IN THE HIGH COURT OF RAJASTHAN
Sandeep Mehta and Vinit Kumar Mathur, JJ.
Champa Lal - Appellant
Versus
State - Respondent
Criminal Appeal No. 844 of 2015
Decided On : 03-05-2019
Criminal Procedure Code,1973 - Section 374 (2) – Indian Panel Code,1860 - Sections 201 and 302 - Appeal Against conviction - Guilt against accused - Accused appellant has been convicted and sentenced as below vide judgment Being aggrieved of his conviction and sentences awarded to him - Appellant has preferred instant appeal complainant submitted a written report at Village to the SHO am alleging inter alia that her husband and brother-in-law used to reside in close vicinity near - They were not on talking terms for quite some time and the accused bore an ill-will against complainants family - He was in a habit of quarrelling and hurling abuses on trivial issues - Held, In view of conclusions drawn are of firm opinion that trial court committed fundamental errors while appreciating evidence and recording finding of guilt against accused appellant - Evidence available on record is totally fabricated and cooked up - links in chain of circumstances sought to be utilized by the prosecution are hopelessly severed and by no stretch of Imagination can a satisfaction be recorded that same invariably point towards guilt of accused appellant - As an upshot of above discussion appeal deserves to be and is hereby allowed - Impugned judgment passed by Sessions Judge District in Sessions is hereby quashed and set aside - Appeal allowed
JUDGMENT
Sandeep Mehta, J. - The accused appellant has been convicted and sentenced as below vide the judgment dated 30.06.2015 passed by learned Addl Sessions Judge, Jaitaran, District Pali in Sessions Case No.28/2010:-
| Under Section 302 IPC | Life Imprisonment and fine of Rs.3000/-, in default of payment of fine to further undergo three months RI. |
| Under Section 201 IPC | One years rigorous imprisonment and fine of Rs.500/-, in default of payment of fine to further undergo fifteen days RI. |
| (Both the sentences were ordered to run concurrently.) | |
2. Being aggrieved of his conviction and sentences awarded to him, the appellant has preferred the instant appeal under Section 374 (2) Cr.P.C.
3. Brief facts relevant and essential for disposal of the instant appeal are narrated hereinbelow:-
4. The complainant Radha (PW.1) submitted a written report (Ex.D/4) at Village Rabadiyawas to the SHO PS Raas on 11.09.2010 at 10:00 am alleging inter alia that her husband Sugnaram and brother-in-law Champa Lal (accused appellant herein) used to reside in close vicinity near the Rabadiyawas Talab. They were not on talking terms for quite some time and the accused bore an ill-will against the complainant's family. He was in a habit of quarrelling and hurling abuses on trivial issues. On 09.09.2010, during day time, a quarrel ensued between her husband and Champa Lal over an issue of breaking of an earthen pot by the children. Her husband had taken the field of one Dilip Singh Jodha on cultivation basis in which he sowed the crops. Her husband usually went to the field for guarding the crops in the night time after taking dinner. On 09.09.2010, her husband took dinner and left for the field at about 9 O'clock. At that time, the accused appellant Champa Lal was sitting outside of his house and was looking towards her husband in an ominous manner. He also hurled abuses towards Sugnaram. The complainant claimed that she was standing outside her house and was watching the events. About an hour and half to two hours after her husband had gone, she saw the accused appellant Champa Lal going out of his house carrying a stick and an axe in his hand and he was muttering to himself. The accused appellant Champa Lal remained out during the entire night and returned to his house on 10.09.2010 between 7 to 8 O'clock in the morning. He changed his clothes and came out of his house. On 10.09.2010, the complainant, prepared the food, as per her routine and carried the same to Dilip Singh's fields for her husband between 10:00 to 11:00 am. When she reached the field, she did not find her husband in the hut situated therein. Flies were buzzing on the cot. When she went closer, she saw blood stains on the cot. Her husband was nowhere to be seen. In the meantime, her son Motiram also came around. Both of them made a search for Sugnaram in the nearby fields. On 11.09.2010, in the morning at about 8 O'clock, they reached the dry well in the field of Prahlad Meghwal nearby the way to Ambuja Cement Factory and sensed foul smell coming therefrom. She informed Dilip Singh and Narpat Singh who got the well checked thoroughly whereupon it was discovered that the dead body of Sugnaram was lying therein. The first informant cast a suspicion that the accused appellant Champalal and his companions had conspired together to murder her husband Sugnaram. On the basis of this report, an FIR No.142/2010 (Ex.P/28) was registered at the PS Raas for the offences under Sections 302, 201 and 120B IPC. The SHO PS Raas proceeded to the place of incident. The dead body of deceased Sugnaram was taken out from the well. The site inspection report was prepared. The blood stained soil and a pair of female footwear were collected from the place of incident. The accused appellant Champalal and co-accused Munni Devi were arrested. The accused appellant allegedly supplied informati
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