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2022 Supreme(Raj) 450

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE FOR RAJASTHAN AT JODHPUR
Pushpendra Singh Bhati, J.
Hardeva Ram - Appellant
Versus
State - Respondent
S.B. Criminal Appeal No. 43 of 1990
Decided On : 27-07-2022

Advocates:
Advocate Appeared:
For the Appellant : Mr. N.K. Bohra, Mr. Gokulesh Bohra
For the Respondent: Mr. Arun Kumar, P.P.

Headnote:

Indian Penal Code, 1860 – Sections 307, 326, 324, 450 – Criminal Procedure Code, 1973 – Section 374 – Criminal Appeal – Quashed and set aside – Attempt to murder – Voluntarily causing grievous hurt by dangerous weapons or means – Criminal Appeal has been preferred by appellant praying that appeal be allowed and impugned judgment passed by learned Sessions Court below in Sessions Case 3/89 be quashed and set aside, and appellant be acquitted of all charges for offences levelled against him therein – Held, In light of limited prayer made on behalf of appellant, and keeping in mind aforementioned precedent laws, present appeal is partly allowed – Accordingly, while maintaining appellant’s conviction under Sections 307, 326, 324 and 450 I.P.C. as above, sentence awarded to him is reduced to period already undergone by him – Appellant is on bail, in pursuance of the order passed by this Hon’ble Court – He need not surrender. His bail bonds stand discharged – Ordered Accordingly.

JUDGMENT :

1. This Criminal Appeal under Section 374 Cr.P.C. has been preferred against the judgment, dated 24.01.1990, passed by the learned Court below in Sessions Case No. 3/89 whereby the appellants herein were convicted for the offences under Sections 307, 326, 324 and 450 I.P.C. and sentenced to 3 years R.I. along with a fine of Rs.50/-in default of payment of which he was to further undergo 1 month R.I., 2½ years along with a fine of Rs.50/-in default of payment of which he was to further undergo 1 month R.I., 1 year R.I. and 2 years R.I., respectively. All the sentences were to run concurrently.

2. This Criminal Appeal has been preferred by the appellant praying that the appeal be allowed and the impugned judgment dated 24.01.1990 passed by the learned Sessions Court below in Sessions Case 3/89 be quashed and set aside, and the appellant be acquitted of all the charges for the offences levelled against him therein.

3. The matter pertains to an incident which occurred in the year 1988 and the present criminal appeal has been pending since the year 1990.

4. Learned counsel for the appellant further submits that the sentence so awarded to the appellant was suspended by this Hon’ble Court, vide order dated 05.02.1990 in S.B. Criminal Misc. Bail Application No. 53/1990.

5. Learned counsel for the appellant further submits that it is the version of the prosecution that on 01.11.1988 Smt. Vora Ramjeevan Kumhar at about 04:00 a.m. at Mahatma Gandhi Hospital, Jodhpur submitted a written report, at Ex. P/4, stating therein that, on the previous night at about 12:00 a.m. the accused broke into her residence at Masooria, Santoshpura, where she was living along with her husband and her grand daughter. And that, when he tried to enter her grand daughter’s room, she ran out shouting, and intimated Smt. Vora that the accused was armed with a knife. And that, the accused Hardeva Ram threatened to kill her granddaughter Ranjana, and stabbed her with the knife, and subsequently fled the scene. And that, Smt. Vora and her husband took Ranjana in a taxi to M.G.M hospital, Jodhpur for treatment.

6. Learned counsel for the appellant also submits that the testimony of the granddaughter Ranjana, P.W. 6 reveals that the appellant and her grandmother Smt. Vora were neighbours and maintained coordial relations. And that, however there was some dispute regarding the wall between their houses, but that she was not involved in the same.

7. Learned counsel for the appellant further submits that the testimony further reveals that the appellant did not threaten Ranjana on the day of the incident in question, and in the absence of any knowledge or intention on the part of the accused, the offences under Sections 307 and 326 I.P.C. are not made out against the appellant as the fundamental ingredient of intention, as required under the said section, is absent.

8. Learned counsel for the appellant also submits that the incident in question occurred on the land in dispute between the appellant and Smt. Vora, to which both said parties staked claims of ownership, and that the appellant was armed with a knife on the day of the incident, and that Smt. Vora’s grandchildren, Ranjana and Sunil were attempting to take the knife out of his hand, at which point Ranjana sustained an injury. And that, the version of Smt. Vora that the incident occurred inside her house has not been proved by the prosecution.

9. Learned counsel for the appellant further submits that the testimony of P.W.5 Dr. Dharmendra reveals that the injuries were not dangerous to life.

10. Learned counsel for the appellant, however, makes a limited submission that without making any interference on merits/conviction, the sentence awarded to the present revisionist-petitioner(s) may be substituted with the period of sentence already undergone by him.

11. On the other hand, the learned Public Prosecutor opposes the submissions made on behalf of the appellant and submits that the learned Court below has rightly

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