In Brief
The appellant was convicted of murder (Section 302 IPC) for stabbing a deceased person multiple times in vital organs during a political altercation. The appellant challenged his conviction, arguing the incident arose from spontaneous scuffling without premeditation, and sought sentence reduction citing old age and health issues. The Supreme Court upheld the conviction and sentence of life imprisonment, finding the multiple stab wounds to the heart, lungs, and chest, proven by medical evidence and eyewitness testimony, demonstrated intention to cause fatal injuries. The Court rejected arguments of private defence (appellant was the aggressor), parity with co-accused (whose roles were materially different), and personal hardship, holding that the gravity of deliberately targeting vital organs in a group attack motivated by political rivalry necessitated the minimum sentence. The appeal was dismissed.
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