Supreme Court Overturns High Court Acquittal in Murder Case

The Supreme Court of India has delivered a crucial judgment in the case of Indrajeet Yadav vs. Santosh Singh & Anr. and Indrajeet Yadav vs. Avdhesh Singh @ Chhunnu Singh & Anr. The case primarily revolves around the decision of the High Court of Allahabad, which acquitted the accused persons previously convicted for murder under Section 302 read with Section 34 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). The Supreme Court found the High Court’s approach flawed and has remanded the case for a fresh hearing.

Background of the Case

In this case, the High Court had acquitted the accused on 30.03.2019 but failed to provide a reasoned judgment immediately. Instead, the High Court pronounced its detailed judgment approximately five months later. The complainant, dissatisfied with the High Court’s handling of the case, approached the Supreme Court.

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Supreme Court’s Observations

The Supreme Court, presided over by M. R. Shah and B.V. Nagarathna, emphasized the importance of delivering a reasoned judgment promptly. The Court cited its earlier rulings in Balaji Baliram Mupade & Anr. vs. The State of Maharashtra and Anil Rai vs. State of Bihar, reiterating that pronouncing only the operative part of the order without immediate reasons violates judicial discipline.

The Supreme Court found the High Court’s conduct to be inconsistent with established judicial principles. It noted that such practices deprive the aggrieved party of an opportunity to seek further legal redress promptly.

Key Arguments by the Petitioner

• The High Court failed to provide a reasoned judgment immediately after acquitting the accused.
• Such a delay deprived the prosecution and the complainant of an opportunity to challenge the decision promptly.
• The practice of pronouncing a verdict without reasons has been condemned by the Supreme Court in previous judgments.

Supreme Court’s Verdict

Considering the serious procedural irregularity, the Supreme Court set aside the High Court’s judgment and remanded the case for fresh consideration. The Supreme Court directed the High Court to conclude the rehearing within six months.

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Significance of the Judgment

This ruling underscores the importance of prompt and reasoned judgments, particularly in criminal cases where the rights of both the accused and the complainant are at stake. The Supreme Court has once again reinforced that judicial discipline necessitates the simultaneous pronouncement of orders and reasons to ensure transparency and accountability.

Petitioner Name: Indrajeet Yadav.
Respondent Name: Santosh Singh & Anr., Avdhesh Singh @ Chhunnu Singh & Anr..
Judgment By: Justice M. R. Shah, Justice B.V. Nagarathna.
Place Of Incident: Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh.
Judgment Date: 19-04-2022.

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