‘Huge doubt in prosecution story’: Patna High Court acquits man after 16 years in jail for murder

The Division Bench of the Patna High Court, comprising Justices Rajeev Ranjan Prasad and Kumar Manish, set aside the murder and Arms Act conviction of Chandra Kumar Jha, who had been jailed since 2009 for the killing of his brother Pawan Kumar Jha. The court’s September 10, 2024 judgment concluded that the prosecution’s case was riddled with inconsistencies and could not sustain a conviction.

The incident in question occurred on the night of October 5, 2000, near Boritar Pul in Samastipur, where two gunshots were reported. The prosecution alleged a dispute over Rs 3,300 as the motive and claimed that Jha had taken the money from the deceased while he slept. However, the High Court found no credible evidence of a panchayati meeting, noted contradictions in police statements, and highlighted the absence of key items such as the torch allegedly used for identification. The FIR, filed on October 5, reached the magistrate only on October 9, leading the bench to suspect it had been antedated.

Legal experts noted that the case exposed systemic flaws in investigative and judicial processes, especially concerning timely FIR transmission and thorough witness examination. The acquittal underscores the challenges faced by economically disadvantaged defendants like Jha, who lacked resources to contest his conviction for over sixteen years. The court directed the Bihar Director General of Police to investigate the conduct of the former SHO and investigating officer, signaling a push for accountability within the state’s law‑enforcement apparatus.