'Wrongly Convicted' Man Acquitted By HC After Serving 20-Year Jail Term

Cuttack: The Orissa High Court today acquitted a man of Kantapada area in Ganjam district who had been serving an imprisonment of 20 years after being wrongly convicted in a murder case. The High Court has asked for immediate release of the man, Sadhu Pradhan from the jail.

The HC argued that since the judgement was pronounced on the basis of witness of a child during the trial, it nullified the order of Berhampur Second Class Additional District Judge court which had pronounced life imprisonment to Sadhu.

As per reports, body of a woman Dhobani Khatua of Kantapada village was recovered from a pond on October 25, 1997 with her gold jewellery allegedly missing. During the course of probe, the police had arrested Sadhu on charges of murdering the woman on November 5, 1997.

Later during the trial, even though Berhampur Second Class Additional District Judge court had dropped loot charges on Sadhu, it held him responsible for the death of Dhobani based on the statements of a child witness. Accused Sadhu was convicted and sentenced to 20 year imprisonment by the lower court.

However, Sadhu had moved the Orissa High Court against the lower court order.