In Brief
The Supreme Court dismissed appeals challenging the High Court's acquittal of two accused persons and conviction of two others under Section 304 Part I IPC (causing death by negligence) instead of Section 302 IPC (murder) in a murder case arising from a land dispute. The Court held that the prosecution's failure to investigate a counter-F.I.R. lodged by the accused and suppression of their hospital injury reports constituted intentional misdirection and withholding of material evidence, not mere defective investigation. Since material doubts remained unanswered by the prosecution, the accused were entitled to the benefit of doubt. The Court affirmed that fair criminal trials require impartial prosecution and fair investigation.
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