The Supreme Court of India has quashed the Punjab & Haryana High Court’s judgments dated October 1, 2024 and November 5, 2024, which had reversed the acquittal of several accused persons and convicted them under Section 302 read with 34 IPC for murder, sentencing them to life imprisonment.
A Bench of Justice B.R. Gavai and Justice K. Vinod Chandran noted that despite “strenuous efforts,” it was unable to comprehend the reasoning given in the High Court’s impugned judgments. The Court reiterated the settled principle that an acquittal by a trial court can only be interfered with if the findings are perverse or impossible, which was not evident from the High Court’s orders.
Observing that the judgments did not clarify what weighed with the Division Bench in overturning the trial court’s acquittal, the Supreme Court refrained from commenting on the merits of the matter. Instead, it allowed the appeals, set aside the impugned orders, and remitted the cases back to the High Court for fresh consideration in accordance with law.
The Court also clarified that all contentions remain open for both sides.
Appearances:
For Appellant(s) : Mr. Siddhartha Dave, Sr. Adv. Ms. Pallavi Sharma, AOR Ms. Tanisha Kaushal, Adv. Mr. Prabhat Kumar, Adv. Mr. Siddharth Dave, Sr. Adv. Ms. Renuka Sahu, AOR Ms. Pallavi Sharma, Adv
For Respondent(s) : Mr. Narendra Hooda, Sr. Adv. Mr. Shiv Bhatnagar, Adv. Mr. Nikhil Jain, AOR
Mr. Abhinav Bajaj, A.A.G. Mr. Samar Vijay Singh, AOR Mr. Saksham Ojha, Adv. Ms. Geetashi Chandna, Adv.
Ms. Sabarni Som, Adv. Mr. Aman Dev Sharma, Adv. Mr. Pushkar Sharma, Adv. Mr. Gaj Singh, Adv.
