HC acquits man serving life term for attempting to rape, murder 100-year-old woman in 2017

A case was filed against Punia on several charges, including murder, attempted rape and house trespass. Additionally, since the victim was a Dalit, the police invoked the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, against him.

Punia was arrested and sent to jail and on November 20, 2020, a Meerut court sentenced him to life imprisonment. He later filed an appeal against the order.

As per the High Court order, during the hearing of the appeal, Punia’s lawyer argued that the woman’s grandson had falsely implicated his client to avoid repaying a loan and to secure financial assistance from the government. The lawyer also pointed out that there were no independent witnesses or eyewitnesses in the case.

The court said in its order that the complainant admitted he was residing in Ghaziabad with his wife when the incident occurred, which meant that he was not an eyewitness. Therefore, the statements from the complainant and his wife, who also served as a witness, were deemed unreliable.

The court, in its order, also highlighted the absence of independent witnesses in the case.

No external injuries were found on the body, and doctors said there were no signs of force being used. The victim, who had been ill, later died of septicemia, the order said, citing the medical report of the woman.