Daijiworld Media Network- New Delhi

New Delhi, Sep 2: The Supreme Court has observed that every acquittal of an actual culprit is a “blot on the criminal justice system,” warning lower courts against misusing the principle of beyond a reasonable doubt to set offenders free.

A Bench of Justice Sanjay Kumar and Justice Satish Chandra Sharma noted that while no innocent should be punished, equally, no guilty person should escape justice due to “unreasonable doubts and misapplication of procedure.”

The apex court set aside a Patna High Court order which had acquitted two men accused of raping a minor under the POCSO Act. Restoring the trial court’s verdict of life imprisonment and a fine of Rs 85,000 each, the SC directed the convicts to surrender within two weeks.

The High Court had cited contradictions in the victim’s age, timing of the crime, pregnancy and abortion claims, and procedural lapses as grounds for acquittal. However, the Supreme Court termed these findings “unsustainable,” emphasising that such acquittals undermine society’s sense of security.