Rajendra Singh vs State of Uttaranchal 2025 INSC 1193 - S.25-27 Evidence Act - Recovery of Weapon
Indian Evidence Act 1872- Section 25-27 - The statement of the accused that the weapons recovered were the weapons of crime cannot be read against them- Only that part of the statement which leads the police to the recovery of the weapons is admissible, and not the part which alleges that the weapons recovered were actually the weapons of crime. (Para 29) the information leading to the recovery of the weapons of crime is admissible, but not the information that the crime was actually committed by the said weapons. (Para 33)
Evidence - Evidentiary value of a chance witness- Deposition of a chance witness whose presence at the place of incident is doubtful should be discarded, or at least be treated with great caution and close scrutiny. Such a chance witness must adequately explain his presence at the place of incident. (Para 26)
Case Info
Key Case Details
- Case name: Rajendra Singh and Ors. v. State of Uttaranchal.
- Neutral citation: 2025 INSC 1193.
- Coram: Justice Pankaj Mithal and Justice Prasanna B. Varale.
- Judgment date: October 7, 2025.
Caselaws and Citations
- Pulukuri Kottaya and Ors. v. King Emperor, 1947 MWN CR 45.
- Manjunath and Ors. v. State of Karnataka, 2023 SCC OnLine SC 1421.
Statutes / Laws Referred
- Indian Penal Code: Section 302; with reference to Section 34.
- Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita: Section 103(1) BNS (noted parenthetically alongside IPC 302 in FIR description).
- Indian Evidence Act, 1872: Sections 25, 26, and 27.
- Code of Criminal Procedure, 1882: referenced in Explanation to Section 26.
