Murder : Recovery of blood-stained chunni from house of accused found to be unreliable and insignificant

Supreme Court Upholds Acquittal in High-Profile Murder Case. Lack of evidence and inconsistencies lead to affirmation of Rajasthan High Court's decision

In a significant judgment delivered on September 26, 2025, the Supreme Court of India upheld the acquittal of Bhanwar Singh and other accused in a high-profile murder case, affirming the Rajasthan High Court's decision from December 2011. The Supreme Court's verdict, delivered by Justices Sandeep Mehta and Joymalya Bagchi, emphasized the lack of evidence and inconsistencies that plagued the prosecution's case.

The case revolved around the mysterious disappearance and subsequent murder of Suresh Sharma in January 2006. Initially, the trial court had convicted the accused based on conjecture, unproven motives, and unreliable evidence. However, the Rajasthan High Court overturned this conviction, citing insufficient evidence and granting the accused the benefit of doubt. The Supreme Court's affirmation of this acquittal has now cemented this decision.

Key to the Supreme Court's judgment was the lack of credible evidence linking the accused to the murder. The court found that the prosecution's reliance on recovery evidence was flawed, as the blood-stained "chunni" found at Hemlata's residence was deemed unreliable due to the absence of forensic linkage to the crime. Furthermore, the prosecution's attempt to establish motive and conspiracy through call detail records was dismissed due to the failure to produce a certificate under Section 65-B of the Indian Evidence Act, rendering the electronic evidence inadmissible.

The judgment also highlighted the principles governing interference in acquittal cases, noting that the appellate court must find patent perversity or misreading of evidence to overturn an acquittal. In this case, the Supreme Court found the High Court's judgment free from such infirmities, leading to the dismissal of the State of Rajasthan's appeal.

The decision underscores the importance of meeting the evidentiary standards required to establish guilt beyond reasonable doubt and serves as a reminder of the judiciary's role in safeguarding the rights of the accused against unsubstantiated allegations.

Bottom Line:

Acquittal upheld by the Supreme Court based on lack of evidence, inconsistencies, and failure to meet the evidentiary standards required to establish guilt beyond reasonable doubt.

Statutory provision(s): Indian Penal Code, 1860 Sections 302, 120-B, 143, 201; Indian Evidence Act, 1872 Sections 27, 65-B; Criminal Procedure Code, 1973 Section 374(2)

State of Rajasthan v. Bhanwar Singh, (SC) : Law Finder Doc id # 2784430