2023 Supreme(MP) 127

IN THE HIGH COURT OF MADHYA PRADESH
Sujoy Paul and Amar Nath (Kesharwani), JJ.
Dinesh Yadav v. State of Madhya Pradesh & Another
Criminal Appeal No. 728 of 2019 (Jabalpur): against the judgment dated 12.1.2019 passed by the Special Judge (Atrocities) in SCATR No. 7/2013; Decided on 12.4.2023

Headnote:

(1) Criminal Trial -- rape -- merely because matter relates to sexual assault on minor, appellant cannot be mechanically held guilty -- unless legal test and requisite evidence is available, appellant cannot be held guilty on basis of sensitivity of matter alone. (2008) 15 SCC 133 and (2009) 15 SCC 566 followed. [Para 42

(2) FIR -- delay in lodging FIR -- rape -- in most cases of sexual assault, family does not lodge report instantaneously -- they consult family, friends, well-wishers etc. -- this process consumes time -- not fatal when delay not enormous and is based on justifiable and bona fide reasons. (2007) 2 SCC 170, (1996) 2 SCC 384, (2010) 1 SCC 68 and (2010) 5 SCC 445 referred to. [Para 44

(3) Witness -- rape -- statement of prosecutrix -- prosecution story is that at 11 am, victim was cleaning ‘kotha’ used to keep cows/bulls, appellant entered and locked ‘kotha’ from inside, forcibly threw her to floor and raped her -- held -- testimony of victim not supported by medical evidence -- if girl of 13-14 years was raped by forcibly throwing her on rough and uneven surface, she would have certainly received some injuries -- in case of this nature, there should be some medical evidence -- no injury marks on person of victim -- held further -- considering geographical location of ‘kotha’, availability of people all around at 11:00 am and absence of injury marks on body of victim, case of prosecution becomes highly doubtful -- totally unsafe to give stamp of approval to conviction in absence of corroboration -- statement of prosecutrix alone does not make case of prosecution foolproof. (2012) 8 SCC 21 and (2018) 18 SCC 695 followed. (2007) 6 SCC 465 referred to. [Paras 48, 51 & 53

(4) Evidence -- ocular evidence -- ocular evidence alone can be reason to record conviction -- however, said evidence must be of unimpeachable quality or of ‘sterling quality’ -- serious contradiction between medical evidence and oral evidence -- medical evidence makes oral testimony improbable -- ocular evidence can be disbelieved. 2021 SCC Online SC 493 followed. [Para 52

(5) Motive -- enmity -- enmity, no doubt, is double-edged sword – where factum of enmity is established with utmost clarity and precision, it cannot be ignored -- appellant established with necessary accuracy and precision that there existed animosity between him and family of victim --could not have been held guilty unless statement of prosecutrix is of ‘sterling quality’. [Paras 55 to 57

(6) Witness -- hostile witness-- evidence of hostile witness can be used for some purpose -- even in criminal prosecution, his evidence cannot, as matter of law, be treated as washed off record altogether -- it is for Judge to consider whether witness stands thoroughly discredited or can still be believed in regard to part of his testimony -- if Judge finds that credit of witness has not been completely shaken, he may, with due caution and care, accept, in light of other evidence on record, that part of his testimony which he finds to be credit-worthy -- if witness stands squarely and totally discredited, Judge should discard his evidence in toto. (1976) 1 SCC 727 and (1996) 10 SCC 360 followed. [Para 58

(7) Criminal P. C., 1973 -- S. 313 -- embodies fundamental principle of fair trial based on maxim audi alteram partem -- it is codification of principles of natural justice in procedural statute -- Court should eschew practice of preparing questions in cursory and mechanical manner -- question must be specific and pregnant with necessary clarity and elaboration -- root cause and basic purpose for putting incriminating material to accused is to provide him adequate, sufficient and reasonable opportunity to give explanation -- no cryptic question or question framed for namesake can substitute requirement of principles of natural justice. (2007) 12 SCC 341, AIR 1992 SC 2100, AIR 2010 SC 2839, AIR 2010 SC 3570 and State of AIR 2005 SC 3114 followed. 2007 CrLJ 3395 relied on.

[Paras 62 to 64

(8) Criminal Trial -- FSL report -- samples of victim collected on 26.12.2012 -- complaint lodged on 27.12.2012 -- prosecution had no clue and knowledge about incident on 26.12.2012 -- this discrepancy creates doubt on collection process of sample. [Para 65

(9) Practice (Criminal) -- DNA sampling -- Ss. 53A and 164A of CrPC make it obligatory for prosecution to undertake exercise of DNA examination -- however, if DNA test was not conducted, as a rule of thumb, prosecution story does not stand vitiated -- it depends on facts and circumstances of each case -- combined reading of S. 114 (g) of Evidence Act and S. 53A CrPC does not lead to adverse inference against prosecution. (2011) 7 SCC 130 followed. [Para 66

(10) Criminal P. C., 1973 -- Ss. 53A and 164A -- Evidence Act, 1872 -- S. 114 (g) -- DNA test not done -- effect -- Ss. 53A and 164A of CrPC make it obligatory for prosecution to undertake exercise of DNA examination -- however, if DNA test was not conducted, as a rule of thumb, prosecution story does not stand vitiated -- it depends on facts and circumstances of each case -- combined reading of S. 114 (g) of Evidence Act and S. 53A CrPC does not lead to adverse inference against prosecution. (2011) 7 SCC 130 followed. [Para 66

(11) Site Map -- essential features should be shown in site plan -- omission to show them not a mere lapse on part of investigating agency -- site map cannot be treated as a substantive piece of evidence -- in view of clear provision of S. 162 of CrPC, site map is nothing more than statement made to police during investigation. AIR 2004 SC 124 and AIR 1962 SC 399 followed. 1920 SCC Online Oudh JC 125 referred to. [Paras 67 & 68

(12) Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012 -- Ss. 3/4, 29 and 30 -- Penal Code, 1860 – Ss. 376 (1), 452 and 342 -- presumption of guilt depends on ability of prosecution to establish foundational facts -- no foundational facts could be established by prosecution -- accused cannot be held guilty by aid of presumption

-- by cross-examining prosecution witnesses, accused could establish improbability of incident, lack of medical evidence, serious procedural flaws in sample collection and questioning u/s. 313 of CrPC -- presumption clause will not improve case of prosecution. 2021 SCC Online Cal. 2007, 2018 SCC Online Bom. 1315, 2019 SCC Online Gau. 5947 and 2020 SCC Online Ker. 4956 relied on. (2022) 10 SCC 321 relied on. (2022) 5 SCC 419 distinguished. 2021 SCC Online SC 1233, (2020) 3 SCC 443, (2000) 2 SCC 513 and (1975) 4 SCC 761 referred to. [Para 73

¼1½ nkafMd fopkj.k && cykRlax && ek= blfy, fd ekeyk vizkIro; ij ySfxd geys ls lacaf/kr gS] vihykFkhZ ;a=or~ nks"kh vfHkfu/kkZfjr ugha fd;k tk ldrk && tc rd fof/kd dlkSVh vkSj visf{kr lk{; miyC/k ugha gks] ekeys dh laosnu'khyrk ek= ds vk/kkj ij vihykFkhZ nks"kh vfHkfu/kkZfjr ugha fd;k tk ldrkA ¼2008½15 ,l lh lh 133 rFkk ¼2009½15 ,l lh lh 566 vuqlfjrA ¼iSjk 42
¼2½ izFke bfÙkyk fjiksVZ && izFke bfÙkyk fjiksVZ nkf[ky djus esa foyac && cykRlax && ySafxd geys ds vf/kdka'k ekeyksa esa dqVaqc rRdky fjiksVZ nkf[ky ugha djrs && og ifjokjtu fe=ksa] 'kqHksPNdksa vkfn ls ijke'kZ djrs gSa && bl izfØ;k esa le; yxrk gS && foyac vR;f/kd ugha gks rFkk U;k;ksfpr vkSj ln~Hkkfod dkj.kksa ij vk/kkfjr gks rc ?kkrd ughaA ¼2007½2 ,l lh lh 170] ¼1996½2 ,l lh lh 384] ¼2010½1 ,l lh lh 68 rFkk ¼2010½5 ,l lh lh 445 fufnZ"VA ¼iSjk 44
¼3½ lk{kh && cykRlax && vfHk;ksD=h dk dFku && vfHk;kstui{k dh dgkuh ;g fd iwokZgu 11 cts ihfM+rk xk;ksa@cSyksa dks j[kus ds fy, mi;ksx esa yk;k tkus okyk &dksBk* lkQ dj jgh Fkh] vihykFkhZ izfo"V gqvk vkSj ^dksBs* dks Hkhrj ls can fd;k] mls cykr~/kjrh ij iVdk vkSj cykRlax fd;k && vfHkfu/kkZfjr && ihfM+rk dk ifjlk{; fpfdRlh; lk{; ls lefFkZr ugh && ;fn 13&14 o"kZ dh yM+dh dks iFkjhys vkSj vlery /kjkry ij cykr~ iVd dj cykRlax fd;k x;k Fkk rks fuf'pr gh mls dqN {kfr;k¡ igq¡prha && bl izÑfr ds izdj.k esa dqN fpfdRlh; lk{; rks gksuk pkfg, && ihfM+rk dh nsg ij {kfr dk dksbZ fpUg ugha && vkxs vfHkfu/kkZfjr && ^dksBs* dh HkkSxksfy; vofLFkfr] iwokZgu 11%00 cts pgq¡ vksj yksxksa dh miyC/krk rFkk ihfM+rk dh nsg ij {kfr ds fpUgksa dh vfo|ekurk ij fopkj djrs gq,] vfHk;kstu dk i{kdFku vR;ar lansgkLin gks tkrk gS && laiqf"V ds vHkko esa nks"kflf) dk vuqeksnu djuk furkar vlqjf{kr && vfHk;ksD=h dk dFku ek= ls vfHk;kstu dk i{kdFku v=qV ugha gks tkrkA ¼2012½ 8 ,l lh lh 21 rFkk ¼2018½18 ,l lh lh 695 vuqlfjrA ¼2007½6 ,l lh lh 465 fufnZ"VA ¼iSjk 48] 51 ,oa 53
¼4½ lk{; && pk{kq"k lk{; && dsoy pk{kq"k lk{; nks"kflf) vfHkfyf[kr djus dk dkj.k gks ldrk gS && rFkkfi] mDr lk{; vfua| xq.koÙkk vFkok ^mRÑ".k xq.koÙkk dk gksuk vko';d && fpfdRlh; lk{; rFkk ekSf[kd lk{; esa xaHkhj fojksèkkHkkl && fpfdRlh; lk{; ls ekSf[kd ifjlk{; vlaHkkO; gks tkrk gS && pk{kq"k lk{; dk vfo'okl fd;k tk ldrk gSA 2021 ,l lh lh vkWuykbu ,l lh 493 vuqlfjrA ¼iSjk 52
¼5½ gsrq && 'k=qrk && fuLlansg] 'k=qrk nq/kkjh ryokj gksrh gS && tgk¡ 'k=qrk dk rF; vR;ar Li"Vrk vkSj lVhdrk ls LFkkfir fd;k x;k gks ogk¡ mls vuns[kk ugha fd;k tk ldrk && vihykFkhZ us vko';d ;FkkZFkrk vkSj lVhdrk ls LFkkfir fd;k fd mlds vkSj ihfM+rk ds dqVqac ds e/; oSeuL; Fkk && tc rd vfHk;ksD=h dk dFku ^mRÑ"V xq.koÙkk* dk ugha gks] mls nks"kh vfHkfu/kkZfjr ugha fd;k tk ldrk FkkA ¼iSjk 55 ls 57
¼6½ lk{kh && i{knzksgh lk{kh && i{knzksgh lk{kh ds lk{; dk mi;ksx fdlh fdlh iz;kstu ds fy, fd;k tk ldrk gS && nkafMd vfHk;kstu esa Hkh] mldk lk{;] fof/k dh n`f"V ls] vfHkys[k ls iw.kZr% feV x;k ugha ekuk tk ldrk && U;k;k/kh'k dks fopkj djuk gksxk fd lk{kh iw.kZr% vfo'oluh; gS] ;k fQj mlds ifjlk{; ds fdlh Hkkx ds laca/k esa ml ij vc Hkh fo'okl fd;k tk ldrk gS && ;fn U;k;k/kh'k dk fu"d"kZ gS fd lk{kh dh fo'oluh;rk iw.kZr% MkokWMksy ugha gqbZ gS rks og] lE;d~ lrdZrk vkSj lko/kkuh ds lkFk] vfHkys[kxr lk{; ds vkyksd esa] mlds ifjlk{; ds ml Hkkx dks Lohdkj dj ldrk gS ftls og fo'okl;ksX; ikrk gS && ;fn lk{kh iw.kZ:is.k vkSj furkar vfo'oluh; ik;k tkrk gS rks U;k;kèkh'k dks mldk lk{; lexz:is.k R;Dr djuk pkfg,A ¼1976½1 ,l lh lh 727 rFkk ¼1996½10 ,l lh lh 360 vuqlfjrA ¼iSjk 58
¼7½ naM izfØ;k lafgrk] 1973 &&/kkjk 313 && ;g /kkjk ^nwljs i{k dks Hkh lquks* ds lw= ij vk/kkfjr _tq fopkj.k ds ewy fl)kar dks lkdkj djrh gS && ;g izfØ;kRed dkuwu esa uSlfxZd U;k; ds fl)karksa dk lafgrkdj.k gS && U;k;ky; dks ljljh vkSj ;kaf=d jhfr esa iz'ukoyh rS;kj djus dh izFkk R;kxuk pkfg, && iz'u fofufnZ"V vkSj vko';d izkatyrk ,oa foLrkj ls ifjiw.kZ gksuk vfuok;Z && vfHk;qDr dk lkeuk vijk/k esa Qalkus okyh lkexzh ls djkus dk ewy dkj.k vkSj ewyHkwr iz;kstu mls Li"Vhdj.k nsus dk leqfpr] i;kZIr rFkk ;qfDr;qDr volj nsuk gS && dksbZ xwढ+ iz'u ;k ukeek= ds fy, fojfpr iz'u uSlfxZd U;k; ds fl)karksa dh vis{kk izfrLFkkfir ugha dj ldrkA ¼2007½12 ,l lh lh 341] , vkb vkj 1992 ,l lh 2100] , vkb vkj 2010 ,l lh 2839] , vkb vkj 2010 ,l lh 3570 rFkk , vkb vkj 2005 ,l lh 3114 vuqlfjrA 2007 lhvkj ,y ts 3395 voyafcrA ¼iSjk 62 ls 64
¼8½ nkafMd fopkj.k && U;k;kyf;d iz;ksx'kkyk izfrosnu && ihfM+rk ds uewus 26-12-2012 dks fy, x, && f'kdk;r 27-12-2012 dks nkf[ky dh xbZ 26-12-2012 dsk vfHk;kstui{k dks ?kVuk dh dksbZ Hkud vkSj tkudkjh ugha Fkh && bl folaxfr ls uewus ds laxzg.k dh izfØ;k ds ckjs esa lansg mRiUu gksrk gSA ¼iSjk 65
¼9½ izFkk ¼nkafMd½ && Mh,u, dk uewuk && naM izfØ;k lafgrk dh /kkjk 53d rFkk 164d esa vfHk;kstui{k }kjk Mh,u, ijh{k.k djk, tkus dks ck/;dkjh cuk;k x;k gS && rFkkfi] ;fn Mh,u, ijh{k.k ugha djk;k x;k rks] O;kogkfjd fu;e ds :i esa] vfHk;kstui{k dh dgkuh nwf"kr ugha gks tkrh && ;g izR;sd izdj.k ds rF;ksa vkSj ifjfLFkfr;ksa ij fuHkZj djrk gS && lk{; vf/kfu;e dh èkkjk 114¼N½ rFkk naM izfØ;k lafgrk dh /kkjk 53d dk la;qDr iBu vfHk;kstui{k ds fo#) izfrdwy fu"d"kZ dh vksj ugha ys tkrkA ¼2011½7 ,l lh lh 130 vuqlfjrA ¼iSjk 66
¼10½ naM izfØ;k lafgrk] 1973 &&/kkjk 53d rFkk 164d && lk{; vfèkfu;e] 1872 &&/kkjk 114 ¼N½ && Mh,u, ijh{k.k ugha djk;k && izHkko && naM izfØ;k lafgrk dh /kkjk 53d rFkk 164d esa vfHk;kstui{k }kjk Mh,u, ijh{k.k djk, tkus dks ck/;dkjh cuk;k x;k gS && rFkkfi] ;fn Mh,u, ijh{k.k ugha djk;k x;k rks] O;kogkfjd fu;e ds :i esa] vfHk;kstui{k dh dgkuh nwf"kr ugha gks tkrh && ;g izR;sd izdj.k ds rF;ksa vkSj ifjfLFkfr;ksa ij fuHkZj djrk gS && lk{; vfèkfu;e dh /kkjk 114¼N½ rFkk naM izfØ;k lafgrk dh /kkjk 53d dk la;qDr iBu vfHk;kstui{k ds fo#) izfrdwy fu"d"kZ dh vksj ugha ys tkrkA ¼2011½7 ,l lh lh 130 vuqlfjrA ¼iSjk 66
¼11½ LFky ekufp= && LFky ekufp= esa vko';d oSf'k"V~; n'kkZ, tkuk pkfg, && mUgsa n'kkZus dk yksi vUos"k.k vfHkdj.k dh pwd ek= ugha && LFky ekufp= dks eq[; lk{; ugha ekuk tk ldrk && naM izfØ;k lafgrk dh /kkjk 162 ds Li"V mica/k dh n`f"V ls] LFky ekufp= vUos"k.k ds nkSjku iqfyl dks fn, x, dFku ds flok; dqN ugha A , vkb vkj 2004 ,l lh 124 rFkk , vkb vkj 1962 ,l lh 399 vuqlfjrA 1920 ,l lh lh vkWuykbu vo/k tslh 125 fufnZ"VA ¼iSjk 67 ,oa 68
¼12½ ySafxd vijk/kksa ls ckydksa dk laj{k.k vf/kfu;e] 2012 &&/kkjk 3@4] 29 rFkk 30 && naM lafgrk] 1860 &&/kkjk 376 ¼1½] 452 rFkk 342 && nks"k dh mi/kkj.kk vk/kkjHkwr rF; LFkkfir djus ds vfHk;kstui{k ds lkeF;Z ij fuHkZj djrh gS && vfHk;kstui{k }kjk dksbZ Hkh vk/kkjHkwr rF; LFkkfir ugha fd;k tk ldk && mi/kkj.kk dh lgk;rk ls vfHk;qDr nks"kh vfHkfu/kkZfjr ugha fd;k tk ldrk && vfHk;kstui{k ds lkf{k;ksa dh izfrijh{kk dj vfHk;qDr ?kVuk dh vlaHkkO;rk] fpfdRlh; lk{; dk vHkko] uewus ds laxzg.k vkSj naM izfØ;k lafgrk dh /kkjk 313 ds v/khu ifjiz'uksa esa xaHkhj izfØ;kRed =qfV;k¡ LFkkfir dj ldk && mi/kkj.kk [kaM ls vfHk;kstu i{kdFku esa lq/kkj ugha gksxkA 2021 ,l lh lh vkWuykbu dy- 2007] 2018 ,l lh lh vkWuykbu cacbZ 1315] 2019 ,l lh lh vkWuykbu xkSgkVh 5947 rFkk 2020 ,l lh lh vkWuykbu dsjy 4956 voyafcrA ¼2022½10 ,l lh lh 321 voyafcrA ¼2022½5 ,l lh lh 419 izHksfnrA 2021 ,l lh lh vkWuykbu ,l lh 1233] ¼2020½3 ,l lh lh 443] ¼2000½2 ,l lh lh 515 rFkk ¼1975½4 ,l lh lh 761 fufnZ"VA ¼iSjk 73