This criminal appeal arose from a challenge against the High Court’s order, which had remanded a decades-old murder case back to the Trial Court for a fresh review of evidence following a criminal revision application filed by the victim’s brother against an initial order of acquittal. The incident dated back to February 14, 1988, involving the alleged murder of one Qavi. Upon a thorough re-appreciation of the evidence, the Supreme Court found that the prosecution failed to establish a credible chain of circumstances: the eyewitnesses were untrustworthy chance witnesses, the dying declarations lacked consistency and medical backing, the scene of occurrence was suspicious, and weapon recoveries alone could not sustain a conviction. Emphasizing that an acquittal reinforces the presumption of innocence and that plausible views taken by trial courts should not be lightly disturbed, the Supreme Court allowed the appeal, set aside the High Court’s remand order, and restored the Trial Court’s judgment of acquittal.
- Procedural and Legal Context: The Court noted that under the 2009 amendment to Section 372 of the Cr.P.C., victims possess a direct statutory right of appeal against acquittals without needing special leave. Although revisions cannot ordinarily be entertained where an appeal lies, courts retain inherent powers to treat a revision as an appeal. However, given that the incident occurred in 1988, the Supreme Court opted to directly re-appreciate the evidence rather than prolong proceedings.
- Unreliable Eyewitness Testimony: The prosecution’s key eyewitnesses (PW3, PW4, and PW8) were classified as “chance witnesses” whose presence was doubtful. They failed to take the injured victim to the hospital or promptly inform the police station located merely minutes away, and their testimonies contained material contradictions.
- Dying Declarations and Medical Contradictions: The alleged dying declarations made to family members and doctors suffered from severe infirmities. While a later-attending surgeon (PW11) claimed the victim was conscious, the doctor who initially admitted the victim (PW1) explicitly testified that the injured was brought alone by an auto-driver, remained unconscious throughout, and never regained consciousness. Furthermore, the severity of the internal chest and heart injuries rendered a clear, coherent dying declaration highly improbable.
- Inconclusive Material Evidence: The motive presented by the prosecution was unconvincing, and the recovery of a weapon under Section 27 of the Indian Evidence Act bearing human blood did not directly link the accused to the crime in the absence of a complete chain of corroborating evidence.
- Final Verdict: The Supreme Court concluded that the trial court’s acquittal was based on a plausible view of the evidence. The appeal was allowed, the High Court’s order was set aside, and the accused were acquitted, with directions for their immediate release if not required in any other case.
2026 INSC 754
Khalil Pasha & Ors. v. Abdul Rasheed & Anr.(D.O.J. 28.07.2026)
