DORAI @ MARIAPPAN vs STATE OF TAMIL NADU — Crl.A. No. 1205/2003

Case Summary: Crl.A. No. 1205/2003 Dorai @ Mariappan v. State of Tamil Nadu On 20 July 2004, the Supreme Court allowed the appeal and acquitted Dorai @ Mariappan of all charges, setting aside his conviction for murder (IPC §302) and related offences (§§148, 341). The Court found critical infirmities in the prosecution's case, particularly regarding the sole eyewitness (P.W. 1—the victim's son), whose credibility was undermined by prior involvement in a kidnapping case, non-examination of corroborating witnesses, and unexplained procedural irregularities in the FIR lodging. The appellant was directed to be released forthwith unless required in connection with other cases. This case analysis is maintained by casestatus.in based on publicly available court records.