​As of today, May 1, 2025, the Orissa High Court has acquitted a 69-year-old man, Rajendra Jain, who had been imprisoned for 19 years for the 2005 murder of his foster daughter. The court found that the prosecution failed to prove the charges beyond a reasonable doubt, citing inconsistencies in the “last seen” theory and doubts about the evidence, including the blood-stained pant and the alleged weapon recovery. The motive for the crime remained speculative, and the postmortem findings ruled out sexual assault. Consequently, Jain was released from Sambalpur Circle Jail .

This decision underscores the principle that in criminal law, the burden of proof lies with the prosecution, and if the evidence is insufficient to establish guilt beyond a reasonable doubt, the accused must be acquitted.

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