A confession must be voluntary and trustworthy

The prosecution relied on alleged confessional statements by the appellants. A confession can be considered when the Court finds it true and voluntary. Its actual contents must be examined rather than assumed to prove the whole case. An admission of an incriminating fact may fall short of confession to the offence itself. The statements here were inconsistent and lacked a direct acknowledgment of guilt. The Court found no valid corroborating evidence. The statements could not independently sustain the convictions. The alleged confessions were not sufficient to prove guilt. (Bernard Lyngdoh Phawa v. The State of Meghalaya | 2026 INSC 85)