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1997 Supreme(Kar) 642

Karnataka High Court
STATE OF KARNATAKA BY SPECIAL LAND ACQUISITION OFFICER, K.R.P., MYSORE - Appellant
Versus
N.Somasekhar - Respondent
Decided On : 11-14-97
CRIMINAL APPEAL : 584 of 1994

Advocates:
B.ANAND, C.G.SUNDER, N.Samba Murthy, S.S.KOTI

Headnote:Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973-Section 28-Indian Penal Code, 1860-Section 304 II-Relevant consideration for imposing fine-instantly, mother who has lost her son and not well-of pecuniary deserves compensation-fine imposed in default to undergo sentence-said amount of fine to be disbursed to mother of the deceased son.

       Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973-Section 28-Indian Penal Code, 1860-Section 304-II-Relevant consideration for awarding sentence-accused , a police officer has already suffered loss of reputation and career-he has to look after his two children-imposition of sentence for the period undergone in custody would meet the ends of justice

       Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973-Sections 378 and 386-Appeal against judgment of acquittal-Scope of power of Appellate Court-plenary power of review and re-appreciation of evidence-order of acquittal has no immunity from scrutiny by Appellate authority-instantly, judgment rendered by Trial Court ignoring medical evidence and evidence of eye witnesses and on hypothetical assumptions held perverse, erroneous and contrary to law.

       Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973-Section 378 -Appeal against judgment of acquittal-Where judgment rendered by Trial Court is based on evidence adduced and examining the same carefully and also categorised as being not perverse, no interference is required by High Court.

       Indian Penal Code, 1860-Section 201-Disappearance of evidence-Senior Police officer exercising control over investigation trying to subvert the investigation by threatening police officers-his attempt to suppress truth held diabolical and also held guilty u/s 201.

KUMAR RAJARATNAM, J.

( 1 ) THIS is an appeal against acquittal preferred by the State. The accused, who was the Deputy Commissioner of Police I, mysore City, was prosecuted for the offences under Sections 341, 302, 201 and 506, Indian Penal Code. The Trial Court in sessions Case No. 101 of 1991 on the file of the First Additional sessions Judge, Mysore, by its judgment dated 30th November, 1993, acquitted the accused of all the charges. Being aggrieved by the order of acquittal, the State has preferred this appeal.

( 2 ) THE prosecution case is that on 7-4-1991 in the afternoon, the accused along with his wife Shamanthakamani-C. W. 41 and her two young sons had come to the Lalitha Mahal Palace swimming Pool for a swim. This swimming pool is attached to a posh Five Star Hotel known as Lalitha Mahal Palace Hotel, situate in Mysore. When the accused came to the swimming pool, he noticed that the deceased was present in the swimming pool. Since the deceased Sathyadev was an unauthorised user of the swimming pool, the accused asked P. W. 13-swimming attendant to remove the said deceased Sathyadev, from the swimming pool. After instructing P. W. 13 thus, the accused and his wife went to the dressing room to change into their swimming costume. Shamanthakamani-C. W. 41 got into her swimming costume and entered the swimming pool first. The accused also came to the swimming pool in his swimming dress and he noticed that the deceased was sniggering at his wife shamanthakamani-C. W. 41. The accused abused the deceased and gave three blows to the deceased. One blow landed on the mouth of the deceased, one blow on the shoulder of the deceased and a third blow which was given in karate style landed on the left neck of the deceased. Sathyadev fell dead in the swimming pool. P. W. 13, who was the swimming attendant rushed towards the pool and wanted to save the deceased. The accused restrained P. W. 13 by holding his hand. Subsequently others brought the deceased out of the swimming pool and placed him by the side of the swimming pool. The deceased was dead when he was brought out of the pool. This is one limb of the prosecution case.

( 3 ) THE other limb of the prosecution case is that P. W. 34 was the Sub-Inspector of Police, Law and Order, Nazarabad Police station, Mysore. On 7-4-1991 while he was at his residence, he got a message that some person has been drowned in the Lalitha mahal Palace Hotel Swimming Pool. He also received a message from the accused that he should bring a life guard to the swimming pool. In the meanwhile, the car of the accused also arrived at the police station. The driver of the car one Chavan told P. W. 34 that somebody had drowned in the swimming pool. He went to a nearby nursing home and was not able to find a doctor; he therefore went in the accused's car to bring a doctor, who was P. W. 20-Dr. Vishnumurthy. Dr. Vishnumurthy-P. W. 20 came in the accused's car to the swimming pool followed by P. W. 34 in his motor cycle. When P. W. 34 went to the swimming pool, he saw the accused and his wife C. W. 41 and the children of the accused and P. W. 13 swimming pool attendant. He also saw p. W. 27 and his son P. W. 29 at the swimming pool. He saw the deceased and noticed that he had only an underwear on him. The accused asked Dr. Vishnumurthy-P. W. 20 to examine the deceased. The Sub-Inspector-P. W. 34 reported before the accused at the swimming pool. The accused told P. W. 34 in Kannada which translated into english, reads as follows: "look here, see some bastard has fallen into the water and drowned. Take the case as per Section 174, Criminal procedure Code and to prepare inquest panchanama". P. W. 34 asked the accused who should give the complaint. The accused retorted as to why he was in such a hurry and that mrs. Mallik-P. W. 4, the manager of the hotel would give the complaint. The accused told P. W. 34 to draw the inquest mahazar. In the meanwhile, apart from Dr. Vishnumurthy-P. W. 20, one another Dr. Ammanna (n



















































































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