In a landmark ruling, the Supreme Court of India overturned the conviction of Jay Prakash Yadav, a former constable of the Indian Reserve Battalion (IRB), who had been imprisoned for nearly 12 years for the alleged murder of his superior, Sub-Inspector Sunil Soren, in 2014. The incident occurred at the IRBP Piparwar Camp in Jharkhand, where Yadav was accused of shooting Soren after his leave request was denied. The court found that the prosecution's case was based solely on circumstantial evidence, lacking eyewitness accounts. A key witness, a hawaldar, admitted during cross-examination that he could not clearly identify Yadav due to darkness at the time of the incident. The Supreme Court criticized the lower courts for overlooking these significant flaws, including the absence of a duty register on the day of the murder. It ruled that the evidence did not meet the standard required to exclude all reasonable hypotheses of innocence, granting Yadav the benefit of doubt. The court ordered his immediate release and allowed him to seek reinstatement in service if he is fit, otherwise, he is to receive financial compensation.