Mumbai: The Sessions court which on March 27 had acquitted all seven accused in the alleged ‘fake encounter’ case in 2016 of Haryana-based gangster Sandeep Gadoli, on Wednesday in its reasoned 542-page judgment said five of the accused, all police officers from Haryana, had acted in self or “private defence.” The five had exercised “their right of private defence and no offence was committed by them.” The court said the case against the eighth accused Divya Pahuja, 18-year-old when arrested, stood abated on her death in 2024. The judge Prashant Kale said “alleged acts were committed by the Haryana Police in discharge of their official duty and under the colour of office, even if it is assumed that the accused persons acted in excess of their official duty, then also they are entitled to claim protection of section 197 of Criminal procedure code (protection from frivolous prosecution requiring prior govt sanction when discharging official duty).“
