HC affirms life imprisonment in Balod rape-murder case
Bilaspur | Correspondent: The Chhattisgarh High Court delivered a historic verdict in a heinous gang rape and murder case in Balod district, upholding the life imprisonment sentence of three convicts. A division bench comprising Chief Justice Ramesh Sinha and Justice Ravindra Kumar Agrawal clarified that scientific evidence is paramount in the judicial process, and even if eyewitnesses turn hostile, conviction can still be based on a solid DNA report.
The court dismissed the criminal appeals filed by Kamalnarayan Sahu, Kamlesh Kumar Shrivas, and Uttam Kumar Rawat, affirming the lower court's decision sentencing them to rigorous imprisonment until the end of their natural lives.
The case dates back to June 2021, when the body of a woman was found in a suspicious condition in her locked house in Kosmi village, Balod. Her hands were tied behind her back, and she had severe injuries on her face and neck. The post-mortem report revealed that the woman died from smothering and was gang-raped before being murdered.
During the police investigation, the deceased's previous relationship with the main accused, Kamalnarayan Sahu, came to light, leading to the arrest of all three accused based on technical evidence. The most significant turning point in the case came when samples taken from the victim's body and biological remains found on a pillow at the crime scene matched the accused's DNA profile.
During the trial, however, defense lawyers argued that there were no eyewitnesses in the case and that most prosecution witnesses had turned hostile. They also questioned the DNA sampling process and their security (Chain of Custody), but the High Court rejected these arguments.
The court acknowledged that the investigating officers had fully followed scientific protocols and standard operating procedures (SOPs). In its decision, the court emphasized that DNA evidence is a powerful scientific tool that establishes a direct link between the accused and the crime scene.
This judgment has set a precedent that scientific reports have a paramount place in the chain of circumstantial evidence, which can ensure justice even in the absence or failure of human witnesses.
