IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU
K. SOMASHEKAR, C.M. JOSHI, JJ.
The State By Mandya Rural Police Station, Rep. by State Public Prosecutor - Appellant
Versus
Ramaraju S/o. Muthegowda & Ors. - Respondents
Criminal Appeal No. 581 of 2016
Decided On : 22-11-2022
Indian Penal Code,1860 - Sections 504, 307 and 506 read with Section 34 - Criminal Procedure Code,1973 - Section 209 , 207, 313 and 233 – Offence of Attempt to murder - Intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace - Common intention – Charged - Complainant, were travelling in a tempo at Garibi Site where tar was being newly laid under Suvarna Grama Yojana Scheme - Since there was a break in the tar, PWs 1 and 2 are said to have fired at those workers who had done the said shabby work - Said fact was taken to notice of Accused No.1 / - Hence, it is stated that on previous day of incident in night, Accused No.1 / had abused in filthy language at those, who had complained about shabby work in laying tar and that complainant and PW-2 having heard same, had remained silent as it would lead to a scuffle - It is alleged that at about 9.00 p.m., when PW-1 / complainant, PW-2 and CW-3 to 6 were talking with each other near shop of Shankar, at that time, all accused persons forming an assembly, had gone there and started abusing them in filthy language and obstructed the complainant - It is stated that while they were running away from spot to escape from clutches of accused persons, said accused are said to have threatened PW-1, PW-2 and others with dire consequences - Thereafter, it is stated that CW-3 who is cited as a witness in charge-sheet, had taken injured / PW-2 on his motorcycle to hospital for treatment and thereafter complaint was lodged against accused persons - Whether offences under Section 307 IPC is made out relating to intention and not injury.
Finding of Court : In view of the fact that PW-4 / Doctor having certified that material object razor had caused lacerated wound instead of incised wound on the injured / PW-2, also creates suspicion in mind of this Court and find that evidence on part of prosecution is camouflaged and somersault, which is evident from Wound Certificate issued by Doctor - In totality of circumstances, even a prudent man can arrive at a conclusion that the prosecution has failed to establish guilt against the accused as regards the offences in order to secure conviction - But in the instant case, Trial Court has appreciated the evidence in a proper perspective and has arrived at a conclusion by assigning justifiable reasons and so also sound reasons wherein it is held that prosecution has failed to establish guilt of accused by facilitating cogent, corroborative, positive and consistent evidence in order to probabilise that accused alone had inflicted with injuries over PW-2 / as narrated in complaint at Exhibit P1 - Therefore, in terms of aforesaid reasons and findings, Court are of opinion that appeal does not require any intervention as sought for - Consequently, appeal deserves to be dismissed as being devoid of merits.
Result : Appeal is hereby rejected.
JUDGMENT :
This appeal is directed against the judgment of acquittal rendered by the Court of the Principal Sessions Judge, Mandya in S.C.No.91/2013 dated 05.12.2015 acquitting Accused / Respondent Nos.1 to 4 for the offences punishable under Sections 504, 307 and 506 read with Section 34 of IPC, 1860. The State has filed this appeal challenging the said acquittal judgment rendered by the trial Court and seeking to convict respondent Nos.1 to 4 / accused for the offences for which they were charged, by considering the grounds urged in this appeal.
2. Heard the learned HCGP for State and so also the learned counsel Shri G.B. Sharath Gowda for respondents / accused. Perused the judgment of acquittal rendered by the Trial Court inclusive of the exhibited documents.
3. The factual matrix of the appeal is as under:
It transpires from the case of the prosecution that on 11.7.2012, PW-1 / complainant namely Pradeep S/o. T.N. Puttaswamy and PW-2 / Srinivasa, were travelling in a tempo at Garibi Site where tar was being newly laid under the Suvarna Grama Yojana Scheme. Since there was a break in the tar, PWs 1 and 2 are said to have fired at those workers who had done the said shabby work. The said fact was taken to the notice of Accused No.1 / Ramaraju. Hence, it is stated that on the previous day of the incident in the night, Accused No.1 / Ramaraju had abused in filthy language at those, who had complained about the shabby work in laying the tar and that the complainant and PW-2 having heard the same, had remained silent as it would lead to a scuffle. It is alleged that on 13.07.2012 at about 9.00 p.m., when PW-1 / complainant, PW-2 and CW-3 to 6 were talking with each other near the shop of Shankar, at that time, all the accused persons forming an assembly, had gone there and started abusing them in filthy language and obstructed the complainant. It is stated that Accused Nos.1 and 3 caught hold of PW-1 and dragged him to and fro by holding his shirt and that when PW-2 and others told the accused persons that they had intentionally come to quarrel with them, Accused No.2 had tried to assault PW-2 / Srinivas on his neck with a razor and that when PW-2 tried to escape, he was assaulted with razor on his cheek and that again Accused No.2 / Mutthuraju is said to have assaulted PW-2 / Srinivas with razor on his lip and near right eye and caused injuries, with an intention to murder Srinivas. It is stated that while they were running away from the spot to escape from the clutches of the accused persons, the said accused are said to have threatened PW-1, PW-2 and others with dire consequences. Thereafter, it is stated that CW-3 who is cited as a witness in the charge-sheet, had taken the injured Srinivasa / PW-2 on his motorcycle to the hospital for treatment and thereafter complaint was lodged against accused persons.
4. Based on the complaint filed by the complainant who was examined as PW-1, criminal law was set into motion by recording an FIR by one K.M. Nagaraj / PW-5 as per Exhibit P5, who was the Head Constable in the Rural Police Station, Mandya. PW-5 after having partly investigated the case, handed over the case file to C.W.10 i.e., P.S.I. of Rural Police Station, Mandya. It appears that C.W.10 having investigated the case, after recording the statement of witnesses and so also drawing the mahazar in the presence of panch witnesses and after securing the Wound Certificate, had laid the charge-sheet against the accused persons before the Committal Court for the offences reflected therein.
Subsequently, the Committal Court had passed an order as contemplated under Section 209 of the Cr.P.C. by following the provisions of Section 207 Cr.P.C. relating to furnishing of the charge-sheeted materials and the case was committed to the Court of Sessions for trial. The Trial Court, after hearing the arguments of the learned Public Prosecutor for State and so also the defense counsel for the accused relating to framing of charge and having found
Point of Law : Evidence let in by the prosecution has to be assessed carefully and cautiously and it should not be brushed aside. [Para 30]
Intent to kill under Section 307 IPC necessitates specific evidence; absence of concrete proof results in acquittal for grievous intent while confirming lesser charges.
The court clarified that conviction under IPC Section 307 can be established not just through harm caused but also through the intent of the accused, underlined by consistent eyewitness accounts.
Point of law: There may be no difficulty in accepting or discarding the testimony of the single witness. The difficulty arises in the third category of cases. The court has to be circumspect and has ....
The intent to commit murder must be proven beyond reasonable doubt, and in this case, it was established that the act fell under grievous hurt.
The main legal point established in the judgment is the requirement for reliable and consistent evidence in criminal cases, as well as the need for corroboration in material particulars by reliable t....
The court modified the conviction of the accused from attempted murder to causing grievous hurt, emphasizing the need for direct evidence in serious charges.
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