The Allahabad High Court has acquitted the last remaining convict, Rayan, in the 2016 double murder case of National Investigation Agency (NIA) Deputy Superintendent Mohammed Tanzil Ahmed and his wife Farzana. The court, in its judgement, set aside the death sentence awarded by a trial court and ordered Rayan’s immediate release. Justice Siddharth, delivering the verdict, observed that the Sessions Court had erred significantly in awarding capital punishment and that the trial court’s judgment could not be sustained under the law, citing a failure by the prosecution to prove charges beyond a reasonable doubt.
Acquittal Based on Doubts in Prosecution Case
The High Court highlighted significant weaknesses in the prosecution’s case, noting that the conduct of key witnesses appeared doubtful and remained unexplained. Despite extensive investigation, including prolonged police presence at the crime scene and questioning of local individuals, no credible evidence directly linking Rayan to the crime was established. The court also pointed out that while Tanzil and his wife were involved in investigating sensitive national security cases, including those related to terrorism, the prosecution failed to present a clear motive or reliable proof of the accused’s involvement in the double murder.
Background of the Case
The incident occurred on April 3, 2016, when Mohammed Tanzil Ahmed, then an NIA Deputy Superintendent investigating terror-related cases, and his wife Farzana were returning home from a wedding ceremony in Bijnor district, Uttar Pradesh. Their vehicle was intercepted by two assailants on a motorcycle near the Tal Katora drain. The assailants opened fire, resulting in the immediate death of Tanzil Ahmed and severe injuries to Farzana, who succumbed to her wounds ten days later. An FIR was subsequently lodged by Tanzil’s brother, Mohammed Raghib Masood.
Legal Proceedings and Previous Verdicts
Initially, five individuals were accused in the case. The Bijnor Sessions Court had convicted two accused, Rayan and Mohd Muneer, for the murders in May 2022, sentencing both to death and imposing a fine of ₹1 lakh each. Mohd Muneer, identified by the prosecution as the mastermind and primary shooter, died of a kidney infection in November 2022 while serving his sentence. Three other accused—Jaini, Rizwan, and Tanjim Ahmed—who were arrested in 2016, had been acquitted by the trial court in May 2022 due to insufficient evidence linking them to the crime. Rayan’s appeal against his conviction and death sentence proceeded, leading to the High Court’s final acquittal. Earlier, a division bench of the High Court had delivered a split verdict on Rayan’s appeal, with one judge favouring acquittal and the other commuting the death sentence to life imprisonment. This divergence led to the case being referred to Justice Siddharth as a third judge, who ultimately ruled in favour of acquittal.
The investigation into the case initially suggested motives related to professional and personal rivalries, with police hinting at revenge. Rayan was reportedly resentful towards Tanzil Ahmed for not receiving sought-after assistance in a case. However, the prosecution ultimately failed to substantiate these claims with concrete evidence in court. The acquittal of the final convict brings a decade-long legal battle to a close, highlighting the critical importance of robust evidence in criminal proceedings.
The Chenab Times News Desk