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Eye Witnesses’ Evidence Can’t Be Doubted On The Ground That They Made No Attempts To Save The Deceased

In Motiram Padu Joshi v. State Of Maharashtra, the Supreme Court reiterated that evidence of the eye witnesses cannot be doubted on the ground that they did not intervene in the attack nor made attempts to save the deceased.

In this case, the high court had reversed the order of acquittal of the trial court. The trial court had found favour with the argument that the eye witnesses did not go to the rescue of the deceased and it is quite unbelievable that on seeing the accused who were armed with weapons, both of them went inside the house. The High Court held that the trial court erred in disbelieving the evidence of eye witnesses.

The Supreme Court agreed with the high court observation that the trial court gave importance to insignificant issues and the conduct of the witnesses as to why they have not reacted in a particular manner. The bench observed that their evidence cannot be doubted on the ground that they did not intervene in the attack nor made attempts to save the deceased. On witnessing a crime, each person reacts in his own way and their evidence cannot be doubted on the ground that the witness has not acted in a particular manner.

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