Delhi Court Acquits Man of Attempted Murder as Key Witnesses Turn Hostile

A Delhi court has acquitted a man accused of attempting to kill his sister-in-law in a case registered at the Fatehpur Beri police station, after the victim, complainant, and an eyewitness failed to support the prosecution during the trial. In an order dated August 8, Additional Sessions Judge Pawan Kumar cleared Pankaj Jha of charges under IPC sections 307 for attempted murder and 452 for house trespass.

According to the prosecution, the alleged attack occurred on April 18, 2023. Jha was accused of trespassing into the residence of his sister-in-law, Ganga Jha, carrying a knife and stabbing her in the abdomen. The alleged assault followed advice Ganga Jha gave to Jha's wife, who was involved in a matrimonial dispute with him, suggesting she file a police complaint against him.

During court proceedings, however, all three material witnesses—including the injured woman and the complainant—gave a different account of the event. They testified that a quarrel broke out between Jha and the complainant, during which Ganga Jha was pushed, fell to the ground, and was injured by an object lying on the floor. They denied that Jha stabbed her with a knife.

While police recovered a knife from the scene containing traces of the victim's blood, the court observed that there was no forensic evidence, such as fingerprints, linking Jha to the weapon. The witnesses also specifically denied in court that Jha had used the knife to attack the woman.

Additional Sessions Judge Pawan Kumar stated that not a scintilla of evidence remained on record against the accused due to the hostile testimony of the eyewitnesses. Concluding that the prosecution failed to prove the charges beyond reasonable doubt, the court acquitted Jha of all charges.