In Brief
The appellants, A2 and A4, were convicted of criminal conspiracy to abduct and murder the deceased under the Indian Penal Code on the basis of the prosecution's conspiracy theory. The sessions court and high court upheld the convictions. The Supreme Court allowed the appeals, finding that reasonable doubt existed as to the appellants' involvement. Critically, the alleged main conspirators (A1 and A7) had been acquitted, leaving no viable conspiracy theory. The court held that the testimonies of key prosecution witnesses contained significant flaws and inconsistencies. The Court emphasized that life and liberty cannot be trifled with, and convictions must rest on proof beyond reasonable doubt—a constitutional mandate under Articles 21 and 14. When faced with reasonable doubt, courts must favour the defence.
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