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Issues involved: Appeal against acquittal u/s 302 IPC for murder of newly married wife.
Summary: 1. The appeal was against the acquittal of the respondent for the murder of his newly married wife. The prosecution case was based on circumstantial evidence, with motive playing a crucial role. However, both the trial Court and the High Court found insufficient motive for the murder. The Supreme Court, after reviewing the evidence, concluded that the prosecution failed to exclude every other reasonable hypothesis of guilt and the circumstances were not wholly inconsistent with the innocence of the accused, as held by the High Court. 2. The respondent claimed that the deceased died of epilepsy, while prosecution witnesses argued against it. The defense presented medical experts supporting the epilepsy theory. The High Court, after thorough examination of the evidence and medical opinions, held that the possibility of epilepsy could not be ruled out. As the evidence on both sides was balanced, the benefit of doubt was given to the accused, leading to the acquittal upheld by the Supreme Court. 3. The defense argued that the theory of epilepsy was a myth, citing the respondent's statement about seeing the deceased trembling before her death. However, the Court reasoned that this observation might have been incorrect, and the attempts to revive the deceased could have been futile. The prosecution's reliance on weak motives and lack of conclusive evidence led the Court to uphold the acquittal, as there was no strong reason for the respondent to murder his wife. 4. After thorough consideration, the Supreme Court affirmed the High Court's decision, stating that while suspicion existed against the respondent, it could not replace concrete proof. The appeal was dismissed, and the respondent was discharged of his bail bonds.
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