The Chitwan District Court on Sunday acquitted 12 of the 13 suspects in the 2004 murder case of Krishna Prasad Adhikari.

Chief Judge Kul Prasad Sharma handed down not guilty verdict to the 12 accused, including the main accused, Chhabilal Poudel.

The court’s verdict on the thirteenth suspect, Rudra Acharya, who is said to be residing in the United Kingdom, is awaited. Acharya was the alleged shooter who killed 19-year-old Krishna Prasad. 

The case, which was filed at the District Court in April 2014, had been postponed 21 times before the verdict was announced on Sunday.

“There was no concrete evidence to imprison defendants for life, so the judge decided that they deserved clean chits in the case,” said Gehendra Raj Panta, the court registrar.

Krishna Prasad, of Fujel village in Gorkha district, was allegedly abducted and murdered on June 6, 2004, in Chitwan by the former Maoist rebels on charge of spying for the state.

In January 2013, his parents Nanda Prasad and Ganga Maya began what would be a series of hunger strikes in Kathmandu, demanding justice for their slain son.

Nanda Prasad died while on a hunger strike in September 2014. Meanwhile, Ganga Maya persevered—her latest fast unto death lasted for 45 days, and ended in July this year after the government pledged to implement all the agreements that had been reached in the past. 

Chitwan police began an investigation into Krishna Prasad’s death in 2013. A year later, police filed a charge sheet against 13 suspects at the District Attorney’s Office, seeking life imprisonment and asset seizure.

The District Court’s ruling has cleared Chhabilal Poudel, Bhimsen Poudel, Parashuram Poudel, Meghnath Poudel, Januka Poudel, Ram Prasad Adhikari (A), Ram Prasad Adhikari (B), Sita Adhikari, Himlal Adhikari, Kali Prasad Adhikari, Subhadra Adhikari and Bishnu Tiwari.

“We had to endure pain and suffering for a long time in a case where none of us were involved. Justice has prevailed, albeit late,” Parshuram Poudel said, following the court’s ruling.