Murder Trial Errors: MP High Court Questions Trial Judge’s Competence, Sends File to Acting Chief Justice
Case Title: Lotan Lodhi v State of Madhya Pradesh
Case No.: CRIMINAL APPEAL No. 11041 of 2025
Coram: Justice Vivek Agarwal and Justice Avanindra Kumar Singh
Court Observation
“We are constrained to observe that learned Trial Court has failed to discharge its duties with due care and diligence. Prima facie, we are of the considered opinion that the manner in which the evidence and the material on record have been appreciated, raises serious concerns regarding the suitability of learned Trial Court, Special Judge, (SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act), District Damoh, to deal with sensitive matters of this nature. Accordingly, the matter be placed before Hon’ble the Acting Chief Justice for taking appropriate call in this regard”.
“Thus, in absence of any cogent evidence connecting the recovered mobile handset with Munna Ahirwar and the SIM used for communication with the said handset, the alleged recovery does not establish the necessary link in the chain of circumstances. Consequently, when the chain of circumstances is incomplete, the conviction recorded by learned Trial Court, without proper appreciation of the material facts and evidence available on record, cannot be sustained in the eyes of law”.
