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The Tripura High Court on May 26 acquitted two persons who were earlier sentenced to life imprisonment in connection with the 2019 murder of a UCO Bank manager near Jackson Gate in Agartala.

According to senior advocate Subrata Sarkar, the incident occurred on the night of August 3 and 4, 2019, when Bodhisattya Das, then manager of UCO Bank in Dharmanagar, was present near Jackson Gate along with a friend during his visit to Agartala.

Sarkar stated that during that time, three persons — Sukanta Biswas, then an Inspector of Tripura Traffic Police, along with Sumit Banik and Sumit Chowdhury, allegedly arrived at the spot in a vehicle and stopped there for a natural call. An argument reportedly broke out after the bank manager and his friend objected, eventually leading to a scuffle.

During the altercation, another accused identified as Soheb Miah allegedly appeared at the scene and stabbed Bodhisattya Das multiple times with a sharp weapon.

The injured bank manager was later rescued by fire service personnel and police and shifted to hospital. According to the prosecution, before his death, Das allegedly named Sumit Das and three others in his statement to police personnel accompanying him.

Following an FIR lodged by the victim’s mother, police arrested all four accused, and after trial, the lower court sentenced them to life imprisonment.

However, appeals were later filed before the High Court on behalf of Sumit Banik and Sumit Chowdhury. The matter was heard by a division bench comprising Justice T Amarnath Goud and Justice S Datta Purkayastha.

Delivering the verdict on May 26, the High Court acquitted both Sumit Banik and Sumit Chowdhury of all charges.

Advocate Sarkar argued before the court that the two appellants neither had prior knowledge nor any intention regarding the stabbing incident and that the attack by the main accused was sudden and not part of any pre-planned conspiracy involving them.

Accepting the defence argument, the High Court acquitted the duo, while the remaining two convicted persons continue to remain in jail.