KHANJAN PAL vs STATE OF U.P.

The Supreme Court upheld the High Court's conclusion that the appellant caused the death of the deceased by stabbing, finding the trial court's acquittal perverse. However, the Court reclassified the offense from murder under Section 302 IPC to culpable homicide not amounting to murder under Section 304 Part-II IPC, noting the incident arose from a sudden altercation without premeditation. The appellant, having already served over a year in prison, was fined Rs. 50,000 to be paid to the deceased's family, with a default imprisonment of six months.