PREETAM vs STATE OF MADHYA PRADESH

The Supreme Court held that the confession of the appellant, recorded under Section 164 of the Cr.P.C., was inadmissible due to non-compliance with mandatory requirements, specifically the failure of the Magistrate to ascertain the voluntariness of the confession. The Court emphasized that the confession could not be relied upon for conviction, leading to the conclusion that the High Court's reversal of the acquittal was unjustified. Consequently, the Supreme Court reinstated the acquittal of the appellant under Sections 302 and 404 IPC.