Man accused of brutal attack on Mamata nearly three decades back acquitted

Lalu Alam, accused of brutally attacking West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee nearly three decades ago, was on Thursday acquitted by a city court for want of evidence.

Sixth additional district and sessions judge, Alipore Court, Pushpal Satpathy, passed the order on a plea by the prosecution that the case be considered for closing as time has elapsed in the trial, which is yet to reach any conclusive stage, and many witnesses have died over the years.

After hearing the defence lawyer and Alam, the court found that he may be acquitted for insufficient evidence, public prosecutor Radha Kanta Mukherjee said.

Judge Satpathy had on August 21 closed cross-examination of witnesses in the case on a prayer by the prosecution.

The Trinamool Congress chief was last month summoned by the judge to appear as a prosecution witness and evidence-in-chief, but she could not make it owing to exigencies and security issues, the public prosecutor said.

Defence lawyers could not make arrangements for video-conferencing, he said