Supreme Court Acquits Murder Convict: “Extra-Judicial Confession Lacked Credibility, No Corroborative Forensic Evidence, and Contradictory Witness Testimonies Failed to Establish Guilt Beyond Reasonable Doubt”

Court’s Decision

The Supreme Court of India set aside the conviction and sentence of the appellant, ruling that the extra-judicial confession was unreliable, lacked corroboration, and suffered from material contradictions. The Court emphasized that “suspicion, however strong, cannot take the place of proof” and held that the prosecution failed to establish a complete chain of circumstances linking the appellant to the crime beyond a reasonable doubt. Consequently, the appellant was acquitted, and his immediate release was ordered unless he was required in another case.

Facts

• The appellant was in a live-in relationship with the deceased and resided with her in a chawl owned by PW-1.
• On the morning of the incident, the appellant told PW-1 that his “wife” had died and that he was going to inform her relatives.
• Before his return, PW-1 opened the locked house and found the deceased lying in a pool of blood with multiple injuries, broken bangles, and household items scattered around.
• When the appellant returned with the deceased’s relatives, he allegedly confessed to PW-1 and others that he had killed the deceased using a grinding stone and a wooden stick after an argument.
• The police were informed, and the appellant was arrested and charged under Section 302 IPC (murder).
• The Sessions Court convicted the appellant and sentenced him to life imprisonment, a decision later upheld by the High Court.

Issues Before the Court

1. Was the extra-judicial confession voluntary and reliable enough to sustain a conviction?
2. Did the prosecution successfully establish a complete chain of circumstances linking the appellant to the crime?
3. Did the absence of forensic evidence, such as blood stains on the accused’s clothes or proper recovery of the weapon, affect the reliability of the prosecution’s case?
4. Did material contradictions in witness testimonies affect the credibility of the prosecution’s case?

Petitioner’s Arguments

The appellant’s counsel challenged the validity of the extra-judicial confession and highlighted multiple flaws in the prosecution’s case:

• Unreliable Extra-Judicial Confession:
  • The confession was allegedly made when the appellant was in a confused state of mind, as admitted by PW-3.
  • The confession lacked any supporting evidence (such as forensic proof or recovery of murder weapons).
  • The witnesses’ statements contradicted their own testimonies, raising doubts about the authenticity of the confession.
• Absence of Corroborative Evidence:
  • No forensic evidence linked the appellant to the crime:
    • The appellant’s clothes had no blood stains.
    • The alleged murder weapons (grinding stone and stick) were never properly recovered or tested for blood stains.
  • No direct eyewitnesses to the crime.
  • The FIR was lodged after a delay, raising doubts about its credibility.
• Material Contradictions in Witness Statements:
  • PW-3 (deceased’s brother) initially stated that the appellant had confessed to him, but his statement to the police under Section 161 Cr.P.C. omitted this crucial detail.
  • PW-6 also admitted that his statement recorded by the police did not match his testimony in court.
  • The unnatural reaction of PW-3 (deceased’s brother)—he did not react strongly when he heard the alleged confession, which was not the expected behavior of a brother who just learned of his sister’s murder.
• Failure of the Prosecution to Prove Guilt Beyond a Reasonable Doubt:
  • The case was entirely based on circumstantial evidence, and the prosecution failed to prove a complete chain of events leading to the appellant’s guilt.
  • The appellant was entitled to the benefit of the doubt as the prosecution’s case was full of inconsistencies.

Respondent’s Arguments

• The extra-judicial confession was voluntarily made before multiple witnesses (PW-1, PW-3, PW-4, and PW-6).
• The scene of the crime (blood-stained surroundings, broken bangles) corroborated the theory of murder, and the appellant was the only one present with the deceased.
• The Sessions Court and High Court correctly convicted the appellant, as there was no reason to disbelieve the witnesses’ testimonies.
• The defense failed to provide an alternative explanation for how the deceased died.

Analysis of the Law

Evidentiary Value of Extra-Judicial Confessions

The Court examined whether an extra-judicial confession alone could be sufficient for conviction. It relied on the following principles:

• Extra-judicial confession is a weak form of evidence and must be corroborated by independent circumstances (State of Rajasthan v. Raja Ram, 2003).
• If an extra-judicial confession is not made voluntarily or in a fit state of mind, it cannot be used as evidence (Sansar Chand v. State of Rajasthan, 2010).
• Contradictions between witness statements and court testimonies make such confessions unreliable (Sahadevan v. State of Tamil Nadu, 2012).
• Material omissions in Section 161 Cr.P.C. statements amount to contradictions, affecting witness credibility (Alauddin v. State of Assam, 2024).

Burden of Proof in Circumstantial Evidence Cases

• The prosecution must establish a complete chain of events pointing to the accused’s guilt.
• If the evidence is capable of two interpretations, the benefit of the doubt must go to the accused.

Precedent Analysis

1. State of Rajasthan v. Raja Ram (2003) – Extra-judicial confessions must be voluntary and credible.
2. Sansar Chand v. State of Rajasthan (2010) – Extra-judicial confessions should be corroborated.
3. Sahadevan v. State of Tamil Nadu (2012) – Extra-judicial confessions alone are not enough for conviction unless supported by other evidence.
4. Alauddin v. State of Assam (2024) – Material omissions in witness statements affect their credibility.

Court’s Reasoning

• Confession was Unreliable:
  • PW-3 (deceased’s brother) admitted that the appellant was in a confused state of mind, making the confession unreliable.
  • Witness statements contradicted their police statements, weakening their credibility.
• No Forensic Evidence:
  • The appellant’s clothes had no blood stains.
  • The alleged murder weapons were not proven to have been used in the crime.
• Unnatural Conduct of Witnesses:
  • PW-3’s reaction to hearing about his sister’s murder was abnormally calm, raising doubts about his testimony.
• Suspicion Cannot Replace Proof:
  • The Court reiterated that suspicion, however strong, cannot take the place of proof.

Conclusion

The Supreme Court found serious inconsistencies in the prosecution’s case, holding that:

• The extra-judicial confession was not credible.
• The case relied on weak circumstantial evidence, failing to establish guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
• The appellant was entitled to the benefit of the doubt.
• The conviction was set aside, and the appellant was ordered to be released immediately.

Implications

1. Strengthens the Requirement for Corroboration in Extra-Judicial Confessions.
2. Forensic Evidence Will Be Given More Importance in Future Cases.
3. Encourages Defense Lawyers to Challenge Weak Circumstantial Cases.
4. Reaffirms That Suspicion Alone Cannot Lead to Conviction.

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