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Anuj Singh @ Ramanuj Singh @ Seth Singh vs The State of Bihar

Criminal Appeal · 2022 INSC 463Decided 22 Apr 2022
Criminal Appeal Nos. 150-151 of 2020
N.V. Ramana · Krishna Murari · Hima Kohli

Background

A land/wall dispute between neighbours in Bihar in 1999 escalated when the appellants, Anuj Singh and Manoj Singh, allegedly returned to the scene with firearms and shot the informant, Kumar Nandan Singh, in the leg and hand while he was repairing a mud wall. Two other co-accused carrying a spear and lathi were also involved. The Trial Court convicted all four accused, but the High Court acquitted two co-accused and reduced the conviction of the two appellants from attempt to murder (Section 307 IPC) to voluntarily causing hurt by dangerous weapons (Section 324 IPC), while confirming their Arms Act conviction.

Decision Breakdown

The Supreme Court dismissed the appeal and upheld the conviction. It found that despite minor contradictions in witness testimony about timing and which injury was on which limb, all eyewitnesses consistently confirmed the appellants' presence at the scene armed with firearms, and this was corroborated by medical evidence showing firearm injuries. The Court reiterated the settled principle that only contradictions on material particulars, not minor inconsistencies, can discredit a witness's testimony, and that medical evidence carries strong corroborative value in establishing how an injury was caused. It also rejected the alibi defence of one appellant for lack of supporting attendance records.

Lesson Learnt

Courts will not throw out a witness's testimony over small inconsistencies in memory or detail; what matters is whether the core, consistent narrative, corroborated by independent evidence like medical reports, establishes the accused's role in the offence.

Official source (sci.gov.in)View Judgment (PDF)

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