Overview

• A bench of CJI B R Gavai and Justice K Vinod Chandran set aside the Punjab and Haryana High Court’s October 1 and November 5, 2024 orders that reversed a trial court acquittal and imposed life sentences.
• The Supreme Court remitted the matter to the High Court for fresh consideration of the Haryana government’s appeal in accordance with law.
• Senior advocates Sidharth Dave and Narendra Hooda said they could not follow the High Court’s reasoning, while Haryana’s AAG Abhinav Bajaj defended the rulings as well reasoned.
• CJI Gavai noted that every decision of Justice Sureshwar Thakur challenged in the Supreme Court had been overturned and pointed out that he has retired.
• The bench reiterated that acquittals should not be disturbed unless the trial court’s findings are perverse and recalled earlier difficulties with another Thakur judgment on the National Highways Act.