2007 Supreme(Del) 404
High Court Of Delhi
SHIV NARAYAN DHINGRA
BHAGWAN SINGH AND SURESH - Appellant
Versus
STATE - Respondents
Crl. A. 302 Of 1999
Decided On : 02/26/2007
R.K.NASEEM, RICHA KAPOOR, Sukriti
The burden of proving injuries on the accused rests with the accused, and the common object of an unlawful assembly can develop spontaneously.
Headnote:
IPC - Conviction under Section 304 Part I, 325/149, 323/149, and 148 - [SUMMARY]
Fact of the Case:
The accused were convicted under various sections of the Indian Penal Code for assaulting the complainant and his family, resulting in the death of one individual.
Finding of the Court:
The Trial Court found the accused guilty based on the testimony of the injured witnesses and the circumstances of the case.
Issues: The issues included the fairness of the investigation, motive for the incident, and the applicability of Section 149 of the IPC.
Ratio Decidendi: The court held that the burden of proving the injuries on the accused rested with the accused themselves, and the prosecution was not obligated to explain the injuries on the accused persons. The court also emphasized that the common object of an unlawful assembly can develop spontaneously, and the presence of the accused at the scene was sufficient to establish their guilt.
Final Decision: The appeals were dismissed, and the accused were directed to surrender to undergo the rest of their sentences.
( 2 ) THE brief facts culled out of the complaint and evidence are that Karan Singh, the complainant and the accused persons were living in village Bijwasan. On 23rd April, 1989 karan Singh was at the roof of his house in the village along with his wife and two small children. The plot adjoining to house of karan Singh was lying vacant and was having a maund of junk/earth lying there. Bhagwan Singh, accused came to this plot perhaps in under-wears, (though stated naked in the evidence) and started urinating. Wife of Karan Singh saw it from the roof and she felt annoyed and told Karan Singh, about it. He also saw this obnoxious and irritating act of urinating in the open, adjacent to his house. However, at that time he did not say anything to Bhagwan singh (while he was urinating ). Afterwards, he went to the house of Bhagwan Singh, which was nearby in the same gali and called him out and told him that he should not behave in such an indecent manner causing annoyance to the women of the house, Bhagwan Singh at that time was sitting in his house along with Suresh, Khazan singh and Balwant Singh and taking drinks. On hearing the advice of Karan Singh about being decent, all of them got annoyed and starting abusing him and told that they would behave in the same manner, he may do whatever he liked. On this, the complainant Karan Singh went to his father and brought his father along with him to bhagwan Singh's house. Bhagwan Singh, balwant Singh, Suresh and Khazan Singh on seeing Karan Singh with his father attacked them. Balwant Singh and Khazan singh gave two lathi blows to Bharat Singh, father of Karan Singh. When Karan Singh tried to save his father he was also given lathi blows by them and Suresh, who was having an iron pipe, gave blows with iron pipe to them on which both of them cried for help. On hearing their cries Karan Singh's brother Govind, Jai Prakash and Rakesh came at the spot. They were also given lathi blows and pipe blows by all the four and Rajinder and Mahender, two more accused joined and started throwing brickbats on them and caused injuries to them. Dalip Singh, Uncle of Karan Singh reached at the spot hearing noise of quarrel and when he tried to save them, all the accused cried out that today was the chance to teach a lesson to him. Bhagwan dass gave lathi blows on the head of Dalip singh and Suresh gave iron pipe blows on the temple of Dalip Singh. With this Dalip singh fell on the road. After he fell on the" road still Khazan Singh and Ganesh who was on the spot kept on giving lathi blows on his body and Rajinder and Mahender kept on using brickbats. Dalip Singh became unconscious, while Karan Singh, Jai Prakash, bharat Singh, Govind, Rakesh etc. received multiple injuries. Dalip Singh was removed to hospital who remained unconscious in the hospital and could not make statement to the police and succumbed to his injuries on next day.
( 3 ) ALL the accused persons were charged under Sections 147/148/149/304/325/323/ 34 IPC to which the accused persons pleaded not guilty.
( 4 ) TO prove its case prosecution examined karan Singh PW-2, Govind