THE HIGH COURT OF GAUHATI (HIGH COURT OF ASSAM, NAGALAND, MIZORAM AND ARUNACHAL PRADESH)
SANJAY KUMAR MEDHI, K. SEMA
Radhan Kharai S/o. Khanda Puna – Appellant
Versus
State Of Assam – Respondent
JUDGMENT :
S.K. Medhi, J.
1. The instant appeal has been preferred from jail against a judgment and order dated 29.07.2019, passed by the learned Sessions Judge, Karbi Anglong, Diphu, in Sessions Case No. 32/2003 (Old)/Sessions Case No. 83/2017(New) corresponding to G.R. Case No. 23/2002 & Baithalangso Police Station Case No. 09/2002 under Section 302 IPC , by which the appellant was sentenced to undergo Rigorous Imprisonment (RI) for life and to pay fine of Rs. 2,000/- (Rupees Two Thousand) only in default further Simple Imprisonment (SI) for 6 (six) months.
2. The criminal law was set into motion by lodging of an Ejahar by the PW-4, who is the brother of the deceased. The Ejahar which was lodged on 09.03.2002 had stated that on the previous evening at about 9 p.m. on 08.03.2002, the appellant had caused the death of his sister by severing the head. The sister of the PW-4 was the wife of the appellant. He had also stated that the appellant had suffered from mental illness. Based on the said Ejahar, the formal F.I.R. was registered and investigation had begun leading to laying of the Charge-sheet against the appellant.
3. The charges were accordingly framed and the appellan
S. Kaleeswaran vs. State of T.N.
Ramu Appa Mahapatar vs. State of Maharashtra
Conviction based on circumstantial evidence requires a complete chain of evidence excluding all reasonable hypotheses of innocence; extrajudicial confessions need corroboration to be reliable.
Circumstantial evidence must form a complete chain without breaks, and extrajudicial confessions require corroboration; benefit of doubt is given to the accused when evidence is insufficient.
Extrajudicial confession can support a conviction if credible, corroborated by other evidence, and satisfies standards for circumstantial evidence.
Extrajudicial confessions require corroboration and cannot solely establish guilt without reliable evidence.
There is no doubt that convictions can be based on extra-judicial confession but it is well settled that in very nature of things, it is a weak piece of evidence.
The conviction based on circumstantial evidence requires an unbroken chain of events leading to the sole conclusion of guilt, with no room for reasonable doubt.
Circumstantial evidence must form a complete chain pointing to guilt, and extrajudicial confessions require corroboration to be credible.
Extra-judicial confessions are weak evidence requiring corroboration and should be credible; reliance on insufficient evidence led to the appellant's acquittal.
For a conviction based on extra-judicial confession, corroborative evidence is essential, and any substantial contradictions in testimonies undermine its reliability.
Circumstantial evidence must form a complete chain pointing to guilt, and extrajudicial confessions require corroboration to be reliable.
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