PRAKASH NAYI @ SEN vs THE STATE OF GOA

The Supreme Court examined the applicability of Section 84 of the Indian Penal Code, which deals with acts done by a person of unsound mind, in the context of a conviction for culpable homicide. The appellant, Hamlet, pleaded temporary insanity, asserting that his act was done under mental disorder and should not attract criminal liability. The court focused on the legal principles governing insanity and the burden of proof, ultimately emphasizing that acts committed while of unsound mind may not attract criminal responsibility. The court upheld the conviction, clarifying the scope of Section 84 in cases of mental illness at the time of the act.