Reasoned criminal judgments are essential; a bare conclusion without evidence review justified remand for fresh adjudication.

A criminal judgment must disclose the evidence considered and the reasons supporting the conclusions reached; a bare recital of findings is not a judgment in law. The SC noted that the trial court's order was perfunctory and cryptic, with no meaningful discussion of prosecution or defence evidence, which was especially serious in a murder case. Because the matter came before the Court as the first appeal on facts, it declined to undertake an original appraisal of the evidence and instead ordered remand. The conviction and acquittal were set aside, and the case was sent back for fresh disposal on the existing record after hearing both sides.

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Issues: Whether the trial court's judgment, which recorded only conclusions without discussing the evidence or submissions, could be sustained and whether the matter had to be remanded for fresh disposal.

Analysis: A criminal judgment must disclose the reasons which form the basis of the conclusions reached. A mere recital of findings, without notice of the evidence or the arguments advanced, does not satisfy the requirement of a judgment in law. The judgment under challenge was found to be perfunctory and cryptic, especially in a serious murder case, and it failed to reflect any scrutiny of the prosecution and defence evidence. Since the appeal was the first appeal to the Supreme Court, the Court declined to itself undertake an original appraisal of the evidence so as not to prejudice either side by depriving it of a proper first appeal on facts.

Conclusion: The trial court's judgment could not be sustained and the case was remanded for fresh disposal by the trial court by writing a reasoned judgment after hearing both sides.

Final Conclusion: The conviction and acquittal recorded by the trial court were set aside, and the proceedings were sent back for a fresh judgment on the existing record, with the parties to be heard again.

Ratio Decidendi: A criminal judgment must itself show the evidence considered and the reasons for the conclusion reached; a conclusion unsupported by reasons is not a judgment in the eye of law and warrants remand for fresh adjudication.

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