Right Against Double Jeopardy: SC Stops Retrying a Man Acquitted 20 Years Ago
- ByAdmin --
- 11 Apr 2025 --
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Imagine being acquitted after a full trial—and then, two decades later, being dragged back to court for the same case.
That’s exactly what happened to Ramesh, a 55-year-old from Rajasthan, who was acquitted of murder charges in 2005. In 2024, police sought to reopen the case under "new evidence." He challenged it, and in 2025, the Supreme Court reaffirmed a critical safeguard:
No one can be punished twice for the same offence.
The Legal Backbone
Article 20(2) of the Constitution protects against double jeopardy, supported by Section 300 of CrPC.
It means:
- Once acquitted or convicted, no second trial on the same facts
- You can’t be harassed again by the system unless the offence or evidence is fundamentally new
What the Court Held
- Reinvestigating acquitted persons without strong new legal grounds violates their liberty
- “New evidence” must be substantially different, not just reinterpreted old facts
- State must respect finality of acquittal
“Justice cannot become a revolving door for harassment,” the Court said.
Impact
- Brings relief to thousands of those acquitted but living in fear of re-arrest
- Prevents misuse of criminal law to settle political or personal scores
- Reinforces finality in litigation, a bedrock of fairness
You fight for your freedom once—the law ensures you shouldn’t have to fight for it again.
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