State of H.P. vs Mohinder Singh - 2025 Supreme(HP) 1578

Judicial Analysis Court Copy Headnote Facts Arguments Court observation

2025 Supreme(HP) 1578

IN THE HIGH COURT OF HIMACHAL PRADESH, SHIMLA
RAKESH KAINTHLA
State of H.P. – Appellant
Versus
Mohinder Singh – Respondent

Advocates Appeared:
For the Appellant :Mr Tarun Pathak, Deputy Advocate General
For the Respondent:Mr H.S. Rana, Advocate

Table of Content
1. prosecution case: ambulance high speed caused collision, injuries, deaths. (Para 1 , 2 , 3 , 4)
2. accused denial; trial court found insufficient negligence proof. (Para 5 , 6)
3. state: witnesses prove rash driving, res ipsa loquitur applies. (Para 7 , 9)
4. defense: high speed vague, informant withheld, probable acquittal view. (Para 10)
5. interfere with acquittal only if perverse or ignores evidence. (Para 11 , 12 , 13 , 14)
6. indica violated road rules by not yielding at junction. (Para 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 , 21)
7. eyewitnesses' vague 'high speed' claims unreliable. (Para 22 , 23 , 29)
8. high speed alone insufficient for rash/negligent driving. (Para 24 , 25 , 26 , 27 , 28)
9. passenger testimony hearsay, not proving negligence. (Para 30 , 31)
10. witnesses can't opine negligence; adverse inference on informant. (Para 32 , 33 , 34)
11. appeal dismissed upholding trial court's reasonable view. (Para 35 , 36 , 37 , 38 , 39)

Judgment :

Rakesh Kainthla, J.

The present appeal is directed against the judgment dated 27.12.2013, passed by learned Judicial Magistrate First Class, Kandaghat, District Solan, H.P. (learned Trial Court), vide which the respondent (accused b