In Brief
On 14 February 2009, multiple murders occurred in Gondadagi village. Four men were convicted of murder and sentenced to death. On appeal, the Supreme Court found that eyewitness identification of three accused was unreliable: there was unjustified delay in the identification parade, police had improperly influenced the witnesses beforehand, and recovery of stolen articles and weapons used by these three was not satisfactorily proved. The Court acquitted three accused. However, for the second accused (Palya), hospital identification from photographs, identification parade results, and court identification, combined with satisfactory proof of recovery of an axe, sufficiently proved guilt. The Court upheld the conviction but commuted the death sentence to life imprisonment, considering the circumstances and the acquittal of co-accused.
The lawyer headnote and full judgment text are available to registered users.