Indian national in NZ acquitted of stabbing charges

A court in New Zealand Wednesday acquitted an Indian national, accused of stabbing three men last year, of all charges.

Gurcharan Singh, 37, of Te Puke town near the city of Tauranga in New Zealand's North Island had denied all charges of assault and wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.

Jurists in the Tauranga District Court, after hearing the evidence in the trial, came to the conclusion that Singh was not guilty on any count, local media reported.

During the trial, the defence lawyer argued that Singh had acted in self-defence when his ex-flatmate Manjinder confronted him during a heated argument at a house where they lived in Te Puke, according to the Sun Live news portal.

According to the report, Singh and Manjinder got into the argument on the night of June 27, 2012.

Manjinder then left the house and, a short time later, returned with two other men.

Gurcharan was also beaten with a hockey stick. All four men were later taken to a hospital in Tauranga.

Following deliberations Wednesday, an 11-member jury ruled that Gurcharan was not guilty of any of the four charges.