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2026 Supreme(Online)(Raj) 9994
HIGH COURT OF RAJASTHAN (JODHPUR BENCH)
Vinit Kumar Mathur, Chandra Shekhar Sharma, JJ
Gameera – Appellant
Versus
State of Rajasthan – Respondent
D.B. Criminal Appeal (DB) No. 57/2022
For the Appellants/Petitioners: Jayant Joshi, Sanjay Bishnoi
For the Respondents: C.S. Ojha, PP
A dying declaration, if voluntary and coherent, serves as a sufficient basis for conviction even without corroboration. The lack of a formal medical certificate of fitness for the declarant does not invalidate the statement if the recording authority reasonably believes the victim was in a fit mental state.
Headnote:(A) Indian Penal Code, 1860 - Sections 302 and 304B - Dying declaration - Admissibility and reliability - Burden of proof - A dying declaration can be the sole basis for conviction if it inspires the confidence of the Court and is voluntary - Presence of a doctor is not mandatory for recording, but recommended as a rule of caution - Medical opinion regarding the mental state of the declarant cannot prevail over the testimony of eyewitnesses - The degree of burns is not a decisive factor for the reliability of a dying declaration; rather, the mental state and quality of evidence are paramount. (Paras 9, 10, 11, and 12)
(B) Criminal Procedure Code, 1973 - Section 161 - Investigation and trial procedure - Statements recorded during investigation do not lose credibility merely due to minor procedural issues such as the use of different pens or late submission of the First Information Report to the Magistrate - Courts must look into the core evidence to ascertain the truth of the incident. (Paras 12 and 17)
Facts of the case:
The appellant filed an appeal against the conviction and sentencing for murder. The victim, who was the wife of the appellant, sustained severe burn injuries. Following the incident, she made dying declarations to a police official in the presence of a medical officer, stating that the appellant had poured kerosene on her and set her on fire after a dispute. The appellant contended that the incident was accidental and occurred while the victim, prone to medical episodes, was cooking and accidentally caught fire. The trial court convicted the appellant for murder.
Findings of Court:
The court upheld the conviction, finding the dying declaration to be voluntary, coherent, and consistent with other evidence, including forensic reports confirming the presence of flammable petroleum hydrocarbons at the scene and the testimonies of ambulance staff who witnessed the victim identifying her husband as the perpetrator. The court rejected the appellant's version of the event, finding no evidence to support the claim of accidental death by kitchen fire.
Issues: The main issues were the reliability and admissibility of the dying declaration, whether the victim was in a fit state of mind to provide a statement despite suffering from high percentage burns, and whether the evidence sufficiently established an intentional act of murder versus an accidental occurrence.
Ratio Decidendi: The court held that setting a person on fire is an act of extreme cruelty amounting to murder. It reaffirmed that, as long as the court is satisfied that the declarant understood the statement and it was not tutored, a dying declaration remains a powerful piece of evidence. The absence of a specific medical certificate of fitness does not invalidate a dying declaration if the recording officer and present medical staff are satisfied with the declarant's state. The evidence provided by independent witnesses and forensic analysis corroborated the victim's statement, rendering the appellant's defence meritless.
Result: Appeal dismissed; conviction and sentence confirmed.
Judgment
| 1. | Date of conclusion of arguments | 18.03.2026 |
| 2. | Date on which the judgment was reserved | 18.03.2026 |
| 3. | Whether the full judgment or only operative part is pronounced | Full Judgment |
| 4. | Date of Pronouncement | 27.03.2026 |
BY THE COURT: (Per Chandra Shekhar Sharma,J)
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