Gujarat High Court
Judgename :ANANT S.DAVE, R.P.Dholakia
Manjibhai Valjibhai Gamecha Vaghri - Appellant
Versus
State Of Gujarat - Respondent
CRIMINAL APPEAL 731 of 2000
Decided On : 04/21/2005
Evidence - Child witness - Appreciation of.
Head Note :
Criminal Procedure Code, 1973 (Central Act 2 of 1974) - Sections 327 & 378 - [Indian] Penal Code, 1860 (Central Act 45 of 1860) - Sections 363, 376 & 392 - [Indian] Evidence Act 1872 (Central Act 1 of 1872) - Section 118 - Conviction - Victim a child as witness - Appreciation of - There is no dispute about the age of the victim being six years and same is confirmed by the principal of her school - The fool-proof medical evidence and deposition of Panch witnesses supports the prosecution story - Deposition of victim being a child witness is closely scrutinised - She clearly supports the prosecution case and no flow could be found - In the case of rape status of victim is of an injured witness and the statement of witness does not require any corroborative evidence if Court finds her testimony, trust worthy and reliable - There is further depositions of father and mother of the victim which gets support from the deposition of Panch witnesses - Victim has very clearly identified the accused three times and defence has not been able to point out any irregularity in test identification parade - There is no basis to sustain the argument that accused was shown to victim prior to identification parade - Trial Court has properly appreciated the evidence of prosecution witnesses and has rightly convicted the appellant - Court refused any interference.
Held :
The appreciation of evidence by the trial Judge and findings with regard to the deposition of the child victim, cannot be said to be contrary to the principles laid down by the Supreme Court. The fool-proof medical evidence and depositions of Panch witnesses support the case of the prosecution. The trial Judge has rightly observed that, in the case of rape, the status of victim is of an injured witness and the statement of victim of rape does not require any corroborative evidence or any other support from any corner and, if the Court finds the testimony of child witness trustworthy and reliable, the accused is to be convicted. In the present case, the victim was a child who completely supported the prosecution case and, therefore, it cannot be said that the trial Judge has committed any error in appreciating the evidence and coming to the conclusion that the accused was guilty of heinous crime of committing rape on a minor girl of six years age. The depositions of the father and mother of the victim get corroboration from the depositions of Panch witnesses. It is not proved by the defence that there was any irregularity in the test identification parade. Even three times the accused was identified by the victim. It was rightly held by the trial Judge that, from the record, it is nowhere borne out that the accused was shown to the victim prior to the test identification parade. The Investigation Officer also denied that the accused was taken to the residence of the victim, and the very fact that the victim had remained for about four hours with the accused so closely, conclusively proves that the test identification parade is proper, legal and valid. [Para 19]
After analysing, sifting and assessing evidence on record with particular reference to its trustworthiness and truthfulness by a process of dispassionate judicial scrutiny, this Court finds that the conviction of the appellant for the offences punishable under Sections 363, 376, and 392 of the Indian Penal Code, is well founded and no ground is made out by the Advocate of the appellant to interfere with the present appeal. [Para 20]
Law Laid Down :
In the case of rape status of victim is of an injured witness and the statement of victim of rape does not require any corroborative evidence if the Court finds the testimony trustworthy and reliable.
Decided in Favour of :
Respondent-State
Appeal Dismissed
Judgment
( 1 ) THIS appeal under Section 378 of the Code of Criminal Procedure is filed by the convict appellant against the judgment and order dated 6th June 2000 passed by the learned Sessions Judge, Surendranagar, in Sessions Case No, 47 of 1999, convicting the appellant original accused of the offence punishable under Sections 363, 376, and 392 of the Indian Penal Code, and sentencing to undergo R. I. for ten years and fine of rs. 3000. In default, S. I. , for six months for offence punishable under Section 376 of the indian Penal. Code, R. I. for five years and fine of Rs. 1000, in default, S. I, for two months for offence punishable under Section 363 of the Indian Penal Code, R. I. for five years and fine of Rs. 1000, in default, S. I. for two months for offence punishable under section 392 of the Indian Penal Code-All the sentences are ordered in run concurrently,.
( 2 ) IT is the case of the prosecution that the complainant, Dahyaben, wife of bhikhubhal Takubhai Rajgor Mehta, was residing with her family members at the residential quarters of animal Husbandry department at. Chotila. She had two daughters and one son. The victim was the eldest daughter in the family. As per the case of the prosecution, on 25th April 1999, in the evening at about 16. 00 hrs, the victim had gone along with her younger brother to play near Dargah, adjoining Vishal Quarters, under the shadow of tree, and when they both did not return home in time, the complainant had gone to enquire and she found her son, Vishal, alone, but the victim was not found available at the said place and enquired from her son about the victim and he informed that she had gone towards the road. Therefore, the complainant had informed her husband and, thereafter, both, the husband and the wife, had gone in search of the victim, but the victim was not traceable. At about 21. 45 hrs, the victim returned home and was crying. After consoling her, the complainant enquired from her and she disclosed that, when she was playing near the Dargah under shadow of the tree, a person wearing black clothes had come to her and allured her by saying that he would give her tamarind and took her along with him in the farm and, thereafter, committed rape on her. The victim started crying. The said person had compelled the victim to lie down and raped her. Since it was dark, the victim persisted to go back home and the accused had removed the earring of the victim and thereafter dropped the victim near road. At that time, the victim was frightened and, therefore, no further enquiry was made by the complainant. However, when the complainant saw that there was bleeding on the private parts of the victim, she informed her husband. At about 23. 15 hrs, in the night, a complaint was lodged at Chotila Police Station, which was registered as First Information Report c. R. No. 1-64 of 1990 for the offences punishable under Sections,363, 376 and 392 of the Indian Penal Code. The investigation was conducted by PSI, Mr. K. C. Dave, of chotila Police Station. During the course of investigation, the PSI recorded statements of persons. The victim was sent for treatment to the hospital at Limbdi and a panchanama was drawn about the condition of her body. The statement of the victim was also recorded. The panchanama of scene of offence of dog-squad was also drawn. The clothes worn by the victim were also recovered. Thereafter, the accused was arrested and sent for medical examination. The muddamal were sent for analysis to the fsl and, after obtaining the medical certificate and FSL report, a charge-sheet was filed in the Court of the learned Judicial magistrate, First Class, Chotila, for the offences punishable under Sections 363, 376 and 392 of the Indian Penal Code, which was registered as Criminal Case No. 615 of 1999. As the offence punishable under Section 376 of the Indian Penal Code was triable by the sessions Court, the learned Magistrate, by order dated 15th July 1999, committed the ca
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