1988 Supreme(Raj) 525
RAJASTHAN HIGH COURT AT JAIPUR BENCH
S.N.Bhargava, G.K.Sharma, JJ.
Birbal and Ors. - Appellant
Versus
State of Rajasthan - Respondent
D.B. Cri. Appeal No. 15 of 1985. (against judgment dated 18.12.84 passed by Shri Pyare Mohan, Sessions Judge, Tonk)
Decided On : 29-04-1988
The identification parade was not conducted properly, the fingerprints of the two accused persons were not proved, the police officials who arrested the accused persons were not examined, and the evidence on record was not appreciated correctly by the trial court.
Headnote:
CRIMINAL APPEAL - IDENTIFICATION PARADE - DELAY - POLICE CUSTODY - FINGERPRINTS - RECOVERY OF ARTICLES - STATEMENTS UNDER SECTION 313, CR. P.C. - EVIDENCE - APPRECIATION - CONVICTION - LEGALITY - IDENTIFICATION OF ACCUSED PERSONS - BURDEN OF PROOF - POLICE OFFICIALS - EXAMINATION - NECESSITY - FINGERPRINTS OF ACCUSED PERSONS - PROOF - REQUIREMENT - IDENTIFICATION PARADE - CONDUCT - PRECAUTIONS - NECESSITY - DESCRIPTION OF ACCUSED PERSONS - GIVING BY WITNESSES - IMPORTANCE - FINGERPRINTS OF ACCUSED PERSONS - RELIANCE BY COURT - BASIS - REQUIREMENT - POLICE OFFICIALS - ARRESTING ACCUSED PERSONS - EXAMINATION - IMPORTANCE - RECOVERED ARTICLES - IDENTIFICATION PARADE - CONDUCT - NECESSITY - STATEMENTS UNDER SECTION 313, CR. P.C. - PUTTING QUESTIONS TO ACCUSED PERSONS - IMPORTANCE - EVIDENCE - CONSIDERATION - DUTY OF COURT - TRIAL COURT - APPRECIATION OF EVIDENCE - CORRECTNESS - CONVICTION - LEGALITY - OFFENCES COMMITTED BY ACCUSED PERSONS - ASCERTAINMENT BY COURT - NECESSITY - CONVICTION ORDER - SETTING ASIDE - JUSTIFICATION.
Fact of the Case:
The appellants were convicted of dacoity, murder, and other offenses by the trial court. The prosecution's case was based on the identification of the accused persons by the witnesses, the recovery of some articles from their possession, and the fingerprints of two of the accused persons found on a 'Lota' and a 'Gilas'. The accused persons challenged the conviction on the grounds that the identification parade was not conducted properly, the fingerprints were not proved, and the police officials who arrested them were not examined.
Finding of the Court:
The court found that the identification parade was not conducted properly as the accused persons were shown to the witnesses prior to the parade and that the witnesses had not given any description of the accused persons by which they could identify them. The court also found that the fingerprints of the two accused persons were not proved as there was no report of any fingerprint expert and that the police officials who arrested the accused persons were not examined.
Issues: 1. Whether the identification parade was conducted properly? 2. Whether the fingerprints of the two accused persons were proved? 3. Whether the police officials who arrested the accused persons were examined? 4. Whether the evidence on record was appreciated correctly by the trial court?
Ratio Decidendi: 1. The identification parade was not conducted properly as the accused persons were shown to the witnesses prior to the parade and that the witnesses had not given any description of the accused persons by which they could identify them. 2. The fingerprints of the two accused persons were not proved as there was no report of any fingerprint expert. 3. The police officials who arrested the accused persons were not examined. 4. The evidence on record was not appreciated correctly by the trial court.
Final Decision: The appeal was accepted, and the conviction of the accused persons was set aside.
Name of accused Offence Under/Section Punishment All accused persons Section 148 I.P.C. 3 years' RI and a fine of , 100/- " 395/397 or 396/397 I.P.C. 7 years' RI; " 302 or 302/149 I.P.C. Life imprisonment and a fine of , 200/- and in default " 396 or 396/149 IPC Life imprisonment and a fine of , 200/- and in default " 397 I.P.C. 7 years RI; Birbal Ramnarayan Dhari Binda alias Fulgan 460 I.P.C. 10 years' RI and a fine of , 200/- and in default 2 months' RI.