High Court of Judicature at Calcutta
KANCHAN CHAKRABORTY, J.
Dipak Jana & Others
Versus
State of West Bengal
C.R.A. 509 of 2010
Decided On : 24-09-2012
ATTEMPT TO COMMIT MURDER - SECTIONS 147/307 OF THE INDIAN PENAL CODE - CONVICTION AND SENTENCE - APPEAL - ISSUES: (I) DELAY IN LODGING FIRST INFORMATION REPORT; (II) DEFECT IN FRAMING OF CHARGE; (III) INDEPENDENT WITNESSES; (IV) EVIDENCE OF VICTIM'S FATHER; (V) NATURE OF INJURIES; (VI) SEIZURE OF CORROSIVE SUBSTANCE AND VICTIM'S CLOTHES; (VII) CREDIBILITY OF WITNESSES; (VIII) INTENTION TO COMMIT MURDER; (IX) DEFECTIVE CHARGE. RATIO DECIDENDI: (I) DELAY IN LODGING FIRST INFORMATION REPORT EXPLAINED BY G.D. ENTRY MADE WITHIN 15-20 MINUTES OF INCIDENT. (II) DEFECT IN FRAMING OF CHARGE NOT INVALIDATING CRIMINAL TRIAL AND JUDGMENT BASED ON EVIDENCE. (III) INDEPENDENT WITNESSES SUPPORTING VICTIM'S STATEMENT. (IV) EVIDENCE OF VICTIM'S FATHER ADMISSIBLE DESPITE PENDING CRIMINAL CASE BETWEEN THEM AND APPELLANTS. (V) INJURIES SUSTAINED BY VICTIM SIMPLE IN NATURE, NOT GRIEVOUS. (VI) FAILURE TO SEIZE CORROSIVE SUBSTANCE AND VICTIM'S CLOTHES NOT FATAL TO PROSECUTION CASE. (VII) TESTIMONIES OF VICTIM, EYEWITNESSES, AND DOCTOR CONSISTENT AND RELIABLE. (VIII) INTENTION TO COMMIT MURDER NOT ESTABLISHED, APPELLANTS' CONDUCT NOT AIMED AT CAUSING VICTIM'S DEATH. (IX) APPELLANTS GUILTY OF OFFENCE UNDER SECTIONS 323/34 OF THE INDIAN PENAL CODE, NOT SECTION 307. FINAL DECISION: APPEAL ALLOWED IN PART. APPELLANTS ACQUITTED OF OFFENCE UNDER SECTIONS 147/307 OF THE INDIAN PENAL CODE. CONVICTED OF OFFENCE UNDER SECTIONS 323/34 OF THE INDIAN PENAL CODE. SENTENCED TO UNDERGO SIMPLE IMPRISONMENT FOR PERIOD ALREADY UNDERGONE AND TO PAY FINE OF RS. 1,000/- EACH. MAIN LEGAL POINT: INTENTION TO COMMIT MURDER IS A KEY INGREDIENT OF OFFENCE UNDER SECTION 307 OF THE INDIAN PENAL CODE AND MUST BE ESTABLISHED BY SUFFICIENT AND SATISFACTORY EVIDENCE. CATEGORY: CRIMINAL LAW SUB-CATEGORY: ATTEMPT TO COMMIT MURDER
Kanchan Chakraborty, J.
The challenge in this appeal is to the judgment and order dated 10th August, 2010 passed by the learned Sessions Judge, Purba Medinipore, in Sessions Trial No. 20/June/2008 thereby convicting the appellants under Sections 147/307 of the Indian Penal Code and sentencing them to suffer rigorous imprisonment for 2 years and to pay fine of Rs.2,000/-each.
2. The judgment has been assailed by the appellants on the following grounds:
(i) that the learned Trial Court failed to appreciate the evidence on record in its true and proper perspective;
(ii) that the learned Trial Court framed charge in a defective manner and, thereby, caused prejudice to the appellants;
(iii) that the learned Court failed to consider that no independent witness supported the prosecution case;
(iv) that the learned Court erred in relying the evidence of the P.W. 5 sacrosanct ignoring the fact the a criminal case was pending between the father of the P.W. 5 and the appellants;
(v) that the learned Court failed to take note of the fact that the injuries sustained by Debendranath Bera was simple in nature and could be self-inflicted;
(vi) that the learned Court failed to take note of the fact that the corrosive substance, which was purportedly used by the appellants, was not seized and the clothes of Debendranath Bera was also not seized and sent to forensic laboratory to ascertain that it was actually acid or not;
(vii) that the learned Court erred in believing the testimonies of P.W. 2 and P.W. 3;
(viii) that the learned Court failed to consider that there was any intention on the part of the appellants to commit murder of Debendranath Bera and that they made attempt to fulfill such intention attracting the provisions of Section 307 of the Indian Penal Code;
(ix) that the judgment, being otherwise bad in law, is liable to be set aside.
3. On 14.08.2000, a petition of complaint was filed by Rabindranath Bera in the Court of the Learned Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate, Tamluk, which was referred to Nandakumar Police Station under Section 156(3) of the Code of Criminal Procedure. It was alleged in the said petition of complaint, which was treated as First Information Report subsequently, that on 20.07.2000 at about 9 p.m. when Debendranath Bera came out of his house to ease himself, the appellants along with four others caught hold him and thrown him on public road. The appellants had beaten him up with fists and blows. The testicle and throat of Debendranath was throttled. The appellants and their companions decided to kill Debendranath by pouring acid on him. Appellant Dipak Jana fetched a bottle of acid from his shop and from a distance poured the same on the body of Debendranath. When Debendranath started groaning with pain, appellants and their companions kicked him like a football. Hearing the groaning of Debendranath, the de facto complainant and other people of the locality appeared in the scene and saved Debendranath. They took him to Nandakumar Police Station first of all and got a G.D. Entry recorded. The Officer-in-Charge of the Nandakumar Police Station sent Debendranath to Khejuri Beria Hospital for treatment. Debendranath was admitted and treated there from 20.07.2000 to 02.08.2000. The case was investigated into and in course of investigation, the Investigating Officer of the case collected injury report, discharge certificate, true copy of the G.D. Entry and examined available witnesses. Finally, the Investigating Officer of the case submitted a charge sheet against the appellants and other four persons under Sections 147/323/326/307 of the Indian Penal Code. The learned Trial Court, upon consideration of the materials placed before it, framed charges against all the accused persons including the appellants under Section 147/307 of the Indian Penal Code. The appellants and other co-accused persons pleaded not guilty to the charge and, accordingly, the trial commenced. In course of trial, eight witnesses were
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