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2023 Supreme(All) 2670

IN THE HIGH COURT OF ALLAHABAD
SYED AFTAB HUSAIN RIZVI, J.
Sandeep Kumar - Revisionist
Versus
State of U.P. and Another - Opposite Parties
CRIMINAL REVISION NO. 4382 OF 2022.
Decided On : 28-02-2023

Advocates appeared:
For the Revisionist :Dhiraj Srivastava, Sr. Advocate.
For the Opposite Party :G.A., Amar Chandra and Sunil Kumar, Advocate.

Headnote:(A) Criminal Procedure Code, 1973 - Section 319 - Summoning of additional accused - Order dated 27.09.2022 challenged - Prosecution argued evidence warranted summoning revisionist as an accused - Revisionist contended insufficient evidence; trial court failed to apply judicial mind - Established law dictates power under Section 319 should be exercised sparingly and with strong evidence - Test must be stronger than mere probability. (Paras 7, 11, 12)

Facts of the case:
The FIR was lodged against three individuals for the murder of the complainant's father after an alleged altercation led to violence. The revisionist was exonerated by an earlier investigation confirming his absence at the incident. (Paras 4, 6)

Findings of Court:
The court found that there was cogent evidence against the revisionist, considering the testimony of the eye-witnesses. The trial court had analyzed the details and upheld the summoning order. (Paras 11, 12)

Issues: The main issue was whether the trial court had sufficient grounds to exercise the power under Section 319 Cr.P.C. to summon the revisionist as an accused based on the evidence presented. (Paras 10, 11)

Ratio Decidendi: The court reaffirmed that the exercise of discretion under Section 319 Cr.P.C. necessitates a stronger evidence threshold than mere probability, aligning with previous apex court rulings. (Paras 7, 10, 11)

Result: Criminal revision dismissed.

Table of Content
1. revision against trial court's summoning order. (Para 1 , 2 , 3)
2. details of the f.i.r. and incident. (Para 4)
3. revisionist's defense arguments. (Para 5)
4. state’s arguments against the revisionist. (Para 6)
5. criteria for exercising powers under section 319 cr.p.c. (Para 7 , 9)
6. test of cogent evidence against revisionist. (Para 8 , 10)
7. court’s evaluation of trial court's analysis and conclusion. (Para 11 , 12)
8. final ruling of the court. (Para 13)

JUDGMENT

Syed Aftab Husain Rizvi, J. - Heard Sri V.P. Srivastava, learned Senior Advocate, assisted by Sri Dhiraj Srivastava, learned counsel for the revisionist, learned A.G.A. for the State of U.P.-opposite party no.1 and Sri Amar Chandra, learned counsel for the opposite party no.2.

2. This criminal revision is directed against order dated 27.09.2022 passed by Additional Session Judge, Court No.1, Shahjahanpur in Session Trial No.177 of 2016 (State v. Ashok Kumar) arising out of Case Crime No.377 of 2016 under Section 304 , 323 and 504 I.P.C., Police Station Roja, District Shahjahanpur.

3. By the impugned order, learned trial court in exercise of powers under Section 319 Cr.P.C. on the application of the prosecution has summoned the revisionist-accused, Sandeep and another accused Vibha Devi to face trial with co-accused.

4. Km. Anushka Krishna, opposite party no.2 lodged an F.I.R. on 31.03.2016 regarding the incident which has taken place on 29.03.2016 at about 6.30 p.m. alleging therein that the complainant with her sister Surabhi was at her house when her real uncle Ashok Kumar, his wife (Vibha Devi) and Sandeep came there and started abusing. In the meantime her father Ram Krishna came there and requested not to hurl abuses, which infuriated Ashok Kumar who brought a knife from his house and Vibha and Sandeep caught hold the complainant's father and Ashok Kumar stabbed in the stomach of her father causing him serious injuries and profused bleeding. Surabhi also got injury on her right finger while rescuing her father. Her father became unconscious and all the accused ran away. Her father was brought to District Hospital for treatment. The doctors referred him to Lucknow and he was admitted in KGMC, Lucknow and ultimately died on 30.03.2016. The F.I.R. was lodged under Sections 304 , 504 and 323 I.P.C. against Ashok Kumar, Vibha Devi and Sandeep. Charge-sheet was submitted against Ashok Kumar. During trial two witnesses Km. Anushka Krishna Complainant, PW 1 and Surabhi PW 2 were examined and theirupon an application under Section 319 Cr.P.C. was moved by the prosecution.

5. Learned counsel for the revisionists contended that after investigation charge-sheet was submitted only against Ashok Kumar on 25.08.2016. The Investigating Officer failed to collect any evidence against revisionist- accused, although the investigation continued. The second Investigating Officer made further investigation and verified the statement of complainant and other witnesses recorded by the earlier Investigating Officer and came to the conclusion that revisionist-accused is not involved, even remotely to the alleged incident and he submitted report to this respect on 09.03.2017 specifically mentioning that revisionist was not at all present on the place of occurrence as is apparent from his call detail record. During trial Anushka Krishna PW 1 and Surabhi PW 2 were examined and they both just repeated the version of the F.I.R without bringing on record any other fact, material or circumstances. They are real sisters and daughters of the deceased. No other prosecution witness or independent witness has been examined. Before the trial court there was no additional circumstance or any sufficient material or any documentary evidence or even statement of any independent witness. There existed on record only the version of the F.I.R. The complainant moved an application under Section 319 Cr.P.C. on 09.11.2016 when investigation against revisionist was still continuing. An objec

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