Booked for assault as 10-year-old, Bihar man acquitted 43 years later

Patna, Oct 12 (IANS) A man of Bihar's Buxar district was acquitted in a case of physical assault and firing, in which he was named when he was 10 years old, over four decades back.The matter dates back to September 1979 when a group of people were allegedly involved in assault and attempt to murder of a local trader of Chaugai village under Murar police station. Munna Singh was just 10 years and 5 months old when the trader had given the name of Munna Singh in the FIR as well.The trial of the case was underway before the juvenile justice board of district court Buxar since 2012, and before that in the district court. Munna Singh was booked under Sections of 148 and 307 of the Indian Penal Code.During the hearing of the case, Dr Rajesh Singh, who was the presiding officer of the juvenile justice board, repeatedly issued notices to the complainant and the witnesses but none of them appeared before it, and in their absence, Munna Singh was acquitted.Munna Singh, now 53, expressed satisfaction over the decision, but rued the long pendency of the case, saying that it was akin to justice delayed is justice denied for him.
--IANS ajk/vd

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