Justice Served: High Court Overturns Capital Punishment Verdict

The Gujarat High Court acquits three men sentenced to death in a 2018 gangrape-murder case, citing insufficient evidence. A delayed DNA sample delivery and failure to prove the chain of custody undermined the prosecution's case. The court highlighted the importance of proper evidence handling in criminal trials.

The Gujarat High Court has acquitted three individuals who faced the death penalty in a 2018 gangrape-murder case. The prosecution's inability to prove the case beyond reasonable doubt was the cornerstone of the ruling.

Central to the court's decision was a 14-day delay in forwarding DNA samples to the forensic laboratory, raising concerns about the integrity of the evidence. The division bench led by Justices Ilesh Vora and R T Vachhani emphasized that a key issue was the prosecution's failure to maintain a reliable chain of custody for the DNA evidence.

While acknowledging the significance of DNA technology in achieving justice, the court underscored instances where lapses in evidence handling resulted in wrongful convictions. The prosecution's shortcomings in this case highlighted the need for meticulous evidence management to ensure fair trials.

(With inputs from agencies.)