Minor Discrepancies In Subsequent Statements Do Not Weaken First Dying Declaration If Found Reliable And Consistent: Supreme Court

The Supreme Court held that a reliable and consistent first dying declaration cannot be discarded due to minor inconsistencies in later statements. The bench stressed that the evidentiary value of a dying declaration depends on its intrinsic reliability and coherence with surrounding facts. The Court reiterated that if the declarant was in a fit state of mind and the statement appears voluntary, it can form the sole basis for conviction. Subsequent variations do not erode the original declaration unless they affect its core substance. This judgment reinforces settled principles governing admissibility of dying declarations and guides trial courts to assess their credibility holistically rather than hyper-technically.