In Brief
A decapitated body was found in a tea estate in West Bengal on 2 February 2004. The appellant and two others were arrested. The trial court convicted all three for murder (Section 302) and concealment of evidence (Section 201). The High Court upheld the appellant's murder conviction but acquitted him of concealment and acquitted the other two accused entirely. The Supreme Court dismissed the appeal, holding that although certain recovery evidence was inadequately corroborated, the circumstantial evidence was sufficient: the appellant was last seen with the deceased, gave no explanation of events, and misled the deceased's family. This chain of circumstances, coupled with the appellant's burden to explain his whereabouts under the Evidence Act, proved guilt beyond reasonable doubt."
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