2023 Supreme(Online)(KAR) 23682
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CRL.A No. 900 of 2014
IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU
DATED THIS THE 9TH DAY OF FEBRUARY, 2023
BEFORE
THE HON'BLE MR JUSTICE P.N.DESAI
CRIMINAL APPEAL NO. 900 OF 2014
BETWEEN:
STATE BY KADUR POLICE STATION
CHICKMAGALUR-577 101.
…APPELLANT
(BY SRI. VINAYAKA V.S, HCGP)
AND:
SRI. YOGEESH,
AGED 28 YEARS,
S/O. VEERABHADRAPPA,
OCCU:AGRICULTURE,
DRIVER OF TWO WHEELER
BEARING NO.KA-18 R-5401
HULLIGERE, YUGATI HOBLI,
KADUR TALUK-577 548.
…RESPONDENT
(BY SMT. CHAITANYA S.G., ADVOCATE)
THIS CRL.A. FILED U/S.378(1) AND (3) CR.P.C BY THE S.P.P.
AND ADV. FOR THE APPELLANT PRAYING TO (a) GRANT LEAVE TO
APPEAL AGAINST THE JUDGMENT AND ORDER DATED 8.7.2014,
PASED BY THE LEARNED PRL.CIVIL JUDGE & JMFC, KADUR IN
C.C.NO.798/2011, THEREBY ACQUITTING THE RESPONDENT -
ACCUSED FOR THE OFFEENCES PUNISHABLE UNDER SECTIONs 279
& 304-A OF IPC. (b) SET-ASIDE THE IMPUGNED JUDGMENT AND
ORDER PASSED BY THE PRL.CIVIL JUDGE & JMFC, KADUR DATED
8.7.2014 IN C.C.NO.798/2011 ACQUITTING THE RESPONDENT-
ACCUSED FOR THE SAID OFFENCES PUNISHABLE UNDER SECTION
279 & 304-A OF IPC BY ALLOWING THIS APPEAL AND ETC.
THIS APPEAL, COMING ON FOR HEARING, THIS DAY, THE
COURT DELIVERED THE FOLLOWING:
Digitally signed by
NAGARATHNA M
Location: HIGH
COURT OF
KARNATAKA
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CRL.A No. 900 of 2014
This appeal arises out of the judgment passed in
C.C.No.798/2011 dated 08.07.2014 by the Principal Civil Judge
and JMFC, Kadur, wherein the respondent/accused was
acquited for the offence punishable under Sections 279 and
304A of Indian Penal Code, (for short hereinafter referred to as
'IPC').
2.
In brief the case of the prosecution is that on
25.07.2011 at about 01:30 p.m. in order to purchase the
medicines in the medical store situated opposite to the
Government Hospital, the deceased tried to cross the National
High way running towards Birur towards Kadur and at that
time, the respondent being the rider of the motor cycle bearing
registration No.KA-18-5401 drove the vehicle with high speed
in a rash and negligent manner and dashed to Smt.
Lalithamma. She fell down and sustained injuries to her head.
Immediately, she was admitted to Kadur Government Hospital
and from there she was shifted to Venlock Hospital, Mangalore
for further treatment. She succumbed to the injuries on
29.07.2011 at 04:25 p.m. On the basis of the same, a
complaint came to be lodged by son of the deceased and a case
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was registered, the police have investigated the matter and
filed the charge sheet against the accused for the offences
stated above.
3.
The prosecution examined eight witnesses as
PWs.1 to 8 and got marked thirteen documents as Exs.P1 to
P13. After recording the statement of accused under Section
313 of Code of Criminal Procedure, (for short hereinafter
referred to as ‘Cr.P.C.’) and the accused gave the defence
evidence as DW.1 and also examined one Yogeesh as DW.2 and
got marked one document as Ex.D1. After hearing the
arguments, learned JMFC acquitted the accused. Being
aggrieved by the said judgment, the State has preferred this
appeal.
4.
Heard Sri. Vinayaka V.S., learned High Court
Government Pleader for appellant/State and Smt. Chaitanya
S.G., learned counsel for the respondent.
5.
Learned HCGP argued that the impugned judgment
and order of acquittal passed by the learned JMFC is contrary to
the law, facts and evidence on record. The reasoning given by
the learned JMFC is erroneous. The Trial Court has not
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appreciated the evidence of PWs.2, 3, 5 & 6, in proper
perspective. They are eye witnesses to the incident. But the
learned Magistrate has not appreciated their evidence. The
learned JMFC has failed to consider the document produced by
the prosecution. Even the learned JMFC has not properly
appreciated the evidence of official witnesses PW.4 and PW.7.
The learned JMFC has not raised the proper inferences on the
basis of evidence on record. The nature of the accident itself
shows that the accused drove the vehicle in a rash and
negligent manner and in the result, the victim fell down and
sustained injuries. Therefore, learned HCGP argued that the
learned Magistrate has wrongly came to the conclusion and
acquitted the accused. Learned counsel for the appellant in
support of his arguments relied on the decision of Hon'ble
Supreme Court in the case of Ravi Kapur Vs. State of
Rajasthan reported in (2012) 9 SCC 284 and referred to
paragraph Nos.12, 13, 15, 18, 20, 22 & 32 and the same reads
as under:
12. Rash
and
negligent
driving
has
to
be
examined in the light of the facts and circumstances
of a given case. It is a fact incapable of being
construed or seen in isolation. It must be examined
in light of the attendant circumstances. A person
who drives a vehicle on the road is liable to be held
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responsible for the act as well as for the result. It
may not be always possible to determine with
reference to the speed of a vehicle whether a person
was driving rashly and negligently. Both these acts
presuppose an abnormal conduct. Even when one is
driving a vehicle at a slow speed but recklessly and
negligently, it would amount to “rash and negligent
driving” within the meaning of the language of
Section 279 IPC. That is why the legislature in its
wisdom has used the words “manner so rash or
negligent
as
to
e