Calcutta HC Acquits Man And Two Others In 2014 Sealdah Murder Case, Cancels Death Sentences

Calcutta High Court acquits Surojit Deb and two others in 2014 Sealdah murder case, citing lack of evidence; cancels death penalty, orders immediate release.

Calcutta High Court Cancels Death Penalty in 2014 Sealdah Murder Case

Source : Getty

Kolkata, Jul 18 (PTI) The Calcutta High Court has cancelled the death penalty of a man and two others, including a woman, in connection with the murder of his estranged wife in 2014, and ordered their acquittal.

A division bench presided by Justice Debangsu Basak directed that Surojit Deb, whose estranged wife Jayanti's chopped body parts were found stuffed in a bedding at Sealdah Railway Station here, Lipika Poddar and Sanjoy Biswas be set at liberty forthwith.

"We are of the view that the prosecution had hopelessly failed to bring home the charges levelled against the appellants at the trial, beyond all reasonable doubts sufficient enough to secure their conviction," the bench, also comprising Justice Md Shabbar Rashidi, said in Thursday's judgment.

The division bench set aside the judgment of conviction and consequential order of death sentence to the three persons, acquitting them of all charges framed against them by the Sealdah sessions court.

On May 20, 2014, the chopped body parts of the woman were found by the police in the car parking lot of Sealdah Railway Station.

The body was later identified as that of Jayanti Deb.

The lawyer for the appellants claimed that none of them were present where the body parts had been recovered.

He claimed that there was no proof on record as to who left the luggage in the parking area and in such circumstances, there appears to be no evidence that the offence of murder was actually perpetrated by the appellants.

He submitted before the court that the prosecution had falsely implicated the appellants in the case.

It was alleged that Surojit was living with his friend Lipika and that they committed the murder of Jayanti, and hired Sanjoy to dispose of the body.

The advocate for the state submitted that the judgment of conviction, which was passed by the Sealdah sessions court on July 20, 2019, and order of death sentence two days later, needs to be upheld.

(This report has been published as part of the auto-generated syndicate wire feed. Apart from the headline, no editing has been done in the copy by ABP Live.)