GUJARAT HIGH COURT
M.K. Thakker, J.
The State of Gujarat – Appellant
versus
Khimabhai Lakhmanbhai Charan and Ors. – Respondents
R/Criminal Appeal No.963 of 2005
Decided on 12.1.2024
(A) Indian Penal Code, 1860 – Sections 306, 498(A) and 114 read with Section 107 – Indian Evidence Act, 1872 – Section 32 – Criminal Procedure Code, 1973 – Section 378 – Abetment of suicide and cruelty – Acquittal appeal – Prosecution tried to establish that deceased was suffering from mental illness, however, no any contemporaneous record produced by the accused to establish the same – Prosecution clearly establishes that deceased had been subjected to physical and mental torture all through out – Newly wedded wife aged about 20 years was physically assaulted by husband on number of occasions – Husband instead of protecting against act of mental torture and humiliation, treated wife with cruelty and also physically assaulted her – It is impossible for any human to decide exactly how much instigation actually weighed in mind of person abated, when he committed the act or offence – Each person has his own self esteem and self respect when harassment went beyond tolerance level, she had no option except to put an end to her life by committing suicide – Husband is responsible for suicide of wife – Accused No.1 is required to be convicted for offence punishable under Sections 498-A and 306 of the IPC – Lapse of time would not be aspect for consideration as same would amount to injustice to victim – Remaining part of judgment and order passed by Court below shall remain unaltered. (Paras 15, 16, 20, 23, 26, 27 and 28)
(B) Words and Phrases – Instigation – To satisfy requirement of “instigation”, though it is not necessary that actual words must be used to that effect or what constitutes “instigation” must necessarily and specifically be suggestive of consequence – Yet a reasonable certainty to incite consequence must be capable of being spelt out – Where accused had, by his acts or omission or by a continued course of conduct, created such circumstances that deceased was left with no other option except to commit suicide, in which case, an “instigation” may have to be inferred – Word uttered in a fit of anger or emotion without intending consequences to actually follow, cannot be said to be instigation – To constitute ‘instigation’, a person who instigates another has to provoke, incite, urge or encourage doing of an act by other by “goading” or ‘urging forward’. (Para 21)
(C) Criminal Procedure Code, 1973 – Section 378 – Acquittal appeal – Appellate Court has to be relatively slow in reversing order of Trial Court rendering acquittal – Presumption in favour of accused does not get weakened but only strengthened – Such a double presumption that enures in favour of accused has to be disturbed only by thorough scrutiny on accepted legal parameters. (Para 25)
Result: Criminal Appeal partly allowed.
JUDGMENT (ORAL)
This appeal is filed challenging the judgment and order passed by learned 3rd Additional Sessions Judge, Fast Track Court, Junagadh dated 14.12.2004 in Sessions Case No.56 of 2003 acquitting the respondents from the offences punishable under Sections 306, 498(A) and 114 of the Indian Penal Code.
2. It is the case of the prosecution that First Information Report (FIR) came to be registered before the Keshod Police Station being II-C.R.No.3045 of 2003 for the offences punishable under Sections 498-A and 114 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) by the complainant, namely, Deviben wife of Khimabhai Lakhmanbhai stating that cruelty was meted out at the end of her husband and in laws under the pretext that marriage of brother of complainant solemnized with sister of the husband of complainant and complainant’s brother is harassing to the sister of the husband of the complainant and therefore, on that cause, she was tortured and harassed by husband and in-laws. On 14.4.2003 at around 13.00 hours, all the accused quarreling with the deceased and started harassing for the same cause. Husband had stated that he would set ablaze by setting on a fire by pouring the kerosene. On the instigation, the complainant replied that I would set on a fire to myself instead of you set on fire to me. By saying so, she poured the kerosene on herself and set ablaze and received the burn injuries. On setting criminal law in motion, a statement of the witnesses were recorded. She succumbed to injury on 20.4.2003, therefore, Section 306 of IPC was added and the panchnama of place of offence were drawn as well as arrest panchnama were drawn. Medical Certificate as well as Dying Declaration, which was recorded by the Executive Magistrate was collected. On receiving the postmortem note, the charge-sheet came to be submitted before the learned Competent Court for the offence punishable under Sections 498-A, 306 and 114 of the IPC, which was numbered as Criminal Case No.377 of 2003. As the said case is triable by the learned Sessions Court, it was committed to the learned Sessions Court and numbered as Sessions Case No.56 of 2003. On being satisfied with regard to receiving the charge-sheet papers by the accused, the charge was framed below Exh.1 against accused for the alleged offences. Plea was recorded below Exh.2, 3 and 4 wherein the accused had pleaded not guilty and claimed to be tried. To prove the case against the respondents-accused, prosecution had examined 13 witnesses and produced the 28 documentary evidences. On filing the closing pursis, further statement under Section 313 of the Code of Criminal Procedure was recorded and all incriminating material were put before the accused persons, however, the accused had denied the same and pleaded false implications. Accused No.3 had further stated in her statement that her marriage was solemnized at Bodka Village as she was conceived by, she came for the delivery at her parental house and she was falsely implicated in the present offence. She further stated that after offence was registered, baby girl was borne and she had taken the treatment at Keshod Hospital. She stated that deceased was mentally unfit and therefore, she committed suicide, she stated to be innocent and prayed to be acquitted from the charges.
3. List of prosecution evidence is reproduced herein below:—
| Sr. No. | P.W. No. | Name Medical Witnesses. | Exh. No. | |
| 1 | 1 | Dr. Atulkumar Chandulal | 13 | |
| 2 | 2 | Dr. Sudhaben Kantilal Shah | 22 | |
| 3 | 3 | Dr. Jayant Hariprasad Pandya | 26 | |
| 4 | 5 | Dr. Rameshgiri Mohangiri Government Witness | 40 | |
| 5 | 4 | Bhimabhai Virabhai, Executive Magistrate Witnesses | 37 | |
| 6 | 8 | Palabhai Dhakhabhai | 49 | |
| 7 | 9 | Punjabhai Dhakhabhai | 50 | |
| 8 | 10 | Somiben wife of Dhakhabhai Panchwitnesses | 52 | |
| 9 | 6 | Valabhai Virabhai | 46 | |
| 10 | 7 | Ranabhai Kanabhai Police Witnesses | 47 | |
| 11 | 11 | Hasmukhlal Arjanbhai Ahir, PSI |
| |
Atbir vs. Government of NCT of Delhi
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(1) Abetment of suicide – It is impossible for any human to decide exactly how much instigation actually weighed in mind of person abated, when he committed the act or offence.(2) Instigation – Word ....
The court established that a husband's abusive conduct can lead to criminal liability for the suicide of his wife under Sections 306 and 498A of IPC, affirming the importance of dying declarations as....
The prosecution must prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt in cases of acquittal, emphasizing the presumption of innocence and the need for reliable evidence linking alleged cruelty to suicide.
Section 306 in Indian Penal Code reads as abetment of suicide.
The prosecution must prove beyond reasonable doubt that the accused's conduct amounted to 'cruelty' leading to the victim's suicide, which was not established in this case.
The prosecution must provide clear evidence of instigation or connection to establish charges of cruelty and abetment of suicide under IPC; mere allegations are insufficient.
Abetment of suicide – Merely on allegation of harassment without their being any positive action proximate to the time of occurrence on part of accused which led or compelled the person to commit sui....
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