In Brief
Four police officials were convicted of murdering a person named Radhey Shyam Darji during custodial interrogation. The Supreme Court allowed their appeal and acquitted them. The Court found that the prosecution had failed to establish the identity of the alleged victim beyond reasonable doubt. Documentary evidence showed that the person arrested from Shahajahanpur was named Radhey Shyam Chamar, while the prosecution alleged the deceased was Radhey Shyam Darji—two different identities. The Court held that the prosecution must prove its case on its own merits and cannot rely on Section 106 of the Indian Evidence Act to shift the burden to the accused when such a fundamental element is unproven.
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