Archive · 13 Aug 2026
Indore High Court Acquits Woman in Jhabua Murder Case
A long time ago, in 2014, a man named Bucha was hurt very badly inside his own house in a village in India, and he died.
The police said that a woman named Shailbai and her husband Lachchhu were responsible.
A lower court believed this and sent Shailbai to jail for the rest of her life.
But Shailbai's lawyers asked a higher court, called the High Court, to look at the case again.
The High Court judges listened carefully to all the information.
An eyewitness said Shailbai hit Bucha on the hand with a stone.
But the doctor's report from after Bucha died showed no injury on his hand at all.
The judges also wondered how anyone could have gotten into the house at night because the door was closed.
Because the evidence did not match up, the judges decided there was too much doubt, so they set Shailbai free.
The court said she could go home right away unless she was needed for another case.
The Indore bench of the Madhya Pradesh High Court acquitted Shailbai (Shelbai), granting her the benefit of doubt in a 2014 murder case.
The Sessions Court, Jhabua had sentenced her to life imprisonment for murder and three years' rigorous imprisonment for house trespass under Sections 450 and 302/34 of the IPC.
The case related to the death of Bucha, allegedly attacked in his house in Village Gola Chhoti, Jhabua, around 1 am on March 2, 2014.
The court noted the post-mortem found no injury on Bucha's hand, contradicting eyewitness Jetabai's claim that Shailbai had struck his hand with a stone.
The bench also observed police had not investigated how the accused entered the house at night despite the shut door; co-accused Lachchhu died in May 2020, and his appeal abated.
- Who
- Shailbai (also called Shelbai), a woman convicted by the Sessions Court, Jhabua; the appeal bench comprised Justice Subodh Abhyankar and Justice Alok Awasthi.
- What
- The Indore bench of the Madhya Pradesh High Court set aside her conviction and life sentence, acquitting her of all charges on benefit of doubt.
- When
- The appeal was decided on August 12, 2026; the alleged incident occurred around 1 am on March 2, 2014.
- Where
- Village Gola Chhoti, Jhabua district, Madhya Pradesh; the judgment was delivered by the Indore bench of the High Court.
- Why
- The post-mortem report showed no injury on Bucha's hand, contradicting eyewitness Jetabai's testimony, so the court held the prosecution evidence raised reasonable doubt.
- Accused Acquitted
- Shailbai (Shelbai)
- Court
- Indore Bench, Madhya Pradesh High Court
- Judges
- Justice Subodh Abhyankar and Justice Alok Awasthi
- Incident Date
- March 2, 2014, around 1 am
- Incident Location
- Village Gola Chhoti, Jhabua, Madhya Pradesh
- Original Sentence
- Life imprisonment for murder; 3 years' rigorous imprisonment for house trespass
- Reason for Acquittal
- Post-mortem contradicted eyewitness testimony; benefit of doubt
- Decision Date
- August 12, 2026