In Brief
Anjan Kumar Sarma and others were convicted by the High Court of murder (Section 302) and destruction of evidence (Section 201), reversing their acquittal by the Trial Court. The High Court relied solely on the 'last seen together' theory—the accused were seen with the deceased on 27 December 1992 until 9:00 PM, and her body was found on a railway track on 29 December 1992. The Supreme Court held that the 'last seen together' circumstance, without other corroborating evidence, cannot sustain a conviction. The prosecution had failed to prove critical circumstances: the weapon of assault, forensic evidence linking the accused to the crime, and the timing of death. The Court observed that mere absence of explanation cannot shift the burden of proof from the prosecution. The conviction was set aside and the appellants were acquitted.
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