1997 Supreme(Raj) 26
Rajasthan High Court
Honble B.R. ARORA & A.K. SINGH, JJ.
Sawai Ram - Appellant
Versus
State of Rajasthan - Respondents
D.B. Criminal Appeal No. 63 and 84 of 1982
Decided On : January 06, 1997
Sajay Mathur, for Appellants S.M. Singhvi, Public Prosecutor
Headnote:(a) Penal Code, Sec. 302 – Circumstantial evidence – Non explanation of injuries on the person of the accused – Infirmities regarding the non-explanation of the injuries on the person of the accused, suppressing the genesis of the incidence etc. make the prosecution case highly untrustworthy. (Para 14)(b) Penal Code, Sec. 302 and Sec. 100 – Right of private defence – In exercise of right of private defence of person only are injury inflicted on the shoulder of deceased which proved fatal – The blow was not repeated – Held – Right of private defence not exceeded by the accused- appellant, not committed any offence. (Para 15)(c) Penal Code, Sec. 302 – Delay in sending F.I.R. – Merely delay in the despatch of F.I.R. itself is no ground to throw-away the prosecution case in its entirity – Sending the report to the concerned Magistrate is a circumstance which provides a basis to raise suspicion. (Para 17)
Mere delay in the dispatch of the F.I.R. it self is no ground to throw away the prosecution case in its entirity. Sending the report to the concerned Magistrate is a circumstance which provides a basis to raise suspicion that the F.I.R. is the result of consultation and deliberations and it was recorded much later than the date and time mentioned in it,and discloses that the investigation is not fair and forth-right. (Para 17)
(2) Appellants Sawai Ram and Lahru, alongwith seven other accused, were tried by the learned Additional Sessions Judge, Rajsamand for committing the murder of Jai Ram in the out -skirts of village Khatukda. The case of the prosecution was that in the morning of 25-12-78, deceased Jai Ram and PW1 Shambhu Lal left their village Khatukda and were going to police Station, Railmagra to lodge the report against the accused -party as they were not allowing them to irrigate their fietd through the well wherein they have sown the crop of Rizka.When they reached near Baldiya Nadi, Sawai Ram and Lahru met them and enquired from them where they were going : upon which Jai Ram replied that as you are not allowing them to irrigate their fietd from the well, they are, therefore, going to lodge the report again- st them at the Police Station. Meanwhile Ganesh, Mathura, Miya Chand, Gokul Gujar, Hari Ram Gujar, Madhu and Sri Ram, armed with Lathis, came there and exclaimed not to allow them to run and kill them. On this Lahru and Sawai Ram left their bicycles, untied the Kulhari from the bicycle and started beating him with Kulhari (Tabbal). Lehru grappled with Shambhu. Jai Ram, on receiving the injuries, fell down on the ground and when Shambhu tried to run away,Sawai Ram inflected injury to him by the Kulhari on the shoulder. Lahru,also, inflicted injury by the Lathi on the back of Shambhu. Shambhu Lal ran towards the village and informed the villagers about the incident. On hearing the cries, Nana Lal, Dali Chand and Lehru S/o Jiwana (PW19), also, came there. Appellant Sawai Ram was tried for the offen- ces under Sections 302 and 324 I.P.C.; Lahru was tried for the offences under Sections 302/149 and 323 I.P.C. while the remaining seven accused were tried by the learned Additional Sessions Judge for the offences under Section 302/149, 324/149 and 323/149 IPC.
(3) The accused denied the prosecution case and submitted that they have been falsely implicated in the crime. The case of accused Sawai Ram, in defence, as per his statement recorded under Section 313 Cr. P.C., was that on 25-12-78, in the morning, he, alongwith Lahru, was going on bicycles from village Khatukda to village Sansara. When they were on their way leading to village Sansara and reached near Baldiya Nadi, deceased Jai Ram, Shambhu, Nana,Mangu,Dali chand and Lahru s/o Jiwana (PW 13), who were armed with Kulhari and Lathis and hidden themselves behind the Northern fancing of the field of Rama Bhura Regar, came from the hiding place, surrounded them and Jai Ram, who was armed with the Kulhari, inflicted injury to him by that Kulhari. The other accused, also, inflicted injuries to him. He tried to save himself and