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2019 Supreme(All) 1292

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT ALLAHABAD
Bala Krishna Narayana, Ghandikota Sri. Devi, JJ.
Rajesh Jha – Appellant
Versus
State of U.P. – Respondent
Criminal Appeal No., 4467 of 2012
Decided On : 26-04-2019

Advocates Appeared:
For the Appellant : H.N. Singh, Arun Kumar Singh, Brijesh Sahai, Virendra Kumar Maurya

Headnote:

Dowry Death - Criminal Law - 304-B, 498-A, 120-B, 4 of Dowry Prohibition Act - The judgment discusses the framing of charges under Section 302 I.P.C. in addition to the charges under other sections. The court analyzes the evidence and concludes that the death of the deceased was a dowry death and a case of culpable homicide amounting to murder. The court also discusses the legal presumption under Section 304B I.P.C. and the essential ingredients required to establish dowry death. The court finds no merit in the defense's version of suicide and upholds the conviction under Section 304B I.P.C. and the sentence of life imprisonment.

Fact of the Case:

The case involves the appellant, Rajesh Jha, who was convicted and sentenced for dowry death and related offenses. The deceased, Anuradha, was subjected to torture and harassment by the appellant for inadequate dowry, leading to her death. The court analyzed the evidence and concluded that the death was a dowry death and a case of culpable homicide amounting to murder. The defense's claim of suicide was found to be without merit.

Finding of the Court:

The court found the appellant guilty of dowry death under Section 304B I.P.C. and upheld the sentence of life imprisonment. The defense's version of suicide was rejected, and the court concluded that the death was homicidal and not suicidal.

Issues: The key issues revolved around the nature of the deceased's death, the applicability of Section 304B I.P.C., and the defense's claim of suicide. The court also considered the framing of charges under Section 302 I.P.C. in addition to the charges under other sections.

Ratio Decidendi: The court's decision was based on the analysis of the evidence, including testimonies and medical reports, to establish the nature of the deceased's death and the applicability of Section 304B I.P.C. The court also discussed the legal presumption and essential ingredients required to establish dowry death.

Final Decision: The appeal was dismissed, and the conviction under Section 304B I.P.C. and the sentence of life imprisonment were upheld.

JUDGMENT :

B. K. Narayana, J.

1. Heard Sri Brijesh Sahai, assisted by Sri Bhavya Sahai, learned counsel for the appellant and Smt. Manju Thakur, learned A. G. A.-I for the State.

2. This criminal appeal has been preferred by appellant, Rajesh Jha against the judgment and order dated 18.10.2012 passed by the Additional District & Sessions Judge, Court No. 7, Ghaziabad in S. T. No. 854 of 2009; State Versus Rajesh Jha convicting the appellant and sentencing him to undergo imprisonment for life u/s 304-B I. P. C., three years simple imprisonment and a fine of Rs. 10,000/- and in case of default in payment of fine, three months additional simple imprisonment u/s 498A I. P. C., one year simple imprisonment and a fine of Rs. 5,000/- and in case of default in payment of fine, one month additional simple imprisonment u/s 4 of Dowry Prohibition Act. All the sentences were directed to run concurrently.

3. Upon being charge-sheeted, Chief Judicial Magistrate, Ghaziabad committed the accused Rajesh Jha for trial to the Court of Sessions Judge, Ghaziabad where the case was registered as S. T. No. 854 of 2009; State Versus Rajesh Jha and made over for trial from there to the Court of Additional District & Sessions Judge, Court No. 7, Ghaziabad who on the basis of the material on record and after hearing the prosecution as well as the accused on the point of charge, framed charge u/s 498-A, 120-B, 304-B I. P. C. and Section 4 of Dowry Prohibition Act. The accused abjured the charges framed against him and claimed trial.

4. The prosecution in order to prove the charges framed against the accused examined six witnesses out of whom P. W. 1 Krishna Madhav Jha was examined as witness of fact while P. W. 2 Dr. Anil Prakash, P. W. 3 Jai Prakash Yadav, Naib Tehsildar, P. W. 4 Rahul Srivastava, Circle Officer, P. W. 5 Dinesh Kumar, Head Moharrir and P. W. 6 Dr. Ashok Kumar Goyal were produced as formal witnesses.

5. The prosecution in addition to oral evidence, adduced documentary evidence as well, which has been referred to and dealt with in great detail by the trial court and which need not be reproduced herein and to which we shall refer to as and when the context so requires.

6. After closing of the prosecution case, the statement of the appellant u/s 313 Cr. P. C. was recorded. He stated that he had never tortured or maltreated his wife Anuradha for additional dowry or otherwise. He stated that she was ambitious and short-tempered and wanted to work. Since, his financial condition was good enough and he had small children, he had forced her to quit her job on account of which his wife had committed suicide. He examined Rajesh Jha, Deepak Yadav and Dr. Nishar as D. W. 1, D. W. 2 and D. W. 3.

7. Learned Additional District & Sessions Judge, Court No. 7, Ghaziabad after considering the submissions advanced before him by learned counsel for the parties and scrutinizing the evidence on record, both oral as well as documentary, convicted the appellant and awarded aforesaid sentences to him.

8. Hence, this appeal.

9. The appellant had challenged the impugned judgment and order dated 18.10.2012 before this Court by means of this appeal, which was allowed by a Division Bench of this Court comprising of Hon'ble Vikram Nath, J. and Hon'ble Pratyush Kumar, J. (as His Lordship then was) vide judgment and order dated 27.7.2015. The operative portion of the order dated 27.7.2015 runs as hereunder:

“Accordingly, the appeal is allowed. Impugned judgment and orders dated 18.10.2012 are set aside. The Sessions Trial No. 854 of 2009 (State vs. Rajesh Jha) is remanded back to the trial Court with the direction that a charge under Section 302 I.P.C also be framed against the present appellant and thereafter the trial court may proceed in accordance with provisions contained in Section 216 Cr.P.C. The trial court is directed to ensure presence of the witnesses in advance and proceed with the trial on day to day basis. We expect that efforts should be made to conclude the trial a

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