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The Supreme Court of India has observed that a test identification parade does not have much value when the accused is already known to the witness. The court made this observation while hearing a case related to a robbery that took place in 2014. The case involved two accused who were charged with robbing a man at gunpoint. The victim had identified the accused in a test identification parade conducted by the police. However, during the trial, the victim stated that he had already known the accused before the robbery and had identified them based on their physical features and voice.

The trial court convicted the accused based on the victim’s identification in the test identification parade. However, the High Court acquitted the accused, stating that the identification parade did not have much evidentiary value since the victim had already known the accused before the incident. The case then reached the Supreme Court, which upheld the decision of the High Court. The court observed that in cases where the accused is already known to the witness, a test identification parade does not have much value as the witness can identify the accused based on their previous knowledge.

The court further added that a test identification parade is mainly used to identify an accused who is unknown to the witness. It is a procedure where a group of people, including the accused, are made to stand together, and the witness is asked to identify the person who committed the crime.The purpose of a test identification parade is to ensure that the accused is correctly identified by the witness and to prevent false identifications. However, in cases where the accused is already known to the witness, the purpose of a test identification parade becomes redundant.

The Supreme Court’s observation is expected to have a significant impact on future criminal trials. It highlights the importance of ensuring that the procedures followed during a trial are relevant to the circumstances of the case. The court’s decision emphasizes the need to focus on the substantive evidence in a case and to avoid relying solely on procedural technicalities.

Overall, the Supreme Court’s observation regarding the limited value of a test identification parade when the accused is already known to the witness is a significant development in criminal jurisprudence. It reinforces the importance of focusing on substantive evidence and ensuring that procedures are relevant to the circumstances of the case. It is hoped that this decision will guide future criminal trials and lead to a more robust and fair criminal justice system in India.

Written By- Lakshya Sharma student of 1st year BBA LLB at Vivekananda Institute of Professional Studies affiliated to Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University


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