Rajesh Yadav v. The State of Bihar
Case brief
What is this about?
Patna High Court Division Bench (Rajeev Ranjan Prasad & Soni Shrivastava JJ, per Soni Shrivastava J) allowed informant Rajesh Yadav's appeal (Criminal Appeal (DB) No.1253 of 2024, decided 02-04-2026) under proviso to S.372 CrPC / S.413 BNSS against acquittal of Amit Yadav, Gunay Yadav, Khokha Yadav, Arvind Yadav and Kiran Devi by Sessions Judge, Saharsa (ST No.127 of 2021 arising from Bihra P.S. Case No.127 of 2020, judgment dated 14-08-2024) of murder charges under IPC ss.147, 148, 149, 323, 324, 326, 307, 302, 504, 506. Key searchable themes: fair trial; denial of fair trial; victim appeal against acquittal; non-examination of chargesheet witnesses; first Investigating Officer S.I. Arvind Kumar Mishra not examined; post-mortem doctor (Dr. S.P. Biswas / Dr. Shekhar Prasad Biswas, spelled Bishwas in operative order) not examined; post-mortem report and inquest report not proved; premature closure of prosecution evidence; absence of service reports on summons and warrants; duty of court and Public Prosecutor to produce witnesses; benefit of doubt acquittal set aside; remand for trial de novo; four-month timeline; day-to-day trial per 2025 INSC 1155; surrender within four weeks and coercive action; fresh bail bonds; precedents relied on: (2014) 2 SCC 401 Jayalalithaa; (2013) 5 SCC 741 Natasha Singh; (2002) 1 SCC 655 Shailendra Kumar; (2015) 8 SCC 787 Bablu Kumar; Saharsa; Bihra; Section 313 CrPC; Article 21 fair trial.