2009 Supreme(Mad) 2000
High Court of Judicature at Madras
THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE G. RAJASURIA
K.K. Mani
Versus
The State rep.by the Sub Inspector of Police
Crl.Rc.No.173 of 2006 And Crl.M.P.No.944 of 2006
Decided on: 01-07-2009
For the Petitioner:S. Ayyathurai, Advocate.
For the Respondent: Hasan Mohammed Jinnah, Additional Public Prosecutor.
The main legal point established in the judgment is the court's interpretation of rash and negligent driving under the IPC, and the requirement to prove the accused's guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. The judgment also emphasizes the need for the accused to provide a reasonable explanation for the accident and the injuries sustained by the deceased.
Headnote:
Criminal Revision - Rash and Negligent Driving - Sections 279, 337, and 338 of IPC - Summary
Fact of the Case:
The accused was charged with offences under Sections 279, 337, and 338 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) for driving a bus in a rash and negligent manner, resulting in an accident that caused grievous injuries and ultimately led to the death of a cyclist. The accused pleaded not guilty, and the trial court convicted and sentenced the accused. The accused then filed a criminal revision petition against the judgment of the trial court.
Finding of the Court:
The court found that the prosecution witnesses provided clear and consistent evidence of the accused's rash and negligent driving, leading to the accident. The court held that the accused's actions constituted rash and negligent driving, resulting in the accident and the death of the cyclist. The court also noted that the accused failed to provide a reasonable explanation for the accident and the injuries sustained by the deceased.
Issues: The key issues before the court were whether the accused's actions constituted rash and negligent driving, and whether the prosecution had provided sufficient evidence to prove the accused's guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Ratio Decidendi: The court held that the accused's actions in driving the bus in a rash and negligent manner, resulting in the accident and the death of the cyclist, constituted offences under Sections 279, 337, and 338 of the IPC. The court also emphasized the importance of proving the accused's guilt beyond a reasonable doubt and highlighted the need for the accused to provide a reasonable explanation for the accident.
Final Decision: The court modified the conviction recorded under Section 304-A of IPC to one under Section 338 of IPC and confirmed the conviction and sentence imposed under Section 279 of IPC. The accused was directed to pay a fine of Rs. 1,000 for the offence under Section 338 of IPC, with a default sentence of three months' simple imprisonment.
Criminal Revision filed under Sections 397 and 401 of Cr.P.C., against the judgment dated 111. 2005 passed by the learned Additional District and Sessions Judge (Fast Track Court No.I),Salem in Criminal Appeal No.58 of 2005 confirming the judgment dated 23.03.2005 passed by the learned Judicial Magistrate No.II, Attur in C.C.No.238 of 2004. Animadverting upon the judgment dated 111. 2005 passed by the learned Additional District and Sessions Judge (Fast Track Court No.I), Salem in Criminal Appeal No.58 of 2005 confirming the judgment dated 23.03.2005 passed by the learned Judicial Magistrate No.II, Attur in C.C.No.238 of 2004, this criminal revision petition is focussed.
2. A resume of facts, which are absolutely necessary and germane for the disposal of this Criminal Revision petition would run thus:
.(i) The police laid the police report in terms of Section 173 of Cr.P.C as against the accused for the offences under Sections 279, 337 and 338 of I.P.C. Since the accused pleaded not guilty, trial was conducted.
.(ii) On the side of the prosecution, P.Ws.1 to 13 were examined and Exs.P1 to P8 were marked. On defence side, no oral or documentary evidence was adduced. Ultimately, the trial court convicted the accused and imposed sentences as under:
.Offences Sentence imposed Fine amount
.(i) 279 IPC
.Rs. 250/- (in default to undergo one month simple imprisonment)
.(ii) 304-A IPC Six months simple imprisonment Rs. 1,000/- (in default to undergo one month simple imprisonment) The accused preferred appeal before the learned Additional District and Sessions Judge (Fast Track Court No.I), Salem, for nothing to be dismissed.
(iii) Being aggrieved by and dissatisfied with the conviction recorded and the sentence imposed by the lower court, this revision is focussed on various grounds, the gist and kernel, the nitty gritty, the pith and marrow of them would run thus:
Both the courts below committed error in appreciating the evidence.
3. Heard the learned counsel for the revision petitioner and the learned Additional Public Prosecutor.
4. At this juncture, it is just and necessary to narrate the prosecution version of the incident. As revealed by the police report, on 011. 2003, at about 9.20 hrs (day time), the accused drove the Government transport corporation bus bearing No.TN-27-N-1302 in a rash and negligent manner along Attur -Kallakurichi Main road from west to east and dashed the cyclist Balachandran, who was at that time riding his bicycle by having his child Arutchelvan as pillion rider so as to leave him at the Tagore Matriculation Higher Secondary School, and caused grievous injuries and other injuries to Balachandran and that the said Balachandran succumbed to his injuries on 111. 2003 at the hospital.
5. The points for consideration are as to:
.(i) Whether both the courts below were perverse in finding the accused guilty of the offences with which, he was charged, without properly appreciating the oral and documentary evidence adduced before it?
.(ii) Whether both the courts below were unjustified in convicting the accused in the absence of the Doctor and the Motor Vehicles Inspector having been examined in this case?
Point Nos.1 & 2:
6. Both the points are taken together for discussion as they are inter-linked and interwoven, inter-connected and entwined with each other.
7. The learned counsel for the revision petitioner would advance and develop his argument by inviting the attention of this court to the various parts of the evidence to the effect that the police cooked up the case as against the accused purely for the purpose of enabling the legal heirs of the deceased to claim maintenance; the occurrence could not have taken place in the manner narrated by the prosecution. P.Ws.6 and 7, Palanivel and Senthilkumar were only mahazar witnesses as per police records, but they, were tutored to depose before the court as eye witnesses. PW1, the father-in-law of the deceased would depose as though the dri