In Brief
On 2 April 1987, an armed attack occurred on an auto-rickshaw transporting police personnel and prisoners, resulting in injuries to two constables and two prisoners; one constable and one prisoner died. The State appealed the trial court's acquittal of accused Shailendra Singh Tomar, which the High Court affirmed. The Supreme Court dismissed the appeal, finding the prosecution case suffered from serious infirmities: key eyewitnesses turned hostile, the prisoner-witness had criminal background and inimical relations with the accused, and prosecution witness statements were contradictory. The Court held there was no basis to interfere with the acquittal.
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