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Supreme Court of India 2021-07-01 allowed

R. Natarajan & Anr vs State of Tamil Nadu

Bench: 2 — <UNKNOWN>, <UNKNOWN>

In Brief

Two elderly parents-in-law (aged 77 and 69) were convicted under Section 498A IPC for abetting cruelty to their daughter-in-law. The Supreme Court allowed their appeal, setting aside the conviction. The Court held that the allegations against them were generalized in nature without direct evidence. The Trial Court itself had used the word 'probably' regarding their conduct, indicating insufficient certainty. The High Court had failed to examine the evidence or reasoning for conviction. The Court ruled that conviction cannot rest on mere probability in the absence of concrete evidence, and the benefit of doubt must be given to the appellants.

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