In Brief
A woman with 100% burn injuries gave a dying declaration naming her husband and in-laws for setting her on fire following years of dowry harassment. The trial court acquitted the accused, rejecting the dying declaration citing the severity of injuries and alibi testimony from her brother. The High Court reversed the acquittal, noting the medical certification of the victim's mental fitness and the trial court's legally unsustainable approach. The Supreme Court dismissed the appeal, holding that a dying declaration can form sole conviction basis if made voluntarily by a mentally fit declarant, regardless of injury extent. The extent of burns alone does not negate medical evidence of fitness. The brother's testimony was discredited as false since hospital records showed the accused brought the victim there. The judgment also addressed the sociological problem of witness hostility due to 'culture of compromise' in criminal trials.
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