Evidentiary Flaws in Circumstantial Evidence: Supreme Court Acquits Accused in Murder and POCSO Case

sketch of the Supreme Court of India
Case
SANTOSH GURUNG v. THE STATE OF SIKKIM (Supreme Court of India, 01-10-2026)
Law
Code of Criminal Procedure, Indian Evidence Act, Indian Penal Code, Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act.

Highlights of the Judgment:

  • Comprehensive examination of the legal standards governing convictions based solely on circumstantial evidence.
  • Analysis of the 'last seen together' theory and the impact of a prolonged time-gap before discovery.
  • Interpretation of Section 27 of the Indian Evidence Act regarding recoveries from public or accessible locations.
  • Evaluation of contradictory DNA and forensic science laboratory reports in establishing the identity of remains.
  • Clarification on the limited evidentiary scope of an accused's statement under Section 313 of the Code of Criminal Procedure.