Tag: chain of evidence

Property Dispute & Unreliable Witnesses: Why Supreme Court Threw Out a Murder Conviction
1Dec By The Legal ChamberNo Comments
Supreme Court

Property Dispute & Unreliable Witnesses: Why Supreme Court Threw Out a Murder Conviction

This Supreme Court judgment underscores the stringent standards for convicting based on circumstantial evidence, as established in Sharad Birdhichand Sarda. The Supreme Court found the prosecution failed to conclusively prove homicide, motive, or the appellant's exclusive residence with the deceased. The recovery evidence was discredited, and the medical testimony created reasonable doubt, leading to acquittal. Facts Of The Case: The case involves the death of Sunanda (also known as Nanda Gitte) in Talani village. On July 22, 2010, police received information about a doubtful death and found Sunanda's body about to be cremated in an open field. The police intervention halted the rites, and upon inspection, they found a strangulation mark on her neck and an injury on the back of her s...
Read More
How a Missing TIP and a Delayed FIR Led to Acquittal: Breaking Down a Supreme Court Judgment
27Nov By The Legal ChamberNo Comments
Supreme Court

How a Missing TIP and a Delayed FIR Led to Acquittal: Breaking Down a Supreme Court Judgment

The Supreme Court acquitted the accused, ruling the prosecution failed to establish a complete chain of circumstantial evidence. The Court found the testimonies of key witnesses unreliable, the "last seen" theory inapplicable due to a long time gap, and the absence of a Test Identification Parade for strangers fatal to the case, creating reasonable doubt. Facts Of The Case: The case concerns the tragic death of ten-year-old Muntiyaz Ali, who went missing on the morning of June 5, 2007, after going to his family's mango orchard. His father, Nanhe Khan, discovered the boy's lifeless body the next morning near a pit on their land. The body was found with a rope around its neck, hands tied behind the back, and a blood-stained axe lying nearby. Khan filed a police report suspecting six ...
Read More
Why the Accused Were Freed: Supreme Court Explains Legal Holes in Prosecution’s Murder Conspiracy Case
27Nov By The Legal ChamberNo Comments
Supreme Court

Why the Accused Were Freed: Supreme Court Explains Legal Holes in Prosecution’s Murder Conspiracy Case

The Supreme Court upheld the High Court's acquittal, emphasizing the prosecution's failure to prove guilt beyond reasonable doubt. The evidence presented, including motive, last seen theory, and recoveries, was found unreliable, inconclusive, and legally inadmissible. The Court reiterated that appellate interference in an acquittal is unwarranted unless the judgment is perverse or based on a misreading of evidence. Facts Of The Case: The case originated from the murder of Shri Suresh Sharma, whose body was discovered on January 23, 2006, with his hands tied and visible signs of strangulation. The prosecution's case was that the respondents, Bhanwar Singh, Hemlata, and Narpat Choudhary, conspired to kill the deceased due to various motives. It was alleged that Hemlata and her husband Na...
Read More
Supreme Court Acquits Accused in Murder Case, Cites Lack of Evidence and Hostile Witnesses
7Nov By The Legal ChamberNo Comments
Supreme Court

Supreme Court Acquits Accused in Murder Case, Cites Lack of Evidence and Hostile Witnesses

The Supreme Court acquitted the accused, holding that the prosecution failed to prove guilt based on circumstantial evidence. Key eyewitnesses turned hostile and their testimonies did not establish kidnapping or the 'last seen' theory. The Court emphasized that the foundational principles for convicting on circumstantial evidence were not satisfied, rendering the conviction unsustainable. Facts Of The Case: The case concerns the kidnapping and murder of Bhoominadhan, an auto-rickshaw driver from Nellore. The prosecution's case was that on the evening of 26th March 2016, the appellant-accused, Thammineni Bhaskar (A-1), along with his associates, forcibly dragged the deceased from his auto-rickshaw near a banyan tree in Talpagiri Colony and kidnapped him. The incident was allegedly witness...
Read More
Supreme Court Overturns Death Penalty, Acquits Accused in Child Rape-Murder Case Due to Flawed Evidence
28Oct By The Legal ChamberNo Comments
Supreme Court

Supreme Court Overturns Death Penalty, Acquits Accused in Child Rape-Murder Case Due to Flawed Evidence

This Supreme Court judgment acquits the appellants, holding that in a case based purely on circumstantial evidence, the prosecution must establish a complete and unbroken chain of circumstances conclusively pointing to guilt. The Court found the evidence—including motive, last seen theory, and DNA reports—to be unreliable, incomplete, and failing to meet the standard of proof beyond a reasonable doubt required for a conviction, let alone the death penalty. Facts Of The Case: On November 20, 2014, a minor girl went missing from a wedding function at Sheeshmahal in Ramlila Maidan, Kathgodam, Uttarakhand. Her father lodged a missing report the next day. After an extensive search, her body was discovered on November 25, 2014, in a forest near the Gaula River, close to the venue. The post-mor...
Read More
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...
Read More
Supreme Court Rules :You Can’t Be Guilty of Handling Stolen Goods If There Was No Theft
20Sep By The Legal ChamberNo Comments
Supreme Court

Supreme Court Rules :You Can’t Be Guilty of Handling Stolen Goods If There Was No Theft

The Supreme Court acquitted the appellant, ruling that a conviction under Section 411 IPC for dishonestly receiving stolen property is legally unsustainable once the accused stands acquitted of the primary offence of theft under Section 379 IPC. The Court further held that the burden of proof lies entirely on the prosecution and cannot be reversed onto the accused. Facts Of The Case: The case originated from the disappearance and suspected murder of M. Narsalah on December 22, 2005, after he traveled to Warangal to collect outstanding business dues of approximately ₹2.92 lakh. When his phone was switched off, his cousin filed a missing person's report. The prosecution alleged that Narsalah's former employer and business rival, Accused-Moulana, murdered him, stole the cash, and enlisted t...
Read More
Quality Over Quantity: Supreme Court Reiterates a Single Witness Must Be “Wholly Reliable” to Convict
8Sep By The Legal ChamberNo Comments
Supreme Court

Quality Over Quantity: Supreme Court Reiterates a Single Witness Must Be “Wholly Reliable” to Convict

This Supreme Court judgment reiterates the established legal principle governing convictions based on circumstantial evidence, as outlined in Sharad Birdhichand Sarda. The Supreme Court held that the prosecution must establish a complete and unbroken chain of circumstances that unequivocally points to the guilt of the accused, excluding every other reasonable hypothesis. The conviction was overturned as the sole witness's testimony was found to be unreliable and improved, failing to meet this standard of proof. Facts Of The Case: On October 11, 2003, Santosh Kumar Pandey (PW-2), a shop owner, observed the appellant, Shail Kumari, walking in a disordered condition towards Pujari Talab, a nearby water body, with her two young children. Growing suspicious, he asked a rickshaw puller to foll...
Read More
Chain of Circumstances Broken: Supreme Court Frees Accused in Landmark Circumstantial Evidence Ruling
8Sep By The Legal ChamberNo Comments
Supreme Court

Chain of Circumstances Broken: Supreme Court Frees Accused in Landmark Circumstantial Evidence Ruling

This Supreme Court judgment acquits the accused based on the prosecution's failure to establish a complete chain of circumstantial evidence as mandated by Sharad Birdhichand Sarda. The court found the evidence regarding motive, last seen, extra-judicial confessions, and recoveries to be unreliable, contradictory, and insufficient to prove guilt beyond reasonable doubt. Facts Of The Case: The case involves the murder of Balwant, whose body was discovered in a waterworks tank in Hisar on December 23, 1997. His father, Har Nath (PW-11), identified the body and filed a complaint, leading to an FIR. The prosecution alleged that the accused—Shanti Devi, her son Rajbir, and Veena—murdered Balwant due to a property dispute, as Shanti Devi was a tenant in his house, and an illicit relatio...
Read More