Manohar Keshavrao Khandate vs State of Maharashtra 2025 INSC 953 - Murder Conviction - Child Witness Testimony

Indian Evidence Act 1872 - Section 106 - While upholding conviction of murder accused, SC observed: The child witness had no reason whatsoever to give false evidence implicating her own father for the murder of her mother. The bald plea of denial advanced by the accused-appellant in his statement under Section 313 CrPC, is clearly an after-thought and insufficient to discharge the burden cast upon him by Section 106 of the Evidence Act. (Para 10) In terms of Section 106 of the Evidence Act, the burden rested upon the accused- to offer a credible explanation as to under what circumstances the deceased , sustained the fatal injuries, particularly when the incident took place within the four walls of the house where the accused- resided with the deceased (Para 14)