28 killed in UP hooch tragedy: Over a decade on, 17 accused acquitted

Fifteen years after 28 people died drinking spurious liquor, a local court in Varanasi has acquitted 17 accused in the case, granting them the benefit of doubt. All the accused were out on bail at the time of the verdict.

Government counsel, Varanasi, CB Pal said, “Although prosecution had cited 169 witnesses, only 10 were examined during the trial. All private witnesses, including the complainant Dinesh Rajbhar, turned hostile before the court.”

“Since the key witnesses did not support the prosecution case, the court acquitted all 17 accused on the benefit of doubt. The other three of the accused died during trial,” Pal said.

He, however, stated that police witnesses, including the investigating officer, supported the prosecution’s theory. No defence witness was examined during the trial.