In Brief
Eight accused were convicted of murder and rioting in connection with a shop dispute in Chhattisgarh. The Supreme Court set aside their convictions and acquitted them, holding that the eyewitnesses failed to identify the accused in open court by ascribing them specific roles in the crime. Although the witnesses testified about the incident, they did not positively point out which accused committed which act. Material omissions in their statements during cross-examination further undermined credibility. The Court held that without in-court identification of the accused, the prosecution cannot establish guilt beyond reasonable doubt, particularly where witnesses are related and interested parties.
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