Bhubaneswar/New Delhi, Aug. 5:The Supreme Court on Wednesday acquitted Arjun Jani, an Odisha man who spent nearly 22 years in prison after being convicted in a 2004 triple murder case in Koraput district, ruling that the prosecution had failed to establish his guilt beyond reasonable doubt.

A three-judge Bench comprising Justices S K Singh, J B Pardiwala, and K Vinod Chandran described the evidence against Jani as "weak and highly unreliable." The court also criticized the police investigation, observing that he was arrested based on mere suspicion and that his alleged confession appeared to have been obtained through third-degree methods.

The case pertained to the 2004 murder of three women — Kamala, Sonbari, and Ratnai — in Koraput district. According to the prosecution, the case primarily relied on the testimony of a lone eyewitness, who claimed to have seen Jani attack Ratnai around 1 a.m.

However, the apex court noted significant inconsistencies in the eyewitness testimony and contradictions surrounding the recovery of the alleged murder weapon. It held that the evidence was insufficient to sustain the conviction.

Setting aside the conviction, the Supreme Court ordered Jani's immediate release and directed the Koraput District Legal Services Authority to facilitate his rehabilitation and reintegration into society with support from the district administration.