In Brief
Charandas Swami and others appealed against their conviction for the murder of Gadadharanandji, Chairman of the Swami Narayan Temple Board. The deceased was killed and his burnt body found in Rajasthan. The appellants claimed weak circumstantial evidence and hostile witnesses undermined the case. The Supreme Court upheld the conviction, finding that the chain of circumstantial evidence—including the 'last seen' theory, disclosures by accused leading to body discovery, DNA identification, financial motive (fear of exposure and transfer), and conduct post-murder (burning vehicle)—conclusively proved guilt. The Court emphasized that circumstantial evidence need not be direct, and concurrent findings of two courts should not be overturned unless perverse. Appeals dismissed.
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