New Delhi, May 28 A Delhi court has convicted a youth for stabbing a teenager to death during a quarrel near Govind Puri Metro station in 2023, saying that the testimony of a sole reliable eyewitness was sufficient to prove the case beyond a reasonable doubt.
Additional Sessions Judge Anuj Agrawal was hearing a case against Shiva Chaudhary, accused of murdering Mohan, a 12th class student, who died after being stabbed in the chest during a clash between two groups of students on January 30, 2023.
In an order dated May 26, the court said, “The cumulative effect of the evidence on record clearly establishes that accused Shiva Chaudhary inflicted the fatal stab injury upon the deceased Mohan, and that the said act was done in furtherance of common intention.”
The court relied heavily on the testimony of eyewitness Sumit and said that his account of the incident was “detailed, coherent and consistent”.
“He has categorically deposed that… co-accused ‘AM’ (minor) handed over a knife to the present accused Shiva Chaudhary, who thereafter inflicted a stab injury on the chest of the deceased,” the court said.
According to the prosecution, Mohan and his friends were returning from school when they were intercepted by the accused and his associates near a police booth close to Govind Puri Metro station, following an earlier quarrel between the groups.
The court noted that eyewitness Sumit’s testimony remained unshaken despite lengthy cross-examination and was corroborated by other evidence on record, including medical evidence and the testimonies of partly hostile witnesses.
The judge said that while other witnesses did not fully support the prosecution’s case, portions of their testimonies still established the presence of the accused, Shiva, at the spot, the quarrel between the groups and the handing over of the knife before the stabbing.
“The cause of death stands conclusively established through the post-mortem report, which clearly attributes death to a penetrating stab injury to the chest. There is no allegation of poisoning or any other factor necessitating viscera examination,” the court said.
Rejecting the defence argument that the accused was falsely implicated, the court said no material contradiction had emerged in the testimony of the star witness, and there was no reason for him to implicate the accused falsely.
“This court is satisfied that the prosecution has successfully proved the guilt of the accused beyond a reasonable doubt,” it said.
The court listed the matter for arguments on sentence for a later date.
