IN THE HIGH COURT OF GUJARAT AT AHMEDABAD
Hemant M. Prachchhak, J.
Senma Mangalbhai Motibhai – Appellant
Versus
State Of Gujarat – Respondent
R/Criminal Appeal No. 1606 of 2019
Decided On : 03-05-2023
Indian Penal Code, 1860 – Sections 147, 148, 149, 323, 504, 506(2), 324 – Criminal Procedure Code, 1973 – Section 374(2) – Judgment and order of conviction – Default of payment – Offence of Rioting, voluntarily causing hurt – Voluntarily causing hurt by dangerous weapons or means – Held, In Court view, this appears to be a fit case for reduction of sentence – Considering overall facts on record and other mitigating factors and circumstances in which a crime has been committed including nature of injury, period during which he remained under medical treatment, mental agony which victim suffered and also the compromise entered into between parties, while upholding conviction under Section 307 IPC, Court deem it appropriate to reduce quantum of sentence imposed on appellant to five years rigorous imprisonment and to pay a fine and in default of payment of fine shall suffer further three months' rigorous imprisonment – Appeal partly allowed.
JUDGMENT :
1. The present appeal is preferred by the appellants – original accused Nos.1 and 2 under Section 374(2) of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 against the judgment and order of conviction dated 29.07.2019 passed by the learned Sessions Judge, Mehsana in Sessions Case No.115 of 2017, whereby, the learned Trial Judge has convicted the present appellant No.1 for the offence punishable under Section 323 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860 for a period of one year rigorous imprisonment and a fine of Rs.1,000/- and in default of payment of fine, to undergo further simple imprisonment for one month. The learned Trial Judge has convicted the appellant No.2 for the offence punishable under Section 324 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860 for a period of two years rigorous imprisonment and a fine of Rs.2,000/- and in default of payment of fine, to undergo further simple imprisonment for two months. However, the learned Trial Judge was pleased to acquit the appellant No.1 from the offence punishable under Sections 147, 148, 149, 324, 504, 506(2) of the Indian Penal Code. The learned Trial Judge was further pleased to acquit the appellant No.2 from the offence punishable under Sections 147, 148, 149, 323, 504, 506(2) of the Indian Penal Code. The learned Trial Judge was pleased to acquit the original accused Nos.3, 4 and 5 from all the charges levelled against them.
2. The case of the prosecution briefly is that, on 08.06.2017, at about 7 o’clock, the father of the complainant namely Gafurbhai had reached at the residential house of the appellants and had asked the appellant No.1 that he had not received entire amount of sale consideration of land which was sold through him. As a result, it is alleged that the appellant – accused got excited and informed Gafurbhai that amount is already paid to him but Gafurbhai insisted for the outstanding amount and therefore, the appellant No.1 got excited and started using filthy language. Thereafter, the appellant No.1 gave kick and fist blow to Gafurbhai and other accused persons formed unlawful assembly and the appellant No.2 herein inflicted an injury on the head with the aid of stick. Therefore, the criminal complaint came to be registered before Bavlu Police Station being C.R. No.I-38 of 2017.
2.1 Thereafter, the investigation was carried out and the appellants were arrested and charge sheeted alongwith other co-accused against the aforesaid offences before the Learned Judicial Magistrate First Class, Kadi. Since the cross case (complaint filed by the appellants’ side) was triable by the Court of Sessions, the accused were committed to the Sessions court at Mehsana and on that basis Sessions Case No.115 of 2017 came to be registered and the case was transferred to the Learned Sessions Judge, Mehsana.
2.2 The Court framed the charge against the accused persons and after leading the evidence by the prosecution, the Court found the accused persons guilty of the offence as mentioned above and convicted them vide impugned judgment and order of conviction.
3. Being aggrieved and dissatisfied with the impugned judgment and order of conviction, the appellants – accused have preferred the present appeal alongwith Criminal Misc. Application No.1 of 2019 for suspension of sentence before this Court. The appeal came to be admitted by the Co-ordinate Bench of this Court vide order dated 09.08.2019 and the conviction imposed by the Trial Court came to be suspended vide order dated 09.08.2019 and therefore, the appellants were enlarged on bail during the pendency of the appeal.
4. During the pendency of the appeal, at the instance of the villagers and community people, the parties are said to have settled the matter whereby the complainant has shown his willingness that he has no objection if the impugned judgment and order of conviction passed by the trial Court is quashed and set aside and the Court can consider the period which the appellants have undergone during the pendency of the trial and, thereafter, till
Bankat v. State of Maharashtra (2005) 1 SCC 343
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Mohar Singh v. State of Rajasthan (2015) 11 SCC 226
Murali Vs. State represented by Inspector of Police
Nanda Gopalan v. State of Kerala (2015) 11 SCC 137
Ram Lal v. State of J&K (1999) 2 SCC 213
Ram Pujan and Others Vs. State of U.P.
The court may consider amicable settlements in non-compoundable offences for sentencing, reducing the sentence based on the absence of further disputes and the passage of time.
Court can consider compromise in non-compoundable offences when fixing the quantum of sentence, reducing it as per mutual agreement of the parties.
The court can allow the compounding of non-compoundable offences based on the settlement between the parties, considering the nature of the dispute and the impact on the parties involved.
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