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Issues Involved: Appeal against judgment and order of acquittal, condonation of delay in filing appeal, conviction under sections 302 and 326 of the Indian Penal Code, examination of evidence, interference with order of acquittal.
The Supreme Court heard an appeal against the High Court of Gujarat's decision to set aside the judgment and order of acquittal by the trial court and convict the appellants for offenses u/s 302 read with s. 34, Indian Penal Code, and u/s 326 read with s. 34 of the Code. The case involved the murder of Manilal and injuries caused to Parmabhai, Bhulabhai, and Natwarlal by the appellants Ajit Singh, Balwant Singh, and Mohan Singh. The prosecution alleged that the incident occurred when Manilal refused to pay rent immediately, leading to a confrontation where the accused inflicted injuries on the victims. The trial court initially acquitted the accused, but the State filed an appeal in the High Court, resulting in the conviction of Ajit Singh and Balwant Singh while Mohan Singh's acquittal was upheld. The appellants contended that the High Court erred in condoning the delay in filing the appeal, arguing that the appeal should have been dismissed as barred by limitation. The Supreme Court examined the circumstances and found that the State Government initially decided against filing an appeal, allowing the limitation period to lapse. Subsequently, the appeal was filed after the High Court's observations, three months after the expiration of the limitation period. The Court held that there was no sufficient cause for the delay as required by law and criticized the High Court's decision to condone the delay. Moreover, the Supreme Court analyzed the merits of the appeal before the High Court and found no justification for overturning the trial court's acquittal order. The trial court had meticulously evaluated the evidence, highlighting inconsistencies and contradictions in the prosecution's case. It noted that the witnesses were related or from the same community, lacked independence, and had a history of hostility towards the accused. The trial court's reasoning for acquittal was deemed reasonable, emphasizing the importance of the presumption of innocence and the benefit of doubt to the accused. The Supreme Court emphasized the need for caution in disturbing acquittal orders and criticized the High Court for overlooking established legal principles in interfering with the trial court's judgment. In conclusion, the Supreme Court allowed the appeal, set aside the High Court's judgment, and restored the trial court's acquittal order based on the lack of merit in the appeal before the High Court and the trial court's thorough analysis of the evidence. The Court emphasized the importance of respecting the trial court's findings and the principles governing appeals against acquittals.
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