All six accused in coal trader Pramod Singh murder case were acquitted on Thursday by the court of special CBI Judge, Rajnikant Pathak due to lack of evidence against them.
The court pronounced the judgment after hearing the argument of prosecution and defence in the presence of the six accused, including Ranvijay Singh, Santosh Singh, Ayub Khan, Sub inspector MP Kharwar, Arshad Ali and Hira Khan.
The court while pronouncing the judgment said, “Though, the murder of Pramod Singh took place but CBI could not prove that who and how killed him.”
The judge during the half an hour hearing read the elaborate charges against all the six accused and also said that what CBI was required to prove, which it failed, leading to their acquittal.
Talking the media after the hearing outside the court, senior defence lawyer Shahnawaz who argued in favour of the accussed persons in association with other lawyers, Hussain Haikal, Md Rafiq, Vikash Kumar Burman and Sahdeo Mahto said, “Pramod Singh, a coal trader of BM Agarwala Colony of Dhanbad was killed on October 3, 2003 near the his house during the evening hours.”
“Police lodged an FIR against Rajeev Ranjan Singh (now deceased) son of former Jharia MLA, Surya Deo Singh and Rajeev Ranjan Singh’s uncle and trade Union leader Ramadhir Singh on the basis of dying declaration of injured, Pramod Singh given during the course of treatment in hospital."
“The case was later handed over to CBI which carried out a separate investigation in which it gave clean chit to Rajeev Ranjan Singh and Ramadhir Singh and instead made accused nine persons including, the then district treasurer of Congress, Late Suresh Singh; youth Congress leaders Santosh Singh, Ranvijay Singh and seven others were made accused,” said Shahnawaz.
“Three of the nine accused persons, including, Kasmira Khan, Khadag Singh and Suresh Singh died during the course of prosecutin spanning over 18 years while the others were acquitted due to lack of evidence against them,” said Shahnawaz and added altogether 33 witnesses produced by the prosecution side were examined during the hearing while the defense also produced a witness.
