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1993 JLJ 90
V.D. Gyani and A.R. Tiwari, JJ.
Chandra Singh and others v. State of M.P.
Cr. Appeal No. 244 of 7984; against the judgment passed by Shri B.L. Jain,
1st Additional Sessions Judge, Ujjain, in Sessions Trial No.14 of 1984;
Decided on 20.7.1992.
Omission of finding and conviction on charge u/s. 323 or 323/149 of the Indian Penal Code itself delivers the dent, almost beyond repair, on the conclusions of guilt as regards the charge u/s 302/149 of the Indian Penal Code because Ramesh is said to he a principal witness and alleged receiver of injuries in the same incident. This factor demonstrably seems to he fatal particularly in a case involving the fate of as many as 12 persons, among whom four are in their teens and two are below 21 years on a capital charge. [Para 10
(2) Evidence Act, 1872 -- S. 156 -- evidence of relatives -- cannot be called evidence of interested persons -- yet corroboration from independent source should be insisted upon.
"Related is not equivalent to interested", it is trite law that a very close and cautious scrutiny of the evidence of such witnesses though not discardable just on the ground of relationship becomes necessary and in appropriate cases corroboration from independent source ought to he insisted upon so as to lend assurence to the story. AIR 1981 SC 1390 followed. [Para 12
(3) Evidence Act, 1872 -- S. 60 -- eye witness of murder case -- not knowing deceased -- not corroborating police statement -- source of injury on his person falsified by medical evidence -- testimony cannot he relied upon. [Para 14
(4) Evidence Act, 1872 -- S. 60 --eye witness claiming to have enquired into from deceased -- such witness cannot he termed as eye witness -- there was no need to enquire from the deceased when he claims to he an eye witness. 1980 (II) MPWN 185 relied on. [Para 15
(5) Penal Code, 1860 -- S. 302 r/w ]49 -- deceased naming three -unreliable witnesses foisting case on twelve -- testimony also falsified by each other and medical opinion -- strong circumstance of false implication present-conviction cannot be based on such evidence.
The deceased named only three. The witnesses foisted the case on twelve. We have carefully read the statements of all these witnesses ourselves. On this kind of evidence, we think, it is highly dangerous to sustain the conviction of as many as twelve persons when there are strong circumstances indicative of false implication. There is no way of separating the grain from the chaff inasmuch as even the overt act attributed to Anandsingh by PW6 and Jatalsingh by PW3 is falsified by the medical report. [Para 15
(6) Criminal P.C., 1973 -- S. 154 and 57 -- defence seriously challenging time of death and delay in registration of offence -- prompt compliance of S. 157 not proved -- leads to inference that F.I.R. is anti-timed.
The defence has seriously challenged the time of death as also criticised the delay in registration of the offence. In these circumstances, particularly it was obligatory on the part of the prosecution to prove prompt compliance of section 157 of the Code of Criminal Procedure. This has admittedly been not done. This, therefore, leads to an inference that the First information Report is anti-timed and has been brought into existence after due deliberation about incorporation of the names or the appellants therein. How else can such a doubt be dispelled. 1990 JLJ 772 relied on. [Para 16
(7) Criminal Practice -- deceased having a chequered history of criminal activites -- can be an easy target of many. [Para 17
(8) Criminal Practice -- incident in a village -- independent witnesses not examined -- investigating officer keeping mum and giving no explanation -prosecution case becomes doubtful. [Para 20
¼1½ naM lafgrk] 1860 && /kkjk 323 lgifBr 149 rFkk 302 lgifBr 149 && /kkjk 323 lgifBr /kkjk 149 ds v/khu vkjksi fojfpr ugha fd, tkus ls && viwj.kh; {kfr gksrh gSA
Hkkjrh; naM lafgrk dh /kkjk 323 vFkok 323@149 ds v/khu vkjksi ij fu"d"kZ vkSj nks"kflf) ds yksi ls tgk¡ rd Hkkjrh; naM lafgrk dh /kkjk 302@149 ds v/khu vkjksi dk laca/k gS nks"k ds fu"d"kkssZa dks Lor% gh yxHkx viwj{kh; {kfr igq¡prh gS D;ksasfd jes‘k dks eq[; lk{kh crk;k tkrk gS vkSj mls mlh ?kVuk esa {kfr;k¡ gksuk vfHkdfFkr gSA ;g dkjd izR;{kr% ?kkrd fn[krk gS] fof‘k"Vr% ,sls ekeys esa ftlesa e`R;q ls naMuh; vkjksi esa 12 O;fDr;ksa dks HkkX; varoZfyr gks] ftuessa pkj fd‘kksj gS vkSj nks 21 o"kZ ls de vk;q ds gSA
¼2½ lk{; vf/kfu;e] 1872 && /kkjk 156 && lacaf/k;ksa dh lk{; && fgrc) O;fDr;ksa dh lk{; ugha dgh tk ldrh && rFkkfi] Lora= lzksrksa ls laiqf"V dk vkxzg fd;k tkuk pkfg,A
**laca/kh fgrc) ds led{k ugha gS**] ;|fi ,sls lkf{k;ksa dh lk{; dsoy laca/kh gksus ds vk/kkj ij R;kT; ugha gS] ;g lqLFkkfir fof/k gS fd mudh lko/kkuhiwoZd lw{e laoh{kk vko‘;d gks tkrh gS vkSj leqfpr ekeyksa esa o`Rrkar fo‘oluh; cukus ds fy, Lora= lzksarksa ls laiqf"V dk vkxzg fd;k tkuk pkfg,A , vkb vkj 1981 ,l lh 1390 vuqlfjrA ¿ iSjk 12À
¼3½ lk{; vf/kfu;e] 1872 && /kkjk 60 && gR;k ds ekeys dk izR;{kn‘khZ lk{kh && e`rd ls ifjfpr ugha && iqfyl dFku dh laiqf"V ugha && mlds ‘kjhj ij {kfr;ksa dk lzksr fpfdRlh; lk{; }kjk vlR; fl) && ifjlk{; voyafcr ugha dh tk ldrhA ¿ iSjk 14À
¼4½ lk{; vf/kfu;e] 1872 && /kkjk 60 && izR;{kn‘khZ lk{kh dk nkok fd mlus e`rd ls iwNrkN dh Fkh && ,sls lk{kh dks izR;{kn‘khZ lk{kh ugha dgk tk ldrk && tc og izR;{kn‘khZ lk{kh gksus dk nkok djrk gS rc e`rd ls iwNrkN djus dh vko‘;drk ugha FkhA 1980 ¼2½ e-iz- ohDyh uksV~l 185 voyafcrA ¿ iSjk 15À
¼5½ naM lafgrk] 1860 && /kkjk 302 lgifBr 149 && e`rd us rhu uke fy, && voyacuh; lkf{k;ksa us ekeyk ckjg ij Fkksik && ifjlk{; ,d nwljs }kjk vkSj fpfdRlh; lk{; }kjk vlR; fl) && >wBk Qlkus okyh l‘kDr ifjfLFkfr fo|eku && nks"kflf) ,slh lk{; ij vk/kkfjr ugha dh tk ldrhA
e`rd us dsoy rhu uke fy,A lkf{k;ksa us ekeyk ckjg ij FkksikA geus Lo;a bu lc lkf{k;ksa ds dFku Lo;a lko/kkuhiwoZd i<s+ gSA gekjh jk; esa] bl izdkj dh lk{; ij ls ckjg dh la[;k rd O;fDr;ksa dh nks"kflf) dk;e j[kuk ladViw.kZ gksxk] tc fd >wBk Qlk;k tkuk nf‘kZr djus okyh lcy ifjfLFkfr;k¡ fo|eku gSA Hkwls ls vukt vyx djus dk dksbZ ekxZ ugah gS( ,slh voLFkk esa v- lk- 6 }kjk vkuan flag vkSj v- l- 3 }kjk tVkyflag ij vkjksfir izdV dk;Z Hkh fpfdRlh; fjiksVZ }kjk >wBs gks tkrs gSA ¿ iSjk 15À
¼6½ naM izfØ;k lafgrk] 1973 && /kkjk 154 rFkk 57 && izfrj{kk i{k }kjk e`R;q ds le; vkSj vijk/k ds jftLVªhdj.k eas foyac ij xaHkhj vk{ksi && /kkjk 157 dk lRoj vuqikyu lkfcr ugha && vuqeku ;g gksxk fd iz-b-fj- le;&iwoZ gSA
izfrj{kk i{k us e`R;q ds le; ij xaHkhjrkiwoZd vk{ksi fd;k gS rFkk vijk/k ds jftLVªhdj.k esa foyac dh Hkh vkykspuk dh gSA bu ifjfLFkfr;ksa esa naM izfØ;k lafgrk dh /kkjk 157 dk ugha fd;k x;k gSA blls vuqeku ;g gksxk fd izFke bfRryk fjiksVZ le;&iwoZ gS vkSj vihykfFkZ;ksa ds uke mlesa lfEefyr djus ds laca/k esa lE;d~ foe‘kZ djus ds i‘pkr~ vfLrRo esa ykbZ xbZ gSA vU;Fkk ,slk lansg dSls nwj fd;k tk ldrk gSA 1990 ts ,y ts 772 voyafcrAA ¿ iSjk 16À
¼7½ nkafMd izFkk && e`rd ds vkijkf/kd fØ;kdykiksa dk mrkj&p<+ko okyk bfrgkl && vusd dk vklku fu‘kkuk gks ldrk gSA ¿ iSjk 17À
¼8½ nkafMd izFkk && ?kVuk xzke eas gqbZ && Lora= lkf{k;ksa dk ijh{k.k ugha fd;k x;k && vUos"k.k vf/kdkjh bl fo"k; esa ekSu vkSj mldh vksj ls dksbZ Li"Vhdj.k ugha && vfHk;kstu dk ekeyk lansgkLin gks tkrk gSA ¿ iSjk 20À
A.R. Tiwari, J. -- 1. By this Judgment, we are disposing of Criminal Appeal No. 244/84 as well as Criminal Appeal No. 243/84 because they arise out of the judgment rendered by the learned First Additional Sessions Judge, Ujjain in Sessions Trial No. 14/84 on 17.5.1984.
2. Dissatisfied By their conviction under section 302/149 of the Indian Penal Code and sentence of imprisonment for life there under, the ten convicts (Chandersingh, Nihalji, Anandilal, Manaklal, Kanhiram alias Kanhiya, Bapusingh, Dulesingh, Laxman, Rameshwar and Jatalsingh) have preferred appeal No. 244/84 and the remaining two convicts (Bheru and Prema) have filed Criminal Appeal No. 243/84, assailing the conviction and sentence awarded to them as aforesaid by the judgment noted above.
3. Briefly stated, the prosecution case was that on18.12.1983 at 1.30 P.M. the deceased Umraosingh and one Ramesh (PW -6) were sleeping in the KHALA (threshing-flour) belonging to the deceased. All the appellants armed with different weapons together came out from the house of the appellant Prema and mounted attack on Umraosingh. Ramesh tried to intervene, but he too was assaulted by some of the appellants. Kamala Bai (PW -2) and Shyamubai (PW -3) were working in their fields. Kamalbai saw the appellants moving towards the KHALA of Umraosingh. On this, she rushed to inform Balaram (PW -1), the elder brother of her husband, in his KHALA. She returned along with Balarani when the appellants were seen coming hack to the house of Prema after sometime chowkidar Pira (PW5) and the members of the family of Umraosingh reached the spot. Peera and Balaram went to the Police Station for lodging the report where Balaram lodged the First Information Report (EX –P/1). Umraosingh seems to have survived only for some time during which he is said to have disclosed the three names i.e. Kanhaiya, Nihalji and Chandar. Thereafter, he became unconscious and eventually succumbed to the injuries. Dr. B.C. Sokhiya (PW -4) undertook the postmortem examination and gave the postmortem report (EX. P/2). He found on the body of the deceased Umraosingh following antemortem injuries opining the cause of death being the shock due to haemorrhage:
1. Incised wound on left side of head just above left parietal eminence 4"X 1/4" X bone deep clotted blood present.
2. Incised wound on back on left supra scapular region 1.5" X 1/4" X 1/4" clotted blood present.
3.Incised wound on posterior aspect of left forearm 1 1/4"X 1/4 "X 1/4" clotted blood present.
4. Incised wound on posterior aspect of left fore-arm 4"x2" x hone deep, clotted blood present.
5. Oblique incised wound on thiner eminence of left hand 2"x 1 "x 1", clotted blood present.
6. Incised wound posterio-lateral aspect of left thigh lower one third 3"x1.5"x 1" clotted blood present.
7. Incised wound posscerior aspect of left thigh lower one-third 4"x3/4"x1/4", clotted blood present.
8. Incised wound on posterio-lateral part of left knee 5"x3" in pieces. Lower end of femur and upper part of left hone are cut and separated tendons muscles blood vessels nurves were cut, clotted blood present.
9. Incised wound transverse on posterio-lateral part of left foot 2 1/2"x 1 "x 1" talus bone cut clotted blood present.
10. Incised wound on medial aspect of middle of left leg 2" x1" x 1/2" clotted blood present.
11. Oblique incised wound just above the right medial mel1colus of right leg 2" 3/4" x1" clotted blood present.
12. Incised wound on medial aspect of right anklejoint just below the medial melleolus 2 1/2" x 1/2" x 1" bone cut, clotted blood present.
13. Incised wound on medial aspect of right foot 4" x 1/4" x 1/4".
14. oblique incised wound on anterio-lateral aspect of right leg 2" x 1" x 1/2", clotted blood present.
15. Incised wound on posterio-lateral aspect of right leg 4" x 2" x 3", bone tibia and febula were cut. Clotted blood present.
16. Incised wound on right thigh 2" x 1/4" x 1/4", clotted blood present.
17. Incised wound on right side upper arm posterior 1 1/2"
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