Patna High Court Frees Five Convicts, Slams Trial Judge for Verdict The Patna High Court has acquitted five individuals serving life sentences for a murder in Sheikhpura district, criticizing the trial judge for procedural lapses and legal misinterpretations. The court ordered the judicial officer to undergo specialized training and revoked his authority to conduct criminal trials, citing significant violations of legal standards. The verdict, delivered by a division bench of Justices Bibek Chaudhuri and Chandra Shekhar Jha, emphasized that the conviction relied on inadmissible evidence, undermining the fairness of the original trial. The case involves the alleged murder of Ujjwal Rai, a junior engineer working under the MGNREGA scheme, in Sheikhpura district. On January 17, 2017, Sunil Kumar and four others were arrested for the crime. The police lodged a First Information Report (FIR) at the Sheikhpura police station, leading to a trial that concluded on July 22, 2019. The trial judge, then serving as First Additional Sessions Judge of Sheikhpura, convicted the appellants of murder and sentenced them to life imprisonment. The High Court’s review of the case revealed critical flaws in the trial process. The judges stated that the judicial officer’s reliance on evidence deemed “inadmissible” under the law of evidence rendered the conviction invalid. The court highlighted the lack of proper legal procedures and the misapplication of legal principles during the trial. This decision underscores the importance of adherence to legal standards in criminal proceedings and the consequences of judicial misconduct. The acquittal was supported by the defense team, including lawyers Pratik Mishra and Rajesh Singh, who exposed the legal violations committed by the trial judge.#sunil_kumar #patna_high_court #sheikhpura_district #mgnrega_scheme #ujjwal_rai
