In Brief
The Supreme Court upheld the High Court's acquittal of three accused persons charged with murder, robbery, and dacoity offences. The prosecution relied on circumstantial evidence including last-seen witness accounts, recovery of stolen ornaments and weapons, and fingerprint evidence. The Court found the last-seen evidence unreliable as key details were absent from the first information report despite witnesses claiming they had informed the complainant. Confessional statements underlying the recovery of materials were found involuntary, rendering derivative evidence inadmissible under Article 20(3). The identification of ornaments lacked proper procedure, and fingerprint evidence was questionable due to procedural lapses and lack of independent sealing witnesses. The Court confirmed acquittal, upholding the principle that acquittals by the High Court should not be disturbed without compelling reasons.
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