In a 20-year-old murder case, the Supreme Court reverses the life sentence.

In a thorough ruling, the Supreme Court noted that it is preferable to clear 10 criminal people than to punish one innocent person.

In a 20-year-old murder case, the Supreme Court overturned the trial court’s and the Sindh High Court’s convictions and mandated the accused’s immediate release.

The court stated that the prosecution had not proven the case beyond a reasonable doubt in an eight-page written ruling written by Justice Ijaz Ishaq Ibrahim.

Muhammad Iqbal, the accused, was taken into custody on suspicion of killing two people. Contradictions were discovered in witness accounts, and the court noted that the complaint was not an eyewitness.

It said that no justification was provided for not filing the FIR on the same day, despite the fact that the police station and the crime scene were only two to three km apart. The judge also pointed out that five empty gunshot casings were not forwarded for forensic analysis and questioned why the injured witness did not file the FIR.

The prosecution did not establish its case beyond a reasonable doubt, according to the Supreme Court. It stated that the High Court’s conclusion that the accused’s arrest after 14 years demonstrated his guilt was unsupportable from a legal standpoint. The accused was not questioned about suspected absconding in his Section 342 statement, the court further observed.

According to the ruling, the accused cannot be utilised against any evidence that was not presented to him during his statement. It further stated that an accused person cannot be found guilty based just on the allegation that they fled because they were afraid of being arrested or harassed by the police.

The court also noted that there were several flaws and uncertainties in the prosecution’s evidence. It reaffirmed the legal precept that any doubt in a criminal case must be in the accused’s favour, saying that it has been established for centuries that it is preferable to acquit ten guilty people than to punish one innocent.

If Muhammad Iqbal is not needed in any other case, the court ordered his immediate release.

It is important to note that the FIR was filed at Baldia Town, Karachi, on April 29, 2006. The Sindh High Court maintained the accused’s life sentence after the trial court found him guilty.