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xv. PW-15, deposed that the appellant Jamirul Haque, his neighbour, was with him and his brother near a pond 4-5 years ago when a boy and a helmeted girl arrived at Jamirul's house on a motorcycle. Jamirul left stating his friend Rahaman had come. Later, he learnt from locals about the girl's rape and murder. He identified Jamirul in Court. xvi. PW-16, deposed that the victim girl, daughter of his neighbour, went missing on August 10, 2020, whereafter a missing diary was lodged and search efforts failed. He stated that appellants Rahaman Ali and Jamirul Haque, upon arrest, disclosed at the police station in his presence their involvement in kidnapping, gang rape, murder and concealment of the body in a septic tank, and he identified them in Court.

xvii. PW-17, deposed that he is a neighbour of the complainant and knew the victim girl, who went missing on August 10, 2020. Despite local searches, she remained untraced, following which a missing diary was lodged. He stated that within a few days, the appellants namely Rahaman Ali and Jamirul Haque were apprehended and in his presence at the police 2026:CHC-JP:88-DB station, confessed to kidnapping, gang rape and subsequent murder of the victim, and concealing her body in a septic tank. He identified the accused in Court. During cross-examination, he maintained that the accused made voluntary disclosures before him at the police station and denied all suggestions disputing such confession or his credibility. xviii. PW-18, deposed that in the latter part of August, 2020, at about 4:30- 5:00 p.m., police arrived at his residence and took him to the bank of river Chewai. There, in the presence of police and others, the appellant being Rahaman Ali disclosed his identity and confessed to having kidnapped, raped and murdered the victim girl and to concealing her body in a septic tank. He further stated that to suppress the victim's identity, Rahaman Ali had cut her long hair using a scissor and discarded both the hair and the scissor near the river. Pursuant to such disclosure, the accused led the police and witnesses to the riverbank and recovered the scissor from beneath the sand, which was seized under a proper seizure list bearing PW18's signature and thereafter was identified in Court as Material. PW18 further stated that police recovered control earth from a place near a tea garden, alleged to be the site of the offence and seized the same under another seizure list signed by him. He also witnessed seizure of empty liquor bottles from the vicinity. He identified the appellants in Court and denied all suggestions of false implication or fabricated seizure.

xix. PW-19, deposed that in August, 2020, he was called by police near the Chewai river bridge where he found the appellant Rahaman Ali, police personnel and local witnesses present. In his presence, Rahaman Ali disclosed that he, along with Jamirul Haque, had kidnapped, raped and murdered the victim girl and concealed her body in a septic tank, further stating that he had cut and disposed of her hair in the river. Pursuant to such disclosure, police recovered articles from the river bank and 2026:CHC-JP:88-DB collected control earth from the place of occurrence. PW19 witnessed the seizures and proved his signatures on the seizure lists. He also identified the appellants in Court.

2026:CHC-JP:88-DB xxiii. PW-23, deposed that the appellant Rahaman Ali, his neighbour, was identified in court. Approximately four years prior, in the evening, police brought him to Rahaman Ali's house, where, in his presence, a red Hero Honda Super Splendor motorcycle, a full-sleeve T-shirt and a black trouser were recovered at the instance of the accused. He further stated that Rahaman Ali disclosed before them that he had kidnapped, raped and murdered the victim and concealed her body in a septic tank. In cross-examination, he denied suggestions of false implication and maintained that the recovery and disclosure were made in his presence. xxiv. PW-24, a retired Medical Officer, deposed that on September 15, 2020 he was serving as a pathologist at Sadar Hospital, Jalpaiguri. On that day, in connection with Rajganj P.S. Case No. 111/2020, he medically examined the accused persons, namely Jamirul Haque, Rahaman Ali and Tamirul Haque. After conducting the requisite examinations, he prepared capability test reports in his own handwriting, bearing his signature and official seal, opining on their physical capability. He identified the said reports in Court, which were marked as Exhibits 18, 19 and 20 respectively. In cross-examination, he admitted that he had not mentioned the date alongside his signature on the reports. xxv. PW-25, an Assistant Professor in the Department of Pathology at Jalpaiguri Government Medical College and Hospital, deposed that on August 21, 2020, while serving as Medical Officer (Pathologist) at Sadar Hospital, Jalpaiguri, he was part of a duly constituted medical board comprising himself and two other doctors to conduct the post-mortem examination in connection with Rajganj P.S. Case No. 111/2020. The dead body, identified by a police constable, was in an advanced stage of decomposition. Upon examination, multiple ante-mortem injuries were noted, including lip indentations, bruises on the upper limb and thighs, and fracture of nasal cartilage. Internal findings revealed bloody 2026:CHC-JP:88-DB discharge from the uterus and severe pulmonary congestion with petechial hemorrhages. The cause of death was opined to be mechanical asphyxia resulting from ante-mortem injuries. Injuries on the thighs indicated sexual assault. In cross-examination, he stated that due to decomposition, certain findings were inconclusive, though all injuries were recent in nature.