IN THE HIGH COURT OF ALLAHABAD
Brij Mohan Lall, J.
TINY - Appellant
Versus
STATE - Respondents
Criminal Revn. 1290 Of 1950
Decided On : 07/27/1951
CRIMINAL LAW - UNLAWFUL ASSEMBLY - RIOTING - CAUSING HURT - SENTENCES - SECTION 71, I. P. C. - INTERPRETATION - APPLICABILITY.
Fact of the Case:
24 persons were convicted of offences under Sections 147 and 323/149 I. P. C. for forming an unlawful assembly, rioting, and causing hurt. The first two applicants caused injuries, while the remaining 22 were members of the unlawful assembly that caused injuries. The trial court sentenced each applicant to a fine of Rs. 30/- under Section 147 and a further fine of Rs. 20/- under Section 323/149.
Finding of the Court:
The court upheld the convictions of the first two applicants, holding that they could be convicted of both rioting and causing hurt. However, the court found that the remaining 22 applicants could not be sentenced separately under both sections, as this would violate Section 71 of the Indian Penal Code.
Issues: Whether the remaining 22 applicants could be sentenced separately under Sections 147 and 323/149 I. P. C., given that they were members of an unlawful assembly that caused injuries but did not themselves cause any injuries.
Ratio Decidendi: The court interpreted Section 71, I. P. C., and held that it applies to cases where an offence is made up of parts, any of which parts is itself an offence. In such cases, the offender cannot be punished with the punishment of more than one of such offences, unless it is expressly provided otherwise. However, if the case falls under paragraph 2 or 3 of Section 71, the offender can be punished with a sentence that does not exceed the limit prescribed for any one of the offences.
Final Decision: The court dismissed the revision petition, holding that the sentences awarded to the applicants 3 to 24 were not illegal, as the aggregate sentence did not exceed the limit prescribed for one of the offences.
( 1 ) THIS is an application in revision by twenty-four persons who have been convicted by a learned Magistrate, first class, of Azamgarh of offences punishable under Sections 147 and 323/149 I. P. C. Every one of them has been sentenced to pay a fine of Rs. 30/- under the former section and a further fine of Rs. 20/- under the latter section.
( 2 ) THE applicants filed a revision in the Court of the learned Sessions Judge of Azamgarh. But that revision was summarily dismissed. They have now come up to this Court in revision.
( 3 ) THE charge which the trial Court found proved against the applicants is that they formed an unlawful assembly on the 31st of January 1950 in the evening in village Muzaffarpur, police station Kandharpur in the district of Azamgarh, of which the common object was to give a beating to Ali Ahmad and his companions and that in prosecution of the said common object they committed rioting and caused hurt to Ali Ahmad and five other persons. The trial Court held that the first two applicants, viz. , Tiny and Gul Mohammad, actually caused injuries. It is not proved that the remaining 22 applicants or any one or more of them actually caused any injury. What is proved is that the unlawful assembly of which the remaining 22 applicants were also members did cause injuries to Ali Ahmad and his companions and that these injuries were caused in prosecution of the common object. These findings of fact cannot be challenged in these proceedings.
( 4 ) SO far as the first two applicants, viz. , Tiny and Gul Mohammad, are concerned, there is no doubt about the correctness of their convictions and sentences. A person who actually causes hurt and is also a member of an unlawful assembly can be convicted of" committing riot under section 147, I. P. C. , and of causing hurt under Section 323, I. P. C. It has not been contended before me that their convictions are illegal. The Full Bench case of queen Empress v. Ram sarup, 7 All. 757, is an authority for the proposition that persons who commit individual apts of violence with their own hands can be convicted of rioting as well as of hurt. Therefore, the revision has no force so far as these two applicants are concerned.
( 5 ) THE learned counsel for the applicants contended that the remaining 22 applicants cannot be awarded sentences both under Section 147 and under Section 323/149. He does not contend that these 22 persons could not be convicted of the aforesaid offences. His contention is that, although they could be convicted of the said offences, separate sentences could not be passed under both Sections. For this contention he places reliance on Section 71 of the Indian Penal code.
( 6 ) BEFORE discussing the provisions of Section 71 it is necessary to make a reference to two other allied provisions contained in Sections 235 and 35 of the Code of Criminal Procedure. Section 235 permits the joining of charges under Sections 147 and 323/149 when the acts are so connected together as to form the same transaction. Illustration (g) of the said section makes it clear that persons so charged can be convicted in the same trial of the afroesaid offences, Section 235 does not deal with punishment. Therefore, neither the main section nor the aforesaid illustration is an authority for the proposition that separate punishments can also be awarded for the abovementioned two offences. On the contrary, one finds that subsection (4) of Section 235 says that: "nothing contained in this section shall affect the Indian Penal Code, Section 71. " thus, there is an express provision to the effect that the provisions of Section 235 Cr. P. C. , are subject to the provisions of Section 71, I. P. C. This means that, although a person may be tried at one trial of offences punishable under Sections 147 and 323/149 and although he may be convicted of the said offences in the same trial, he cannot be given separate sentences unless the same is warranted by Section 71, I. P. C. Th
Login now and unlock free premium legal research
Login to SupremeToday AI and access free legal analysis, AI highlights, and smart tools.
Login
now!
India’s Legal research and Law Firm App, Download now!
Copyright © 2023 Vikas Info Solution Pvt Ltd. All Rights Reserved.