Incomplete Chain - The Legal Chamber

This Supreme Court judgment underscores the stringent standards for conviction based on circumstantial evidence. It holds that the prosecution must establish a complete and unbroken chain of circumstances, excluding every hypothesis of innocence. Where gaps exist or alternative possibilities emerge, the benefit of doubt must be accorded to the accused, leading to acquittal if guilt is not proven beyond reasonable doubt. Facts Of The Case: An 85-year-old woman, living alone in Coimbatore, was found murdered in her home on the morning of December 19, 2016. She had been strangled with a towel, sexually assaulted, and her two gold bangles were missing. The prosecution's case relied on circumstantial evidence against the appellant, Mohamed Sameer Khan. Key points included that the appellant w...

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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“Mere Suspicion Not Proof”:Supreme Court Landmark Ruling on Circumstantial Evidence

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