K.P.Thimmappa Gowda vs State Of Karnataka

The Supreme Court upheld the trial court's acquittal of the appellant under Section 376 IPC, emphasizing that the prosecution failed to prove the case beyond reasonable doubt. The Court noted that the victim, Rathnamma, had engaged in consensual sexual relations with the appellant multiple times and that the FIR was filed with an unexplained delay of over 8 months. The Court reiterated the principle that in criminal cases, the accused is entitled to the benefit of doubt, leading to the conclusion that the evidence did not support a conviction.