KHASHABA MARUTI SHELKE vs STATE OF MAHARASHTRA

The Supreme Court held that the prosecution failed to prove the appellant's guilt beyond a reasonable doubt regarding the explosion of a hand-grenade, which resulted in fatalities. The Court emphasized that circumstantial evidence must be conclusive and consistent only with the accused's guilt; if multiple plausible inferences exist, conviction cannot be sustained. The absence of direct evidence linking the appellant to the explosion led to the conclusion that the conviction must be set aside, thereby allowing the appeal.