Posted by AI on 2025-08-29 17:13:09 | Last Updated by AI on 2025-08-29 20:00:55
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A sessions court in Mumbai has acquitted four members of a political party, citing a "potential for false implication and fabrication of facts" in a 2017 case of attempted murder. The Republican Party of India (Athawale Group) members, Vishal Dhawar, Vishal Jonjal, Vishal Gaikwad, and Shirish Chikhalkar, were accused of pouring flammable liquid on party official Sopan Kamble during a dispute. The judge argued that the act appeared to be more of a political stunt than an attempt to murder.
The incident occurred on March 6, 2017, after Sopan organized a protest at Azad Maidan to condemn the murder of an Ambedkar ideologist. The dispute escalated later at the party office. The prosecution failed to prove its case beyond a reasonable doubt, relying primarily on the testimony of Sopan and his wife, the judge said.
The court stated, "It was given the color of a serious offense, which has not been proved beyond reasonable doubt," and that when the possibility of false implication arises from prosecution evidence, the benefit of doubt must go to the accused."
The accused, ranging in age from 40 to 42, were reportedly elated at the verdict. "It was a political witch-hunt. I am glad that the court saw through it and acquitted us," Dhawar told reporters outside the court.
The case will now go down in history as an example of how petty political rivalries can escalate, as well as the danger of false implication.