The criminal appeal was filed by the accused in Karan singh vs the state of Uttar Pradesh against his conviction in the murder case. The apex court dismissed the appeal and held that the crime should be proved beyond reasonable doubt and not beyond every small possibility of doubt.
Karan singh was convicted for murder with other accused of Bramhmapal singh. The murder took place in 1980 April. In 1983 trial court convicted all the accused in charge of murder and sentenced them to life imprisonment.
In 1983 all the accused including karan singh filed a criminal appeal against the order of the trial court. When the trial of appeal was going on in high court all the accused persons except Karan singh died due to different reasons.
The high court also dismissed the appeal and upheld the judgment of the trial court. Against the order of the high court, the accused Karan singh approached the apex court.
The bench consists of Justice Indira Banerjee and Justice Ramasubramanian hearing this appeal. The court observed that the presence of the accused at the spot of murder was proved by two eyewitnesses before the court. The witness also stated before the court that the accused was carrying a pistol. All other accused died during the pending criminal appeal cannot be ground for acquittal of accused.