SYAD AKBAR vs STATE OF KARNATAKA

The Supreme Court held that the principle of res ipsa loquitur is applicable in criminal trials, allowing for the presumption of negligence in certain circumstances. The Court ruled that the evidence of prosecution witnesses cannot be entirely disregarded simply because they were declared hostile and cross-examined. The judgment emphasized that it is the responsibility of the judge to evaluate the credibility of witnesses, and in this case, the circumstances of the accident indicated rash and negligent driving by the appellant, leading to the affirmation of the lower court's decision.