Kerala High Court Sets Aside Life Conviction After 7 Years over Flawed Identification

The Kerala High Court has set aside the life imprisonment of seven accused, holding that the prosecution’s case was unsafe due to unreliable eyewitness testimony and the failure to conduct a Test Identification Parade (TIP).

While noting that a TIP is not substantive evidence, the Court said it becomes crucial when dock identification itself is doubtful.

The Bench pointed to material contradictions, omissions, delayed identification of the accused, and the absence of credible eyewitness accounts.

In these circumstances, the Court held that the identification of the accused could not be safely relied upon and acquitted all appellants, reiterating that fair trial standards are central to criminal justice.

[Manden Babinesh & Ors. v. State of Kerala]