In Brief
In this murder case arising from a 1980 incident in Bihar, three appellants challenged their conviction for killing Raj Keshwar Singh. The main issues were whether eyewitnesses who were the deceased's relatives should be trusted, whether one accused was properly identified, and whether the inquest report's mention of a bullet injury contradicted post mortem findings. The Supreme Court held that close relatives cannot be deemed 'interested witnesses' merely by kinship; their testimony must be carefully scrutinized but if found trustworthy can sustain conviction. The absence of one accused from a witness's account did not disprove participation. The inquest officer's preliminary opinion about a bullet was explained by visible skull fractures; post mortem findings of blunt-force injuries did not undermine the prosecution. The prompt recording of all details within thirty minutes of the crime supported the reliability of the identification. The appeal was dismissed.
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