Supreme Court upholds acquittal of Union Minister Ajay Mishra Teni in a murder case

On January 08, 2024 (Monday), the Supreme Court (SC) of India upheld the acquittal of Union Home Minister of State Ajay Mishra Teni in the murder case of a rising student leader, Prabhat Gupta, in Lakhimpur Kheri district in 2000. The bench, constituting Justice Bela M. Trivedi and Justice Pankaj Mithal, said it is not inclined to interfere with the order of the Allahabad High Court and Trial Court upholding the acquittal of Ajay Mishra Teni. A family member of the deceased filed the plea against the order of the Allahabad HC. 

Union Minister Teni was acquitted by the lower court in 2004 whereas a revision plea was filed before the High Court by the complainant (father of the deceased) against the lower court’s decision. The revision petition was further dismissed by the HC therefore, an instant plea was filed by the legal heir of the complainant which was heard by the Supreme Court.

During the court proceedings, the bench highlighted the order of the Trial Court which reads, “The evidence recorded in the present case has been appreciated in its correct perspective and the Trial Court has at no point of time missed the woods of the tree. Thus, we do not find any perversity in the order of acquittal passed by the Trial Court and in any case, the law presumes double presumption in favor of the accused after a due adjudication by the trial court.”