Accused can be convicted of murder even if victim’s body is never recovered: SC

Hindustan TimesIndependentCenter4 hr. ago

The Supreme Court of India ruled that an accused can be convicted of murder even if the victim's body is never found, emphasizing that the legal requirement is proof of the crime, not the recovery of the corpse. This decision was made in the case of Debojit Pankika, an Assamese man convicted of killing a 10-year-old adopted girl. The court upheld his life sentence, stating that the prosecution's case was based on credible evidence, including a confession and witness testimony, despite the body being allegedly disposed of in a river and never recovered. The ruling clarified that 'corpus delicti' refers to proving the offense occurred, not necessarily recovering the body, and warned that requiring a body would let killers evade justice.

Bias read (Center): The article presents a judicial ruling without overt ideological slant. It explains the legal reasoning behind the Supreme Court's decision, focusing on the interpretation of legal principles rather than promoting a specific political agenda. The framing remains neutral, explaining both the defense'

Hindustan TimesIndependentCenter5 hr. ago

The Supreme Court of India ruled that an accused can be convicted of murder even if the victim's body is never recovered, emphasizing that the legal requirement is proof of the crime, not the recovery of the corpse. This decision was made in the case of Debojit Pankika, an Assam man convicted of killing a 10-year-old adopted girl. The court upheld his life sentence, stating that the prosecution had established the offense through credible evidence, including a witness's testimony that the child died after being accused of stealing money and forced to transport her body to a river. The court clarified that 'corpus delicti' refers to proof of the crime, not necessarily the recovery of the body, and warned against allowing killers to evade justice by disposing of corpses. The ruling reinforces the principle that reliable evidence, whether direct or circumstantial, suffices for conviction.

Bias read (Center): The article presents a judicial ruling without overt ideological slant. It focuses on legal interpretation and precedent, balancing the arguments of both the prosecution and defense. The tone remains objective, explaining the court's reasoning without favoring either side. There is no clear attempt,