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2023 Supreme(Raj) 792

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE FOR RAJASTHAN BENCH AT JAIPUR
Pankaj Bhandari, Bhuwan Goyal, JJ.
State of Rajasthan through PP - Petitioner
Versus
Sitaab Singh S/o Shri Badan Singh and ors. – Respondents
D.B. Criminal Appeal No. 109 of 1997
Decided On : 01-09-2023

Advocates:
Advocate Appeared:
For the Appellant : Mr. Javed Choudhay, Add. G.A.
For the Respondent: Mr. Anil Jain, Adv., Mr. Dushyant Jain, Adv., Mr. Udit Sapra, Adv.

Headnote:(A) Indian Penal Code, 1860 - Sections 302, 201, and 34 - Murder and disappearance of evidence - The arguments focused on intent and culpability involving direct and circumstantial evidence and the responsibility of the accused in connection with the murder. (Paras 1, 3, 6, 20, 28, 29)

(B) Criminal Procedure Code, 1973 - Section 313 - Accused's right to explain circumstances of the prosecution case - The court emphasized the importance of providing opportunities for the accused to explain incriminating evidence against them, ensuring a fair trial. (Paras 7, 8, 20)

(C) Evidence Act, 1872 - Relevance of witness credibility - The reliability of witness testimonies was pivotal in corroborating the prosecution's claims regarding the accused's involvement in the crime. (Paras 5, 12)

Facts of the case:
The case involved accusations of murder, where the prosecution argued based on circumstantial evidence and the involvement of known associates. Key elements included testimonies about the circumstances leading to the murder and actions taken afterward.

Findings of Court:
The court analyzed the evidential gaps and witness reliability extensively before determining the degree of involvement of the accused, ultimately finding them guilty of murder under IPC sections mentioned.

Issues: The court addressed intent, conspiracy among accused, and the adequacy of circumstantial evidence in establishing guilt.

Ratio Decidendi: The court established that even in the absence of direct evidence, a comprehensive understanding of circumstances and accrued evidence could substantiate a guilty verdict under specified sections of the IPC. The involvement of all accused parties was decisive in affirming their collective culpability.

Result: The convictions were upheld and the case was pronounced as a strong example of effectively leveraging both direct and circumstantial evidence in murder cases.

JUDGMENT :

BHUWAN GOYAL, J.

1- vihykFkhZ jktLFkku ljdkj }kjk gLrxr vihy varxZr /kkjk 378 (i) (iii) n-iaz-la- ds rgr fo}ku fopkj.k U;k;ky; ftyk ,oa ls'ku U;k;k/kh'k] /kkSyiqj }kjk ls'ku izdj.k la[;k 33@1996] muokuh izdj.k jktLFkku jkT; cuke flrkc flag oxSjkg esa ikfjr fu.kZ; fnukad 02-09-1996 ftlds }kjk fo}ku fopkj.k U;k;ky; }kjk izR;FkhZ&vfHk;qDr flrkc flag dks vijk/k vUrxZr /kkjk 302] 201 Hkk-na-la- ds vkjksi esa rFkk izR;FkhZx.k&vfHk;qDrx.k fMIVh] ohjs'k ,oa lqjs'k dks vijk/k vUrxZr /kkjk 302@34] 201 Hkk-na-la- ds vkjksi esa lansg dk ykHk fn;k tkdj nks"keqDr fd;k x;k gS] ds fo:) izLrqr dh xbZ gSA

2- la{ksi esa izdj.k ds rF; bl izdkj ls gSa fd ifjoknh Vq.Mk ¼ih-M-&6½ us fnukad 15-12-1994 dks ,d fyf[kr fjiksVZ ¼izn'kZ ih-&6½ Fkkuk lSiÅa ij bl vk'k; dh is'k dh fd fnukad 15-12-1994 dh ckr gS] mldk HkkbZ xuir 10 fnu igys vtesj esa [ksr ds laca/k esa py jgs eqdnes esa rkjh[k ij x;k Fkk] mldk HkkbZ vkt 12-00 cts fnu esa vtesj ls okil vkdj cksfjax ¼dqvka½ ij lks jgk Fkk] og ikl esa gh [ksr esa dke dj jgk Fkk] rHkh le; djhc 2-00 cts fnu esa mlds HkkbZ xuir us gYyk epk;k rks og Hkkx dj ogka igqapk vkSj ns[kk fd flrkc] lqjs'k iq= flrkc] jkeckcw] vknhjke] dksdflag] lqjs'k iq= cnuk] fMIVh] jkexksiky] dYyk] gksre] iksiflag] jke'kj.k] uFkqvk] >haxqfj;k Bkdj muds xkao ds us] mlds HkkbZ dks [kkV ij nkc j[kk Fkk] flrkc ds gkFk esa dqYgkM+h o ckdh ds gkFkksa esa ykfB;ka o Qjls Fks] flrkc us mlds HkkbZ ds xnZu esa dqYgkM+h ekjh] ftlls og ej x;k] fQj mlds HkkbZ dks batu ds cksfjax dh dqbZ;ka esa QSad fn;k] mlus gYyk epk;k o nqgkbZ nh rks os yksx Hkkx x,] mlds HkkbZ dks mUgksaus blfy, ekjk dh flrkc Bkdqj dh yM+dh nsoh Hkkx xbZ Fkh] flrkc Bkdqj mlds HkkbZ xuir ds nkekn ij yM+dh Hkxkus dk 'kd dj jgk Fkk vkSj ftles xuir dk Hkh gkFk le> jgk Fkk] bl jaft'k ds ihNs mlds HkkbZ dks ekjk gS----bR;kfnA

3- mDr fjiksVZ ds vk/kkj ij iqfyl Fkkuk lSiÅa esa izFke lwpuk fjiksVZ la[;k 297@1994 ¼izn'kZ ih-&7½ vijk/k vUrxZr /kkjk 147] 148] 149] 302 Hkk-na-la- esa ntZ dj vuqla/kku izkjaHk fd;k x;kA ckn vuqla/kku vfHk;qDrx.k flrkc flag fMIVh] ohjs'k ,oa lqjs'k ds fo:) /kkjk 302] 201] 34 Hkk-na-la- esa vkjksi i= fo}ku U;k;ky; U;kf;d eftLVsªV] /kkSyiqj esa izLrqr fd;k x;k] ftl ij fopkj.k U;k;ky; }kjk izlaKku fy;k tkdj ekeyk ls'ku U;k;ky; }kjk fopkj.kh; gksus ls dfeV gksdj gLrxr izdj.k fo}ku fopkj.k U;k;ky; ftyk ,oa ls'ku U;k;k/kh'k] /kkSyiqj dks izkIr gqvkA

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5- rRi'pkr~ fo}ku fopkj.k U;k;ky; }kjk vfHk;qDrx.k dks /kkjk 313 na-iz-la- ds rgr ijhf{kr fd;k x;k] ftlesa vfHk;qDrx.k us xokgku }kjk muds fo:) nh xbZ lk{; dks xyr gksuk crk;k rFkk lk{; lQkbZ is'k djuk tkfgj fd;k ,oa izR;FkhZ&vfHk;qDr flrkc flag us dFku fd;k fd xuir vkSj mldk nksLrkuk Fkk] mlus mlds i{k esa xokgh nh Fkh] mlds eqdnes 8&10 tkVoksa uRFkh] iUuh ls py jgs Fks] og iUuh vkSj uRFkh ds f[kykQ vihy djus t;iqj x;k Fkk] mu eqdneksa ds ckjs esa rhu nLrkost is'k dj jgk gwW] tks izn'kZ Mh-&4 ls izn'kZ Mh-&6 gS] igys Hkh tkVoksa us xuir dks ekjk Fkk] izR;FkhZx.k&vfHk;qDrx.k }kjk lk{; lQkbZ esa fdlh xokg dks ijhf{kr ugha djok;k x;k] ijUrq izys[kh; lk{; esa nLrkostkr izn'kZ Mh-&1 yxk;r izn'kZ Mh-&6 is'k dj iznf'kZr djok;s x;sA

6- fo}ku fopkj.k U;k;ky; }kjk rRi'pkr mHk;i{kksa dks lquk tkdj vkykSP; fu.kZ; fnukad 02-09-1996 }kjk izR;FkhZ&vfHk;qDr flrkc flag dks vijk/k vUrxZr /kkjk 302] 201 Hkk-na-la- ds vkjksiksa esa rFkk izR;FkhZx.k&vfHk;qDrx.k fMIVh] ohjs'k ,oa lqjs'k dks vijk/k vUrxZr /kkjk 302@34] 201 Hkk-na-la- ds vkjksiksa ls nks"keqDr fd;k x;k] ftlls O;fFkr gksdj vihykFkhZ jkT; ljdkj }kjk izR;FkhZx.k&vfHk;qDrx.k

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