In Brief
Ram Laxman and Sanju appealed their conviction for murder (IPC ss. 302, 148, 149) after the High Court convicted them while acquitting co-accused tried together on identical evidence. The sole eyewitness (Ganesh) was found highly unreliable—he had offered to change his statement for money and had not sustained injuries despite claiming presence. The Supreme Court held that co-accused entitled to parity cannot be distinguished when relying on the same discredited witness. Although one legal principle allows a witness's credible parts to be separated from false parts, this cannot justify conviction of some accused while acquitting others on identical charges. The Court set aside the conviction and acquitted the appellants."
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