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IN THE HIGH COURT OF KERALA AT ERNAKULAM
RAJA VIJAYARAGHAVAN V., K.V. JAYAKUMAR
Karuppaswamy S/o Jadayan – Appellant
Versus
State of Kerala – Respondent
JUDGMENT :
K.V. Jayakumar, J.
1. This appeal is preferred by the sole accused in S.C. No.290/2012 of the Special Court for SC/ST (POA) Act/Additional Sessions Court, Mannarkkad dated 17.05.2019. The appellant stood for trial for the offences punishable under Section 302 of the INDIAN PENAL CODE (‘IPC’ for the sake of brevity) and under Section 3(2)(v) of the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act (‘the SC/ST (POA) Act’ for the sake of brevity).
2. The learned Special Judge found the accused guilty for the offence punishable under Section 302 of the IPC, convicted and sentenced him to undergo imprisonment for life and to pay a fine of Rs.1,000/- with default sentence to undergo rigorous imprisonment for one month. The learned Special Judge found the accused not guilty for the offence punishable under Section 3(2)(v) of the SC/ST (POA) Act.
The prosecution case
3. The appellant, Karuppaswamy, is alleged to have committed the murder of his own brother-in-law namely, Sundaran, on 15.11.2000. The appellant, Karuppaswamy, belongs to Valayan community, which comes under OBC category. The deceased Sundaran, a tribal man, fell in love with the sister of the accu
The conviction must be based on a complete and reliable chain of circumstantial evidence, where extrajudicial confessions cannot solely establish guilt without corroboration.
In murder cases based on circumstantial evidence, each link must be established beyond reasonable doubt, with all evidence consistently pointing to the guilt of the accused.
Extrajudicial confessions, if voluntary and corroborated by circumstantial evidence, can support a conviction for murder.
Circumstantial evidence must form a complete chain pointing to guilt, and extrajudicial confessions require corroboration to be credible.
Circumstantial evidence must form a complete chain pointing to guilt, and extrajudicial confessions require corroboration to be reliable.
Circumstantial evidence must form a complete chain pointing to guilt, with the prosecution required to establish every link beyond reasonable doubt.
Circumstantial evidence must form a complete chain excluding reasonable doubt, and extra-judicial confessions require corroboration but can suffice for conviction if credible.
In circumstantial evidence cases, each link in the evidence chain must establish guilt beyond reasonable doubt, supported by all proving consistent guilt without alternative explanations.
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