Tag: Medical Evidence

How Unexplained Injuries and a Family Dispute Led to an Acquittal by the Supreme Court
9Sep By The Legal ChamberNo Comments
Supreme Court

How Unexplained Injuries and a Family Dispute Led to an Acquittal by the Supreme Court

The Supreme Court acquitted the appellant, granting the benefit of doubt. The conviction was overturned due to material inconsistencies in the prosecution's case, including an unexplained timeline of death, unrebutted defence evidence of family enmity, and a lack of medical corroboration for the alleged weapon and dying declaration. Facts Of The Case: Based on the altercation, the appellant and her husband were accused of fatally beating the deceased with sticks near a temple later that night. The prosecution's case, supported by eyewitnesses including the deceased's father (PW-7), was that the attack was retaliation for the afternoon dispute. The victim was allegedly carried home unconscious and died minutes later, with a First Information Report (FIR) lodged around 9:00 PM. How...
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Not Just Salaried: Supreme Court Rules Self-Employed Accident Victims Get Future Income Rise
8Sep By The Legal ChamberNo Comments
Supreme Court

Not Just Salaried: Supreme Court Rules Self-Employed Accident Victims Get Future Income Rise

The Supreme Court held that self-employed claimants are entitled to future prospects, affirming the principles in Santosh Devi and Pranay Sethi. It further ruled that uncontroverted medical evidence on disability must be accepted in its entirety, and the percentage of disability assessed by the treating doctor cannot be arbitrarily reduced by the Tribunal or High Court without reasoning. Facts Of The Case: On November 19, 2016, at approximately 6:00 a.m., the appellant, Lokesh B, a 38-year-old tailor, was driving his Omni car on the Peenya flyover in Bengaluru. His vehicle collided with a stationary lorry that was allegedly parked in the middle of the flyover without any indicators or reflective warnings. As a result of the collision, Lokesh sustained grievous injuries, including skull f...
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No Set Formula for Human Reaction: Supreme Court Backs Parents Who Fled Fire That Killed Kids
8Sep By The Legal ChamberNo Comments
Supreme Court

No Set Formula for Human Reaction: Supreme Court Backs Parents Who Fled Fire That Killed Kids

The Supreme Court ruled that the High Court erred in its appreciation of evidence, particularly witness testimony and circumstantial evidence. It upheld the trial court's conviction, establishing that the prosecution successfully proved its case beyond a reasonable doubt and that witness conduct cannot be judged by a uniform standard of reaction. Facts Of The Case: The case stems from a tragic incident on the intervening night of April 1-2, 1992, in Khunti, where the informant, Santosh Kumar Singh, his wife, and their two infant daughters were asleep. The prosecution's case was that accused persons Nilu Ganjhu and Md. Mahboob Ansari, motivated by a business rivalry with the informant over his bus agency operation, threatened him weeks prior. That night, an explosive substance was used, c...
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Supreme Court Acquits Man: “Confession to Police” Cannot Be Used as Evidence
6Sep By The Legal ChamberNo Comments
Supreme Court

Supreme Court Acquits Man: “Confession to Police” Cannot Be Used as Evidence

The Supreme Court acquitted the accused, holding that a confessional FIR made to a police officer is wholly inadmissible as evidence under Section 25 of the Indian Evidence Act, 1872. The prosecution failed to prove its case with legally admissible evidence, rendering the medical and other evidence insufficient for conviction. Facts Of The Case: The appellant, Narayan Yadav, himself lodged an FIR at Korba Kotwali Police Station on 27.09.2019, confessing to the murder of Ram Babu Sharma. In the FIR, he stated that a quarrel ensued at the deceased's residence after the latter made an obscene remark upon seeing a photograph of the appellant's girlfriend. In a fit of rage, the appellant claimed he picked up a vegetable knife and inflicted injuries on the deceased, later also hitting him with...
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Supreme Court Upholds Acquittal: Doubtful Dying Declaration Cannot Secure Murder Conviction
26Aug By The Legal ChamberNo Comments
Supreme Court

Supreme Court Upholds Acquittal: Doubtful Dying Declaration Cannot Secure Murder Conviction

The Supreme Court upheld the acquittal, emphasizing the well-settled principle that an appellate court should not interfere with an acquittal unless the findings are perverse and the only possible view is of guilt. The Court found the prosecution's evidence, particularly the dying declaration, unreliable due to material contradictions and the victim's precarious medical condition, making the case fit for the application of the benefit of doubt. Facts Of The Case: Based on the accusation of Poona Bai (PW-10), the prosecution's case was that on March 10, 2003, the accused-respondent, Ramveer Singh, forcibly entered their house and set her granddaughter, Badami Bai, on fire by pouring kerosene on her. The alleged motive was retaliation for a rape complaint filed against the accused's son by...
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Accidental Death or Murder? Supreme Court’s Landmark Ruling in the Medical Student Case
16Jun By The Legal ChamberNo Comments
Supreme Court

Accidental Death or Murder? Supreme Court’s Landmark Ruling in the Medical Student Case

The Supreme Court partially set aside the appellant's conviction under Section 302 IPC and Section 5 read with 25(1)(a) of the Arms Act, acquitting him of these charges. The Court found the circumstantial evidence inconsistent with a murder conviction, noting a reasonable possibility of accidental death supported by medical evidence and bullet trajectory. His conviction under Section 201 IPC (disappearance of evidence) was sustained, and he was sentenced to the period already undergone. The judgment emphasized that mere suspicion, or an accused's inability to explain circumstances, cannot substitute for the prosecution proving its case beyond reasonable doubt, especially when a probable counter-view exists. Facts Of The Case: Vaibhav and Mangesh, first-year homeopathy medical college s...
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Supreme Court Upholds Life Sentence in Acid Attack Case but Reduces Term for Elderly Accused
29May By The Legal ChamberNo Comments
Supreme Court

Supreme Court Upholds Life Sentence in Acid Attack Case but Reduces Term for Elderly Accused

The Supreme Court upheld the conviction of two appellants under Section 326A IPC for an acid attack, affirming the High Court’s ruling. While maintaining life imprisonment for the advocate (Accused No.2), it reduced the sentence of the elderly co-accused (Accused No.1) to 10 years, considering his age and health. The Court reiterated that concurrent findings of fact require no interference unless perverse or legally flawed, emphasizing strict scrutiny in acid attack cases. Procedural lapses in investigation were deemed non-fatal, and medical evidence conclusively established the victim’s injuries. The judgment underscores parity in sentencing while balancing aggravating and mitigating factors. Facts Of The Case: On June 8, 2014, at approximately 8:00 PM near Govind Nagar railway crossing...
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