In Brief
In this murder case, the Supreme Court upheld the conviction of multiple accused for the murder of Santhakumar despite their arguments that the crime was a continuation of an earlier abduction. The Court held that the murder constituted a separate, distinct offence justifying a separate FIR. The prosecution's circumstantial case—based on the motive (Accused No. 1 wanted to marry the victim's widow), last-seen evidence (the deceased was last seen with the accused), recovery of the body on the accused's confession, and identification through clothing, personal belongings, and a superimposition test—was deemed conclusive and reliable. The Court rejected the contention that DNA testing was mandatory, finding the corroborative evidence sufficiently cogent.
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