In Brief
The Supreme Court set aside the High Court's conviction of two appellants for murdering a woman by setting her on fire, and upheld the trial court's acquittal. The victim died from 98% burn injuries and made dying declarations naming her husband and sister-in-law as the perpetrators. However, the Court found serious doubts about the reliability of these declarations because the victim was heavily sedated with painkillers before they were recorded. The fire occurred in the kitchen (not bedroom), and ornaments typically worn by married women were found near the victim's bedside, suggesting the defence version of suicide was plausible. Citing inadequate investigation and lack of corroborating evidence, the Court held the prosecution had failed to prove guilt beyond reasonable doubt."
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