Thangavelu Padmanadan vs Hon. Attorney General – CA 38/2013-2017

In the case between Thangavelu Padmanadan (Accused-Appellant) and the Hon. Attorney General (Respondent), the court examined whether the conviction and death sentence for the murder of Ramaiya Paramajothi were justified, focusing on the reliability of the dying declaration and the sufficiency of the evidence identifying the Accused-Appellant. It was held that the conviction and sentence should stand, as the dying declaration and supporting witness testimonies reliably established the Accused-Appellant’s identity and culpability. The holding reaffirmed the principle that a dying declaration, when found consistent and credible within the context of the entire evidence, may serve as a substantive basis for conviction. Reliance was placed on Section 296 (read with Section 32) of the Penal Code