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Allahabad Quashes Murder Convictions Due To Insufficient Evidence In Double Homicide Case
In a significant verdict, the of Judicature at Allahabad has set aside the conviction of three appellants in a decades-old double murder case, emphasizing that the "" theory cannot substitute for a complete chain of . The bench, comprising Hon’ble Siddharth (J.) and Hon’ble Vinai Kumar Dwivedi (J.), allowed the criminal appeal, clearing the surviving appellants of charges under Sections 148 and 302 read with .
Case Background
The incident dates back to , when the bodies of two men, Sobaran and Awadhesh, were discovered in a wheat field near a block compound in Nawabganj, Farrukhabad. Initially, the () was registered against unknown persons. It was only after the bodies were identified that the father of one deceased filed a second report, pinning the crime on the appellants due to long-standing village rivalries. While a had sentenced the accused to in , the ’s intervention came after a lengthy appellate process, during which several original appellants passed away and one was declared a .
Arguments Presented
The appellants contended that the ’s case relied entirely on conjecture and "planted" witnesses. They argued that the three key witnesses—who claimed to have seen the deceased with the accused shortly before the crime—had failed to report this crucial information to the police or the victims' families until after the bodies were discovered. Conversely, the State argued that the last-seen evidence was robust and corroborated by the recovery of weapons, namely a 'Garasa' and 'Takora,' at the instance of the accused.
Legal Analysis: The Limits of
The ’s analysis centered on the legal standard required to convict an accused based on . The court noted that the failed to establish a seamless chain of events. Citing the ’s principles in , the bench observed that must be conclusive and exclude every hypothesis except that of the accused's guilt.
Furthermore, the court found the forensic evidence insufficient. Although the reported human blood on the recovered weapons, the failed to prove that the blood samples matched the DNA or blood type of the deceased. Additionally, the court highlighted that the investigating officer had not recorded a valid under , rendering the recovery of the weapons legally suspect.
Key Observations
The
expressed deep skepticism regarding the witness testimonies, stating:
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"The conduct and manner of these
witnesses creates a
about the veracity and truthfulness of their evidence."
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"Conviction cannot be recorded against the accused merely on the ground that the accused was last seen with the deceased."
*
"Without ascertaining this fact that this human blood on Garasa and Takora is surely of the deceased persons... accused could not legally be held guilty."
Court’s Decision
Finding the 's judgment to be "," the ordered the immediate release of the surviving appellants, Shiv Pal, Nar Singh, and Dharamveer. The court concluded that when the relies on shaky and suspicious evidence, the must inevitably be granted to the accused. This ruling serves as a stark reminder of the judiciary's insistence on a complete, unerring chain of evidence in , ensuring that no conviction stands on the fragile foundation of mere suspicion.
