State of Gujarat vs PUJABEN RAHULBHAI VAGHELA Advocate - A B JOSHI — 289/2026

Case Summary: 289/2026 The court acquitted respondent Pujaben Rahulbhai Vaghela of charges under the Bombay Prohibition Act 1949, Section 65(A), finding the prosecution failed to establish its case beyond reasonable doubt. The court found critical evidential gaps: the panchnama (seizure record) was not properly corroborated by independent witnesses, the seized contraband was not forensically tested, and prosecution witnesses (panchas) did not provide substantive testimony supporting the allegations. Applying established precedent, the court held that when panchas fail to provide credible supporting evidence and independent witnesses are not examined, reliance on the panchnama alone is unsafe, particularly where material contradictions exist and the seized substance remains unverified. This case analysis is maintained by casestatus.in based on publicly available court records.