Md Sabdul Ali vs The State Of Assam And 17 Ors on 29 April, 2026

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    Gauhati High Court

    Md Sabdul Ali vs The State Of Assam And 17 Ors on 29 April, 2026

    Author: S.K. Medhi

    Bench: Sanjay Kumar Medhi

                                                                       Page No.# 1/18
    
    GAHC010001452017
    
    
    
    
                                                                 2026:GAU-AS:5972
    
                           THE GAUHATI HIGH COURT
      (HIGH COURT OF ASSAM, NAGALAND, MIZORAM AND ARUNACHAL PRADESH)
    
                             Case No. : Crl.A./103/2020
    
             MD SABDUL ALI
             S/O LATE ABIR HUSSAIN,
             R/O- VILLAGE DAITALBORI, P.O.-DAITALBORI, P.S.- LAHORIGHAT, DIST-
             MORIGAON, ASSAM.
    
    
             VERSUS
    
             THE STATE OF ASSAM and 17 ORS
             REPRESENTED BY PP, ASSAM.
    
             2:MD. SHABBIR AHMED ANSARI
              S/O- TALEB ANSARI
              R/O- DAITALBORI
              P.O.- DAITALBORI
              DISTRICT- MORIGAON
             ASSAM
              PIN- 782126.
    
             3:MD. TAMIZUDDIN AHMED
              S/O- LATE ALI HUSSAIN
              R/O- DAITALBORI
              P.O.- DAITALBORI
              DISTRICT- MORIGAON
             ASSAM
              PIN- 782126.
    
             4:MD. NURUL HAQUE
              S/O- LATE ABDUL BARIK
              R/O- KALIKAJARI
              P.O- NAGABANDHA
              P.S.- MIKIRBHETA
              DIST- MORIGAON
             ASSAM, PIN-782106.
                                             Page No.# 2/18
    
    
    5:MD. MUSTAK AHMED
     S/O- ABDUL MOZID
     R/O- VILLAGE MOROIMARI
     P.O- GOROIMARI
     P.S.- LAHORIGHAT
     DIST- MORIGAON
    ASSAM
     PIN-782104.
    
    6:MD. SURHAB ALI
     S/O- LATE HASMAT ALI
     R/O- VILLAGE LAHARIPAM
     P.O.- GOROIMARI
     P.S.- LAHARIGHAT
     DIST- NAGAON
    ASSAM
     PIN- 782104.
    
    7:MD. MARFAT ALI @ MARFAT MANDAL
     S/O- LATE SABED ALI
     R/O- VILLAGE KACHARIBARI
     P.S.- LAHARIGHAT
     DIST- MORIGAON
    ASSAM
     PIN- 782127.
    
    8:MD. ABDUL MATLEB
     S/O- LATE AFAZUDDIN
     R/O- VILLAGE GOROIMARI
     P.O- GOROIMARI
     P.S.- LAHARIGHAT
     DIST- MORIGAON
    ASSAM
     PIN- 782104.
    
    9:MD. JALALUDDIN
     S/O- LATE MAHAMMAD ALIM UDDIN
     R/O- VILLAGE KALIKAJARI
     P.O.- NAGABANDHA
     P.S.- LAHARIGHAT
     DIST- MORIGAON
    ASSAM. PIN-782106.
    
    10:MD. NAJIBUR RAHMAN ALIAS MD. NASIR
     S/O- MOKBUL HUSSAIN
     R/O- VILLAGE GOROIMARI
     P.O.- NAGABANDHA
                                          Page No.# 3/18
    
    P.S.- LAHARIGHAT
    DIST- MORIGAON
    ASSAM
    PIN- 782104.
    
    11:MD. AINUL HOQUE
     S/O- LATE SAMAR ALI
     R/O- VILLAGE KALIKAJARI
     P.O.- NAGABANDHA
     P.S.- LAHARIGHAT
     DIST- MORIGAON
    ASSAM.PIN- 782106.
    
    12:MD. NAJRUL HAQUE ALIAS MD. NAZU
     S/O- LATE JUBED ALI
     R/O- VILLAGE LAHARIPAM
     P.O.- GOROIMARI
     P.S.- LAHARIGHAT
     DIST- NAGAON
    ASSAM
     PIN- 782104.
    
    13:MD. MUSTAQ AHMED
     S/O- LATE MOULABI MUBARAK ALI
     R/O- VILLAGE GOROIMARI
     P.O.- NAGABANDHA
     P.S.- LAHARIGHAT
     DIST- MORIGAON
    ASSAM. PIN- 782104.
    
    14:MD. NUR HUSSAIN
     S/O- LATE ABDUL JABBAR
     R/O- VILLAGE GOROIMARI
     P.O.- NAGABANDHA
     P.S.- LAHARIGHAT
     DISTRICT- MORIGAON
     PIN-782104.
    
    15:MD. MAINUL HAQUE
     S/O- LATE SAMAR ALI
     R/O- VILLAGE KALIKAJARI
     P.O.- NAGABANDHA
     P.S.- MIKIRBHETA
     DIST- MORIGAON
    ASSAM
     PIN- 782106.
    
    16:MD. MAINUL HAQUE
                                                                               Page No.# 4/18
    
                 S/O- LATE YAKUB ALI
                 R/O- VILLAGE LAHARIPAM
                 P.O.- GOROIMARI
                 P.S.- LAHARIGHAT
                 DIST- MORIGAON
                 ASSAM PIN- 782104.
    
                17:MD. HIBZUR RAHMAN
                 S/O- ABDUL RASHID
                 R/O- VILLAGE HUGUTOLI
                 P.O.- DATIALBORI
                 P.S.- LAHARIGHAT
                 DIST- MORIGAON
                ASSAM
                 PIN-782126.
    
                18:MD. MOJIBUR RAHMAN
                 S/O- MAKBUL HUSSAIN
                 R/O- VILLAGE GOROIMARI
                 P.O.- NAHARLAGUN
                 P.S.- LAHARIGHAT
                 DIST- MORIGAON
                ASSAM. PIN- 782104
    
    Advocate for the Petitioner    : MR. P KATAKEY, MR J C BORAH,MS. M DEVI
    
    Advocate for the Respondent : PP, ASSAM, MR. N B GOHAIN,MR. N SAIKIA,MRS. R

    BORBORA,MR A C BORBORA

    BEFORE
    HON’BLE MR. JUSTICE SANJAY KUMAR MEDHI

    SPONSORED

    HON’BLE MR. JUSTICE PRANJAL DAS

    Advocate for the appellant : Shri P. Katakey, Advocate
    Advocate for the respondents: Shri A. C. Borbora, Sr. Advocate
    Shri N. Saikia, Advocate.

    Ms. A. Begum, APP, Assam.

    
    
    Date(s) of hearing : 26.03.2026
    Date of judgment       : 29.04.2026
                                                                                Page No.# 5/18
    
    
    
                                      JUDGMENT & ORDER
    
    
    (S.K. Medhi, J )
    
    

    The appeal has been preferred under Section 372 of the Cr.PC against the
    judgment and order dated 31.08.2017 passed by the learned Sessions Judge,
    Morigaon in Sessions Case No. 30 of 2013 acquitting the accused persons of the
    offence under Section 341/302/325/34 IPC.

    2. Before going to the aspect of adjudicating an appeal against an order of
    acquittal, it is required to keep in mind the principles which are to be followed in
    such adjudication process. The principles are judicially evolved in a catena of
    judgments and one of the landmark case was rendered by the Hon’ble Privy
    Council in the case of Sheo Swarup vs King-Emperor reported in AIR
    1934 PC 227, wherein the following principles were laid down:

    “Sects. 417, 418 and 423 of the Code give to the High Court full power to
    review at large the evidence upon which the order of acquittal was founded,
    and to reach the conclusion that upon that evidence the order of acquittal
    should be reversed. No limitation should be placed upon that power, unless it be
    found expressly stated in the Code. But in exercising the power conferred by
    the Code and before reaching its conclusions upon fact, the High Court should
    and will always give proper weight and consideration to such matters as (1.) the
    views of the trial judge as to the credibility of the witnesses ; (2.) the
    presumption of innocence in favour of the accused, a presumption certainly not
    weakened by the fact that he has been acquitted at his trial; (3.) the right of
    the accused to the benefit of any doubt; and (4.) the slowness of an appellate
    Page No.# 6/18

    Court in disturbing a finding of fact arrived at by a judge who had the
    advantage of seeing the witnesses. To state this, however, is only to say that
    the High Court in its conduct of the appeal should and will act in accordance
    with rules and principles well known and recognized in the administration of
    justice.”

    3. The aforesaid principles have been followed and reiterated in a catena of
    judgments by the Hon’ble Supreme Court including the case of Ghurey Lal Vs.
    State of Uttar Pradesh
    reported in (2008) 10 SCC 450, the relevant
    observations being extracted herein below:

    “3. We have endeavoured to set out the guidelines for the appellate courts in
    dealing with appeals against acquittal. An overriding theme emanates from the
    law on appeals against acquittals. The appellate court is given wide powers to
    review the evidence to come to its own conclusions. But this power must be
    exercised with great care and caution. In order to ensure that the innocents are
    not punished, the appellate court should attach due weight to the lower court’s
    acquittal because the presumption of innocence is further strengthened by the
    acquittal. The appellate court should, therefore, reverse an acquittal only when
    it has “very substantial and compelling reasons.”

    73. On marshalling the entire evidence and the documents on record, the view
    taken by the trial court is certainly a possible and plausible view. The settled
    legal position as explained above is that if the trial court’s view is possible and
    plausible, the High Court should not substitute the same by its own possible
    views. The difference in treatment of the case by two courts below is
    particularly noticeable in the manner in which they have dealt with the
    prosecution evidence. While the trial court took great pain in discussing all
    important material aspects and to record its opinion on every material and
    Page No.# 7/18

    relevant point, the learned Judges of the High Court have reversed the
    judgment of the trial court without placing the very substantial reasons given by
    it in support of its conclusion. The trial court after marshalling the evidence on
    record came to the conclusion that there were serious infirmities in the
    prosecution’s story. Following the settled principles of law, it gave the benefit of
    doubt to the accused. In the impugned judgment, the High Court totally ignored
    the settled legal position and set aside the well-reasoned judgment of the trial
    court.

    74. The trial court categorically came to the finding that when the substratum
    of the evidence of the prosecution witnesses was false, then the prosecution
    case has to be discarded. When the trial court finds so many serious infirmities
    in the prosecution version, then the trial court was virtually left with no choice
    but to give benefit of doubt to the accused according to the settled principles of
    criminal jurisprudence.”

    4. Subsequently, the Hon’ble Supreme Court has reiterated the principles
    including in the case of State Of U.P vs Banne @ Baijnath & Ors reported in
    (2009) 4 SCC 271. The following broad principles have been laid down:

    “27. The following principles emerge from the aforementioned cases. 1. The
    appellate court may review the evidence in appeals against acquittal under
    sections 378 and 386 of the Criminal Procedure Code, 1973. Its power of
    reviewing evidence is wide and the appellate court can reappreciate the entire
    evidence on record. It can review the trial court’s conclusion with respect to
    both facts and law.2. The accused is presumed to be innocent until proved
    guilty. The accused possessed this presumption when he was before the trial
    court. The High court’s acquittal bolsters the presumption that he is innocent.3.
    There must also be substantial and compelling reasons for reversing an order of
    acquittal.This court would be justified in interfering with the judgment of
    Page No.# 8/18

    acquittal of the High Court only when there are very substantial and compelling
    reasons to discard the High Court decision. 28. Following are some of the
    circumstances in which perhaps this court would be justified in interfering with
    the judgment of the High Court, but these are illustrative not exhaustive.

    i) The High court’s decision is based on totally erroneous view of law by
    ignoring the settled legal position;

    ii) The High court’s conclusions are contrary to evidence and documents
    on record.

    iii) The entire approach of the High court in dealing with the evidence was
    patently illegal leading to grave miscarriage of justice;

    iv) The High court’s judgment is manifestly unjust and unreasonable
    based on erroneous law and facts on the record of the case;

    v) This Court must always give proper weight and consideration to the
    findings of the High Court.

    vi) This court would be extremely reluctant in interfering with a case
    when both the Sessions Court and the High Court have recorded an order
    of acquittal.”

    5. Keeping the aforesaid principles laid down in mind, the present appeal is
    being considered and decided.

    6. The criminal law was set into motion by lodging of an Ejahar by one Samsul
    Hoque (PW 5) on 16.10.2010. It was alleged that on the previous day i.e.,
    15.10.2010 at about 11:30 a.m. while he and his younger brother were
    travelling to Morigaon, the accused persons had dragged his younger brother
    Page No.# 9/18

    Azahar Uddin down from the bus after stopping the same at the road at
    Goroimari Chariali. They surrounded him and inflicted grievous injuries on him
    by attacking with bricks and wooden baton. The same was resisted by Khairul
    and Baharul and they were also assaulted and inflicted grievous injury. At 7:00
    p.m. in the evening Azahar Uddin died in the Morigaon Civil Hospital. When the
    police of Laharighat Police Station went to rescue the injured person at the
    place of occurrence, the accused persons had also assaulted them.

    7. Based on the aforesaid Ejahar, Laharighat PS Case No. 162/10 under
    Section 302/34 IPC was registered and investigation was carried out. However,
    the investigation ended in a Final Report (FR) dated 31.12.2011. The report had
    clearly stated that it could not be ascertained as to who was involved in the
    assault.

    8. The appellant had however filed a Narazi petition (protest petition) on
    which the complainant was examined under Section 202 of the Cr.PC
    (corresponding to Section 225 of the BNSS, 2023). Thereafter, the case was
    committed and the learned Session Judge framed charges under Sections
    341
    /302/325 read with Section 34 of the IPC and there were 5 nos. of
    prosecution witnesses.

    9. PW1 is one Khairul, who had stated that he was coming from Laharighat
    towards Morigaon along with certain other persons including the deceased in a
    407 bus. The bus was stopped when the accused persons had dragged him
    along with the deceased and took them to a nearby rice mill where 16 – 17
    persons had gathered and out of that, he could recognize Marfat Mandal, Hibjur,
    Tamizuddin, Sabbir Ahmed. They were beaten by stick from the police who had
    come there. Thereafter, they were rescued and taken to the Barsola out post.
    He had sustained injury on head and other parts of the body and such injuries
    Page No.# 10/18

    were also sustained by Baharul and the deceased. The deceased was sent to
    Morigaon Civil Hospital where he had succumbed to his injuries. In the cross-
    examination, however, he had stated that as many persons had gathered there
    who were not known to him, he could not recognize those persons. He had also
    stated that he had only heard their names at the time of occurrence. He had
    made a categorical statement that he could not remember the persons present
    in the dock whether those persons had assaulted him. It may be noted that PW
    1 was re-examined by the prosecution when he had proved his statement
    recorded under Section 202 of the Cr.PC (corresponding to Section 225 of the
    BNSS, 2023) which was proved as Exhibit 4. In the cross-examination, after
    such re-examination, PW 1 had however stated that he had mentioned in
    Exhibit 4, the names of some persons who were known to him from others and
    that they were accosted and restrained by more than thousand persons who
    had assaulted them. He had also stated that he could not exactly say
    particularly who had assaulted them and that, he could not identify the persons
    since there were more than one thousand persons at the relevant time.

    10. PW 2 is the Doctor, who had conducted the post-mortem. He had given an
    opinion that the death was caused by random public beating. The post mortem
    report was proved as Exhibit 1 and the following opinion was given:

    “Opinion: In my opinion the death is due to haemorrhage and shock due to
    injury sustained.”

    11. PW 3 is one of the co-passengers. He had however stated that he could
    not recognize the accused. The said witness was declared hostile.

    12. PW 4 had stated that he was travelling in the same bus. However, in the
    cross-examination, he had clarified that the accused were not those persons
    who were in the dock.

    Page No.# 11/18

    13. PW 5 is the informant, who had however disclosed that at the relevant
    time, he was at his home. It may be mentioned that in the Ejahar he had given
    an impression that he was travelling with the deceased in the bus. He had
    stated that a dying declaration was made to him which however was not
    mentioned in the FIR. He had also stated that after lodging of the FIR, the
    statement was recorded in the Court. However, no such statement recorded
    under Section 164 of the Cr.PC (corresponding to Section 183 of the BNSS,
    2023) was produced or proved.

    14. The Court had also examined a Court Witness who is the father of the
    deceased and also the present appellant. He has stated that at the time of the
    incident, he was at Haladhibari which was 10-11 km from the place of
    occurrence when one Kadir had telephoned him and told that Khairul, Baharul
    and Azahar Uddin were assaulted by the village people. He had then gone to
    the hospital and asked the deceased who told him that Khairul gave a bag to
    him inside a car and they had changed their positions of their seats. He had also
    stated that the deceased told the names of Marfat Mandal, Hibjur, Tamizuddin
    and Sabir Ahmed and he died in the hospital whereafter his nephew had lodged
    the Ejahar.

    15. After the aforesaid witnesses were examined, the accused were examined
    under Section 313 of the Cr.PC. (corresponding to Section 351 of BNSS, 2023)
    and the allegations were denied. The learned Session Judge, after considering
    the materials on record, had come to a finding that there was nothing on record
    to come to a conclusion of guilt of the accused persons and accordingly, the
    impugned judgment has been passed acquitting the accused persons. It is the
    aforesaid judgment dated 31.08.2017 which is the subject matter of challenge
    in the present appeal.

    Page No.# 12/18

    16. We have heard Shri P. Katakey, learned counsel for the appellant. We have
    also heard Shri A. C. Borbora, learned Senior Counsel assisted by Shri N. Saikia,
    learned counsel for the private respondents and Ms. A. Begum, learned Addl. PP,
    Assam for the State.

    17. Shri Katakey, the learned counsel for the appellant has submitted that the
    prosecution did not conduct the case in a proper manner. He has submitted that
    there were materials which should have been brought on record and proved in
    accordance with law which was not done. He has submitted that it clearly
    appears that PW 5 had recorded his statement under Section 164 of the Cr.PC
    (corresponding to Section 183 of the BNSS, 2023) and such statement was not
    brought on record. He has also submitted that the role played by the
    prosecution in the trial, more particularly, the learned APP, was perfunctory. He
    accordingly prays that in the interest of justice, the matter be remanded for a
    fresh trial.

    18. Per contra, Shri Borbora, the learned Senior Counsel for the accused has
    submitted that all opportunities were afforded to the prosecution to prove the
    case. He has, however, emphasized that in a criminal trial, such proof has to be
    done on the yardstick of “beyond all reasonable doubt”. By highlighting the
    aspect that there was re-examination of PW 1, the learned Senior Counsel has
    submitted that the learned Trial Court, on its own had given due opportunity to
    the prosecution to prove the case which the prosecution had miserably failed.
    He has submitted that admittedly there was a crowd of more than 200 people
    and none of the prosecution witnesses could prove any involvement of the
    accused persons and the materials, on the other hand, would show that the
    accused persons were not involved in the incident.

    19. By relying upon the observations made by the learned Session Judge in
    Page No.# 13/18

    paragraph 10 of the judgment, the learned Senior Counsel has submitted that
    the learned Judge took into consideration all the relevant materials available and
    considering that the incident took place in a huge public gathering, had come to
    the aforesaid finding. On the aspect of the deposition of the Court Witness, who
    is the father of the deceased, the learned Senior Counsel has submitted that
    under Section 154 of the Evidence Act (corresponding to Section 173 of BNSS,
    2023) there is a discretion vested with the Court by use of the expression
    “may”.

    20. On the aspect of declaring the PW3 as hostile, reliance has been put upon
    the judgment of the Hon’ble Supreme Court in the case of Sat Paul Vs Delhi
    Administration
    reported in AIR 1976 SC 294 and the following observations
    are pressed into service:

    “51. From the above conspectus, it emerges clear that even in a criminal
    prosecution when a witness is cross-examined and contradicted with the leave
    of the court by the party calling him his evidence cannot, as a matter of law, be
    treated as washed off the record altogether. It is for the Judge of fact to
    consider in each case whether as a result of such cross-examination and
    contradiction, the witness stands thoroughly discredited or can still be believed
    in regard to a part of his testimony. If the Judge finds that in the process, the
    credit of the witness has not been completely shaken, he may, after reading
    and considering the evidence of the witness, as a whole, with due caution and
    care, accept, in the light of the other evidence on the record, that part of his
    testimony which he finds to be creditworthy and act upon it. If in a given case,
    the whole of the testimony of the witness is impugned, and in the process, the
    witness stands squarely and totally discredited, the Judge should, as matter of
    prudence, discard his evidence in toto.”

    21. On the aforesaid aspect of hostile witnesses, reliance has also been made
    Page No.# 14/18

    on the case of Pandappa Hanumappa Hanamar & Ors. reported in 1997
    10 SCC 197 which had followed the earlier decision of Sat Paul (supra).

    22. The learned Senior Counsel has submitted that a retrial cannot be a
    matter of routine and can be directed only on exceptional circumstances. In this
    connection, he has relied upon the case of Ajay Kumar Ghoshal & Ors.
    reported in AIR 2017 SC 804 wherein the condition when a retrial can be
    ordered have been laid down. The relevant observations are extracted herein
    below:

    “11. Though the word “retrial” is used Under Section 386 (b) (1) Code of
    Criminal Procedure., the powers conferred by this Clause is to be exercised only
    in exceptional cases, where the appellate court is satisfied that the omission or
    irregularity has occasioned in failure of justice. The circumstances that should
    exist for warranting a retrial must be such that where the trial was undertaken
    by the Court having no jurisdiction, or trial was vitiated by serious illegality or
    irregularity on account of the misconception of nature of proceedings. An order
    for retrial may be passed in cases where the original trial has not been
    satisfactory for some particular reasons such as wrong admission or wrong
    rejection of evidences or the Court refused to hear certain witnesses who were
    supposed to be heard.

    12. ‘De novo’ trial means a “new trial” ordered by an appellate court in
    exceptional cases when the original trial failed to make a determination in a
    manner dictated by law. The trial is conducted afresh by the court as if there
    had not been a trial in first instance. Undoubtedly, the appellate court has
    power to direct the lower court to hold ‘de novo’ trial. But the question is when
    such power should be exercised. As stated in Pandit Ukha Kolhe v. State of
    Maharashtra
    (1964) SCR 926, the Court held that:

    Page No.# 15/18

    An order for retrial of a criminal case is made in exceptional cases, and not
    unless the appellate court is satisfied that the Court trying the proceeding had
    no jurisdiction to try it or that the trial was vitiated by serious illegalities or
    irregularities or on account of misconception of the nature of the proceedings
    and on that account in substance there had been no real trial or that the
    Prosecutor or an Accused was, for reasons over which he had no control,
    prevented from leading or tendering evidence material to the charge, and in the
    interests of justice the appellate Court deems it appropriate, having regard to
    the circumstances of the case, that the Accused should be put on his trial again.
    An order of re-trial wipes out from the record the earlier proceeding, and
    exposes the person Accused to another trial which affords the prosecutor an
    opportunity to rectify the infirmities disclosed in the earlier trial, and will not
    ordinarily be countenanced when it is made merely to enable the prosecutor to
    lead evidence which he could but has not cared to lead either on account of
    insufficient appreciation of the nature of the case or for other reasons.

    13. This Court, while dealing with the question whether the High Court should
    have quashed the trial proceedings only on account of declaration of the legal
    position made by the Supreme Court concerning the procedural aspect about
    the cases involving offences under the SC/ST Act, this Court stated, “a de novo
    trial should be the last resort and that too only when such a course becomes so
    desperately indispensable; it should be limited to the extreme exigency to avert
    ‘a failure of justice’. Observing that any omission or even the illegality in the
    procedure which does not affect the core of the case is not a ground for
    ordering a de novo trial”. In State of M.P. v. Bhooraji and Ors, (2001) 7 SCC
    679, the Court went on to say further as follows:

    8…. This is because the appellate court has plenary powers for
    revaluating and reappraising the evidence and even to take additional
    evidence by the appellate court itself or to direct such additional evidence
    Page No.# 16/18

    to be collected by the trial court. But to replay the whole laborious
    exercise after erasing the bulky records relating to the earlier
    proceedings, by bringing down all the persons to the court once again for
    repeating the whole depositions would be a sheer waste of time, energy
    and costs unless there is miscarriage of Justice otherwise. Hence, the
    sald course can be resorted to when it becomes unpreventable for the
    purpose of averting “a failure of justice”. The superior court which orders
    a de novo trial cannot afford to overlook the realities and the serious
    impact on the pending cases in trial courts which are crammed with
    dockets, and how much that order would inflict hardship on many
    innocent persons who once took all the trouble to reach the court and
    deposed their versions in the very same Case. To them and the public the
    re-enactment of the whole labour might give the impression that law is
    more pedantic than pragmatic Law is not an instrument to be used for
    inflicting sufferings on the people but for the process of justice
    dispensation.”

    23. The learned Senior Counsel accordingly submits that the present appeal
    does not warrant any merit and is liable to be dismissed.

    24. Ms. A Begum, learned APP has however submitted that the cross-
    examination of the prosecution witnesses appears to have been done after a
    long gap and therefore there were certain inconsistencies.

    25. The rival contentions advanced by learned counsel for the parties have
    been duly considered and the materials placed before this Court including the
    TCRs have been carefully perused.

    26. The yardstick of proof in a criminal trial is beyond all reasonable doubt and
    there is no dispute to the aforesaid proposition of law. In the instant case, there
    are 5 nos. of Prosecution Witnesses and one Court Witness. None of the
    Page No.# 17/18

    witnesses presented by the prosecution could make any accusation against the
    accused persons. All the witnesses were subjected to cross-examination in
    which they had admitted that there was no direct evidence of involvement of
    the accused persons. This Court has also noted that PW 1 was also re-examined
    so as to bring on record his statement recorded under Section 202 of the Cr.PC.
    (corresponding to Section 225 of the BNSS, 2023) However, in the cross-
    examination made thereafter, no incriminating materials could be brought out
    against the accused persons. So far as the Court Witness No. 1, who is the
    appellant is concerned, a careful perusal of his depositions would show that he
    is merely a hearsay witness and he had candidly admitted that one Kadir had
    phoned him who himself was not examined. He had also made a bald statement
    that the attack was made by village people. He had also stated that the
    deceased had told some names but no act has been attributed at all to any of
    the deceased.

    27. As laid down by the various judicial pronouncements including the Privy
    Council as noted above, there is a presumption of innocence of an accused
    person in a criminal case and such assumption is fortified by a judgment of
    acquittal in which the party preferring an appeal against such judgment is under
    a heavy burden to make out a case that the materials on record would
    inevitably lead to a conclusion of guilt of the accused person beyond all
    reasonable doubt. In the opinion of this court, the said burden has not been
    discharged at all. This court has also carefully perused the materials on record
    including the evidence and the exhibits and the same would not be sufficient at
    all to come to a conclusion of guilt.

    28. We are of the opinion that the conclusion arrived at by the learned Session
    Judge in the impugned judgment is in accordance with law which does not
    Page No.# 18/18

    require any interference.

    29. The appeal is accordingly dismissed.

    30. Send back the records.

                                JUDGE          JUDGE
    
    
    
    Comparing Assistant
     

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