Supreme Court: Orders ₹6 Lakh Compensation for Arun's Wrongful Incarceration

• The Supreme Court ordered the Uttar Pradesh government to pay ₹6 lakh compensation to Arun alias Deepak.
• Arun spent nearly six years in jail as an undertrial for kidnapping and murder before his acquittal.
• The Court found the investigation to be 'slipshod' and based on 'mere surmises and conjectures,' lacking rudimentary procedures.
• Key electronic evidence, including CCTV footage and call detail records, lacked proper certification under Section 65B of the Indian Evidence Act.
• The Supreme Court emphasized the State's responsibility to protect citizens' rights and ensure justice for the accused, not just secure convictions.

The Supreme Court underscored that the State cannot evade its fundamental responsibility to safeguard the rights of its citizens, who are presumed innocent until proven guilty.

India's Supreme Court has directed the Uttar Pradesh government to pay ₹6 lakh in compensation to Arun alias Deepak, an individual who endured nearly six years of wrongful incarceration as an undertrial in a kidnapping and murder case. This significant ruling came after the Court found the investigation into the matter to be profoundly flawed and the prosecution's case built on unsubstantiated claims, ultimately leading to Arun's acquittal.

Arun was arrested on November 14, 2019, in connection with an FIR filed in Agra district in October 2019. He faced charges under Sections 364 (kidnapping), 302 (murder), and 201 (causing disappearance of evidence) of the Indian Penal Code, 1860. Notably, he was not initially named in the FIR or in the complainant's statement recorded under Section 161 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973. His implication stemmed from unclear CCTV footage and an alleged confession from a co-accused, who later died during the trial. With another accused remaining absconding, Arun became the sole individual to face trial, enduring a prolonged period in custody before his eventual acquittal.

The Supreme Court, comprising Justices J B Pardiwala and K Vinod Chandran, expressed profound dismay at the manner in which the case was investigated and prosecuted. The Bench characterized the prosecution's narrative as entirely

The Supreme Court underscored that the State cannot evade its fundamental responsibility to safeguard the rights of its citizens, who are presumed innocent until proven guilty. The Bench emphasized that investigating and prosecuting agencies serve as crucial stakeholders in the justice delivery system, tasked not merely with securing convictions by any means, but with ensuring justice for all parties involved, including the accused.

This ruling serves as a stark reminder of the potential for a "travesty of justice" when due process is neglected. The Court's decision to review the trial court's judgment, initially prompted by a bail application in March 2026, was specifically aimed at cautioning the State regarding such systemic failures. The compensation awarded to Arun alias Deepak highlights the judiciary's commitment to holding the government accountable for the severe consequences of a slipshod investigation and haphazard prosecution, particularly when it leads to wrongful incarceration.

This ruling provides a strong precedent for challenging inadequate police investigations and prosecution tactics, particularly concerning the admissibility of electronic evidence under Section 65B of the Indian Evidence Act. Lawyers can leverage this judgment to argue for state accountability and compensation for clients subjected to wrongful incarceration due to systemic failures in the justice delivery system.

Source: Original reporting via legal news outlet