In Brief
A young woman, Pooja, died in 1995 in circumstances disputed between suicide and murder. The appellant claimed they had decided to marry after her parents opposed their relationship; both consumed poison, but he stopped and sought help when she deteriorated. She was later found hanging. The trial court convicted him of murder (Section 302) based on circumstantial evidence. The Supreme Court reversed the conviction, holding that the prosecution failed to prove guilt beyond reasonable doubt. The suicide note in her handwriting, the medical evidence lacking strangulation indicators, the appellant's conduct in seeking help, and critical forensic gaps (cable wire not fingerprinted) created reasonable doubt. The appellant was acquitted of murder but remained convicted under Section 309 (attempted suicide)."
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