AGARTALA, Dec 10 - In a significant judgment, Sushil Chowdhury, the then Editor cum proprietor of Danik Ganadoot Patrika, who was sentenced to life term imprisonment for his involvement in a sensational triple murder, was acquitted by a division bench of High Court of Tripura today.
Three employees of the Bengali newspaper office � Ranjit Chowdhury, Sujit Bhattacharjee and Balaram Ghosh were brutally killed by �unknown assailants� in the office premises on May 19, 2013.
The murder had not only shocked the entire State but also put a question mark in the capital town�s security arrangement. On May 30, the police arrested Niyati Ghosh for her alleged involvement in the sensational murder case and later she was made approver in the case.
Based on the �confessional statement� of Niyati, wife of slain Balaram Ghosh, driver of the news paper, Sushil Chowdhury, the then editor cum proprietor of the daily was arrested on June 7.
After investigation, Investigating Officer (IO) Manas Paul had submitted chargesheet against the �mastermind� Sushil Chowdhury under section 302, 120 (B), 201, 194 and 195 (A) before the court paving the way for an elaborate trial.
On July 17, 2014, the Addl District and Sessions Judge after conducting trial sentenced Chowdhury to life imprisonment till the last day of his life along with a fine of Rs 70,000. Chowdhury, however, had challenged the verdict and approached the High Court seeking justice.
Based on the plea, a division bench comprising Chief Justice Deepak Gupta and Justice Subhasish Talapatra had heard the arguments of both sides in September last year.
On Thursday, the bench acquitted Sushil Chowdhury of all charges levelled against him and asked the Jail authority to release him.
