The five principles for circumstantial evidence

The prosecution case depended substantially on circumstantial evidence. The Court applied Sharad Birdhichand Sarda v. State of Maharashtra. The circumstances relied upon must be firmly established by evidence. They must be consistent only with the hypothesis of guilt. They should be conclusive in nature and tendency. They must exclude every reasonable hypothesis except guilt. The chain must be complete and leave no reasonable ground consistent with innocence. Suspicion or an incomplete chain cannot replace proof beyond reasonable doubt. (Bernard Lyngdoh Phawa v. The State of Meghalaya | 2026 INSC 85)