A 72-year-old man has been acquitted of charges related to a taxi robbery that occurred 39 years ago. The case against Saukat Imam Shaikh, a resident of Worli, was dismissed due to insufficient prosecution evidence, as both the complainant had passed away and the investigating officer could not be located.
Shaikh had been charged by the Shewri police with robbing a taxi driver on February 19, 1985. According to the prosecution, around 7pm, Shaikh and two accomplices haired a taxi intending to go to Wadala. At Anjuman College, two more passengers joined the taxi, and they continued toward Wadala railway station. When they reached T-shed, Missent Road, one of the passengers allegedly threatened the driver with a knife while another did the same from the other side. A third passenger then stole money and a watch from the driver. The driver, who was attacked and injured during the robbery, was left with Rs300 and his watch stolen.
Shaikh was arrested on March 26, 2024, based on a pending warrant, after 39 years. He was granted bail on April 6, and the trial commenced on August 19. However, the prosecution could only present one witness and informed the court that the complainant had died and the investigating officer could not be found. Consequently, the prosecution closed the case on the same day.
The court, in its judgment, stated: “There is no witness to prove the actual crime. The police report indicates that the complainant is deceased and the investigating officer cannot be found. This report is accompanied by a certified copy of the death certificate and identification card. As the complainant is deceased, the prosecution could not examine him, and therefore, the prosecution has not proven the crime.
