In Brief
In this criminal appeal, the Supreme Court reversed the conviction of Suryavir and his co-accused Devender for murder and other offences. The Court found that the prosecution failed to prove guilt beyond reasonable doubt. The eyewitnesses came to know the accused's identity only through rumours—a source that was never disclosed or substantiated. No test identification parade was conducted, and court identification alone could not establish the accused's identity. Recovery of weapons, without substantive evidence linking the accused to the crime, was insufficient. The Court also extended acquittal benefits to the co-accused, whose earlier petition had been dismissed, applying principles of constitutional justice and parity of reasoning.
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