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Jaswinder Singh @ Shinder Singh v. State of Punjab

Not available · 2026 INSC 23Decided 6 Jan 2026
Not available
Justice Ahsanuddin Amanullah · Justice K. Vinod Chandran

Background

An alleged getaway driver in a 1999 double-murder was convicted based on witnesses who, at trial, added allegations never mentioned in their original police statements, and no physical evidence linked him to the crime.

Decision Breakdown

The Supreme Court held such unexplained embellishments are fatal to witness credibility, and mere presence or association isn't enough for a conviction absent evidence of actual participation. It acquitted the appellant.

Lesson Learnt

A conviction cannot rest on witness allegations that first surface at trial but were absent from original police statements; mere association isn't enough to convict.

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

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