IN THE HIGH COURT OF GUJARAT AT AHMEDABAD
Ashokkumar C.Joshi, J.
State Of Gujarat - Appellant
Vs.
Kisorsinh Govindji Parmar & Others - Respondent
Criminal Appeal No. 520 of 2011
Decided On : 10-08-2022
Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 – Section 378(1)(3) – Commit suicide – Appeal – Despite sufficient opportunity was given to the respondents, nobody is present on their behalf – Matter is11 and hence, Court proceeded with matter – Present appeal has been filed by appellant - State under Section 378(1)(3) of Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 challenging judgment and order, passed in Sessions Case by learned Additional Sessions Judge and Presiding Officer, Fast Track Court, Jamnagar, recording acquittal – Held, on re-appreciation and reevaluation of oral and the documentary evidence on record, as well as considering settled legal position, it transpires that prosecution has failed to prove case against accused beyond reasonable doubt inasmuch as ingredients of offence alleged are not fulfilled – Court has gone through in detail impugned judgment and order and found that learned trial Judge has meticulously considered depositions of all witnesses and came to conclusion that prosecution has failed to prove case against accused beyond reasonable doubt – In view of aforesaid discussion and observations, in considered opinion of this Court, prosecution has failed to bring home charge against accused for want of sufficient material – Findings recorded by learned trial Judge do not call for any interference – Dismissed.
JUDGMENT :
1. Despite sufficient opportunity was given to the respondents, nobody is present on their behalf. The matter is11 and hence, the Court proceeded with the matter.
2. Present appeal has been filed by the appellant - State under Section 378(1)(3) of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 challenging the judgment and order dated 31.08.2010, passed in Sessions Case No. 155 of 2008 by the learned Additional Sessions Judge and Presiding Officer, Fast Track Court, Jamnagar, recording the acquittal.
3. The facts, in brief, are that marriage of deceased had been solemnized with the respondent No. 1 herein - original accused No. 1 and son of the respondent No. 2 herein - original accused No. 2 prior to about thirteen years of the incident in question, as per the rites and rituals of their caste. Out of the wedlock, they have two children, of whom, the daughter namely Jagruti had died at the age of 5 years. It was the case of the prosecution that after the marriage, for about one year, their marriage life was going good, however, thereafter, the respondents, so often, used to beat the deceased. The accused No. 1, the husband, used to oust her saying, he did not like her and hence, she used to stay at her parental home, however, they used to send her back on due persuasion by her relatives. That, prior to about three years of the incident in question also, the accused No. 1 had beaten up the deceased and hence, the deceased took shelter at Stri Vikas Gruh, Jamnagar, where, she stayed for about 20 days and on coming to know about the same, the complainant brought her to their home, where, the deceased stayed for about one year. Thereafter, with the intervention of the relatives, the deceased again was sent back to her matrimonial home. However, the harassment and torture continued. The deceased was again sacked from the home and hence, she was staying separate from the accused persons at Beraja. The deceased had also filed an application for maintenance before the Court at Jodiya. It is further the case of the prosecution that on 08.09.2008, the deceased had called the complainant on mobile and informed that the accused were beating her since last three days and got her exiled from home and hence, the complainant got her calm down and told that they would persuade the accused persons. However, at about 1:30 p.m. again the deceased called her on mobile and told that she was fed up of such cruelty and ill-treatment and would commit suicide by consuming poison.
3.1 Upon such FIR being filed, investigation started and the Investigating Officer recorded the statements of several witnesses and produced certain documentary evidence and after completion of the investigation, Chargesheet was filed against the accused persons for the offences in question. The case was committed to the Sessions Court and the learned Judge trial Judge framed the Charge. Since the accused did not plead guilty, trial was proceeded against the accused. Vide impugned judgment and order, the learned Sessions Judge acquitted the accused. Being aggrieved by the same, the State has preferred the present appeal.
4. Heard, learned Additional Public Prosecutor Ms. Jirga Jhaveri for the appellant - State.
The judgment emphasized the presumption of innocence, the principles for interference with a judgment of acquittal, and the need for trustworthy evidence to prove the charges beyond reasonable doubt.
The appellate court's power to review evidence in acquittal appeals is limited, and interference is justified only in exceptional cases with compelling circumstances and when the judgment under appea....
Point of law : where the trial court allows itself to be beset with fanciful doubts, rejects creditworthy evidence for slender reasons and takes a view of the evidence which is but barely possible, i....
Point of law : It is true that the High Court would not reverse an order of acquittal merely on formation of an opinion different than that of the trial Court. It is also trite in law that the High C....
It is settled law that if main grounds on which lower Court has based its order acquitting accused are reasonable and plausible, and same cannot be entirely and effectively be dislodged or demolished....
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