India, June 27 -- Twelve years after the abduction and murder of two sharpshooters, a sessions court in Cuttack on Thursday acquitted the prime accused, history-sheeter siblings Dhala Samanta brothers, along with eight others, citing the prosecution's failure to provide sufficient evidence.

Cuttack district and sessions judge Sitikantha Samal said that the brothers - Sushil Dhala Samanta and Sushanta Dhala Samanta - are acquitted in the abduction and murder case of sharpshooter Manoj Kumar Mallick alias Dipu and associate Ommprakash Swain, as the prosecution failed to prove the 'use' of the arms under Section 27 of the Arms Act or their 'sale, transfer, etc.' under Section 25 (1-AA) of the Arms Act.

The gangster duo, however, were found...