In Brief
A farmer was convicted of murdering a woman and attempting to injure two others with a firearm during a dispute over land access. The Supreme Court set aside the conviction, finding that the shooting occurred in darkness with no evidence of adequate light to identify the shooter. The court found contradictions in witness testimony about who fired the shots and noted the post-mortem certificate did not clearly specify whether a rifle or gun caused the fatal injuries. Additionally, the panch witnesses to weapon recovery turned hostile. Lacking proof beyond reasonable doubt, the Court granted the appellant the benefit of doubt and ordered his release."
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