Accused Not Obligated to Prove Innocence Unless Mandated by Law: Supreme Court

In a recent judgment, the Supreme Court of India acquitted Pankaj Singh of charges under Sections 342, 376, and 201 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). The case, which garnered significant attention, involved a criminal appeal (Criminal Appeal No. 1753/2023) where Pankaj Singh was accused of multiple offenses including Section 376 (punishment for rape), Section 342 (punishment for wrongful confinement), and Section 201 (causing disappearance of evidence of an offense).…