Trial Court Cannot Convict Accused Based on Police Submissions: Telangana HC

HYDERABAD: The Telangana High Court made it clear that trial courts cannot convict an accused on a moral basis and the basis of the confession statement recorded by the police officers, which is inadmissible. The High Court suggested the trial courts keep in mind the five golden principles —panchsheel — summed up in ‘Sharad Birdhichand Sarda vs State of Maharashtra’, to prove a case based on circumstantial evidence. Finding fault with the trial court for convicting to life imprisonment a projected accused based on the confession statement and tendency of circumstances, a division bench of the High Court comprising Justice K. Surender and Justice Anil Kumar Jukanti, set aside the sentence against Wadde Raju of Kodur village in Mahbubnagar district. Based on the postmortem report, confession statement and recovery of leg anklets from the accused, the trial court sentenced Raju for life.