Fleeing drowning scene not proof of culpability, says SC

The Supreme Court has ruled that fleeing the scene and not attempting to save a drowning friend does not constitute proof of guilt, acquitting two men convicted for the accidental death of their acquaintance. The Gujarat High Court had sentenced them to life imprisonment, citing their decision to watch a movie instead of rescuing their friend who drowned in a river.

However, the Supreme Court bench of Justices J B Pardiwala and K Vinod Chandran dismissed this conviction, stating that the human mind can sometimes act foolishly, especially in the face of unpredictable adversity. They argued that there was no evidence to prove that the incident was a case of murder, and that the accused's behavior of going to a movie after witnessing the drowning was reprehensible but not incriminating.

The court emphasized that the actions of the accused, in this case, were more indicative of an accidental drowning than a premeditated murder.