Summary Lahore High Court acquits Raja Shahid, citing contradictions in CCTV footage, witness statements and medical evidence that weakened the prosecution’s murder case.
LAHORE (Muhammad Ashfaq) - The Lahore High Court has allowed the criminal appeal of Raja Shahid, who was sentenced to life imprisonment in a murder case, and acquitted him.
Justice Muhammad Amjad Rafiq observed that CCTV footage can serve as primary documentary evidence in criminal cases. If the video is authentic, the accused is reliably identified through credible evidence, and legal requirements are fulfilled, a conviction may be possible even in the absence of eyewitnesses. However, in the present case, contradictions in CCTV footage, witness statements and medical evidence prevented the prosecution from proving the murder charge against the accused beyond a reasonable doubt.
In his judgment, Justice Muhammad Amjad Rafiq stated that a person cannot be convicted of murder solely on the basis of physical resemblance or a partial admission. The faces of the suspects were not clearly visible in the CCTV footage, making reliable evidence essential to establish the accused’s identity.
According to the court, significant contradictions emerged between witness statements and CCTV footage regarding the firing incident and the suspects’ escape. These discrepancies could not be ignored.
The judgment stated that Raja Shahid admitted being present at the crime scene and kicking the victim but denied shooting him dead. Medical evidence also did not confirm that the victim had been shot further after falling to the ground. Under these circumstances, the evidence presented by the prosecution was insufficient to hold the accused responsible for the murder.
The court observed that if faces are unclear in CCTV footage, forensic techniques may be used to enhance the video. However, the authenticity of the footage, the integrity of the original recording and the chain of custody of the evidence must be established to determine its legal validity and reliability.
The judgment further stated that the prosecution bears the burden of proving the charge against an accused beyond a reasonable doubt. If even one reasonable doubt remains after examining the evidence, the benefit must be given to the accused.
The court ruled that the contradictions in the evidence and shortcomings in identification made it impossible to uphold Shahid’s conviction. The trial court had sentenced Raja Shahid to life imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs300,000 on March 30, 2024. The Lahore High Court set aside the conviction and acquitted him.
According to the prosecution, Rana Muhammad Naeem Qaiser was shot dead on September 18, 2022. A previous dispute between the victim and the accused was cited as the motive for the murder. A case was registered at Mughalpura Police Station in Lahore.
