Three persons tried under stringent MCOCA and on the charge of attempting to murder police personnel on duty have been acquitted by a special court here on Saturday which gave them the benefit of the doubt observing that the prosecution has failed to prove the alleged crime.
They were also acquitted of the charge under section 353 (Assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty) by special Maharashtra Control of Organised Crimes Act (MCOCA) court judge Amit Shete.
A fourth accused in the case is tried separately at the juvenile court.
“The prosecution has failed to prove the charges against the three accused beyond reasonable doubt and hence they need to be set free,” the judge stated.
According to the prosecution, four persons were transporting stolen diesel and when a police patrol team tried to intercept them in Navi Mumbai on April 2, 2016, they tried to run their vehicle over the police personnel.
They allegedly threw burning cloth balls at the police team and poured diesel on the road intending to cause an accident to the police vehicle, the court was told.
Defence counsels Punit Mahimkar and Sagar Kolhe said the four persons were not connected with the crime and contested the opposition charges.
“The judge accepted the argument put forth by the defence and acquitted three accused,” said Mahimkar.
