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Thatireddigari Maheswara Reddy vs The State of Andhra Pradesh

Not available · 2024 INSC 495Decided 8 Jul 2024
Not available
Justice Abhay S. Oka · Justice Pankaj Mithal

Background

The appellant was convicted of murder and rioting for his role in the 1997 killing of a lawyer who had defeated him in a local water-users' association election and was suspected of tipping off police about an illicit liquor case against the appellant. Eleven persons were originally charged; the trial court convicted six (including the appellant) based on the testimony of three eyewitnesses, two of whom were the deceased's brothers.

Decision Breakdown

The Supreme Court held that being a relative of the deceased does not automatically make an eyewitness's testimony unreliable: what matters is whether the testimony is consistent, cogent, and free of material contradictions on cross-examination. Here, all three eyewitnesses independently gave a clear and matching account of which accused struck which blow, one of them was not even related to the deceased, hunting sickles recovered from the accused were bloodstained, and there was no delay in filing the complaint. Finding no reason to disturb the concurrent findings of the trial court and High Court, the Supreme Court dismissed the appeal, while granting the appellant time to surrender and directing the State to consider his case for permanent remission in line with co-accused who had already received it.

Lesson Learnt

A relative's eyewitness account is not automatically suspect in a murder trial. Courts assess its reliability on its own merits, and consistent, corroborated testimony can sustain a conviction even years after the incident.

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

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