Supreme Court Upholds Conviction in Notorious 2004 Murder Case

The Supreme Court has reaffirmed the conviction of a woman accused of murdering a relative in 2004, despite claims of inconsistencies in the victim's declarations. The ruling comes in support of the Gujarat High Court's 2016 decision, which overruled an earlier trial court acquittal.

Justices Rajesh Bindal and Vipul M Pancholi highlighted the compelling evidence presented by the prosecution. Key among this were the dying declarations provided by the victim, which detailed the horrific attack by her aunt-in-law. These declarations were corroborated by independent medical testimony.

The situation began on the night of November 29-30, 2004, when the assailant allegedly carried out the attack while the victim and her young son slept. Despite earlier acquittals due to inconsistencies noted at the trial court, both the high court and now the Supreme Court have concluded that the evidence is sufficient for a murder conviction.