| Case ID |
16c4a773-1d87-48e6-9e2b-1802ed28a739 |
| Body |
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| Case Number |
Crl. No. 107-L of 2017 |
| Decision Date |
May 23, 2019 |
| Hearing Date |
|
| Decision |
The court allowed the criminal appeal, acquitting the appellants on the grounds of insufficient evidence. The prosecution's case relied heavily on circumstantial evidence, including last seen evidence and confessional statements, which were found to be unreliable. The court emphasized that the burden of proof lies with the prosecution, and in this case, the evidence did not meet the requisite threshold. The judgment highlighted the importance of credible and reliable evidence in criminal cases, reiterating that mere suspicion is not enough for conviction. As such, the appellants were granted the benefit of the doubt and were ordered to be released if not required in any other case. |
| Summary |
In the case of Crl. No. 107-L of 2017, the Supreme Court of Pakistan addressed the issues surrounding the prosecution's reliance on circumstantial evidence in a murder case. The appellants, Sadi Ahmad and Mukhtar Ahmad, were accused of murdering Javed Iqbal during a robbery. The prosecution's case was built on last seen evidence and confessional statements, which the court found to be lacking in credibility. The judgment underscored the principle that the prosecution must prove its case beyond a reasonable doubt, and if there is any doubt, the accused must be acquitted. The court's decision to grant the appellants the benefit of the doubt reinforces the foundational legal principle of presumption of innocence until proven guilty. The ruling emphasizes the necessity for the legal system to uphold the rights of individuals against wrongful conviction based on insufficient evidence. |
| Court |
Supreme Court of Pakistan
|
| Entities Involved |
Not available
|
| Judges |
MANZOOR AHMAD MALIK,
SYED MANSOOR ALI SHAH,
QAZI MUHAMMAD AMIN AHMED
|
| Lawyers |
Rana Liaqat Ali Khan,
Ms. Nighat Saeed Mughal,
Ch. Mustafa
|
| Petitioners |
Rana Liaqat Ali Khan,
Ms. Nighat Saeed Mughal
|
| Respondents |
Ch. Mustafa
|
| Citations |
2019 SLD 2375,
2019 PLJ 438
|
| Other Citations |
Not available
|
| Laws Involved |
Pakistan Penal Code, 1860,
Qanun-e-Shahadat (10 of 1984),
Criminal Procedure Code (V of 1898)
|
| Sections |
302,
40,
342
|