STATE BY INSPECTOR OF POLICE, TAMILNADU vs N. RAJAMANICKAM .

The Supreme Court dismissed the appeal filed by the State against the acquittal of the accused by the Madras High Court, emphasizing that the High Court's findings on the delayed receipt of the FIR and the lack of credibility in the evidence of PW-1 were valid. The Court noted that while delay in FIR receipt alone may not undermine the prosecution's case, the cumulative effect of various factors, including unexplained injuries on the accused and inconsistencies in witness testimony, justified the High Court's decision. The Court upheld the principle that the prosecution must establish its case beyond reasonable doubt, which was not achieved here.