Supreme Court Acquits Murder Convict, Warns Against Relying on Conduct Alone

On August 6, 2025, the Supreme Court of India delivered a landmark ruling, acquitting a murder convict who had been sentenced to life imprisonment by the trial court and the Chhattisgarh High Court. The apex court set aside the previous convictions, emphasizing that the conduct of an accused cannot be the sole basis for a conviction, especially in a grave charge such as murder.

The court noted that while the conduct of an accused may be a relevant fact under Section 8 of the Indian Evidence Act, it cannot, by itself, serve as the sole basis for conviction. The bench of Justices J.B. Pardiwala and R. Mahadevan stated that the accused's conduct is merely one of the circumstances the court may consider, in conjunction with other direct or circumstantial evidence on record.

The prosecution had relied on the fact that the accused had approached the police and lodged an FIR admitting to the crime. However, the Supreme Court ruled that such a confessional FIR lodged by an accused person is inadmissible as evidence against him, except to the extent that it shows he made a statement soon after the offence, thereby identifying him as the maker of the report.

The court clarified that a non-confessional FIR is admissible against the accused as an admission under Section 21 of the Indian Evidence Act and is relevant. However, the statement contained in the FIR furnished by one of the accused cannot be used against another accused, nor can it be used for the purpose of corroboration or contradiction unless its maker offers himself as a witness in the trial.

The Supreme Court's ruling serves as a cautionary note, emphasizing that the conduct of an accused, although relevant, cannot be the sole basis for a conviction in the absence of cogent and credible supporting evidence.