New Delhi, June 17: A city court has acquitted four of the alleged murderers of outlook cartoonist Irfan Hussain in another case of murder after prosecution failed to prove the case against them conclusively. "From material on record, it cannot be said prosecution has proved its case beyond reasonable doubt. Benefit of doubt is given to the accused," Additional Sessions Judge O P Gupta said acquitting accused Heera Singh, Sanjay, Jasim and Mohammed Mustafa Ansari.

However, the accused would continue to be in jail pending trial in three more cases of murder, including that of Irfan, wherein they are facing charges. The alleged incident dates back to august 1999 when cops were alerted on one Kaleshwar, a chauffeur, who went missing after driving some guests of his employer to their residence in East Delhi.

Investigators stumbled on the lead after they arrested the accused three months later in connection with another case. Police then claimed to have recovered a human skeleton from the bushes in front of Sarai Kale Khan bus stand at the instance of the accused. Clothes found on the skeleton were later identified as belonging to Kaleshwar.

They also claimed to have recovered the deceased's wrist watch from the shanty of one of the accused. However, the car driven by him could not be traced. During trial, the accused contended that the allegations were baseless. Further spoiling the prosecution case, public witnesses to the recovery of the watch also turned hostile.

Bureau Report