RATAN GOND vs THE STATE OF BIHAR

The Supreme Court held that the statements made by Aghani, the deceased's sister, were inadmissible under Sections 32 and 33 of the Indian Evidence Act, as they were not made in a judicial proceeding or to an authorized person and did not relate to the cause of her death. The Court found that the extrajudicial confession made by the appellant to the Mukhia, Sarpanch, and panch was admissible as there was no evidence of coercion, and it was corroborated by circumstantial evidence, including the recovery of a blood-stained weapon. The conviction and death sentence of the appellant were upheld, establishing that circumstantial evidence can corroborate a confession even if it is not sufficient alone to prove guilt.