State of Gujarat vs VIJAYBHAI BHIMJIBHAI VAGHELA Advocate - A B JOSHI — 251/2026

Case Summary: State of Gujarat v. Vijaybhai Bhimjibhai Vaghela Decision: The court acquitted the defendant under the Gujarat Prohibition Act, 1949, Section 65(a). The prosecution failed to prove its case beyond reasonable doubt despite presenting oral and documentary evidence. Key Reasoning: The court found critical evidentiary gaps: the panchnama (seizure report) remained unproven as the panch witnesses provided no substantive testimony supporting the charges; no FSL (forensic) report confirmed the seized material's nature; and independent witnesses were not examined. Applying established precedent from *State of Gujarat v. Sureshbhai S. Patel* and *Mansing Mulubhai Kathi v. State of Gujarat*, the court held that when panch witnesses fail to corroborate the FIR's allegations and contradictions exist in testimony, the accused deserves the benefit of doubt. This case analysis is maintained by casestatus.in based on publicly available court records.