The Uttarakhand High Court acquitted two persons who were sentenced to death by a lower court in connection with the murder of a woman during a robbery at her house, saying that “vague estimates” and “definite conclusions” must be distinguished during a trial.
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NANITAL: The Uttarakhand High Court acquitted two individuals, who were previously sentenced to death by a lower court, in connection with the murder of a woman during a robbery at her residence.
The acquittal, pronounced on Tuesday by a division bench headed by Chief Justice Ritu Bahri and Justice Alok Kumar Verma, emphasized the need to distinguish between “vague estimates” and “definite conclusions” in a trial.
Admonishing the lower court’s handling of the case, the High Court stated that suspicion, regardless of its intensity, cannot substitute for concrete proof.
“Suspicion, however strong it might be, can never take the place of proof. It is the duty of the court to ensure that mere conjecture or suspicion does not take the place of legal proof before convicting an accused,”
-the court asserted.
The bench acquitted Satyesh Kumar alias Sonu and Mukesh Thapliyal of the charges of robbery and murder, ordering their immediate release. The judges highlighted that the witness statements in the case raised significant doubts.
They further stressed the importance of maintaining a clear distinction between “could be” and “should be” when reaching conclusions in criminal cases.
The case stemmed from an FIR filed by the victim’s son in June 2017, which alleged that Kumar and Thapliyal robbed the house of Sarojini Devi, a resident of Liswalata Patti Kot Bangar village in Rudraprayag district, murdered her, and concealed her body behind the house.
Despite the absence of eyewitnesses, some of the stolen jewelry and money were recovered from the accused.
The High Court’s decision underscores the principle that mere suspicion cannot replace the necessity for unequivocal proof in securing a conviction, reinforcing the judiciary’s role in upholding the integrity of legal proceedings.
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