Court Upholds Conviction, Clarifies Legality of Lawyer-Assisted FIRs

The Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court ruled that an FIR's credibility is not undermined if prepared with a lawyer's help, and upheld a conviction in an acid attack case. The court reduced the life sentence to 14 years, noting extensive time already served by the appellant.

The Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court has affirmed that an FIR's credibility remains intact even if drawn up with a lawyer's assistance. This pivotal decision came amid a case involving a man convicted in a deadly acid attack on two women, with the court upholding the conviction.

The court emphasized that legal guidance in preparing an FIR does not inherently compromise its truthfulness. It addressed concerns raised by the appellant, Jagdamba Harijan, whose primary defense argued against the credibility of a lawyer-assisted FIR filed two days post-incident.

The High Court rejected the appellant's argument, citing corroborating evidence such as witness statements and forensic reports, which supported the prosecution's case. While the conviction stood, the court reduced the sentence from life to 14 years, acknowledging the nearly 14 years already served.