Man on death row for allegedly murdering 12-year-old boy set free by Bombay HC

The Bombay high court (HC) on Wednesday set free a 26-year-old embroidery worker, who was on death row for purportedly kidnapping and murdering the 12-year-old son of his former employer.

A bench led by justice BP Dharmadhikari acquitted Imtiyaz Ahmad Mohammed Sadik Ali Shaikh of all charges levelled against him after noting that the prosecution had failed to prove the offences against him “beyond reasonable doubt”. The bench also acquitted his purported accomplice, Azad Mehrunddula Ansari, 28, for want of satisfactory evidence. According to the prosecution, Shaikh, Ansari and three others, including a minor, allegedly abducted Shree, the son of Shaikh’s former employee, Rajesh Bhadange, on May 27, 2012. They demanded a ransom of ₹25 lakh from Bhadange, who runs an embroidery workshop at Dharavi. Shree’s body was recovered from a drain in Bhiwandi, a day after the five men were apprehended on June 5, 2012.

Except the minor, the other four were tried for kidnapping and murdering the minor. An additional sessions judge, had on May 23, 2018, convicted Shaikh and Ansari and sentenced them to life imprisonment, while acquitting the other two. Shaikh and Ansari had then challenged their conviction in the HC.

Their appeals were heard for confirmation of Shaikh’s death sentence.

The HC acquitted both of them of all the charges. It said the prosecution had failed to prove that the phone from which ransom calls were made was used by the accused.