Supreme Court Acquits Man Convicted for Murder Due to Unreliable Evidence

The case of Kumar v. State Represented by Inspector of Police revolves around a conviction for murder and voluntarily causing hurt under Sections 302 and 324 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). The Supreme Court, after scrutinizing the evidence, found inconsistencies in the prosecution’s case and ruled in favor of the accused, acquitting him of all charges.

Background of the Case

The prosecution alleged that the accused, Kumar, had an earlier altercation with the deceased, Sakthivel, during a village festival. On August 20, 2009, at around 6:00 PM, the accused reportedly arrived at an idli stall where the victim and other villagers were present. A quarrel ensued, and the accused allegedly picked up a wooden log and assaulted Arumugham (PW-2), who attempted to intervene. Subsequently, the deceased, Sakthivel, got involved, and the accused allegedly pushed him into a water canal before striking him on the head with a wooden log.

Sakthivel succumbed to his injuries before reaching the hospital.

Legal Proceedings

The case proceeded as follows:

• FIR registered against Kumar under Sections 302 and 324 IPC.
• Trial Court: Found the accused guilty and sentenced him to life imprisonment for murder and one year for voluntarily causing hurt.
• High Court: Upheld the conviction.
• Supreme Court: Reversed the lower court rulings and acquitted the accused.

Arguments by the Petitioner (Accused)

The accused, through his counsel, argued that:

• The entire prosecution case was fabricated to falsely implicate him.
• The prosecution failed to explain the injuries sustained by the accused.
• The alleged motive—an altercation during a village festival—was insufficient to establish an intention to kill.
• There was a significant delay in filing the FIR, which pointed to a manipulation of facts by the police.
• The trial court wrongly relied on inconsistent and biased witness testimonies.

Arguments by the Respondent (Prosecution)

The prosecution contended that:

• The accused was the primary aggressor and had a long-standing grudge against the deceased.
• Eyewitness testimonies, particularly from PW-1 (Rajendran), PW-2 (Arumugham), and PW-3 (Subramanian), corroborated the sequence of events.
• The wooden log used in the assault was recovered from the crime scene.
• The medical report confirmed that the injuries on the deceased’s head were sufficient to cause death.

Supreme Court’s Observations

The Supreme Court analyzed the evidence and found several inconsistencies in the prosecution’s case:

1. Failure to Explain Injuries on the Accused

The Court emphasized:

“Where the prosecution fails to explain the injuries on the accused, two results follow: (1) that the evidence of the prosecution witnesses is untrue; and (2) that the injuries probabilize the plea taken by the accused.”

The accused had suffered injuries, but the prosecution did not provide a satisfactory explanation for them.

2. Fabricated Motive

The alleged motive—a prior quarrel at a festival—was deemed insufficient to prove an intent to murder. The Court noted:

“Had the accused harbored such a strong intent to kill, the assault would have been more brutal and not limited to a single blow.”

3. Eyewitness Testimonies Were Unreliable

The Supreme Court found inconsistencies in witness statements:

• PWs 1, 2, and 3 gave contradictory versions of the incident.
• PW-2 admitted in cross-examination that the deceased had also assaulted the accused.
• PW-4 (idli stall owner) did not support the prosecution’s case.

The Court concluded that the prosecution’s witnesses were unreliable and possibly coached.

4. Delay in FIR and Procedural Lapses

The FIR was registered hours after the incident, and crucial procedural lapses were noted:

• The investigating officer did not document the accused’s injuries.
• There was no independent verification of the alleged motive.
• The police had allegedly detained key witnesses before recording their statements.

5. Police Mishandling of Investigation

The Supreme Court rebuked the police for botching the investigation:

“The investigative authorities have a responsibility to conduct inquiries in a fair manner. The suppression of evidence and procedural irregularities in this case are unacceptable.”

Final Judgment

The Supreme Court held that the prosecution failed to prove its case beyond a reasonable doubt. The accused was granted the benefit of doubt, and the Court acquitted him of all charges.

“Taking stock of the circumstances and depositions of witnesses, it would be difficult to hold that the prosecution has proved its case beyond reasonable doubt. The benefit of doubt must go to the accused.”

Conclusion

This judgment highlights the importance of credible evidence and fair investigation in criminal trials. The Supreme Court reaffirmed that in the absence of a reliable prosecution case, the accused is entitled to an acquittal. The ruling serves as a reminder to law enforcement agencies to maintain the highest standards of investigation to ensure justice.

Petitioner Name: Kumar.
Respondent Name: State Represented by Inspector of Police.
Judgment By: Justice N.V. Ramana, Justice S. Abdul Nazeer.
Place Of Incident: Pudukottai, Tamil Nadu.
Judgment Date: 11-05-2018.

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