Tag: Beyond Reasonable Doubt

Supreme Court Rules :Procedural Lapses Can’t Be A Safe Haven For Rapists
6Oct By The Legal ChamberNo Comments
Supreme Court

Supreme Court Rules :Procedural Lapses Can’t Be A Safe Haven For Rapists

The Supreme Court held that procedural irregularities, such as defective charge framing or improper joint trial under Section 223 CrPC, do not automatically vitiate the proceedings unless a failure of justice is proven. The Court emphasized that minor inconsistencies and procedural lapses should not be elevated to the level of reasonable doubt to acquit an accused, especially in heinous offences, if the core prosecution evidence remains credible and consistent. The conviction was restored as no prejudice was established. Facts Of The Case: In 2016, a few months after the Holi festival, the appellant's minor daughter began experiencing health issues. Her deteriorating condition led her mother to take her to a hospital in Ballia, Uttar Pradesh, for treatment. On July 1, 2016, a medic...
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Supreme Court Acquits Mother-in-Law, Cites Lack of Evidence in Dowry Harassment Case
1Oct By The Legal ChamberNo Comments
Supreme Court

Supreme Court Acquits Mother-in-Law, Cites Lack of Evidence in Dowry Harassment Case

The Supreme Court acquitted the appellant of charges under Section 498-A IPC. It held that the conviction, based solely on uncorroborated testimony of interested witnesses, was unsustainable. The Court emphasized that cruelty under Section 498-A must be proven by continuous or persistent conduct likely to drive a woman to suicide, which was not established by the prosecution evidence. Facts Of The Case: The case originated from the death of Chandra Devi, who was found deceased in her matrimonial home on June 15, 2001. Her father, Dharmanand Joshi (PW-1), filed a complaint the next day, alleging that his daughter had committed suicide by hanging. He reported seeing wounds on her body and expressed suspicion about her death, stating that the deceased had previously told him her mother-in-l...
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Supreme Court’s Landmark Ruling :The Problem with Extra-Judicial Confessions
23Sep By The Legal ChamberNo Comments
Supreme Court

Supreme Court’s Landmark Ruling :The Problem with Extra-Judicial Confessions

The Supreme Court acquitted the accused, holding that the prosecution failed to prove guilt beyond reasonable doubt. The conviction, based on extra-judicial confession and circumstantial evidence, was unsustainable as the confessions were unreliable and the circumstantial chain was incomplete, violating the principles established in Sharad Birdhichand Sarda. The benefit of doubt was accorded to the appellant. Facts Of The Case: Neelam Kumari, the appellant, was convicted under Section 302 of the Indian Penal Code for the murder of her infant son. The prosecution's case was that on December 8, 2006, after returning with her husband, Nikku Ram, from his ancestral village, she was left alone with the child at their home in village Nand. When Nikku Ram returned later that evening, both the a...
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Supreme Court Acquits Village Assistant: Merely Accepting Bribe Isn’t Enough
14Sep By The Legal ChamberNo Comments
Supreme Court

Supreme Court Acquits Village Assistant: Merely Accepting Bribe Isn’t Enough

The Supreme Court upheld the conviction of the main accused under Sections 7 and 13 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, as demand and acceptance of illegal gratification were proven. However, the conviction of the co-accused was set aside due to the absence of a specific charge of abetment and lack of evidence proving his connivance or independent demand for the bribe. Facts Of The Case: The case involved two government officials, A. Karunanithi (A-1), the Village Administrative Officer, and P. Karunanithi (A-2), the Village Assistant. The complainant approached A-1 to obtain a necessary community certificate for a government job. On two separate occasions, A-1 demanded a bribe of Rs. 500 from the complainant to process the application. The complainant subsequently lodged a formal...
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Supreme Court Upholds Rape Conviction, Rules Victim’s Testimony Alone Is Enough
5Sep By The Legal ChamberNo Comments
Supreme Court

Supreme Court Upholds Rape Conviction, Rules Victim’s Testimony Alone Is Enough

The Supreme Court upheld that a rape conviction can be based solely on the sole, credible testimony of the prosecutrix. Corroboration through medical evidence is not a legal necessity. The absence of injuries does not disprove the offense, especially when the victim's account is consistent and inspires confidence. Facts Of The Case: On April 3, 2018, at approximately noon, a 15-year-old victim and her 11-year-old brother were alone at their home in Rajnandgaon, Chhattisgarh, as their parents had gone to a nearby village to attend a funeral. The appellant-accused, Deepak Kumar Sahu, who was known to the family and lived in the neighbourhood, entered the house. Finding the victim alone, he sent her younger brother away to buy chewing tobacco. Once the brother left, the accused forced the v...
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Landmark Judgment: Supreme Court Highlights Importance of Fair Trial in Corruption Cases
14Aug By The Legal ChamberNo Comments
Supreme Court

Landmark Judgment: Supreme Court Highlights Importance of Fair Trial in Corruption Cases

The Supreme Court acquitted the appellant, overturning the High Court's conviction under Sections 7, 12, and 13 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, and Section 120B IPC. The Court held that the prosecution failed to prove demand and acceptance of bribe beyond reasonable doubt, citing material contradictions, lack of corroborative evidence, and procedural lapses in the trap proceedings. It emphasized the double presumption of innocence in acquittal appeals and ruled that conjectures cannot substitute legal proof. The judgment reaffirmed that mere recovery of tainted money, without conclusive proof of demand, is insufficient for conviction under anti-corruption laws. Facts Of The Case: The case involved M. Sambasiva Rao, an Assistant Administrative Officer at United India Insu...
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Supreme Court How Contradictory Witness Testimonies Saved a Man from the Death Penalty
12Aug By The Legal ChamberNo Comments
Supreme Court

Supreme Court How Contradictory Witness Testimonies Saved a Man from the Death Penalty

The Supreme Court acquitted the appellant, overturning his death sentence, due to glaring inconsistencies in eyewitness testimonies (PW1, PW2) and lack of corroborative evidence. The prosecution failed to prove guilt beyond reasonable doubt, as recoveries were unreliable, forensic links were absent, and material contradictions undermined the case. The Court emphasized strict adherence to evidentiary standards in capital offenses. Facts Of The Case: The case involves the brutal murder of four family members—Seema Rani (the appellant’s wife), Reena Rani (sister-in-law), and two minor children, Sumani Kumari (3-4 years) and Harsh (1.5-2 years)—along with injuries to two others, Harry (5 years) and Om Prakash (18 years). The incident occurred on November 29, 2013, in the early morning at the...
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Supreme Court Acquits Accused in Chhattisgarh Murder Case : “Eyewitness Failures Lead to Acquittal”
19May By The Legal ChamberNo Comments
Supreme Court

Supreme Court Acquits Accused in Chhattisgarh Murder Case : “Eyewitness Failures Lead to Acquittal”

The Supreme Court acquitted the accused in a double murder case, ruling that the prosecution failed to prove guilt beyond reasonable doubt. The judgment emphasized that eyewitnesses must identify accused in court and link them to specific roles, noting material omissions and contradictions in testimonies. It reinforced Section 162 CrPC standards for reliable evidence, overturning concurrent convictions due to fatal investigative lapses. Facts Of The Case: The case involved a violent incident on March 24, 2001, in Masturi, Chhattisgarh, where nine accused armed with swords, lathis, and poleaxes allegedly attacked a medical shop, killing Manrakhan Singh and Narayan Singh and injuring five others, including family members of the deceased. The prosecution claimed the attack stemmed from a pr...
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