The Supreme Court has set aside the conviction and life sentences of four individuals in a long-standing murder case dating back to May 2001. A bench of Justices M M Sundresh and Prasanna B Varale ruled that the prosecution failed to establish a foolproof case, leaving critical gaps that generated reasonable doubt regarding the accused persons’ involvement.
Key Highlights of the Supreme Court Judgment
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The Bench & Verdict: Justices M M Sundresh and Prasanna B Varale allowed the appeals challenging a May 2009 Orissa High Court verdict that had previously upheld the convictions.
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Abatement of Appeals: Initially, six convicted persons had appealed to the apex court, but two passed away during the pendency of the proceedings, leaving four active appellants.
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Flawed Eyewitness Testimony: The Supreme Court noted that the case relied heavily on alleged eyewitnesses. However, their testimonies revealed that the crime occurred on a “pitch-dark night,” making it impossible for witnesses to identify the assailants visually or solely by the sound of the assault.
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Failure of Circumstantial Evidence: With the eyewitness accounts discarded, the case hinged on circumstantial evidence. The bench ruled that the prosecution failed to complete an unbroken, consistent chain of circumstances pointing exclusively to the guilt of the accused.
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Benefit of the Doubt: Citing established criminal jurisprudence, the court reiterated that where two views are reasonably possible, the interpretation favoring the accused must prevail. Consequently, the trial court and high court orders sentencing them to life imprisonment were quashed.
Case Background
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The Incident: An FIR was registered in May 2001 following an assault that resulted in a man’s death.
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Legal Proceedings: Charges were initially filed against 18 individuals. One person passed away during proceedings, three were declared absconders, and eight were acquitted by the trial court. Six persons were initially convicted, a decision upheld by the Orissa High Court before this final acquittal by the Supreme Court.
