In Brief
The appellant was convicted of murder under Section 302 IPC for allegedly poisoning milk with organophosphorus that killed the deceased. The Supreme Court reversed the conviction, holding that the prosecution failed to establish guilt beyond reasonable doubt. While circumstantial evidence was presented, the chain of evidence had critical weaknesses: the motive (disputed loan) was contested, the 24-hour gap before evidence collection created opportunity for tampering, there was no proof of the appellant's possession of poison, and chemical examination samples were received unsealed with concerning cuttings and overwriting. Crucially, autopsy findings showed no symptoms of poisoning (no discoloration, odour, or organ damage), contradicting the poisoning theory. The appellant was acquitted, entitled to the benefit of doubt."
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