The verdict was passed after the accused moved the top court against a February 2018 Allahabad High Court ruling that had refused to set aside the conviction and life sentence imposed on the him by the trial court.
The murder allegedly took place as the deceased’s sons had political rivalry with the accused.
The top court noted that there were several discrepancies in the version of eye-witness accounts, including where the deceased was seated and shot from. Further, two of her sons were not examined during trial and the the murder weapon was not recovered, the Court noted.
“It is evident that there are glaring inconsistencies in the prosecution version which have been magnified by the absence of the testimony of the material witnesses and the ballistic report coupled with the non-recovery of the weapon of crime,” the Court said.
Therefore, it set aside the conviction and sentence of the accused
Source: Barandbench
