JUDGMENT

S.B. Sinha, J.

1. Leave granted.

Fact

2. Hardev Singh was a resident of Derabassi. He was a teacher. He, along with Karam Chand, came to village Budhanpur to meet his father on 24.4.1988. There was a vacant land in front of their house which was in possession of Pala Ram and others. It was a Shamlat land. They were digging foundation. Ujjagar Singh, father of Hardev Singh, asked them to leave some passage for their house whereupon Pala Ram exhorted that the old man should be taught a lesson. Ujjagar Singh shouted for help. Appellant and Karam Chand, on hearing his shouts came out. They saw Kesar Singh giving a Kassi (Spade) blow from the reverse side on the head of Hardev Singhs father. He fell down. He was taken to primary health centre. He was referred to the General Hospital. However, on 30.4.1988, his condition having deteriorated, he was referred to Medical Sciences and Research, Chandigarh for treatment. He succumbed to his injuries on 1.5.1988.

Proceedings

3. Appellants were charged for commission of an offence under Section 302/34 of the Indian Penal Code. The learned Sessions Judge accepted the prosecution case. He, however, opined that no case under Section 302 of the Indian Penal Code was made out, stating :

"I, however, find force in the contention of learned defence counsel that the case in hand does not fall within ambit of Section 302 of the Indian Penal Code. It is admitted case of the prosecution that the occurrence was not the result of pre- meditation. The accused were filling foundation on the shamlat-street which was objected to by the deceased. There was a sudden fight and heat of passion accused Kesar Singh gave kassi blow on the head of Ujjagar Singh on the exhortation of Pala Ram accused. It was a single blow and that too from the blunt side of the Kassi. The crime committed by the accused is culpable homicide not amounting to murder as envisaged by Section 300 (Exception-4) IPC, punishable under Section 304-I of the Indian Penal Code."

4. On an appeal having been preferred thereagainst, a learned Single Judge of the High Court, while relying on the decision of this Court in Virsa Singh v. State of Punjab [AIR 1958 SC 465] as also in Shankar Narayan Bhadolkar v. State of Maharashtra [(2005) (9) SCC 71], opined :

"Applying the principles of law, as noticed hereinafter, I am of the considered opinion, that the offence committed by the appellants does not fall within the definition of Section 300 of the IPC, nor does it fall within the definition of offence, punishable under Section 304II of the Indian Penal Code. In my considered opinion, the learned trial Court rightly held that the nature of the offence, falls within the definition of Section 304-I of the IPC Section 304 deals with situations, where culpable homicide does not amount to murder, i.e. does not fall within the definition of murder, as contained in Section 300 of the IPC. Section 304 is sub-divided into two parts. If an injury is inflicted with the knowledge and intention that it is likely to cause death, but with no intention to cause death the offence would fall within the definition of Section 304-I, however, if there is no intention to cause such an injury, but there is knowledge that such an injury can cause death, the offence would fall within the definition of Section 304-II. Thus, is intention. If intention to cause such an injury as is likely to cause death, is established, the offence would fall under Part-I but where no such intention is established and only knowledge that the injury is likely to cause death, it would fall under Part-II."

It was, however, observed :

"However, the nature of the injury, the weapon of offence, the intention and knowledge of the assailants, in my considered opinion, clearly places the offence as one under Section 304-I of the IPC. Appellant No.1 inflicted the injury with knowledge and intention that the injury, if inflicted is likely to cause death, but with no intention to cause death. However