Wrongfully convicted Mayurbhanj man freed after 19 years

Habil Sindhu, a resident of Balrampur village in West Bengal, was sentenced to life imprisonment in a murder case in 2003. He approached the Orissa High Court after the verdict, where his case was reopened. On Thursday, he was acquitted by the court citing a lack of evidence against him, after serving 19 years in jail.

Baripada (Odisha): A murder convict of Mayurbhanj has been acquitted on Thursday after serving 19 years imprisonment for a crime he did not commit. Mayurbhanj District Judge Court released the man after re-opening the case in pursuance of the High Court's order. The man has been identified as Habil Sindhu, who is a resident of Balarampur village in the Purulia district of West Bengal.

The acquitted, whose residence comes under the Jasipur Police Station limits of the district, was accused in a sensational triple murder case in 2003. Sindhu was suspected of killing two persons and a child in his neighbourhood with alleged black magic. Police had therefore launched a probe against Sindhu in the triple murder case on the suspicion of black magic 19 years ago.

The case was taken to the district court and after two years of proceedings over the matter, District and Sessions Judge convicted Sindhu for the murders and sentenced him to life imprisonment in 2005. Following the verdict, Habil knocked on the door of the Orissa High Court where the case was reopened.

After hearing 11 witnesses and going through 32 investigation reports, the District & Sessions Judge, Mayurbhanj, acquitted Habil citing lack of evidence against the supposedly convicted murderer.