A conviction for offenses under the SC/ST (POA) Act requires proof that insults occurred in public view due to the victim's caste; where testimonies are inconsistent, lack public corroboration, and are tainted by clear animosity, they are insufficient to sustain a criminal conviction.

THIS CRL.A. IS FILED U/S 374(2) CR.P.C PRAYING TO SET ASIDE THE ORDER DATED 23.4.2015, PASSED BY THE VI ADDL. DIST. & SPL JUDGE, MYSURU, IN SPL.CASE.NO.69/2013- CONVICTING THE APPELLANT/ACCUSED FOR THE OFFENCES P/U/S 504,324,448,323,354 OF IPC AND U/S 3(1)(x) &(xi) OF SC/ST (POA) ACT 1989; THE APPELLANT/ACCUSED IS SENTENCED TO UNDERGO R.I. FOR 6 MONTHS AND ALSO TO PAY FINE OF RS.1000/- IN DEFAULT, SHALL UNDERGO R.I. FOR FURTHER 2 MONTHS,FOR THE OFFENCE P/U/S 504 OF IPC; FURTHER, THE APPELLANT/ACCUSED IS SENTENCED TO UNDERGO R.I. FOR 9 MONTHS AND ALSO TO PAY FINE OF RS.3000/- IN DEFAULT, SHALL UNDERGO R.I. FOR FURTHER 3 MONTHS, FOR THE OFFENCES P/U/S 324 OF IPC; FURTHER, THE APPELLANT/ACCUSED IS SENTENCED TO UNDERGO R.I. FOR 3 MONTHS AND ALSO TO PAY FINE OF RS.500/- IN DEFAULT, SHALL UNDERGO R.I. FOR FURTHER 1 MONTH,FOR THE OFFENCE P/U/S 448 OF IPC; FURTHER, THE APPELLANT/ACCUSED IS SENTENCED TO UNDERGO R.I. FOR 3 MONTHS AND ALSO TO PAY FINE OF RS.500/- IN DEFAULT, SHALL UNDERGO R.I. FOR FURTHER 1 MONTH,FOR THE OFFENCE P/U/S 323 OF IPC AND ETC.

THIS APPEAL, COMING ON FOR ORDERS, THIS DAY, JUDGMENT WAS DELIVERED THEREIN AS UNDER:

CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE M.G.S. KAMAL

ORAL JUDGMENT

This appeal is by the accused being aggrieved by the Judgment of conviction and Order of Sentence dated 23.04.2015 in Spl.Case.No.69/2013 on the file of the VI Additional District and Special Judge at Mysuru, wherein the accused/appellant herein has been convicted and sentenced for the offences punishable under Sections 504, 324, 448, 323, 354 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860 [for short, the 'IPC'] and Section 3(1)(x) and (xi) of the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 [for short, the 'Act'].

2. It is the case of the prosecution that a complaint as per Exhibit P.3 came to be filed by one Venkata Swamy which reads as under:

"ಾ ಾನು ಕೂ ಾೊಂಡು ಾಗೂ ಜೕನು ೆಲಸ ಾೊಂಡು ೆಂಡ ಮಕಳ ೊೆ ಾಸಾರುೆ!ೕೆ, ಕ"ೆದ ವಷ& ನಮೂ'(ನ ಸu ÉÚÃ)ೌಡನ ಮಗ +ೊ,ೆ-)ೌಡನ ಎರಡು ಎಕ/ೆ ಜೕನನು0 ಾನು ಗು!)ೆ ಾೊಂದು1ಎಂಟುಾ3ರ(8) ರೂ4ಾ5)ೆ ಾಾೊಂದು1 ಅದರ7 ಅವ()ೆ 7 ಾ3ರ ರೂ4ಾ5 ೊ89ದು1 1 ಾ3ರ ರೂ4ಾ5 :ಾ; ಉ=>ೊಂ+ೆ1. ಮುಂ?ನ @ಾನುಾರ ಉ=ದ 1 ಾ3ರ ರೂ4ಾ5ಯನ0 ೊಡುೆ!ೕೆಂದು BೆCD ೆ)ೆದುೊಂ+ೆ1. ಈ ?ನ ?ಾಂಕ 14.03.2013 ರಂದು ಸಂೆ ಸುಾರು 4.30 ಗಂBೆ ಸಮಯದ7, ಾನು ನಮೂ'(ನ ಅಂF ಾರಮ'ನು0 +ೇವಾGನದ ಬ= ಾನು ಮತು!ಕುಾರ ಎಂಬ ಇಬKರೂ ಾತಾಡುvÀÛ ಇ+ಾ1ಗ ಅ°è)ೆ +ೊ,ೆ-)ೌಡ ಬಂದು ನನ0ನು0 :ಾ; ಹಣೊಡು ಎಂದು ೇ=ದ ಆಗ ಾನು ಇನೂ0 @ಾನುಾರದ ತನಕ BೈD ಇ+ೆ ೊಡುೆ!ೕೆಂದು ೇ=+ೆ, ಆಗ +ೊ,ೆ-)ೌಡ ಈಗPೇ ೊ,ೊ :ೋ=ಮಗೇ, ಸೂ"ೇಮಗೇ, ೊಲಯ Qಮ' ಅವಾPÁåಯ Qಮ' ೆಂಡಾಾRಯ ಎಂದು :ೈಯುÝ ಅ7 S?1ದ1 ಒಂದು ಮರದ (ೕಪV ಪ89ಯನು0 ೆ)ೆದುೊಂಡು ನನ0 ಎಡಭುಜದ Xಂ@ಾಗೆ ೊ,ೆದು ನಂತರ ಅ+ೇ (ೕಪV 'ಪ89ಯ7 ಎಡ ಮದRದ :ೆರ=)ೆ ೊ,ೆದು ರಕ!)ಾಯ ಪ>ದ, ಆಗ ನನ0 ೊೆ ಕುಾರ ಜಗಳ Sಸದ ಾನು ನಮ' ಮೆ)ೆ ಬಂದು ಏBಾದ1:ೆರ=)ೆ ನಮ' ೆಂಡ ಾಗಮ'Qಂದ ಔಷಧ[ ಾ;>ೊಳ\]!+ೆ1. ಆಗ ಅ7ಗೂ ಸಹ +ೊ,ೆ-)ೌಡ ಬಂದು ದುಡು-ೊಡು ಎಂದ/ೆ ಮೆ)ೆ ಬಂ??1ೕ^ಾ :ೋ=ಮಗೇ Qನ)ೆ ೊಬುK ಾ>!^ಾ+ೇ ಎಂದು :ೈಯು!+ಾ1ಗ ನನ0 ೆಂಡ ಾಗಮ' ಮೆ ಮುಂ+ೆ :ೈಯುಾ!Qಂದ1+ೊಡ-)ೌಡನನು0 ಈಗPೇ ದುಡು- ೊಡು ಎಂದ/ೆ ಎ7ೊ,ೋಣ @ಾನುಾರ ೊಡುೆ!ೕೆಂದು ೇ= ಜಗಳ ಾಡ:ೇಡ ಎಂದು ಾಲು Xದುೊಳ]ಲು ೋ+ಾಗ +ೊಡ-)ೌಡ ನನ0 ೆಂಡ ೊBೆ9)ೆ ಾQಂದ ಒದು1 ತPೆಯ ಜುಟ9ನು0 Xದು ಎ"ೆ+ಾಡು!ದ1ರು. ಆಗ ನಮ' )ಾ_ಮದ ಕ(ಯಯR ಎಂಬುವರು ಜಗಳ S> ಸಾ+ಾನ ಾದರು. ನಂತರ ನಮೂ'(ನ ನಂಜುಂಡಯRನ ಮಗ `ವನಂಜAiÀÄå KBಾದ1 ನನ0ನು0 ಮತು!ನನ0 ೆಂಡ ಾಗಮ'ಳನು0 ^ಾವa+ೋ bೕcನ7ಕ/ೆದುೊಂಡು ಬಂದು ೆd..ೋBೆ ಆಸeೆ_)ೆ +ಾಖಲು ಾರುಾ!/ೆ, ಾವa ಈಗ F;ೆg ಪ,ೆಯು!ದು13ಾ ಾರಣ ದುನ 3hಾರೆ ನಮ' iೕPೆ ಗPಾBೆ ತ)ೆದು ೊ,ೆದು ಾQಂದೆ ಾದ zÉÆqÉ ØÃ)ೌಡನ iೕPೆ ಾನೂನು (ೕಾå ಕ_ಮವನು0 ೈ)ೊಳ] :ೕೆಂದು ತಮ'7:ೕೊಳ\]ೆ!ೕೆ."

Upon which, the respondent /Police registered a case in Crime No.40/2013 against the accused/appellant for the offences punishable under sections 504, 324, 448, 323, 354 of IPC and section 3(1)(x) and (xi) of the Act. Investigation was conducted, charge sheet