Thane, Oct 17 A special court in Thane has acquitted two men booked under the stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) in a 2022 chain-snatching case, citing flaws in police identification procedures and contradictory evidence regarding the recovery of stolen property.
Additional special judge V G Mohite on Thursday acquitted Sunil alias Sonya Shankar Fulare and Abdulla Sanje alias Sanjay Irani alias Sayyad of charges under the Indian Penal Code and MCOCA.
The case dates back to July 8, 2022, when two motorcycle-borne men snatched a woman’s gold chain in the Ambernath East area.
The Shivajinagar police station registered an FIR against unknown persons under relevant provisions of the IPC, and later incorporated stringent MCOCA provisions.
The court noted critical flaws in the police’s identification and recovery procedures and cited contradictory witness testimonies while acquitting the duo.
The court further observed that since the foundational robbery charge and an organised crime syndicate’s direct involvement were not proven, mere collection of previous chargesheets and sanction orders were insufficient.
(PTI News)
