Thane, Jun 9 Almost thirteen years after a violent clash over a sand dredging dispute in Thane district left some individuals injured, the sessions court has acquitted eleven men accused of attempt to murder, extending them the benefit of doubt after the complainant and injured witnesses turned hostile.
The additional sessions court judge, R S Bhakare, passed the judgment on June 8, noting that while the victim's medical certificates established injuries, the identity of the attackers could not be established.
The case dates back to December 12, 2013, when a group of men allegedly attacked Bholanath Munde and others with swords and bamboo sticks over a sand dredging dispute on the Diva-Agasan Road in the Mumbra area, the prosecution said.
However, the prosecution's case collapsed as the complainant, Sanjay Munde, and the injured eye-witnesses failed to identify the attackers in the court, stating they were assaulted by "unknown persons".
Consequently, the court extended the benefit of the doubt and acquitted all the surviving 11 accused.
