2010 Supreme(UK) 13

2010 (1) N.C.C. 673
SUPREME COURT OF INDIA
Hon’ble Mr. Justice Dalveer Bhandari and
Hon’ble Mr. Justice Asok Kumar Ganguly
Criminal Appeal No. 1057 of 2002
DARSHAN SINGH – Appellant
Versus
STATE OF PUNJAB & ANR. – Respondents
Decided on : 15.01.2010

Headnote:(A) Indian Penal Code, 1860, Sec. 100 — Right of private defence — Sec. 100 of the Indian Penal Code justifies the killing of an assailant when apprehension of atrocious crime enumerated in several clauses of the section is shown to exist — First clause of Section 100 applies to cases where there is reasonable apprehension of death — While second clause is attracted where a person has a genuine apprehension that his adversary is going to attack him and he reasonably believes that the attack will result in a grievous hurt — In that event he can go to the extent of causing the latter's death in the exercise of the right of private defence even though the latter may not have inflicted any blow or injury on him — It is settled position of law that in order to justify the act of causing death of the assailant, the accused simply had to satisfy the court that he was faced with an assault which caused a reasonable apprehension of death or grievous hurt. (Paras 21 to 23)

       (B) Indian Penal Code, 1860, Sec. 100 — Reasonable apprehension of death or grievous hurt — Whether the apprehension was reasonable or not is a question of fact depending upon the facts and circumstances of each case and no strait-jacket formula can be prescribed in this regard — The weapon used, the manner and nature of assault and other surrounding circumstances should be taken into account while evaluating whether the apprehension was justified or not?

        (Paras 21 to 23)

       (C) Indian Penal Code, 1860, Secs. 96 to 106 — Enacting secs. 96 to 106 of the Indian Penal Code, the Legislature clearly intended to arouse and encourage the manly spirit of self-defence amongst the citizens, when faced with grave danger — The law does not require a law-abiding citizen to behave like a coward when confronted with an imminent unlawful aggression — As there is nothing more degrading to the human spirit than to run away in face of danger — The right of private defence is thus designed to serve a social purpose and deserves to be fostered within the prescribed limits. (Paras 24 to 29, 31 to 38)

       (D) Indian Penal Code, 1860, Secs. 96 to 106 — Right of Private Defence of body — Extent and Nature of — Principles that emerge on scrutiny of the referred judgments are (i) Self-preservation is the basic human instinct and is duly recognized by the criminal jurisprudence of all civilized countries — All free, democratic and civilized countries recognize the right of private defence within certain reasonable limits — (ii) The right of private defence is available only to one who is suddenly confronted with the necessity of averting an impending danger and not of self-creation — (iii) A mere reasonable apprehension is enough to put the right of self defence into operation — In other words, it is not necessary that there should be an actual commission of the offence in order to give rise to the right of private defence — It is enough if the accused apprehended that such an offence is contemplated and it is likely to be committed if the right of private defence is not exercised — (iv) The right of private defence commences as soon as a reasonable apprehension arises and it is coterminus with the duration of such apprehension — (v) It is unrealistic to expect a person under assault to modulate his defence step by step with any arithmetical exactitude — (vi) In private defnce the force used by the accused ought not to be wholly disproportionate or much greater than necessary for protection of the person or property — (vii) It is well settled that even if the accused does not plead self-defence, it is open to consider such a plea if the same arises from the material on record — (viii) The accused need not prove the existence of the right of private defence beyond reasonable doubt — (ix) The Indian Penal Code confers the right of private defence only when that unlawful or wrongful act is an offence — (x) A person who is in imminent and reasonable danger of losing his life or limb may in exercise of self defence inflict any harm even extending to death on his assailant either when the assault is attempted or directly threatened. (Para 58)

       (E) Appeal against acquittal — High Court or the Appellate Court would not be justified in setting aside a judgment of acquittal only on the ground that the version given by the complainant is more truthful — In a case of acquittal, if the trial Court's view is a possible or plausible view, then the Appellate Court or the High Court would not be justified in interfering with it. (Paras 61 & 62)

       ¼v½ Hkkjrh; n.M lafgrk] 1860] /kkjk 100 ds vUrxZr Lo lqj{kk dk vf/kdkj & èkkjk 100 vk ih lh ,d vkde.kdkjh dh gR;k ml n'kk esa U;k;ksfpr Bgjkrh gS tc fdlh u`'kal vijk/k dh vk'kadk gks tks fd mDr /kkjk dh vusdksa mi/kkjkvksa esa of.kZr gS & /kkjk 100 dh izFke okD;ka'k ugha ykxw gksrk gS tgk¡ e`R;q dh laHkkfor vk'kadk gks tc fd nwljk okD;ka'k ugha yxrk gS tgk¡ fdlh O;fDr dks bl ckr dh okLrfod vk'kadk gks fd mldk 'k=q ml ij vkde.k djus okyk gS vkSj mls bl ckr dk iDdk ;dhu gS fd vkde.k ds dkj.k ?kkrd pksV yx tk,xh & ml n'kk esa og 'k=q dh gR;k vius cpko ds vf/kdkj dk iz;ksx djrs gq, dj ldrk gS ;|fi 'k=q }kjk ml ij dksbZ izgkj ugha fd;k x;k uk gh mls dksbZ pksV igq¡pkbZ xbZ & dkuwu dk ;g izfrikfnr fl)kUr gS fd vkded dh gR;k djus dh fLFkfr dks vfHk;qDr dks U;k;ky; dks lkekU; :i ls ;g larq"V djuk gksrk gS fd mls fdlh geys dk lkeuk djuk iM++k Fkk ftlesa e`R;q gksus vFkok xaHkhj pksV yxus dh iw.kZ vk'kadk FkhA ¼izLrj 21 ls 23½

       ¼c½ Hkkjrh; n.M lafgrk] 1860] /kkjk 100 & e`R;q vFkok xaHkhj pksV yxus dh mfpr vk'kadk dk gksuk & vk'kadk mfpr Fkh ;k ugha ;g rF; dk iz'u gS tks izR;sd dsl ds rF;ksa vkSj ifjfLFkfr;ksa ij fuHkZj djrk gS vkSj bl lEcU/k esa dksbZ lh/kk lPpk lw= fu/kkZfjr ugha fd;k tk ldrk & iz;ksx fd;k x;k 'kL= geys dh izdfr vkSj rjhdk] vkSj vU; pkjksa vksj dh ifjfLFkfr;k¡ rc fopkj esa yh tkuh pkfg, tc ;g fu.kZ; fd;k tk, fd vk'kadk mfpr Fkh vFkok ughaA ¼izLrj 21 ls 23½

       ¼l½ Hkkjrh; n.M lafgrk] 1860] /kkjk 96 ls 106 rd & bu /kkjkvksa ds vf/kfu;fer djus ds ihNs fo/kkf;dk dh ea'kk ukxfjdksa esa vius cpko dh Hkkouk dks tkxzr vkSj izksRlkfgr djus dh ml n'kk esa Fkh tc fdlh cM+s [krjs dk lkeuk djuk iM+s & dkuwu] fdlh dkuwu rksM+us okys dh tk¡p ij[k ugha djrk fd mlds }kjk ,d Mjiksd dh rjg O;ogkj fd;k x;k Fkk tc fd xSj dkuwuh Hkkjrh vfrde.k dk lkeuk fd;k tk, & [krjs dk lkeuk djus ls Hkkx tkus ls vf/kd fxjkoV ekuuh; Hkkouk esa vkSj D;k gks ldrh gS & bl izdkj ls vius cpko dk vf/kdkj bl izdkj ls j[kk x;k gS ftlls lkekftd mn~ns'; dh iwfrZ gks vkSj mls fu/kkZfjr lhek ds vUrxZr cuk;s j[kk tkuk visf{kr gSA ¼izLrj 24 ls 29] 31 ls 38½

       ¼n½ Hkkjrh; n.M lafgrk] 1860] /kkjk 96 ls 106 & 'kjhj dh j{kk dk vf/kdkj ,oa mldh lhek vkSj izdfr & m)`r fu.kZ;ksa dh tkap djus ij mDr esa izfrikfnr fl)kUr bl izdkj gS & (i) Lo;a dh j{kk djuk ewy ekuokf/kdkj gS ftls lHkh ns'kksa ds vijkfèkd fof/k'kkL= }kjk ekU;rk iznku dh tkrh gS & lHkh Lora= iztkrkaf=d vkSj lH; jk"Vªksa }kjk vius cpko ds vf/kdkj dks dqN mfpr lhek ds vUrxZr ekU;rk iznku dh xbZ gS & (ii) Lo;a ds cpko dk vf/kdkjh mlh dks miyC/k gksrk gS ftls vpkud fdlh Hk;kud [krjs dk lkeuk djus dh vko';drk iM+rh gS uk fd Lo;a mRié fd;s x;s ds fy, & (iii) vius cpko ds vf/kdkj dk iz;ksx djus gsrq dsoy ek= fdlh mfpr vk'kadk dk gksuk gh i;kZIr gS nwljs 'kCnksa esa ;g vko';d ugha fd vijk/k okLro esa ?kfVr gks ftlls vius cpko ds vf/kdkj dk iz;ksx fd;k tk lds & ;g dkQh gS ;fn vfHk;qDr dks [krjs dk vkHkkl gqvk fd dksbZ visf{kr vijk/k gksus gh okyk gS ;fn vius cpko ds vf/kdkj dk iz;ksx ugha fd;k x;k & (iv) vius cpko ds vf/kdkj dh 'kq#vkr rHkh gks tkrh gS tc dksbZ mfpr vk'kadk mRié gksrh gS ;k og bl vk'kadk dh vof/k ls varjax gks & (v) ;g vokLrfod gksrk gS fd fdlh O;fDr ls tks geys ds vUrxZr gks] vius cpko dks /khjs /khjs ,d ds ckn ,d djds vadxf.kr ds vuqlkj iz;qDr djs & (vi) vfHk;qDr }kjk vius cpko esa iz;qDr 'kfDr dk iz;ksx iw.kZr;k vu&vuqikfrd ugha gksuk pkfg, vFkok O;fDr ;k laifRr ds cpko ds fy, vko';drk ls vR;kf/kd u gks & (7) ;g izfrikfnr fl)kUr gS fd ;fn vfHk;qDr vius cpko ds vf/kdkj dh nyhy Hkh ugha nsrk gS rks Hkh fjdkMZ esa miyC/k lk{; ds vk/kkj ij bls fopkj esa fy;k tkuk visf{kr gS & (8) vfHk;qDr dks vius cpko ds vf/kdkj dks mfpr lansg dh ifjf/k ls ckgj fl) djuk vko';d ugha gS & (ix) Hkkjrh; n.M lafgrk ds vUrxZr vius cpko dk vf/kdkj dsoy mlh le; iznRr fd;k tkrk gS tc dksbZ xSj dkuwuh vkSj xyr dk;Z ds }kjk vijk/k ?kVs & (x) ,d O;fDr tc vius thou ;k vax dks [kks nsus ds fdlh o`gr vkSj mfpr [krjs ds vUrxZr gks rks vius cpko ds vf/kdkj dk iz;ksx djrs gq, dksbZ Hkh pksV ;gha rd fd e`R;q vius vkde.kdrkZ dh dj ldrk gS pkgs geyk fd;k x;k gks vFkok lh/ks /kedh nh xbZ gksA

        ¼izLrj 58½

       ¼;½ nks"keqfDr ds fo#) vihy & mPp U;k;ky; vFkok vihysV U;k;ky; fdlh nks"keqfDr ds fu.kZ; dks fujLr djus esa dsoy bl vk/kkj ij U;k;ksfpr ugha gksrk fd f'kdk;rdrkZ dk dFku vf/kd fo'oluh; gS & nks"keqfDr ds dsl esa ;fn fopkj.k U;k;ky; dk fopkj laHko gS vFkok fn[kkÅ gS rc mPp U;k;ky; vFkok vihysV U;k;ky; bl esa gLr{ksi djus ds fy, U;k;ksfpr ugha gksxkA ¼izLrj 61 ,oa 62½