The Supreme Court has set aside the conviction of Kondapaka Sridhar, also known as Shekar, Madhu, Gopi and Chinna, in a kidnapping and murder case, holding that the prosecution failed to produce reliable evidence connecting him with the crime.
A Bench of Justice J. B. Pardiwala and Justice K. Vinod Chandran allowed the appeal on September 3, 2026, and directed that Sridhar be released if he was still in custody.
Background of the Case
The case began after a man went missing while travelling to Hyderabad. His father later received a ransom call demanding Rs. 2 lakh. He deposited Rs. 1.5 lakh into an account belonging to Geetanjali and approached the police.
The investigation eventually led to one accused, A6, after analysis of phone calls. A6 allegedly led police to a flat where the missing man's body was found concealed inside a refrigerator. Six persons were initially prosecuted. While the trial court convicted them, the High Court acquitted all except Sridhar (A1) and upheld his conviction mainly on the testimony of PW3 and the circumstance that he had not explained the presence of the body in the flat.
Supreme Court's Observation
The Supreme Court found serious gaps in the prosecution evidence. It noted that the prosecution story largely depended on confessions, which could not be used to establish guilt against the accused. The Court also found that crucial electronic evidence, including call records and CCTV footage, had not been properly proved.
The Court observed:
“There was no substantive evidence led before the Trial Court by the prosecution. The investigation was shoddy and merely relied on the confessions and the lewd story coming out of the confessions connecting A1 to A2 & A3 and A2 to the deceased.”
The Court also questioned the prosecution's claim that Sridhar had leased the flat. No lease agreement was produced, ownership documents were absent, and there was no independent evidence establishing his connection with the apartment. This weakened both the prosecution's reliance on Section 106 of the Evidence Act and its “last seen” theory.
Decision
The Supreme Court held that the evidence did not reliably connect Sridhar with the murder or even with the flat where the body was recovered.
“We, hence, find absolutely no reason to sustain the order of conviction entered against A1 by the High Court, and therefore, we set aside the same.”
The appeal was allowed. The Court directed that if Sridhar remained in custody, he be released forthwith, provided he was not required in any other case.
Case Details
Case Title: Kondapaka Sridhar @ Shekar @ Madhu @ Gopi @ Chinna v. The State of Telangana
Case Number: Criminal Appeal No. 4512 of 2025
Judge: Justice J. B. Pardiwala and Justice K. Vinod Chandran
Decision Date: September 3, 2026
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