Ketan Agarwal Murder: What Is 'Panchsheel' Test That Could Prove Decisive In Absence Of Eyewitnesses?

Ketan Agarwal Murder Case: Siya Goyal and her lover, Chetan Chaudhary - accused in the Ketan Agarwal murder case - were taken to Lohagad Fort near Pune on Tuesday and Wednesday to reconstruct the sensational crime. A 'gai analysis' was also conducted to prove that Chetan was the man in a hoodie seen in the CCTV footage following Ketan and Siya before the murder.

Police and experts said both steps will be crucial to prove in court, as there are no eyewitnesses to the murder. The prosecution must meet the standards set in the Supreme Court's landmark 1984 'Panchsheel' judgment. These standards must be met before anyone can be convicted based on circumstantial evidence.

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Chetan was taken to Lohagarh at 7 am on Wednesday under the strict supervision of a team of over 25 police officers, while Siya was taken there a day earlier.

How Is 'Gait Analysis' Conducted?

Experts explained that in murder cases, the crime scene is recreated in the presence of the accused. This reveals how the accused committed the murder, where the victim was standing, how the accused approached him, and how the murder was committed. This recreation process is recorded through video recordings and independent witnesses.

An expert explained that gait analysis is performed to prove that the accused was present at the scene on the day of the murder. The accused is taken to the scene, and a scientific record is created of his gait, facial expressions, body language, height, and limb length.

Forensic Gait Analysis Records Are Difficult To Challenge In Court

Forensic gait analysis records are difficult to challenge in court because they provide evidence that the accused was present at the scene.

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What Is The 'Panchsheel' Test, Crucial Method In The Case?

In the 1984 case of Sharad Birdhi Chand Sarda vs. State of Maharashtra, the Supreme Court clarified that the absence of an eyewitness in a murder case cannot alone be grounds for acquitting an accused. The court stated that life imprisonment or death sentences can be awarded based on circumstantial evidence. To achieve this, the court laid down five very strict conditions, known as the "Five Golden Principles" or "Panchsheel."

Five Strict Conditions of Panchsheel

- Every circumstance and fact presented against the accused must be fully and convincingly proven.

- All proven facts must point solely to the accused's guilt (there must be no doubt about anyone else's involvement).

- The circumstances and evidence must be completely convincing, strong, and undeniable.

- The circumstances must be such that they completely eliminate every logical possibility of the accused's innocence.

- There must be a continuous and complete chain of evidence that leads to a single conclusion: the accused alone committed the crime.

Ketan Agarwal Murder Case

The investigation and legal proceedings in the Ketan Agarwal murder case will be based entirely on these five principles.

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An expert said, "The police do not have any eyewitnesses to the incident. Therefore, the scene recreation and gait analysis in Lohagarh are an attempt to scientifically prove these 'circumstances' before the court. The police must prove to the court that the sequence of events—Chetan and Siya leaving the house, arriving in Lohagarh, the crime, and the subsequent circumstances—forms an 'unbreakable chain' that directly proves them to be the murderers."

A key aspect of the 'Panchsheel' principle is that if even a single crucial link in the chain of evidence collected during a police investigation is broken, the defence can exploit it.

The expert explained, "If there is even a 1% reasonable chance that the accused is innocent, they will receive the benefit of the doubt and can be acquitted."

Siya and Chetan's Confession: They Rehearsed On A Hill Before Crime

In another development, both accused reportedly confessed to rehearsing the murder before pushing Ketan off the Lohagad Fort cliff. The investigations by the Pune Rural Police have revealed that the accused, Siya and Chetan, rehearsed the crime on a hill near the market yard before pushing Ketan off the Lohagad Fort cliff on June 18.

A Pune Rural Police officer said, "Siya and Chetan admitted practising on the hill during interrogation."

The officer added, "We will identify the exact spot where the rehearsal took place and prepare a panchnama (inquest report)." Both accused also described how they rehearsed the crime before committing it.

Police have also seized Chetan Chaudhary's scooter, which he used to go to Lohgarh Fort on the day of Ketan's murder.

(With Jagran.com Inputs)