2012 Supreme(UK) 25

2012 (1) N.C.C. 773
UTTARAKHAND HIGH COURT
Hon'ble Mr. Chief Justice Barin Ghosh and Hon'ble Mr. Justice U.C. Dhyani
Criminal Appeal No. 229 of 2002
AFZAL & ORS. – Appellants
Versus
STATE OF UTTARANCHAL – Opposite Party
Decided on : 09.01.2012

Headnote:(A) Motive — Murder — Accused 'B' had a case against deceased pending in the Court of Magistrate at Haldwani — There were some realisable dues against accused 'B' — Also, there was enmity of accused 'B' with the deceased in this behalf. (Para 20)

       (B) Murder Trial — Tampering with the body of deceased — Not possible because it had come on evidence that the same was kept in mortuary under the supervision of local police — Also, it is an unwritten law that the post mortem cannot be conducted after the sunset without the written orders of the D.M. (Para 22)

       © Minor Contradictions — It was contended that the oral testimony is contradictory to what has been indicated in the site plan — But, a close look at the oral testimony and contents of site plan reveal that there is no material-inconsistency — Witnesses are often hypnotised by asking questions after questions on the directions — Moreover, the law is settled on the point that the prosecution cannot be faulted for the minor mistakes committed by the I.O. in conducting investigation. (Para 23)

       (D) Murder Trial — According to prosecution, two accused having country-made pistols fired on the deceased — While, third assailant waived his knife but the blow of the same could not be inflicted on deceased because he fell on the ground — Eyewitness saw the incident, and narrated the same before — No material contradiction in their testimony — And is duly supported by the medical evidence — Prosecution was able to prove its case against the appellants beyond reasonable doubt. (Paras 24 and 25)

       (E) Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2000 and Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Rules, 2007 —Provisions of — Juvenility — Proof of — Juvenile in conflict of Law would be he who had not completed 18 yrs of age on the date of incident — Sec. (4) of the Act, 2000 shall apply to all cases involving detention, prosecution or sentence of imprisonment of juveniles — By Sec. 7A, the juvenile became entitled to have his juvenility examined at any stage of any proceeding pending at any court — Also, Sec. 20 of the Act, 2000 provides that the proceeding in respect of juvenile pending in any court will continue in that court proceeding on the basis as if the Juvenile Act, 2000 had not come into force with imposition of an obligation on the court to forward its finding to the Board — In case offence committed by a juvenile is accepted, for passing such orders on the basis of such finding — In the circumstances, u/s 20 of the Act — Sentence as awarded by the trial court set aside — And forwarded the Juvenile to the Juvenile Justice Board, Nainital for the purpose of passing such order in respect of the appellant 'C' in accordance with the provisions of Act, 2000, proceeding on the basis that the appellant while juvenile had committed a gruesome offence of murder — Held that the evidence had been correctly appreciated — Sentence as awarded by the trial court affirmed but forwarded appellant 'C' to the Juvenile Justice Board, Nainital for the purpose of passing order in respect of Juvenility of the said appellant accordingly. (Paras 32 and 33)

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        ¼izLrj 22½

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        ¼izLrj 24 vkSj 25½

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