2017 Supreme(MP) 463

IN THE HIGH COURT OF MADHYA PRADESH
N.K. Gupta and Anand Pathak, JJ.
Bhagwanlal and others v. State of M.P.
Criminal Appeals No.70, 85, 102 and 125 of 1999 (Gwalior) : against the common judgment of conviction dated 30.1.1999, passed by Sessions Judge, Guna (M.P.) in Sessions Trial No.111 of 1994;
Decided on 10.2.2017.

Headnote:(1) Penal Code, 1860 -- Ss.302, 304 Part II r/w Ss.148 and 149 -- offence under -- each of appellants convicted and sentenced under by trial Court -- appeal -- it is not proved that any unlawful assembly constituted at spot -- hence, none of appellants can be convicted under sections 148 and 149 of Penal Code -- it is proved that appellants Kallu, Toran and Harkishan assaulted deceased -- it is not alleged that second blow also given to deceased by appellant Kallu -- therefore, it cannot be presumed that he intended to kill deceased -- since incident was not preplanned then common intention cannot be presumed -- appeal of Kallu abated due to death -- Harkishan was responsible to cause death of deceased but wrongly convicted under section 302 -- instead he should have been convicted under section 304 Part II of IPC -- three years' rigorous imprisonment would be appropriate to him -- conviction and sentence of remaining appellants and appellant Toran set aside -- appellant Toran convicted under section 323 instead of section 302 of IPC -- appeal of remaining appellants allowed and acquitted of all charges -- appeal of Harkishan partly allowed.

       Held : When remaining appellants neither assaulted deceased Bhaiyalal nor they were part of unlawful assembly at the time of incident, then the remaining appellants cannot be convicted of offence under section 302 of IPC either directly or with the help of section 149 of IPC.

       In the light of evidence, the remaining appellants were entitled to get the advantage of right of private defence and it is not proved beyond doubt that they participated in an unlawful assembly to cause the death of deceased Bhaiyalal or to cause injuries to any of the victims including Jamunalal, Shivcharan etc. Hence, the trial Court has committed an error in convicting the remaining appellants for offence under sections 148 or 302 with the help of section 149 of IPC. It is not proved beyond doubt that at the time of death of deceased Bhaiyalal, there were five accused persons who participated in the crime.

       It is not alleged that after giving a blow to deceased Bhaiyalal on the pinna of deceased Bhaiyalal, appellant Kallu gave a second blow and, therefore, it cannot be presumed that he intended to kill deceased Bhaiyalal. Since the incident was not preplanned and the intention of appellant Kallu was not to kill deceased Bhaiyalal then his common intention cannot be presumed with appellant Harkishan who gave the fatal blow to the deceased Bhaiyalal on his head.

       Hence, appellant Harkishan was also wrongly convicted of offence under section 302 of IPC. Instead of that offence he should have been convicted of offence under section 304 (Part II) of IPC. AIR 1983 SC 172, AIR 1987 SC 1265, AIR 1994 SC 474 and AIR 2004 SC 387 referred to. AIR 1976 SC 912, AIR 1976 SC 2263 and AIR 2002 SC 2980 distinguished.

       (2) Penal Code, 1860 -- Ss.302, 148 and 149 -- private defence -- at the time of first quarrel appellants Toran, Kallu and Harkishan were present and Kallu and Harkishan were aggressor -- it is not settled view that injuries caused to appellants Toran, Kallu and Harkishan are to be explained in FIR itself -- right of private defence not available to them -- appeal of Kallu abated due to his death -- appeal of Harkishan partly allowed and sentenced under section 304 Part II of IPC instead of section 302 of IPC.

       Held : Hence, the plea of right of private defence was not available to the appellants when they started beating deceased Bhaiyalal when he went to the spot to stop appellant Kallu from transporting the bullock cart through his field. (2014)5 SCC 697 and AIR 1995 SC 2452 referred to.

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       vfHkfu/kkZfjr % tc 'ks"k vihykFkhZx.k us u rks e`rd HkS;kyky ij geyk fd;k vkSj uk gh os ?kVuk ds le; fof/kfo:) teko dk Hkkx Fks] rc 'ks"k vihykFkhZx.k naM+ lafgrk dh /kkjk 302 ds v/khu vijk/k ds fy, lh/ks rkSj ij ;k naM+ lafgrk dh /kkjk 149 dh lgk;rk ls nks"kfl) ugha fd, tk ldrsA

       lk{; dks ns[krs gq,] 'ks"k vihykFkhZx.k izkbosV izfrj{kk ds vf/kdkj dk ykHk izkIr djus ds gdnkj Fks rFkk ;g 'kadk ds ijs fl} ugha fd mUgksusa e`rd HkS;kyky dh e`R;q dkfjr djus ds fy, ;k tequkyky] f'kopju bR;kfn lfgr ihfM+rksa esa ls fdlh dks Hkh {kfr dkfjr djus ds fy, fof/kfo:) teko esa Hkkx ugh fy;kA blfy,] fopkj.k U;k;ky; us 'ks"k vihykFkhZx.k dks naM+ lafgrk dh /kkjk 148 ;k /kkjk 149 dh lgk;rk ls 302 ds v/khu vijk/k ds fy, nks"kfl} djus esa =`fV dkfjr dhA ;g 'kadk ls ijs fl} ugha fd HkS;kyky e`rd dh e`R;q ds le; os ikWp vfHk;qDr O;fDr Fks ftUgksus vijk/k esa Hkkx fy;kA

       ;g vfHkdFku ugha fd e`rd HkS;kyky ds dku ds ckgjh Hkkx ij izgkj djus ds i'pkr vihykFkhZ dYyw us nwljk izgkj fd;kA ;g vuqeku ugha yxk;k tk ldrk fd e`rd dk o/k djus dk mldk vk'k; FkkA pwafd ?kVuk iwoZ fu;ksftr ugha Fkh rFkk dYyw dk vk'k; e`rd HkS;kyky dk o/k djus dk ugha Fkk rc bl lkekU; vk'k; dk vuqeku vihykFkhZ gjfd'ku ds lkFk ugh ayxk;k tk ldrk ftlus e`rd HkS;kyky dks mlds flj ij ?kkrd izgkj fd;kA

       blfy,] vihykFkhZ gjfd'ku Hkh naM+ lafgrk dh /kkjk 302 ds v/khu vijk/k ds fy, xyr :i nks"kfl) fd;k x;kA bl vijk/k ds LFkku ij mls naM+ lafgrk dh /kkjk 304 Hkkx 2 ds v/khu vijk/k ds fy, nks"kfl) djuk pkfg, FkkA , vkbZ vkj 1983 ,l lh 172] , vkb vkj 1987 ,l lh 1265] , vkb vkj 1994 ,l lh 474 rFkk , vkb vkj 2004 ,l lh 387 fufnZ"VA , vkb vkj 1976 ,l lh 912] , vkb vkj 1976 ,l lh 2263 rFkk , vkb vkj 2002 ,l lh 2980 izHksfnrA ¼iSjk 15] 17] 18 ,oa 20

       ¼2½ naM+ lafgrk] 1860 && /kkjk 302] 148 rFkk 149 && izkbosV izfrj{kk && izFke >xM+s ds le; vihykFkhZx.k rksju] dYyw rFkk gjfd'ku mifLFkr Fks rFkk dYyw rFkk gjfd'ku vH;kØked Fks && ;g lqLFkkfir er ugh gS fd vihykFkhZx.k rksju] dYyw rFkk gjfd'ku dks tks {kfr;kW dkfjr dh xbZ izFke bfŸkyk fjiksVZ esa Lo;a Li"Vhd`r gksa && mudks izkbosV izfrj{kk dk vf/kdkj miyC/k ugha && dYyw vihykFkhZ dh vihy mldh e`R;q ds dkj.k lekIr && gjfd'ku vihykFkhZ dh vihy va'kr% eatwj rFkk naM+ lafgrk dh /kkjk 302 ds LFkku ij naM+ lafgrk dh /kkjk 304 Hkkx 2 ds v/khu naM+kfn"VA

       vfHkfu/kkZfjr % vr% vihykFkhZx.k dks izkbosV izfrj{kk dk vf/kdkj miyC/k ugha Fkk tc mUgksaus e`rd HkS;kyky dks ihVuk 'kq: fd;k] tc og vihykFkhZ dYyw dks vius [ksr esa ls gksdj ifjogu dj us ls jksdus ds fy, ?kVuk LFky ij x;kA ¼2014½ 5 ,l lh lh 697 ,oa , vkb vkj 1995 ,l lh 2452 fufnZ"VA