Supreme Court cites forensic test reliability in rape case acquittal appeal

The Supreme Court examined whether the prosecution evidence, specifically forensic and medical reports, supported the conviction.

Who it concerns: Petitioner: Ram Singh; Respondent: The State of Himachal Pradesh; Bench: Justice Atul S. Chandurkar.

What the court decided

• The Court noted that the trial court acquitted the appellant due to insufficient evidence and discrepancies in witness testimony.
• The Court observed that the High Court reversed the acquittal without referring to the Final Medical Report or the State Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) report.
• The Court highlighted that the FSL report found no blood or semen on the victim's clothes, the appellant's undergarments, or the seized chatai and baithak.
• The Court noted the medical officer found no injury to the victim and an intact hymen.
• The Court stated that the absence of blood and injury creates a grave doubt regarding the prosecution's version of events.

Also in the document

• The judgment text provided is truncated and does not explicitly state the final order (e.g., whether the appeal was allowed or the conviction set aside), though the reasoning strongly supports the appellant's position.
• The Court cited the reliability of the Benzidine test for detecting blood even after washing, based on cited medical literature.
• The Court noted a discrepancy regarding the location of the alleged incident, as the victim stated it occurred on a cot, while the Investigating Officer stated it occurred in a kitchen with no cot.