SHRANAPPA MUTYAPPA HALKE vs STATE OF MAHARASHTRA(and connected appeals)

The Supreme Court held that under Section 288 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898, the evidence of a witness given in the committing court is substantive and does not require corroboration. However, if a witness makes contradictory statements, it is unsafe to rely solely on one statement without extrinsic evidence supporting the truth of that statement. In this case, the High Court's conviction of the appellants based solely on the uncorroborated testimony of the witness Parwati was deemed unjustified, leading to the overturning of the conviction.