Baljinder Kumar @ Kala vs. State of Punjab – Criminal Appeal
This Supreme Court judgment in Baljinder Kumar @ Kala vs. State of Punjab deals with the reversal of a conviction and death sentence under Section 302 IPC. The case involved the tragic death of four individuals, including two children, and severe injuries to others. The conviction was based primarily on eyewitness accounts, medical evidence, and recovery of weapons. However, upon close scrutiny, the Supreme Court found major inconsistencies in witness testimonies, the failure to prove motive beyond doubt, and procedural lapses in investigation. The Court ruled that the benefit of the doubt must be extended to the accused. This judgment reasserts the principle that circumstantial evidence must form an unbroken chain, proving guilt beyond reasonable doubt, especially in death penalty cases. (Drafted summary)