Bhubaneswar, July 2 -- Observing that "a case of murder cannot be proved on mere hunches or possibilities" and that courts cannot presume a witness is truthful solely because of his relationship with the victim, the Orissa High Court has acquitted a man who was convicted two decades ago for allegedly murdering a woman on suspicion of practising witchcraft in Mayurbhanj district.
Allowing the criminal appeal, a Division Bench of Justice M.R. Pathak and Justice Sashikanta Mishra set aside the March 10, 2004 judgment of the Adhoc Additional District and Sessions Judge (Fast Track Court), Baripada, which had convicted the appellant under Section 302 of the IPC and sentenced him to life imprisonment.
The prosecution alleged that on June 21, 20...