The judge cited lack of credible evidence and inconsistencies in testimonies of police witnesses. The case dates back to May 2015, when two feuding groups arrived at the police station to file complaints against each other.“When prosecution relies upon testimonies of police witnesses only, their testimony should be of sterling quality — their testimony should be free from any embellishment and contradictions. Police witnesses were interested witnesses. Conviction cannot be based on such uncorroborated and untrustworthy testimonies of police witnesses,” the judge said.The accused women were out on bail. According to the prosecution, three cops attempted to intervene when the two groups began verbally abusing and physically assaulting each other inside the Station House Officer’s (SHO) room. The police officers alleged that Reena and Geeta slapped and manhandled them.The court found significant flaws in the prosecution’s case, primarily on reliability of police witnesses testimony. The judgment highlighted “material improvements and aberrations” in depositions, casting “serious aspersion over reliability”. The informant, police constable Mangala Patil, contradicted her initial statement by testifying in cross-examination that the scuffle was outside the police station compound wall, a significant shift in the alleged scene of crime.
