In Brief
In this criminal appeal, the Supreme Court reversed a High Court judgment that had set aside an acquittal and remitted the case for retrial. The appellants had been acquitted by the trial court in a case involving charges under the Indian Penal Code and the Explosive Substances Act. The High Court found fault because important witnesses, including police officials, had not been examined. The Supreme Court held that setting aside an acquittal requires strong grounds and that remand orders should rarely be granted absent a mis-trial. The Court found the High Court had not identified material evidence to convict and had casually interfered with a well-reasoned acquittal. The appeals were allowed and the acquittal restored.
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