1979 Supreme(Raj) 323
RAJASTHAN HIGH COURT AT JAIPUR BENCH
M.B.Sharma, J.
Premsingh - Appellant
Versus
The State Of Rajasthan - Respondent
S.B. Criminal Revision No. 328 of 1977.
Decided On : 19-06-1979
Advocates:
For the Petitioner:Raghunandan Khandeiwl, Advocate.
For the State :Richipal Singh, Advocate.
In cases involving conflicting witness testimonies, the court should carefully evaluate the evidence and assign specific and convincing reasons for discarding the testimony of any witness. The prosecution bears the burden of proving the guilt of the accused beyond a reasonable doubt.
Headnote:
CRIMINAL REVISION - SECTION 304A IPC - RASH AND NEGLIGENT DRIVING - INTERPRETATION OF EVIDENCE - WITNESSES' TESTIMONIES - RELIABILITY AND CREDIBILITY - BURDEN OF PROOF - REASONABLE DOUBT - ACQUITTAL OF ACCUSED.
Fact of the Case:
The accused-petitioner was convicted and sentenced under Section 304A IPC for causing the death of Smt. Ganga by driving a truck rashly and negligently. The incident occurred while the deceased was working on a National Highway near Sanjahanpur, District Alwar.
Finding of the Court:
The court found that the trial court and the Sessions Judge erred in discarding the testimony of the second set of witnesses, who supported the accused-petitioner, without assigning specific and convincing reasons. The court held that the prosecution failed to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the death of Smt. Ganga was caused by the accused-petitioner's rash or negligent driving.
Issues: 1. Whether the trial court and the Sessions Judge erred in discarding the testimony of the second set of witnesses without assigning specific and convincing reasons. 2. Whether the prosecution proved beyond a reasonable doubt that the death of Smt. Ganga was caused by the accused-petitioner's rash or negligent driving.
Ratio Decidendi: 1. In cases where there are two sets of witnesses, one favoring the accused and the other supporting the prosecution, the court should normally prefer the set that favors the accused unless the witnesses of that set are declared hostile or there are reasons to not rely on them. 2. The burden of proof lies on the prosecution to prove the guilt of the accused beyond a reasonable doubt. In the absence of specific and convincing reasons for discarding the testimony of the second set of witnesses, the prosecution failed to discharge this burden.
Final Decision: The court set aside the judgments of the Sessions Judge and the trial court convicting and sentencing the accused-petitioner under Section 304A IPC. The accused-petitioner was acquitted of the charge and released from custody.
JUDGMENT
1. This criminal revision is directed against the judgment of leaned Sessions Judge, Alwar who confirmed the conviction and sentence under Section 304A I.P.C. The learned Munsiff and Judicial Magistrate, Behror vide his judgment dated 29th September, 1976 bad convicted the accused-petitioner under Section 304A. I.P.C. & had sentenced him to undergo six months rigorous imprisonment and a one of Rs. 100 and in default of payment of fine to further suffer one month's simple imprisonment. The facts of the case are as follows.
2. Under Police Station Mandal, District Alwar on November 27, 1972, at about 5P.M. work was in progress on National Highway near Sanjahanpur. The deceased Ganga wife of Dhanna was one of the labourer working on the road and she was knocked down by Truck No. RJC 903 which was being driven by the accused petitioner. She died as a result of the injuries. A report of the incident was lodged by Bhupendra Kumar Overseer and a case No. 69/72 under Section 304. I.P.C. was registered in the police station Mandal. After the usual investigation a charge sheet was filed against the accused-petitioner and the learned Magistrate after trial convicted and sentenced him as aforesaid.
3. The main submission of the learned Advocate for the accused-petitioner is that the finding of fact arrived at by the trial court that the accused-petitioner caused the death of Smt. Ganga by driving the truck No. RJC 903 rashly and negligently is vitiated because one set of three witnesses who supported the accused has been disbelieved for no reasons by the two courts. According to him in case there are two sets of witnesses one favouring the accused and the other favouring the prosecution, normally that set which supports the accused should be preferred unless either the witnesses of that set are declared hostile or for reasons to be recorded should not be relied upon. Normally fitting in revision this Court does not disturb the finding of fact arrived at by the courts below. But if the approach of the courts is not correct and the evidence of some of the prosecution witnesses has not been discussed then the finding of fact arrived at in such circumstances cannot bind the court of revision, who of its own will and should appraise the evidence and come to its own conclusion.
4. In the instant case there were two sets of witnesses, the first set consists of Bheruram PW. 4 and Loonanm PW. 5, the other set consists of Mukunlal PW. 6, Adduram PW. 7 and Pukhraj PW. 8. The two courts below have placed reliance on the first set of witnesses and so far as the second set of witnesses is concerned it has been been observed by the two courts that these witnesses were not reliable and won over. A perusual of the statements of second set of witnesses will show that they were neither declared hostile nor permission was sought to cross examine them by the prosecutor who conducted the prosecution in the court. A perusal of the judgment of the learned trial court will show that no reasons have been assigned as to why the trial court reached the conclusion that the witnesses have been won over. All that has been observed by the learned trial court is "I have gone through their statements with care and caution. After considering the facts and circumstances of the case I have come to the conclusion that these three witnesses have been won over by the accused, and, therefore, their testimonies cannot be said to reliable. The learned Sessions Judge has agreed with this approach of the learned trial court. But in the absence of a request by the Public Prosecutor conducting the prosecution in the trial court to permit him to put leading questions and in the absence of circumstances in the statements themselves which could lead to the conclusion that these witnesses have been won over, the learned trial court as well as the Sessions Judge were not justified in discarding the testimony of second set of witnesses by simply observing that they appear to have been
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