GILBERT PEREIRA vs STATE OF KARNATAKA

The Supreme Court upheld the High Court's decision to convict Gilbert Pereira under Section 302 IPC for the murder of Marita Margaret Pereira and Section 397 IPC for robbery, reversing the acquittal by the Sessions Court. The Court emphasized that the conviction was based on circumstantial evidence, including the recovery of the victim's gold ornaments from the appellant, which he could not explain. The Court affirmed the life sentence and concurrent sentences imposed by the High Court, establishing that circumstantial evidence can suffice for conviction in murder cases when direct evidence is unavailable.