A local Chandigarh court on Monday acquitted two men—Ajay and Chander Parkash, residents of village Faidan—who had been arrested in a robbery case that police had booked under Sections 392, 397, 411 read with 34 and 506 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860. The prosecution failed to prove the charges, prompting the judge to give the accused the benefit of the doubt.

The case dates back to January 6, 2023. Laltu Kumar, a burger‑cart vendor from village Jagatpura, Mohali, told police that while returning home after work, near the bus stop past the Gurudwara light point in Sector 47, Chandigarh, four youths stopped him, brandished a knife‑like weapon, stole Rs 4,400 in cash and snatched his mobile phone before fleeing toward the railway track.

On January 9, 2023, acting on a secret tip, police from Sector 31 arrested Ajay and Chander Parkash after Laltu identified them. After completing the investigation, the final report under Section 173 Cr.P.C. was filed and charges were framed. Both accused pleaded not guilty and claimed trial.

The defence argued that the two had been falsely implicated. The court, after hearing arguments, noted that although the mobile phone was produced in evidence, there was nothing on record to link it conclusively to the complainant. Crucially, the IMEI number of the allegedly recovered phone was not recorded, and no purchase bill or independent witness confirmed the chain of custody.