Five hawkers from Navi Mumbai accused of unlawful assembly and an armed attack on civic officials have been acquitted by a local court after being given the benefit of doubt, an official said on Monday.
In his order of September 2, the details of which were made available during the day, district judge and additional sessions judge PM Gupta said the prosecution had failed to prove the charges against the five hawkers.
The court said more than 100 hawkers had gathered at the spot at the time and specific evidence must come on record to show the accused were part of the unlawful assembly and indulged in attacking civic officials. It said there is no clear and cogent evidence on record to prove the guilt of the five accused – Ramsingar Ganga Gupta, 63, Krushnakumar Phagu Prasad, 58, Banarasi Gurhu Gupta, 63, Harihar Sitaram Gupta, 57, and Baban Lukaram Paradkar, 60.
Meanwhile, two accused Kamalkumar Dilaman Mehata and Dindayal Aayodhya Gupta – are absconding, while another accused (Pramesh Purushottam Bhat) died during the pendency of the trial.
The fruit-sellers were accused of attacking an anti-encroachment team of the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation on April 10, 1999, in Sector 9 of the township's Vashi area, according to the additional public prosecutor.
