Rajagopal vs Muthupandi @ Thavakkalai & Ors

The Supreme Court held that the High Court's acquittal of the accused under Section 148 and Section 307 read with Section 149 IPC was erroneous, as it disregarded the testimony of the injured eyewitness, Rajagopal (PW-1), who identified the accused and detailed their roles in the attack. The Court emphasized that the presence of multiple serious injuries and the use of lethal weapons indicated a clear intention to kill. The judgment of the High Court was set aside, and the conviction by the Trial Court was restored, affirming the sentence of seven years imprisonment with a fine of Rs. 5,000 each for the accused.