HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE FOR RAJASTHAN AT JODHPUR D.B. Criminal Appeal No. 839/2002 State of Rajasthan ----Appellant Versus

1. Kesha Ram son of Tikama Ram

2. Rekha Ram son of Mana Ram All resident of Khanratiya, District Barmer ----Respondents For Appellant(s) : Mr. S.S. Rathore, PP with Mr. Pawan Kumar For Respondent(s) : Mr. J.S. Choudhary Senior Adv.

assisted by Ms. Sampati Godara HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE MANOJ KUMAR GARG HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE RAVI CHIRANIA

Order

21/08/2025 PER, HON’BLE MR. RAVI CHIRANIA, J

1. The State has filed the present criminal appeal against the judgment dated 22.03.2002 passed by the Additional District and Sessions Judge, Barmer in Criminal Case No.05/99 titled as “State vs. Kesha Ram and Anr.”, whereby the accused-respondent No.1 was acquitted and accused-respondent No.2 was convicted for offence under Section 304-II.

2. The facts as noted from record of the trial Court are that Ex-P1, a report dated 26.11.1998, was lodged by one Chetan Ram whereby he lodged the following report:

Ex-P1 “fyf[kr fjiksVZ Jh psrujke }kjk Fkkukf/kdkjh iqfyl Fkkuk ckM+esj ftyk ckM+esj ¼bZ,Dl ih 1½ fnukad 26@11@98 ,&5@4 lsok esa Jheku Fkkusnkj lkgc iqfyl Fkkuk lnj ckM+esj egksn;

çkFkÊ prs ujke iq= [kh;kjke tkrh tkV fuoklh xSgw¡ dk fuosnu gSA dh ejsh yMdh fejksa dh 'kknh djhc k[k exkjke lkj.k xkoa dk'esj [kSrkjke ljiap xkao jrsÅ rFkk fnikjke ljiap xkao [kjVh;k vkfn us vkbZank dSlkjke }kjk fejksa dks ekjihV ugha djus dk vklok'ku fnyok;k rks ehjksa dks mlds llqjky [kajVh;k Hkst nh djhc Ms< eghuk ehjksa llwjky esa jgh fQj esjk lkyk jkÅjke tkdj ehjksa dks esjs ?kj ysdj vk;k figj vkus ij ehjksa us eq>s o ejsh iRuh dkyw dks dSlkjke }kjk ekjihV crkbZ rks fQj ehjksa dks mlds llwjky ugha Hksth ehjks djhc

yh;s iS'k gSA rkjh[k 26@11@98 , prs ujke ch bZ fnukad 26@11@98 eqdke xsgaw oDr 11 ,,e ;g fjiksVZ Jh psrujke iq= Jh [kh;kjke tkfr tkV ¼HkkaHkw½ mez 60 o"kZ is'kk [kSrh fuoklh xsgw us is'k dh tkis i

Lohdkj dh;kA ,Q , prs ujke ch th dk;Zokgh iqfyl etewu fjiksVZ ls tqeZ èkkjk 302]307]324]323]452] vkbZ-ih-lh dk ?kfBr gksus ls eSa lh-vkbZ 'kEHkwflag ,l-,p-vks ih,l lnj ckMejs ekSdk ij rQrh'k esa O;LFk gqok ewy ,Q vkbZ-vkj okLrs dk;eh eqdnek genLr dkfu0 y[kflag 172 çHkkjh Fkkuk ds ikl Hkstdj ys[k gS fd ckn dk;eh eqdnek uEcj ipkZ ls lwfpr djsA ,p lh ,lMh Mh vkbZ ,lMh ts ,l-,p-vks ih,l lnj ckMesj dSEi xsgwa d siqfyl Fkkuk lnj ckMesj vkt fnukad 26@11@98 oDr 12%15 ih,e ij ;g fyf[kr ,Q-vkbZ- vkj Jh y[kflag ,Q-lh ua- 172 ih,l lnj us gkftj gksdj is'k dh fjiksVZ o etequ lqpuk ij eqdnek l[;k 276 fnukad 26-11-98 varxrZ èkkjk 302]307]324] 323] 452 vkbZ-ih-lh es ntZ fd;k tkdj çfr;ksa ,Q-vkbZ-vkj tkjh dh xbZA ,Q-vkbZ-vkj okLrs vuqlaèkku ,l-,p-vks lkgc dks ,Q-lh Jh y[kflag 172 ds lkFk Hkts h tkosxhA ,y lh ,lMh Mh ,e ,lMh ,u vkbZ@lh ih,l lnj ckMesj”

3. On the basis of the said report, the police registered FIR bearing No.276/1998 for offences under Section 302, 307, 324, 323 and 452 of the IPC against the accused-respondent Kesha Ram and Rekha Ram. After conducting the investigation, the police filed the charge-sheet against the accused-respondent. During trial the prosecution produced 25 witnesses and 27 documents were exhibited to support the story of the prosecution. In defence, the statement of accused persons were recorded under Section 313 Cr.P.C., and 4 documents were exhibited. The learned trial Court, after considering the statements of all the witnesses and documents exhibited by the prosecution, passed the judgment dated 22.03.2002 whereby the accused-respondent Kesha Ram was punished for offence under Section 304, 325, 323 and 342 of I.P.C. with 4 years’ rigorous imprisonment and a fine of Rs.2000 and in default to undergone a further six months simple imprisonment. The learned trial Court acquitted respondent No.2 Rekha Ram from the charges under Section 302/34,307/34, 324/34, 326/34, 323, 325, 342 and 459 of I.P.C.

4. As informed by Mr. J.S. Choudhary, the learned Senior counsel for the respondent, accused Kesha Ram, who was punished with rigorous imprison