The case revolves around an incident that occurred on March 6, 1996, where five individuals were accused of committing murder, leading to their prosecution under Section 302 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). The high Court initially acquitted the accused, prompting two appeals – one filed by the deceased’s son and the other by the State.
The legal discussion delves into the appellate court’s role when dealing with orders of acquittal. It emphasizes that the court must assess whether the initial acquittal was a plausible outcome based on the evidence presented. The presumption of innocence is highlighted as a crucial factor, and interference is only warranted if the court finds the initial verdict unreasonable.
The judgment critically evaluates the evidence presented during the trial, particularly focusing on the cross-examination of the primary prosecution witness, PW-1. It points out that relevant questions were disallowed, leading to potential prejudice against the accused. Additionally, inconsistencies and doubts arise in the testimony of other eyewitnesses (PW-2 to PW-5), including discrepancies in their accounts and the absence of efforts to record statements from independent witnesses in the vicinity.
In conclusion, the court upheld the High Court’s judgment of acquittal in the case of the 1996 murder incident. The decision was based on a thorough analysis of the evidence presented during the trial. The court emphasized the importance of the presumption of innocence and stressed that interference with an acquittal is only warranted if the initial verdict appears unreasonable.
The judgment scrutinized the cross-examination of the primary prosecution witness, PW-1, highlighting that the disallowance of relevant questions could have prejudiced the accused. The court also pointed out inconsistencies and doubts in the testimonies of other eyewitnesses (PW-2 to PW-5), along with the failure to record statements from independent witnesses in the vicinity.
Despite acknowledging these issues, the court found that the High Court’s conclusion of acquittal was plausible and aligned with the principles of justice. It noted that even if the evidence of PW-1 was ignored, doubts persisted in the accounts of other witnesses, and the lack of effort to record statements from independent witnesses further raised questions about the case’s credibility.
Therefore, the court dismissed the appeals, affirming the High Court’s judgment and emphasizing the need for a cautious approach when challenging orders of acquittal, respecting the presumption of innocence until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
AREEBA, LLYOD LAW COLLEGE, First Year Legal Journalism intern at Legal Vidhiya.
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