2024 Supreme(MP) 379

IN THE HIGH COURT OF MADHYA PRADESH
Sanjeev S. Kalgaonkar, J.
J. S. Yadav v. State of Madhya Pradesh through
Special Police Establishment
Criminal Appeal No. 130 of 2016 (Gwalior): against the judgment and sentence dated 23.1.2016 passed by the Special Judge (Prevention of Corruption Act), Bhind in Special
Case No. 1/2015; Decided on 30.5.2024

Headnote:

(1) Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 -- S. 7 -- "accept" -- has different connotations than expression "receipt" -- S. 7 does not provide for receipt of illegal gratification, but it provides for its acceptance -- mere receipt of gratification would not amount to “acceptance” unless it is preceded by offer of complainant for favour. (1997) 9 SCC 477 and (2002) 5 SCC 86 followed. [Para 15]

(2) Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 -- Ss. 7 and 13(1)(d)(ii) -- "obtains" -- means to secure or gain something as result of request to take and receive with consenting mind. (1997) 9 SCC 477 and (2002) 5 SCC 86 followed. [Para 15]

(3) Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 -- Ss. 7 and 13(1)(d) -- in absence of evidence to prove payment of bribe or to prove that accused voluntarily accepted money knowing it to be bribe, mere recovery not sufficient to prove charges. (2011) 6 SCC 450 followed. [Para 18]

(4) Practice (Criminal) -- case based on circumstantial evidence -- judgment remains essentially inferential -- inference is drawn from established facts as circumstances lead to particular inference -- Court has to draw inference with respect to whether chain of circumstances is complete and when circumstances are collectively considered, they must lead to the irresistible conclusion that accused alone is perpetrator of crime -- all circumstances so established must be of conclusive nature and consistent with hypothesis of guilt of accused. (1984) 4 SCC 116 followed. [Para 37]

(5) Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 -- Ss. 7, 13 and 20 -- case based on circumstantial evidence -- proof of demand and acceptance of illegal gratification -- trial Court relied upon contents of applications which are in the nature of complaints given to Special Police Establishment to investigate into allegations -- these applications are not substantive evidence of facts stated therein -- they may, at most, be used to corroborate testimony of complainant u/s. 157 of Evidence Act -- transcript, panchnama and seizure memos are memoranda of proceedings, which require proper proof of fact stated therein by evidence at trial -- therefore, conclusion of trial Court is erroneous that documents mentioning demand of money are sufficient to infer demand of illegal gratification -- complainant specifically denied identification of voice in recorded conversation -- prosecution was expected to establish voices in conversation by voice identification test, which was never conducted -- trial Court erred in inferring that transcript may be relied upon as proof of demand of bribe money -- complainant denied handing over tainted currency notes to accused -- no shadow witness accompanied him to residence of accused -- independent witness stated that it was complainant who informed that tainted money is kept underneath pillow on bedding -- Constable specifically stated that when Inspector asked accused about bribe money, he did not state anything but complainant informed that bribe money is kept underneath pillow on bedding of accused -- thus, no inference can be drawn that tainted money was recovered at instance of accused -- rather, it was recovered at instance of complainant, who was alone in room when trap party entered residence of accused -- he had opportunity to plant tainted money in bedding of accused -- in such scenario, definite inference cannot be drawn that accused received tainted money and kept it underneath the pillow -- complainant stated that when tainted currency notes were kept in his pocket, he touched them for verification -- when he met accused, he shook hands with him -- chemical on notes might have transmitted from his hands to hands of accused -- therefore, traces of chemical on hands of accused do not lead to irresistible and final conclusion that he received trained money -- prosecution failed to establish demand of illegal gratification by accused -- stray circumstance relating to escape of accused not sufficient to infer his guilt -- there exists another hypothesis consistent with innocence of accused -- no conclusive inference can be drawn that accused accepted or obtained illegal gratification -- trial Court committed error in concluding that statutory presumption u/s. 20 would apply -- chain of evidence not complete -- circumstances established by evidence do not lead to irresistible and definite conclusion of guilt of accused -- conviction set aside. (2014) 13 SCC 55, (2015) 10 SCC 152, (1980) 2 SCC 390, (2001) 1 SCC 691 and (2023) 4 SCC 731 followed. (1982) 3 SCC 466 distinguished. [Paras 29, 46 to 52, 55 & 56]

¼1½ Hkz"Vkpkj fuokj.k vf/kfu;e] 1988 & /kkjk 7 & ^^çfrx`ghr** & vfHkO;fä ^^çkfIr** ls fHkUu ladsrkFkZ gSa & /kkjk 7 esa voS/k ifjrks"k.k dh çkfIr micafèkr ugha vfirq mlesa mldk çfrxzg.k micaf/kr gS & ifjrks"k.k dh çkfIr ek= ^^çfrxzg.k** dh dksfV esa ugha vk,xh] tc rd fd mlds iwoZ vuqxzg ds fy, f'kdk;rdrkZ dk çLrko ugha gksA ¼1997½ 9 ,llhlh 477 rFkk ¼2002½ 5 ,llhlh 86 vuqlfjrA ¼iSjk 15½
¼2½ Hkz"Vkpkj fuokj.k vf/kfu;e] 1988 & /kkjk 7 rFkk 13¼1½ ¼Mh½¼2½ & ^^vfHkçkIr djrk gS** & rkRi;Z gS] lEer ekul ls ysus vkSj çkIr djus ds vuqjksèk ds Qyr% dqN lqfuf'pr djuk ;k dksbZ ykHk çkIr djukA ¼1997½ 9 ,llhlh 477 rFkk ¼2002½ 5 ,llhlh 86 vuqlfjrA ¼iSjk 15½
¼3½ Hkz"Vkpkj fuokj.k vf/kfu;e] 1988 & /kkjk 7 rFkk 13¼1½¼Mh½ & fj'or dk lank; lkfcr djus ds lk{; ds vHkko esa ;k fQj ;g lkfcr djus ds lk{; ds vHkko esa fd vfHk;qä us mls fj'or tkurs gq, Hkh LosPN;k /ku çfrx`ghr fd;k- ek= cjkenxh vkjksiksa dks lkfcr djus ds fy, i;kZIr ughaA ¼2011½ 6 ,llhlh 450 vuqlfjrA ¼iSjk 18½
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¼5½ Hkz"Vkpkj fuokj.k vf/kfu;e] 1988 & /kkjk 7] 13 rFkk 20 & ikfjfLFkfrd lk{; ij vk/kkfjr ekeyk & voS/k ifjrks"k.k dh e‚ax rFkk çfrxzg.k dk lcwr & fopkj.k U;k;ky; us mu vkosnuksa dh varoZLrq dk voyac fy;k tks fo'ks"k iqfyl LFkkiuk dks vfHkdFkuksa dk vUos"k.k djus ds fy, nh xbZ f'kdk;rksa dh ç—fr ds gSa & ;g vkosnu muesa dfFkr rF;ksa dk lkjHkwr lk{; ugha & mudk mi;ksx vf/kd-ls-vf/kd lk{; vf/kfu;e dh /kkjk 157 ds v/khu f'kdk;rdrkZ dk ifjlk{; laiq"V djus ds fy, fd;k tk ldrk gS & vuqfyfi- iapukek rFkk vfHkxzg.k Kkiu dk;Zokgh ds Kkiu gSa- muesa dfFkr rF; dk fopkj.k esa lk{; }kjk mfpr lcwr visf{kr gS & vr%- fopkj.k U;k;ky; dk ;g fu"d"kZ xyr gS fd & èku dh e‚ax dk mYys[k djus okys nLrkost voS/k ifjrks"k.k dh eax dk vuqeku djus ds fy, i;kZIr gSa -- f'kdk;rdrkZ us fjd‚MZ fd, x, okrkZyki esa ok.kh dh 'kuk[r ls fofufnZ"V bUdkj fd;k & vfHk;kstui{k ls çR;kf'kr Fkk fd og okrkZyki dh okf.k;ksa dks ok.kh 'kuk[r ijh{k.k }kjk fl) djrk- tks dHkh ugha fd;k x;k & fopkj.k U;k;ky; us ;g vuqeku yxk dj xyrh fd fj'or ds /ku dh eax ds lcwr ds :i esa vuqfyfi dk voyac fy;k tk ldrk gS & f'kdk;rdrkZ us vfHk;qä dks jaftr djsUlh uksV nsus dks udkjk & mlds lkFk dksbZ Hkh Nk;k lk{kh vfHk;qä ds fuokl ij ugha x;k -- Lora= l{kkh us dFku fd;k fd f'kdk;rdrkZ us gh bfÙkyk nh fd jaftr /ku fcLrj ij rfd, ds uhps j[kk gS & d‚ULVscy us fofufnZ"V dFku fd;k fd tc fujh{kd us vfHk;qä ls fj'or ds /ku ds ckjs esa iwNk rks mlus dqN ugha dgk ijarq f'kdk;rdrkZ us bfÙkyk nh fd fj'or dk /ku vfHk;qä ds fcLrj ij rfd, ds uhps j[kk gS & vLrq- ;g vuqeku ugha yxk;k tk ldrk fd jaftr /ku vfHk;qä ds crkus ij cjken gqvk & vfirq og f'kdk;rdrkZ ds crkus ij cjken gqvk] tks vfHk;qä ds fuokl ij ik'k ny ds çfo"V gksus ds le; d{k esa vdsyk Fkk & mlds ikl vfHk;qä ds fcLrj esa jaftr /ku jksfir djus dk volj Fkk & ,sls ifj–'; esa fuf'pr vuqeku ugha yxk;k tk ldrk fd vfHk;qä us jaftr /ku çkIr fd;k vkSj mls rfd, ds uhps j[k fn;k & f'kdk;rdrkZ us dFku fd;k fd tc jaftr djsUlh uksV mldh tsc esa j[ks x, Fks rc mlus lR;kiu ds fy, mUgsa Nqvk Fkk & tc mldh vfHk;qä ls HksaV gqbZ rks mlus vfHk;qä ls gkFk feyk;k & mlds gkFkksa ls jlk;u vfHk;qä ds gkFkksa esa igq¡p x;k gksxk & vr% vfHk;qä ds gkFkksa ij jlk;u ds vo'ks"kksa ls vçfrjks/; vkSj vafre fu"d"kZ ugha fudyrk fd mlus jaftr /ku çkIr fd;k & vfHk;kstui{k vfHk;qä }kjk voS/k ifjrks"k.k dh ek¡x LFkkfir djus esa vlQy jgk & vfHk;qä ds iyk;u ls lacafèkr fNViqV ifjfLFkfr mldh nksf"krk dk vuqeku yxkus ds fy, i;kZIr ugha & vfHk;qä dh funksZf"krk ls laxr ,d vU; vo/kkj.kk fo|eku gS & ;g fu.kkZ;d vuqeku ugha fd;k tk ldrk fd vfHk;qä us voS/k ifjrks"k.k çfrx`ghr ;k vfHkçkIr fd;k & fopkj.k U;k;ky; us ;g fu"d"kZ fudky dj xyrh dh fd /kkjk 20 ds v/khu dkuwuh mi/kkj.kk ykxw gksxh & lk{; dh J`a[kyk iw.kZ ugha & lk{; }kjk LFkkfir ifjfLFkfr;ksa ls vfHk;qä dh nksf"krk dk vçfrjks/; vkSj fuf'pr fu"d"kZ ugha fudyrk & nks"kflf) vikLrA ¼2014½ 13 ,llhlh 55] ¼2015½ 10 ,llhlh 152] ¼1980½ 2 ,llhlh 390] ¼2001½ 1 ,llhlh 691 rFkk ¼2023½ 4 ,llhlh 731 vuqlfjrA ¼1982½ 3 ,llhlh 466 çHksfnrA ¼iSjk 29] 46 ls 52] 55 ,oa 56½