The Supreme Court holds that extra-judicial confessions are weak pieces of evidence, however they can still serve as grounds for conviction if they are voluntary, truthful, and free of inducement.

IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA

CRIMINAL APPELLATE JURISDICTION

CRIMINAL APPEAL NO.975 of 2011 

Moorthy                                                                                                                                                                                          …..Appellant

Versus

State of Tamil Nadu                                                                                                                                                                        …..Respondent

J U D G M E N T

Abhay S. Oka, J.

FACTUAL ASPECTS

1. The appellant was convicted for the offences punishable   under   Sections   302   and   201   of   the Indian   Penal   Code   (for   short,   ‘IPC’).     He   was sentenced   to   undergo   life   imprisonment   for   the offence punishable under Section 302 and rigorous imprisonment   for   seven   years   for   the   offence punishable   under   Section   201,   IPC.     Sentences were   ordered   to   run   concurrently.     The   appeal preferred by the appellant has been dismissed by the High Court by the impugned judgment.

2. The   deceased   Shanthi  was  the   wife   of  the appellant.   According to the prosecution case, the appellant  suspected that the  deceased had  illicit intimacy with one Peethambaram.   On 29th  May 2006 at about 9:00 p.m., the appellant took the deceased to the bank of Ponnai River and assaulted her with a stick.  The said Shanthi succumbed to the injuries.  He buried the dead body in the same place.   PW   Nos.3   and   4   are   the   parents   of   the deceased   who   were   enquiring   with   the   appellant about the whereabouts of the deceased.  However, the   appellant   told   them   that   the   deceased   was missing.

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