Dashrath vs State of Madhya Pradesh Govt.

Judicial Analysis Court Copy Headnote Facts Arguments Court observation

2022 Supreme(MP) 240

IN THE HIGH COURT OF MADHYA PRADESH
Vivek Rusia and Amar Nath (Kesharwani), JJ.
Dashrath & Others v. The State of Madhya Pradesh Govt.
Criminal Appeals No. 1150 of 2012, 1165 of 2012 and 985 of 2014 (Indore): against the judgment dated 29.8.2012 passed by the Sessions Judge, Ujjain in Sessions Trial No. 566/2009;
Decided on 13.10.2022

Advocates:
Vivek Singh for appellants in Cr. A. No. 1150/2012 and for respondent in Cr. A. No. 985/2014; Manish Kumar Vijaywargiya for appellants in Cr. A. No. 1165/2012; Bhaskar Agrawal, Government Advocate for appellant/State in Cr. A. No. 985/2014 and for respondent/State in Cr. As. No. 1150/2012 & 1165/2012.

Headnote:
(1) Penal Code, 1860 -- S. 302/149 -- name of appellants not disclosed in information given to police on phone -- effect -- mentioned in entry of Roznamcha Sanha that Modiram and his companions assaulted and killed deceased -- when police came to spot, eye-witness scribed detailed Dehati Nalishi -- no benefit of doubt can be granted to appellants. AIR 1953 SC 122 distinguished. 2005 CrLJ 299 (MP) and 2012 CrLR 753 (MP) referred to. [Para 21
(2) Criminal P. C., 1973 -- S. 157 -- sending copy of FIR to Magistrate -- delay -- in continuation of Roznamcha entry, Dehati Nalishi written on spot on same day within 2 hours 10 minutes of incident -- FIR registered on same day at 22:50 hours -- information sent to Magistrate on next day -- S. 157 complied. AIR 1976 SC 2304 and (2017) 11 SCC 222 followed. [Paras 24 & 27
(3) Witness -- contradictions and omissions – effect – minor contradictions and omissions in statement of eye witnesses – not fatal for prosecution because they did not damage root of prosecution’s case. AIR 2010 SC 3071, 2013 CrLJ (SC) 4618, (2015) 1 SCC 323 and (1988) SCC (Cri.) 559 followed. (1976) 1 SCC 37 distinguished. [Para 36
(4) Witness -- related or interested witness -- statements of eye witnesses not liable to be discarded on sole basis that they are son, brother and servant of deceased. (2004) 8 SCC 146, 2013 CrLJ (SC) 4618 and (2011) 6 SCC 350 followed. (1976) 1 SCC 37 distinguished. [Paras 30 & 40
(5) Criminal Trial -- false implication -- blood-stained weapons and blood-stained clothes seized from appellants -- sent for chemical examination -- blood present on weapons -- no false implication. 2018 (3) MPLJ (Cri.) 82 distinguished. [Paras 47 & 48
(6) Evidence Act, 1872 -- S. 45 -- post mortem -- related witness had apprehension that due to political pressure, single doctor will not be able to give proper opinion regarding injuries and cause of death -- prayed for post mortem to be conducted by team of forensic experts of District Hospital, Ujjain -- held -- it cannot be said that request was only to create false evidence. [Para 51
(7) Evidence Act, 1872 -- S. 11 -- plea of alibi -- suggestion given in cross-examination -- no evidence produced -- plea not proved. [Para 52
(8) Motive -- dispute regarding possession of land -- appellants threatened to kill -- all appellants belong to same family -- motive to cause murder was present. [Para 53
(9) Penal Code, 1860 -- S. 302/149 -- acquittal -- no evidence on record that accused performed any overt act to cause death of deceased -- was merely present on spot and saying to other accused persons, “isko maar daalo, bach naa paaye”-- trial Court extended benefit of doubt and acquitted him -- acquittal affirmed. (2004) 5 SCC 573 and 2013 CrLJ (SC) 4618 followed. [Paras 55 & 58
¼1½ naM lafgrk] 1860 && èkkjk 302@149 && iqfyl dks nwjHkk"k ij nh xbZ bfÙkyk esa vihykFkhZx.k ds uke izdV ugha fd, && izHkko && jkstukepk lUgk dh izfof"V esa mfYyf[kr fd eksnhjke vkSj mlds lkfFk;ksa us e`rd ij geyk fd;k vkSj mldk o/k dj fn;k && tc iqfyl LFky ij igq¡ph rc izR;{kn'khZ lk{kh us C;kSjsokj nsgkrh ukfy'kh fy[kkbZ && vihykFkhZx.k dks lansg dk Qk;nk ugha fn;k tk ldrkA , vkb vkj 1953 ,l lh 122 izHksfnrA 2005 lh vkj ,y ts 299 ¼,e ih½ rFkk 2012 lhvkj ,y vkj 753 ¼,e ih½ fufnZ"VA ¼iSjk 21
¼2½ naM izfØ;k lafgrk] 1973 && èkkjk 157 && izFke bfÙkyk fjiksVZ dh izfr eftLVªsV dks izsf"kr djuk && foyac && jkstukepk izfof"V dh fujarjrk esa mlh fnu ?kVuk ds 2 ?kaVs 10 feuV ds Hkhrj LFky ij nsgkrh ukfy'kh fyf[kr && mlh fnu 22%50 cts izFke bfÙkyk fjiksVZ jftLVªhÑr && vxys fnu eftLVªsV dks tkudkjh iszf"kr && /kkjk 157 dk vuqikyu fd;k x;kA , vkb vkj 1976 ,l lh 2304 rFkk ¼2017½11 ,l lh lh 222 vuqlfjrA ¼iSjk 24 ,oa 27
¼3½ lk{kh && fojks/kkHkkl vkSj yksi && izHkko && izR;{kn'khZ lkf{k;ksa ds dFkuksa esa xkS.k fojks/kkHkkl vkSj yksi && vfHk;kstui{k ds fy, ?kkrd ugha D;ksafd muls vfHk;kstu i{kdFku ds ewy dks {kfr igq¡phA , vkb vkj 2010 ,l lh 3071] 2013 lhvkj ,y ts ¼,l lh½ 4618] ¼2015½1 ,l lh lh 323 rFkk ¼1988½ ,l lh lh ¼fØ-½ 559 vuqlfjrA ¼1976½1 ,l lh lh 37 izHksfnrA ¼iSjk 36
¼4½ lk{kh && ukrsnkj vFkok fgrc) lk{kh && izR;{kn'khZ lkf{k;ksa ds dFku bl ,d ek= vk/kkj ij R;ä fd, tkus ;ksX; ugha fd og e`rd ds iq=] HkkbZ vkSj lsod gSaA ¼2004½8 ,l lh lh 146] 2013 lhvkj ,y ts ¼,l lh½ 4618 rFkk ¼2011½6 ,l lh lh 350 vuqlfjrA ¼1976½1 ,l lh lh 37 izHksfnrA ¼iSjk 30 ,oa 40
¼5½ nkafMd fopkj.k && feF;k vkysiu && vihykFkhZx.k ls jDrjaftr gfFk;kj vkSj jDrjaftr oL= vfHkx`ghr && jklk;fud ijh{k.k ds fy, izsf"kr && gfFk;kjksa ij jDr && feF;k vkysiu ughaA 2018¼3½ ,e ih ,y ts ¼fØ-½ 82 izHksfnrA ¼iSjk 47 ,oa 48
¼6½ lk{; vf/kfu;e] 1872 && èkkjk 45 && 'ko ijh{kk && ukrsnkj lk{kh dks vk'kadk fd jktuhfrd ncko ds dkj.k] ,dy fpfdRld {kfr;ksa vkSj e`R;q ds dkj.k ds ckjs esa mfpr jk; ugha ns ldsxk && ftyk fpfdRlky;] mTtSu ds fofèk fpfdRlk fo'ks"kKksa ds ny }kjk 'ko ijh{kk djk, tkus dh izkFkZuk dh &&vfHkfu/kkZfjr && ;g ugha dgk tk ldrk fd vuqjks/k feF;k lk{; xढ+us ek= ds fy, FkkA ¼iSjk 20 ,oa 21
¼7½ lk{; vf/kfu;e] 1872 && èkkjk 11 && vU;= gksus dk vfHkokd~ && izfrijh{kk esa lq>ko fn;k x;k && dksbZ lk{; izLrqr ugha && vfHkokd~ lkfcr ughaA ¼iSjk 53
¼8½ gsrq && Hkwfe ds dCts ds ckjs esa fookn && vihykFkhZx.k us o/k djus dh /kedh nh && lHkh vihykFkhZx.k ,d gh dqVqac ds gR;k djus dk gsrq FkkA ¼iSjk 53
¼9½ naM lafgrk] 1860 && /kkjk 302@149 && nks"keqfDr && vfHkys[k ij dksbZ lk{; ugha fd vfHk;qDr us e`rd dh e`R;q dkfjr djus esa dksbZ izR;{k ÑR; fd;k && dsoy LFky ij mifLFkr Fkk rFkk vU; vfHk;qDr O;fDr;ksa ls dg jgk Fkk fd ßbldks ekj Mkyks] cp u ik,ß && fopkj.k U;k;ky; us lansg dk Qk;nk fn;k vkSj mls nks"keqDr fd;k && nks"keqfDr vfHkiq"VA ¼2004½5 ,l lh lh 573 rFkk 2013 lhvkj ,y ts ¼,l lh½ 4618A ¼iSjk 55 ,oa 58

JUDGMENT

1. The above criminal appeals are being decided by this common judgment as all the appellants of CRA. No.1150/2012 and CRA No.1165/2012 have been convicted and sentenced for murder of “Nanji” and CRA. No.985/2014 has been filed against the acquittal of accused - Hariram S/o Motilal Jaat. CRA. No.1150/2012 and CRA No.1165/2012 have been preferred under section 374 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 and CRA. No.985/2014 has been filed under section 378 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (in short “Cr.P.C”) against the judgment dated 29.8.2012 passed by Sessions Judge, Ujjain in Session Trial No.566/2009 whereby the appellants of CRA. No.1150/2012 and CRA No.1165/2012 have been convicted and sentenced as mentioned below :--

In CRA.No.1150/2012, the conviction of the appellants No. (1) Dashrath and (3) Modiram S/o Hariram Jaat is as under :--

Conviction		Sentence
Section & Act	Imprisonment	Fine deposited details	Imprisonment in lieu of Fine
Sections 147 & 148 of I.P.C.	1 year RI	—	—
Sec. 302 r/w 149 of I.P.C.	Life Imprisonment	Rs.5000/-	1 year R.I.

So far as appellant No.2- Radhakishan @ Rajaram is concerned, the details of his conviction is as under :--

Conviction		Sentence
Section & Act	Imprisonment	Fine deposited details	Imprisonment in lieu of Fine
Sections 147 & 148 of I.P.C.	1 year RI	—	—
Sec. 302 r/w 149 of I.P.C.	Life Imprisonment	Rs.5000/-	1 year R.I.
Sections 30 of the Arms Act.	6 months imprisonment	—	—

In CRA. No.1165/2012, the conviction of the appellant Nos. (1) Modiram S/o Gangaram Jaat (2) Kailash and (3) Kamal @ Sandeep is as under :--

Conviction		Sentence
Section & Act	Imprisonment	Fine deposited details Imprisonment in lieu of Fine
Sections 147 & 148 of I.P.C.	1 year RI	—	—
Sec. 302 r/w 149 of I.P.C.	Life Imprisonment	Rs.5000/-	1 year R.I.

2. Prosecution story, in brief, is that on 4.8.2009, at around 06:00 P.M., the complainant- Shriram (PW-1), and his father Nanji(deceased) were riding on a motorcycle bearing registration No.M.P.-13- MA/P9813 to their agricultural land to check Soyabean crop and apply pesticide on it. The motorcycle was being driven by Nanji, the complainant Shriram(PW-1) saw that all the accused persons were standing on the road along with deadly weapons- Dharia, Farsi, 12 bore gun, and Lathi in their hands, therefore, he asked his father Nanji to slow down the bike, after which, he(PW-1) jumped from the bike and ran to the other side, one of the accused persons, Rajaram fired upon the deceased Nanji and Nanji ran towards the agricultural land belonging to Modiram, where the Nanji(deceased) was surrounded by all the accused/appellants and they started assaulting Nanji, resulting in injuries all over his body using Dharia, Farsi and Laathi. The deceased Nanji received various grievous injuries and succumbed to his injuries and blood loss on the spot, which were caused by the accused persons. At the same time, Prithviraj(PW-2), Chainram, and Ganpat(PW-4), who were coming from the other side, and seeing them, the accused/appellants fled. Shriram(PW-1) narrated the whole incident to his uncle Prithviraj(PW-2), then Prithviraj informed the police about the said incident. After receiving the information about the incident, the same was entered in the general diary (Roznamcha Sanha) at entry No.170/4.8.2010 (Ex.D-7) by Shri Arvind Tambe, (PW-12), the then Sub-inspector, Police Station- Ingoriya and proceeded to the spot and reached there at around 8:00 p.m., and recorded Dehati Nalishi (Ex.P- 1) as per the information given by Shriram(PW-1), against the appellants and accused Hariram and registered F.I.R.(Ex.P.-29) Crime No.236/2009 under sections 302, 147, 148 and 149 of I.P.C. During the investigation, Panchnama of dead body(Ex.P-3) was prepared and