In Brief
Kalaimani and four others were convicted of murdering Thoppaiah, who was coming to report at a police station as a bail condition. Three eyewitnesses—a traffic constable and two police officials stationed at the station—saw the five accused attack Thoppaiah with sharp weapons in broad daylight. Although two prosecution informants turned hostile, the court found the eyewitness evidence credible and unshaken by cross-examination. Medical evidence confirmed homicidal death from stab injuries. The High Court upheld the conviction, modifying it from Section 302 read with Section 149 to Section 302 read with Section 34. The Supreme Court dismissed the appeal, holding that the prosecution had sufficiently proved the murder charge.
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