Eyewitness Testimony and Recovered Weapon Tie Accused to Murder: P&H High Court Overturned Acquittal After 22 Years

Punjab and Haryana High Court overturned the acquittal of several accused in a 1998 murder case, convicting them based on strong evidence, including an eyewitness account and the recovery of a weapon following the accused’s disclosure. The court found the trial court had erred in accepting the defense’s alibi evidence, which was based on unverified and inadmissible documents.

The case stemmed from the murder of Mahender Singh, who was shot multiple times in broad daylight. The prosecution argued that the crime was motivated by an election rivalry. Despite the trial court acquitting the accused in 2002, the State of Haryana appealed, challenging the decision. The High Court carefully analyzed the disclosure statements and corroborative evidence, which pointed to the accused’s involvement in the murder.

Weakness of Defense’s Alibi: The defense argued that the accused were not at the crime scene, relying on military records and letters from the time of the incident. However, the court found that these documents were unverified, and the authors of the records did not testify in court​.

Eyewitness Testimony and Disclosure Evidence: The court gave significant weight to the testimony of Ramesh Kumar, who witnessed the crime. His account, corroborated by the recovery of a country-made pistol based on the accused’s disclosure, provided a clear link between the accused and the crime​​.

Inadmissibility of Key Defense Evidence: The court criticized the trial court for relying on photocopies of documents without the original records or the presence of witnesses to authenticate them. The defense failed to meet the burden of proof for the alibi​.

The Punjab and Haryana High Court convicted the accused, setting aside the trial court’s acquittal. The court emphasized the importance of credible evidence, including reliable witness testimony and legally admissible documents, in determining guilt.

This ruling underscores the importance of robust evidence and the court's duty to carefully weigh disclosure statements, witness accounts, and recovered materials when deciding criminal cases. The court’s reversal of the acquittal after more than two decades highlights the enduring need for justice in murder cases.

Date of Decision: October 1, 2024

State of Haryana v. Suresh Kumar & Ors.​.