The Patna High Court stops trial judge from hearing criminal cases after finding major legal errors in a murder case judgment. The court also ordered special training for the judge to improve his understanding of criminal law and evidence.
The case relates to the 2017 murder of junior engineer Ujjwal Raj in Bihar. A trial court had earlier convicted five men and sentenced them to life imprisonment. However, the High Court reviewed the evidence and found serious flaws in the trial court’s reasoning.
A division bench of Justices Bibek Chaudhuri and Chandra Shekhar Jha said the conviction relied mainly on confessional statements made to the police. Such statements cannot be used as valid evidence in criminal trials under Indian law. Because of these mistakes, the court acquitted all five accused.
The judges strongly criticized the trial court’s handling of the case. The Patna High Court stops trial judge from hearing criminal cases for now and directed that he undergo special training on criminal law and evidence rules before handling such matters again.
