In Brief
Kanakarajan was convicted by the trial court and the High Court upheld his conviction for murder under sections 302, 347-149 IPC in connection with a temple incident in March 2000. The Supreme Court allowed his appeal, finding that the prosecution case was plagued with critical defects: the main eyewitness (PW2) was disbelieved by the High Court itself but his evidence was still used to convict; other eyewitnesses turned hostile; credible independent witnesses were not examined despite their availability; police personnel allegedly present at the scene were not examined; and the death of the alleged prime accused remained uninvestigated under suspicious circumstances. The Court held that the cumulative infirmities in the prosecution case necessitated acquittal and benefit of reasonable doubt to the appellant.
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