The prosecution must establish a reliable link between accused and vehicle

The vehicle’s registered owner was abroad. His father, who possessed the vehicle, testified for the defence. He stated that he had not entrusted it to any accused. No connection between the owner and the appellant was established. The prosecution evidence did not close this gap. The alleged driving role remained vague and inadequately corroborated. The Court evaluated the missing link with the other circumstances. It concluded that the appellant’s involvement was not proved. Jaswinder Singh @ Shinder Singh v. State of Punjab | 2026 INSC 23