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2023 Supreme(P&H) 3354

IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB AND HARYANA AT CHANDIGARH
M.S. RAMACHANDRA RAO, SUKHVINDER KAUR, JJ.
Ranjit Kaur – Appellant
Versus
State of Haryana & Ors. – Respondents
CRM-A-615-MA of 2017 (O&M)
Decided On : 10-02-2023

Advocates Appeared:
Ms. Deipa Singh, Advocate; For the Appellant
For the Respondents: Mr. Arun Beniwal, DAG, Haryana.

Headnote:(A) Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 - Section 378(3) - Appeal against acquittal - The appellant seeks leave to appeal against the acquittal of the accused in a murder case. The trial court found gaps in circumstantial evidence and insufficient proof to bridge the proximity of time in the last seen theory. The accused's claim of recovery of weapons was deemed improbable as they were visible in the kitchen of the office. (Paras 4, 10, 12, 18, 20)

(B) Acquittal - High standard of proof required - The appellate court is reluctant to interfere with acquittals unless there is a manifestation of perversity in facts and law. The prosecution failed to establish a complete chain of circumstantial evidence necessary for conviction. (Paras 9 and 22)

Facts of the case:
The appellant's husband was last seen with the accused, who were later accused of his murder after the discovery of his body. Investigations highlighted the failure to conclusively connect the accused to the crime through circumstantial evidence.

Findings of Court:
The court found that the circumstantial evidence was incomplete and the trial court was justified in its decision to acquit the accused.

Issues: Whether the evidence presented was sufficient to convict the accused based on the last seen theory and circumstantial evidence.

Ratio Decidendi: The court ruled that a conviction based on circumstantial evidence requires a complete and unbroken chain connecting the accused to the crime, which was not established in this case.

Result: Leave to appeal dismissed.

Table of Content
1. leave to appeal against acquittal (Para 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6)
2. arguments against trial court's acquittal (Para 8 , 9 , 10)
3. tests for circumstantial evidence (Para 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 , 16)
4. issues with evidence recovery and credibility (Para 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 , 21)
5. denial of leave to appeal (Para 22 , 23)

JUDGMENT

Sukhvinder Kaur, J.

Appellant-Ranjit Kaur has preferred the instant application under Section 378(3) Cr.P.C., 1973 seeking leave to appeal against judgment dated 17.08.2016, passed by learned Sessions Judge, Yamuna Nagar at Jagadhri, vide which respondents No.2 and 3 have been acquitted.

2. Along-with the instant application, an application seeking condonation of delay of 107 days has also been moved.

3. The factual scenario, as highlighted by the prosecution, is that on 16.11.2015, an information was received at Police Station, Bilaspur, that dead body of some unknown person was lying at Kacha Passage in front of Krishna Nand Dera, Kapal Mochan. The police party on reaching there, found that dead body was lying at Kacha Passage leading to the office of Ekta Sahayata Samiti. A shirt, a trousers, a Parna (a cloth for wrapping around head) a single shoe and a bunch of hair were also lying near the dead body, which were converted into separate parcels. Blood stained earth was lifted from the spot and was also converted into sealed parcel. The other shoe was also lying nearby, which was also converted into sealed parcel. Photographs of the dead body with surroundings were taken. Inquest report was prepared. The dead body was shifted to Mortuary of Civil Hospital, Jagadhri, where it was identified to be that of Jaswinder Singh @ Sinda, by his son Balkar Singh and brother Jasbir Singh. Their statements were recorded wherein they stated that on 15.11.2015, in the evening, Kamal Singh and Tony Kumar (the accused in this case) had taken the deceased from his house and thereafter, the deceased had not come back and it was suspected that the deceased had been killed by them. On 20.11.2015, both the accused were produced before the Investigating Officer by their respective fathers. On interrogation, they suffered disclosure statements Ex. PL and Ex.PM, but no recovery was effected pursuant to these statements. Then accused suffered again disclosure statements Ex.PN and Ex.PO on 22.11.2015, pursuant to which they got recovered an iron pipe and an axe and the blood stained clothes from the kitchen of Ekta Sahayata Samiti, Kapal Mochan which were also converted into sealed parcels. Both the accused also demarcated the place of occurrence. After completion of investigation, challan was presented in the Court against both the accused.

4. After finding a prima facie case against the accused, they were charge-sheeted for the offence under Section 302 IPC read with Section 34 IPC, to which they did not plead guilty and claimed trial.

5. After concluding the trial, the trial Court acquitted the accused, namely, Kamal Singh and Tony Kumar.

6. Aggrieved by the said decision, appellant-Ranjit Kaur widow of Jaswinder Singh @ Sinda has preferred the present application for seeking leave, to file an appeal against acquittal of both the accused.

7. We have heard Ms. Deipa Singh, Advocate for the appellant and Mr. Arun Beniwal, Deputy Advocate General, Haryana and have also perused the record.

8. Learned counsel for the appellant has vehemently contended that the trial court, while acquitting respondents No.2 and 3 has held that PW12-Balkar Singh in his cross-examination has stated that on 15.11.2015, respondents No.2 and 3 had visited their house and took away along-with them his father and thereafter, his father did not come back. She has contended that as deceased was not only last seen with the accused persons, rather he was taken away along-with them by the accused persons, then it is a strong circumstance that the murder of the deceased was committed by the accused persons. She has contended that though there is

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