Way back in 1999, the trial judge had acquitted Santosh Kumar Singh, whilesaying, "I know that he (the accused) is the man who committed the crime. Iacquit him, giving him the benefit of doubt.". But the judge had alsopointed out that "the influence of the father has been there in the matter and there was deliberate inaction".And his father, JP Singh, was no small fry. The Commissioner of Police ofPondicherry when the murder was committed, he had been transferred to Delhi as Joint Commissioner of Police during thetrial.