Gauhati High Court|Thursday, 19 February 2026
Gauhati HC Upholds Life Sentence for Chikoram Gowala in Father-in-Law's Murder
Bench
Hon'ble Mr. Justice Sanjay Kumar Medhi
S.K. Medhi
Gauhati HC Upholds Life Sentence for Chikoram Gowala in Father-in-Law's Murder (2026) held that The court affirmed that eyewitness testimony, despite some inconsistencies, can be sufficient for a conviction if it is credible and corroborated.
Chikoram Gowala was convicted for the murder of his father-in-law, Sursingh Gaur, after an incident on Holi where he assaulted the victim with a bamboo lathi, resulting in the victim's death. The conviction was based on testimonies from witnesses, including the victim's daughter and a neighbor, despite claims of inconsistencies in their accounts. The Gauhati High Court upheld the conviction and sentence of life imprisonment, finding sufficient evidence against the appellant. The court noted that the injuries were consistent with the manner of assault described by the witnesses.
The court affirmed that eyewitness testimony, despite some inconsistencies, can be sufficient for a conviction if it is credible and corroborated.
The court emphasized the importance of direct evidence in establishing the facts of the case, particularly in murder trials.
The court ruled that the nature of injuries and the circumstances surrounding the incident supported the prosecution's case against the appellant.
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