Patna HC acquits man on death row in rape-murder case

The Patna high court has acquitted a man who had been sentenced to death nine years ago for the rape and murder of an 11-year-old girl in Bihar’s Bhagalpur district. The court ruled that the prosecution failed to establish its case beyond reasonable doubt. The case was remanded back to the high court by the Supreme Court for re-evaluation of the evidence. The court found merit in the arguments raised by the appellant’s lawyer and dismissed the state government’s appeal to confirm the death sentence.