In Brief
Kishan Singh was convicted of murdering Govind Singh when an axe fell on the deceased during a quarrel at the appellant's house. Though both men were drunk and the appellant was attempting to attack his own wife (not the deceased), the deceased intervened and was fatally struck. While the trial court convicted Singh under Section 302 IPC, the High Court modified the conviction to Section 304 Part-I IPC (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) due to lack of premeditation. The Supreme Court upheld this modification and reduced the life sentence to 10 years, finding the prosecution case established by extra-judicial confession despite hostile witness testimony."
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