In Brief
In this murder case, the Supreme Court upheld the convictions of three appellants for murder and rioting under the Indian Penal Code. The victim, a Shivsena newspaper editor, was killed in his home by assailants with a knife following communal tensions over his brother's inter-community marriage. The sole eyewitness—the victim's widow—credibly identified five assailants, though two were acquitted at trial and appeal. The Court held that while fewer than five persons were convicted, the presence of five or more could be established even if not all were identified. The homicidal death and the common intent to commit murder were proved beyond reasonable doubt through eyewitness testimony and weapon recovery, justifying conviction despite technical gaps in the unlawful assembly requirements."
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