2003 Supreme(MP) 763

2003(2) JLJ 404
(SUPREME COURT)
N. Santosh Hegde, Ashok Bhan and B.P. Singh, JJ.
Malkhan Singh and others v. State of M.P.
Cri. Appeals No. 1299-1300 of 2002; against the judgment of M.P.
High Court reported in 2003(2) JLJ 151; Decided on 8.7.2003.

Headnote:(1) Criminal P.C., 1973 -- S. 154 -- Penal Code, 1860 -- Ss. 376(2) (g) and 506 Part II -- delay in lodging FIR duly explained -- explanation duly supported by circumstantial evidence also -- has no adverse effect on prosecution case.

        When the prosecutrix was near the tapara of Baldar Khan she noticed that she was being followed by three persons. When she proceeded some distance she suspected that some of them had come very close to her. She moved to the edge of the path-way giving way to the persons behind her to go ahead. However, one of them, later identified as appellant Maharajsingh, caught hold of her hands from behind. The prosecutrix objected and raised an alarm calling out for Baldar Khan but no one came to her rescue. On the other hand, appellant Malkhansingh took out a knife and threatened her. Appellant Musab Khan also took out a knife and threatened her into silence. Two of them then dragged her towards the canal where she was further threatened and made to lie on the ground. When again she persisted in raising alarm, appellant Maharajsingh placed a knife on her neck and tried to press her neck. Thereafter the appellants Musab Khan and Malkhansingh removed her clothes and Musab Khan was the first person to sexually assault her followed by Maharajsingh and Malkhansingh. Thereafter they left her giving threats of dire consequences if she reported the matter to the police and reminded her that she would meet the same fate, which Madam Rekha had met, if she reported the matter to the police.

        After the occurrence the prosecutrix left for her home at Bagod and went to school at about 3.00 p.m. On the next day she attended the school but thereafter went to Vidisha accompanied by another teacher Mangalsingh. At Vidisha she met the Deputy Director of Education, one Mr. Dutta, on March 6, 1992 to whom she narrated the incident and told him that the three boys were after her life and it was not safe for her to go back to Bagod. She requested that she may be transferred to some other school. According to the prosecutrix, Mr. Dutta attached her to a school at Khamkheda with effect from March 10, 1992. She narrated the incident to her colleague Shri Mangalsingh on March 12, 1992, who in turn reported the matter to Kaluram, PW 3, who was the President of District Teachers Association. On March 14, 1992 Shri Kaluram, PW 3, took her to the residence of Superintendent of Police, Vidisha where the prosecutrix handed over a typed complaint to the Superintendent of Police. The said complaint was forwarded to the kotwali, Vidisha, where a crime was registered. [Paras 2 & 3

        Held: The delay, if any, in lodging the first information report was fully explained by the prosecutrix and was strongly supported by the circumstantial evidence on record. The Courts below have noticed the fact that the prosecutrix was living all alone and was an unmarried person, about 28 years of age. She did not have any family member to whom she could have narrated her story immediately after the occurrence. Moreover, the sense of shame coupled with the fear on account of threats given out by the appellants must have deterred her from immediately reporting about the occurrence to others. Even so, according to her, she narrated the incident to Shri Datta, Deputy Director of Education on March 6, 1992. Later she narrated the incident to one of her colleagues whom she found to be sympathetic towards her and thereafter when her cause was taken up by the teachers association, she could muster courage to lodge a report with the Superintendent of Police; 2003(2) JLJ 151 affirmed. [Para 5

        (2) Evidence Act, 1872 -- S. 9 -- Criminal P.C, 1973 -- S. 162 -identification parade -- nature and purpose of -- it is not substantive but a corroborative evidence -- in appropriate case Court may accept even uncorroborated statement.

        The facts, which establish the identity of the accused persons, are relevant under section 9 of the Evidence Act. As a general rule, the substantive evidence of a witness is the statement made in Court. The evidence of mere identification of the accused person at the trial for the first time is from its very nature inherently of a weak character. The purpose of a prior test identification, therefore, is to test and strengthen the trustworthiness of that evidence. It is accordingly considered a safe rule of prudence to generally look for corroboration of the sworn testimony of witnesses in Court as to the identity of the accused who are strangers to them, in the form of earlier identification proceedings. ... They do not constitute substantive evidence and these parades are essentially governed by section 162 of the Code of Criminal Procedure. Failure to hold a test identification parade would not make inadmissible the evidence of identification in Court. The weight to be attached to such identification should be a matter for the Courts of fact. In appropriate cases it may accept the evidence of identification even without insisting on corroboration. AIR 1958 SC 350, AIR 1960 SC 1340, AIR 1970 SC 1321, (1970) 3 SCC 518 and (1975) 4 SCC 480 relied on. 2003(2) JLJ 151 affirmed. [Paras 7 to 9

        (3) Evidence Act, 1872 -- S. 9 -- identification parade -- in all cases not necessary -- identification by known person -- can be established even before Court directly. Cri. Appeal No. 92 of 1956 relied on. 2003(2) JLJ 151 affirmed. [Para 8

        (4) Evidence Act, 1872 -- S. 9 -- witness identifying the accused in parade -- not identifying him in Court due to fear -- demeanour noted by trial Judge -- conviction can be based upon such statement also. (1996) 8 SCC 630 relied on. 2003(2) JLJ 151 affirmed. [Para 11

        (5) Evidence Act, 1872 -- S. 9 -- witness not previously knowing the accused -- parade should be arranged soon after the accused is arrested -- it gives a corroboration to the substantial evidence in Court -- evidence is stronger when witness sees accused in broad day light for some minutes. JT 1994(4) SC 309 and (1979) 1 SCC 31 relied on. [Para 13

        (6) Evidence Act, 1872 -- S. 9 -- accused not known to the witness previously -- identification in Court -- cannot be relied on when police has told the name of accused. (2000) 1 SCC 358 relied on. [Para 14

        (7) Penal Code, 1860 -- S. 376(2) (g) -- gang rape by three accused one after the other in broad day light – threatenings given before and after commission of rape -- prosecutrix has sufficient opportunity to identify accused persons in Court -- offence made out. 2003(2) JLJ 151 affirmed. [Para 16

       ¼1½ naM çfØ;k lafgrk] 1973&/kkjk 154&naM lafgrk] 1860&/kkjk 376¼2½ ¼N½ rFkk 506 Hkkx&2&çFke bfÙkyk fjiksVZ nkf[ky djus esa foyac lE;d~ :i ls Li"VhÑr&Li"Vhdj.k ikfjfLFkfrd lk{; ls Hkh lE;d~ :i ls lefFkZr&vfHkkstu i{kdFku ij çfrdwy çHkko ugha iM+rkA

       tc vfHk;ksD=h cynkj[kka ds Vijk ds fudV Fkh rc mlus /;ku fn;k fd rhu O;fDr mldk ihNk dj jgs gSaA dqN nsj xbZ rks mls lansg gqvk fd muesa ls dqN mlds vkSj fudV vk x, gSaA ihNs vkus okys O;fDr;ksa dks vkxs fudyus ds fy, jkLrk nsrs gq, og ,d vksj pyh xbZA rFkkfi] muesa ls ,d us] ftldh ckn esa egkjktflag ds :i esa ‘kuk[r gqbZ] ihNs ls mlds gkFk idM+ fy,A vfHk;ksD=h us vkifRrÙk dh rFkk cynkj[kka ds fy, vkokt yxkrs gq, ‘kksj epk;k ijarq mls cpkus dksbZ ugha vk;kA nwljh vksj] vihykFkhZ ey[kkuflag us pkdw fudkyk vkSj mls /kedk;kA vihykFkhZ elkc[kka us Hkh ,d pkdw fudkyk vkSj mls /kedk dj ‘kkar dj fn;kA fQj nksukas mls ?klhV dj ugj fdukjs ys x, tgk¡ mls vkSj /kedk;k x;k vkSj /kjrh ij ysVus dks foo‘k fd;k x;kA tc og fQj ‘kksj epkus yxh rks vihykFkhZ egkjktflag us mldh xnZu ij pkdw j[k fn;k vkSj mldk xyk nckus dk ç;kl fd;kA rRi‘pkr~ vihykFkhZ eqlkc[kka vkSj ey[kkuflag us mlds oL= mrkjs rFkk igys eqlkc[kka fQj egjktflag vkSj ey[kkuflag us mlds lkFk cykr~lax fd;kA rRi‘pkr~ ;fn mlus iqfyl dks bl ckr dh fjiksVZ dh rks mls xaHkhj ifj.kkeksa dh /kedh nsrs gq, og mls NksM+ dj pys x, rFkk mls iqu% Lej.k djk x, fd ;fn mlus iqfyl esa fjiksVZ dh rks mldh Hkh ogh xfr gksxh tks eSMe js[kk dh gqbZ FkhA

       ?kVuk ds i‘pkr~ vfHk;ksD=h ckxkSn esa vius ?kj pyh xbZ rFkk vijkà yxHkx 3-00 cts og fo|ky; xbZA vxys fnu og fo|ky; esa gkftj gqbZ rqjar rRi‘pkr~ la/;k dks ,d vU; f‘k{kd eaxyflag ds lkFk fofn‘kk xbZA 6 ekpZ 1992 dks fofn‘kk esa og Jh nÙk] mifuns‘kd] f‘k{kk ls feyh ftUgsa mlus ?kVuk ds ckjs esa crk;k x;k vkSj ;g Hkh crk;k fd rhu yM+ds mldh tku ds ihNs iM+s gSa rFkk ckxkSn okil tkuk mlds fy, fujkin ugha gSA mlus vuqjks/k fd;k fd mls fdlh vU; fo|ky; eas LFkkukarfjr dj fn;k tk,A vfHk;ksD=h ds vuqlkj] Jh nÙk us mls 10 ekpZ 1992 ls [kke[ksM+k ds ,d fo|ky; esa yxk fn;kA 12 ekpZ 1992 dks mlus vius lgdehZ Jh eaxyflag dks ?kVuk ds ckjs esa crk;k ftlus v lk 3 dkywjke dks ?kVuk ds ckjs esa crk;k tks ftyk f‘k{kd laxe dk v/;{k FkkA v lk 3 dkywjke 14 ekpZ 1992 dks mls iqfyl v/kh{kd] fofn‘kk ds vkokl ij ys x;k tgk¡ vfHk;ksD=h us iqfyl v/kh{kd dks Vkbi fd;k gqvk ifjokn lkSaikA mDr ifjokn dksrokyh] fofn‘kk vxzsf"kr dj fn;k x;k tgk¡ vijk/k jftLVj gqvkA ¿iSjk 2 ,oa 3

       vfHkfu/kkZfjr % çFke bfÙkyk fjiksVZ nkf[ky djus esa foyac] ;fn dksbZ Fkk] vfHk;ksD=h }kjk iw.kZr% Li"V fd;k x;k Fkk rFkk vfHkys[kxr ikfjfLFkfrd lk{; ls çcy :i ls lefFkZr FkkA fupys U;k;ky;ksa dk /;ku bl rF; ij x;k gS fd vfHk;ksD=h furkar vdsyh jg jgh Fkh rFkk yxHkx 28 o"khZ; vfookfgr O;fDr FkhA mlds lkFk dksbZ Hkh dkSVqafcd lnL; ugha Fkk ftls og ?kVuk ds rqjar i‘pkr~ o`Ùkkar lqukrhA blds vfrfjDr] vihykFkhZx.k }kjk nh xbZ /kefd;ksa ds dkj.k Hk; ds lkFk ‘kekZ dh vuqHkwfr us mls vU; yksxksa dks ?kVuk ds ckjs esa lwfpr djus ls jksdk gksxkA fQj Hkh] mlds vuqlkj ] 6 ekpZ 1992 dks mlus Jh nÙk] mifuns‘kd] f‘k{kk dks ?kVuk ds ckjs esa crk;kA okn esa mlus vius lgdfeZ;ksa esa ls ,d dks] ftls mlus vius çfr lgkuqHkwfriw.kZ ik;k] ?kVuk ds ckjs esa crk;k rFkk rRi‘pkr~ tc mlds fgr dk ftEek f‘k{kd laxe us mBk fy;k rc og iqfyl v/kh{kd ds ikl fjiksVZ nkf[ky djus ds fy, i;kZIr lkgl tqVk ldhA 2003¼2½ ts ,y ts 151 vfHkiq"VA ¿iSjk 5

       ¼2½ lk{; vf/kfu;e] 1872&/kkjk 9&naM çfØ;k lafgrk] 1973&/kkjk 162&‘kuk[r ijsM&Lo:i rFkk ç;kstu&eq[; ugha vfirq laiks"kd lk{; gS&miqDr ekeys esa U;k;ky; }kjk vlaiq"V dFku Hkh xzg.k fd;k tk ldrk gSA

       ftu rF;ksa ls vfHk;qDr O;fDr;ksa dh igpku LFkkfir gksrh gS og lk{; vf/kfu;e dh /kkjk 9ds v/khu lqlaxr gSaA lk/kkj.k fu;er%] lk{kh dk eq[; lk{; U;k;ky; esa fd;k x;k dFku gksrk gSA çFke ckj fopkj.k ds nkSjku vfHk;qDr O;fDr dh ‘kuk[r ek= dk lk{; vius Lo:i ls gh varfuZfgr :i ls nqcZy çdkj dk gksrk gSA vr% iwfoZd ijh{k.k ‘kuk[r dk ç;kstu ml lk{; dh fo‘oluh;rk dh ijh{kk djuk rFkk mls lcy djuk gSA rnuqlkj] iwoZrj ‘kuk[r dk;Zokgh ds :i esa lk{khx.k ls vifjfpr vfHk;qDrksa dh igpku ds ckjs esa U;k;ky; esa lk{khx.k ds l‘kiFk ifjlk{; dh laiqf"V dh lk/kkj.kr% [kkst djuk lko/kkuh dk fujkin fu;e le>k tkrk gSA----muls eq[; lk{; xfBr ugha gksrk rFkk lkjr% ;g ijsMsa naM çfØ;k lafgrk dh /kkjk 162 }kjk fofu;fer gksrh gSaA ijh{k.k ‘kuk[r ijsM vk;ksftr djus esa foQyrk ls ‘kuk[r dk lk{; U;k;ky; esa vxzká ugha gks tk,xkA ,slh ‘kuk[r dks fn;k tkus okyk egRo rF; ds U;k;ky;ksa dk fo"k; gksuk pkfg,A mi;qDr ekeyksa esa U;k;ky; }kjk laiqf"V dk vkxzg fd, fcuk Hkh] ‘kuk[r dk lk{; xzg.k fd;k tk ldrk gSA , vkb vkj 1958 ,l lh 350] , vkb vkj 1960 ,l lh 1340] , vkb vkj 1970 ,l lh 1321] ¼1970½3 ,l lh lh 518 rFkk ¼1975½4 ,l lh lh 480 voyafcrA 2003¼2½ ts ,y ts 151 vfHkiq"VA ¿iSjk 7 ,oa 9

       ¼3½ lk{; vf/kfu;e] 1872&/kkjk 9&‘kuk[r ijsM&lHkh ekeyksa esa vko‘;d ugha&Kkr O;fDr }kjk ‘kuk[r&lh/ks U;k;ky; ds le{k Hkh LFkkfir dh tk ldrh gSA nkafMd vihy Ø-92 lu~ 1956 voyafcrA 2003¼2½ ts ,y ts 151 vfHkiq"VA ¿iSjk 8

       ¼4½ lk{; vf/kfu;e] 1872&/kkjk 9&lk{kh }kjk ijsM esa vfHk;qDr dh ‘kuk[r&Hk ds dkj.k U;k;ky; esa mldh ‘kuk[r ugha dh&fopkj.k U;k;ky; }kjk HkkoHkaxh ij /;ku fn;k x;k&nks"kflf) ,sls dFku ij Hkh vk/kkfjr dh tk ldrh gSA ¼1996½ 8 ,l lh lh 630 voyafcrA 2003¼2½ ts ,y ts 151 vfHkiq"VA ¿iSjk 11

       ¼5½ lk{; vf/kfu;e] 1872&/kkjk 9&lk{kh vfHk;qDr dks igys ls ugha tkurk&vfHkqDr dh fxj¶rkjh ds rqjar i‘pkr~ ijsM dk bartke fd;k tkuk pkfg,&mlls U;k;ky; ds eq[; lk{; dks laiqf"V çkIr gksrh gS&lk{kh vfHk;qDr dks fnu ds mtkys esa dqN _.k ds fy, ns[ks rc lk{; vf/kd l‘kDr gks tkrk gSA ts Vh 1994¼4½ ,l lh 309 rFkk ¼1979½ 1 ,l lh lh 31 voyafcrA ¿iSjk 13

       ¼6½ lk{; vf/kfu;e] 1872&/kkjk 9&lk{kh vfHk;qDr dks igys ugha tkurk Fkk&Uk;ky; esa ‘kuk[r&iqfyl us vfHk;qDr dk uke crk fn;k rc voyac ugha fy;k tk ldrkA ¼2001½ 1 ,l lh lh 358 voyafcrA ¿iSjk 14

       ¼7½ naM lafgrk] 1860&/kkjk 376¼2½ ¼N½&rhu vfHk;qDrksa }kjk ,d ds ckn ,d fnu ngkM+s lkewfgd cykRlax&cykRlax ls iwoZ rFkk i‘pkr~ /kefd;k¡ nh xbZ&vfHkksD=h dks U;k;ky; esa vfHk;qDr O;fDr;ksa dh ‘kuk[r dk i;kZIr volj&vijk/k fl)A 2003¼2½ ts ,y ts 151 vfHkiq"VA ¿iSjk 16