In Brief
The Supreme Court acquitted the appellants (accused nos. 2–5) of murder charges under Section 302 r/w Section 149 IPC. They were convicted by the trial court and High Court solely on the deposition of a single eyewitness (the victim's mother), but the Supreme Court found her evidence unreliable: it contained material contradictions and improvements, the crime occurred in darkness at 4–5 a.m. yet identification was claimed by torchlight (never recovered), and no independent witness corroborated the prosecution's case. The Court held that while sole-witness convictions are permissible, they must be credible and consistent. Given the flaws in evidence and prior enmity between parties, the Court gave the accused the benefit of doubt and allowed the appeal.
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