A 26-year-old criminal case returned to the spotlight on Monday when the Supreme Court of India set aside the conviction of Jaswinder Singh @ Shinder Singh, who had been accused of driving the vehicle used in a brutal double murder in Punjab in 1999.
The top court held that the evidence against him was weak, inconsistent, and failed to prove any direct role in the crime. The judgment brought an end to a long legal struggle that had moved back and forth between trial court, High Court, and finally the Supreme Court.
Background of the Case
The case relates to a double murder that took place on October 14, 1999, near a bus stand in Village Poonia, Punjab. Two brothers were shot dead in separate but closely connected incidents on the same evening.
According to the prosecution, the assailants arrived in a blue Tata Mobile vehicle. Two of the accused allegedly fired the fatal shots using .315 bore rifles. Jaswinder Singh, the appellant before the Supreme Court, was accused only of being the driver of the vehicle.
An FIR was registered the following morning. While the trial court convicted all accused, the High Court had earlier acquitted them. Later, the matter was remanded, and the conviction was restored-leading to the present appeal before the Supreme Court.
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The prosecution mainly relied on two witnesses:
- The father of the deceased brothers
- The wife of one of the deceased
Both witnesses stated that Jaswinder Singh was driving the vehicle in which the shooters arrived. However, no recovery of weapons or other incriminating material was made from him. The recoveries were linked only to the other accused, who are still absconding.
The appellant was not named initially and was later summoned during trial under a special legal provision that allows courts to add accused persons if evidence emerges.
Court’s Observation
After closely examining the record, the Supreme Court found serious gaps in the prosecution story. The bench noted that while witnesses mentioned the appellant as the driver, they did not clearly describe any active role played by him in the murders.
“The testimony only indicates a vague role of driving the vehicle,” the bench observed, pointing out that key allegations were missing from earlier police statements and appeared for the first time during trial.
The court also found it significant that a senior police officer, examined as a defence witness, had earlier investigated the case and concluded that Jaswinder Singh was innocent. The vehicle in question was never produced before the court for identification, nor was any link established between the appellant and its owner.
The judges also took note of long-standing hostility between the families involved. Evidence showed that both sides had a history of criminal cases, police raids, and mutual accusations.
Against this background, the court said it was unsafe to rely on improved statements made after long delays, especially when crucial facts were not mentioned during the initial investigation.
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The Final Decision
In its final ruling, the Supreme Court allowed the criminal appeal and set aside the conviction of Jaswinder Singh. The bench made it clear that the acquittal was based purely on the absence of reliable evidence against him.
“The appellant is acquitted of the crime alleged,” the court ordered, directing his immediate release if in custody and cancellation of bail bonds if already on bail. The court clarified that it had not examined the case against the other accused.
Case Title: Jaswinder Singh @ Shinder Singh vs State of Punjab
Case No.: CA arising out of SLP (Crl.) Diary No. 46882 of 2024
Case Type: Criminal Appeal (Double Murder Case)
Decision Date: January 6, 2026
