the Indian Supreme Court dismissed the appeal of the state of Uttar Pradesh and directed the acquittal of two

the Indian Supreme Court dismissed the appeal of the state of Uttar Pradesh and directed the acquittal of two, who were sentenced to death by a trial court, in the rape-cum-murder of a 14-year-old girl in Unnao district of the state. A bench comprising Justices Arijit Pasayat and Harjit Singh Bedi upheld the judgement of the Allahabad High Court. According to the prosecution, the victim was raped and killed on November 17, 1992. The police dog squad led to the residence of Shiv Balak. On December 2, police also arrested Ram Balak. Ram Balak later allegedly confessed before Iqbal Ahmed about his guilt. The Fifth Additional Session Judge sentenced them to death for murder and also handed down life imprisonment for rape and seven years imprisonment for destruction of evidence. The trial court made a reference to the Allahabad High Court for confirmation of the death sentence. The High Court, however, rejected the reference and directed the acquittal of the accused. The apex court in its judgement said, ''Out of the circumstances highlighted above really none is of any significance. The apex court did not find the remaining evidence of the prosecution sufficient enough to hold the two guilty of the heinous crime since the case was purely based on circumstantial evidence.”