Legal Document View

Unlock Advanced Research with PRISMAI

- Know your Kanoon - Doc Gen Hub - Counter Argument - Case Predict AI - Talk with IK Doc - ...
Upgrade to Premium
[Cites 13, Cited by 0]

Delhi District Court

State vs 1. Vinod Paswan on 5 August, 2017

  IN THE COURT OF SH. SANJEEV KUMAR MALHOTRA: 
     ADDITIONAL SESSIONS JUDGE; FTC : E COURT:
      SHAHDARA: KARKARDOOMA COURT: DELHI.

                               SESSIONS CASE No.37/2014
                               Unique Case ID No. 767/2016
FIR No.181/2014
U/S: 302/174­A/34 IPC
P.S: Farsh Bazar


State                 Versus         1.        Vinod Paswan 
                                               S/o. Sh. Lotan Paswan
                                               R/o. H.No. 500/20, Gali no. 15,
                                               Vishwas Nagar, Delhi.
                                               Permanent address:
                                               Village Basauli, PS. Bochaha, 
                                               Distt. Mujaffarpur, Bihar. 


Date of Institution                  :         14.07.2015
Date of Arguments                    :         06.07.2017
Date of Judgment                     :         05.08.2017

                                   JUDGMENT:

­ Case of Prosecution  FIR No. 181/2014, PS. Farsh Bazar Page 1 of 25 St. Vs. Vinod Paswan

1.   Briefly,   the   case   of   prosecution   is   that   on 01.03.2014, DD No.35­A regarding a murder was recorded at PS Farsh Bazar, pursuant to which, SI Bharat Singh alongwith Ct.  Somveer  reached  the  spot  i.e  H.No.  500/20, Gali  No.15, Vishwas Nagar, Shahdara. The information was also passed to SHO, who proceeded to the spot. The body of a male with a wound on his neck was found lying in a room in a pool of blood, at first floor.  Blood was also present in the room. CATS Ambulance, PCR and Crime Team was called at the spot.  The staff of CATS Ambulance told that the person lying in pool of blood   is   dead,   whereafter   spot   was   inspected   and   got photographed. Name of deceased was learnt as Ajay Paswan. Caller/complainant  Pramod Paswan also met at the spot.   SI Bhagat Singh recorded the statement of complainant, prepared the rukka and got the FIR registered. Dead body was sent to Sabzi Mandi mortuary for getting the same preserved.     One vegetable cutting knife found lying at the spot was lifted and its sketch was prepared. The knife was then kept in a pullanda, which   was   sealed   with  the   seal   of   HCR.   The   blood   sample, blood earth and earth control samples were lifted. Two quarter bottles of liquor and a beer bottle were also lifted from the spot. A chekdar blanket lying under the body was also lifted from the FIR No. 181/2014, PS. Farsh Bazar Page 2 of 25 St. Vs. Vinod Paswan spot   and   seized.   Site   Plan   was   prepared.  Postmortem   on  the body  of   deceased  Ajay Paswan  was  got conducted.  Accused Raghuveer   Paswan   (case   against   whom   has   already   been disposed off by my Ld. Predecessor Sh. Ravinder Dudeja, Ld. ASJ,   vide   judgment   dt.   21.03.2015)  was   arrested.     Accused Vinod   Paswan   could   not  be   arrested   and  was   declared proclaimed   offender.     Subsequently,   accused   Vinod   Paswan was arrested as PO and supplementary charge sheet was filed against him, in which case he is facing trial before this court.

2. On appearance, in compliance of section 207 IPC, copies were supplied to accused, and as offence punishable u/s. 302 IPC is triable by the Court of Sessions, present case was committed to Sessions Court.

Charge framed against the accused.

3.   Charge   against   the   accused   u/s.   302   IPC   was framed, to which accused pleaded not guilty and claimed trial. Additional   charge   u/s.   174­A   IPC   was   also   framed   against accused, to which also, he pleaded not guilty and claimed trial.

FIR No. 181/2014, PS. Farsh Bazar Page 3 of 25 St. Vs. Vinod Paswan Witnesses examined

4. To   substantiate   the   charge,   prosecution   has examined 16 witnesses in all. 

5.   PW­1 Sh. Pramod Paswan is the complainant and eye witness of the incident. He deposed that he is a rickshaw puller and that earlier he was residing at Vishwas Nagar in a rented house.  He deposed that his brother in­law deceased Ajay Paswan, accused Vinod Paswan and Raghuveer were also living with him in the same house and that accused Vinod Paswan and deceased Ajay Paswan belonged to the same village.  He further deposed   that   on   01.03.2014,   they   all   returned   at   the   rented house at about 6.30 pm.  While he started taking beer, accused Vinod Paswan, Ajay and Raghuveer started taking liquor.  After taking   liquor,   accused   Vinod   asked   Ajay   to   cook   food,   for which he refused saying that he was not his servant and both entered into a scuffle.  In the said scuffle, Ajay caught the shirt of accused Vinod Paswan and accused Vinod stabbed Ajay with knife in his neck, due to which Ajay started bleeding.   After stabbing   Ajay,   accused   Vinod   Paswan   fled   away   from   the house.  Raghuveer also ran away.  He deposed that he tried to apprehend accused Vinod Paswan but he managed to flee away.

FIR No. 181/2014, PS. Farsh Bazar Page 4 of 25 St. Vs. Vinod Paswan He then informed the police at 100 number.  He deposed that by the time police came at the spot, Ajay had already expired.  His statement was recorded by the police and dead body was sent to Subzi Mandi Mortuary.  He deposed that after postmortem dead body was released to Chandan in his presence.  He deposed that he had shown the place of incident to the police and that police had seized the knife from the spot.   He deposed that accused Vinod   could   not   be   arrested   and   later   police   arrested Raghuveer.

  In   his   cross­examination   by   Ld.   Addl.   PP,   he admitted that there were two half bottles of liquor at the spot, seizure memo of which bears his signature. He admitted that police seized one blood stained blanket of Ajay in his presence and that police lifted blood in gauge and sample earth control from the spot and seized the same.  Admitting that after lifting the vegetable knife having plastic handle, accused Vinod asked Ajay to either cook food or he would kill him, he volunteered that   the   handle   of   knife   was   of   red   colour.     Case   property including   knife   was   shown   to   him   in   the   court,   which   he correctly identified.

  In his cross­examination by Ld. Defence Counsel, he  deposed  that   no serious  quarrel took  place  between  them FIR No. 181/2014, PS. Farsh Bazar Page 5 of 25 St. Vs. Vinod Paswan prior to this incident.

6.   PW­2 is Sh. Kishan Pal, who deposed that in the year 2014, four boys namely Vinod, Raghuveer and two others, names of whom he does not remember, were living as tenants in the back portion of his house.  He deposed that they all used to go for work in the morning and return in the evening. He deposed that on 28.02.2014, while he was sleeping at his house, police came and informed him about the murder of Raghuveer. He identified accused Vinod Paswan as the person, who was his tenant.   He deposed that house was given on rent 10­12 days prior to the occurrence.

  In response to leading questions put by Ld. Addl. PP, he admitted that name of victim was Ajay and that date of incident might be 01.03.2014 and not 28.02.2014.

7.   PW­3 SI Bharat Singh deposed that on 01.03.2014 at   about   8.45   pm,   on   receiving   of   DD   No.   35­A   regarding murder, he alongwith Ct. Somveer went to H.No.500/20, Gali No.15, Vishwas Nagar, Shahdara, where dead body of a male was lying on first floor.   The body was smeared with blood. CATS   Ambulance   and   crime   team   were   called   at   the   spot.

FIR No. 181/2014, PS. Farsh Bazar Page 6 of 25 St. Vs. Vinod Paswan CAT ambulance came at the spot and after examining the body, declared   the   person   dead.     SHO   alongwith   other   staff   also reached   the   spot.     Spot   was   examined   by   crime   team   and photographs were taken from different angles.  He recorded the statement of complainant Pramod Paswan, prepared the rukka and   got   the   FIR   registered.     Site   plan   at   the   instance   of complainant   was   prepared   by   IO/Inspector   Harish   Chander. Dead body was sent to Subzi Mandi Mortuary.  Sketch of knife was prepared and same was seized.  He deposed that blood in gauge, blood earth and earth sample were lifted, sealed with the seal of HCR and seized. Two half liquor bottles, one beer bottle and one blanket lying near the body were also seized from the spot.     Statement  of  landlord and  supplementary  statement  of complainant was recorded by IO.  Statements of CAT officials and Crime Team officials were also recorded.  He deposed that on 02.03.2014, postmortem on the body of deceased was got conducted and dead body was handed over  to one Chandan, brother of deceased.  He deposed that doctor had handed over viscera,   clothes   of   deceased   and   blood   gauge   in   sealed condition alongwith sample seal, which was seized by IO vide memo Ex.PW3/F.   Case property was deposited in Malkhana. He, on 14.03.2014, again joined the investigation and obtained FIR No. 181/2014, PS. Farsh Bazar Page 7 of 25 St. Vs. Vinod Paswan subsequent opinion from Dr. Arun, Autopsy Subji Mandi with regard to weapon of offence i.e knife. On 17.04.2015, he again joined  the investigation with IO when accused Vinod Paswan was arrested in this case.   He deposed about arrest, personal search and disclosure statement of accused Vinod Paswan.  

8.   PW­4   Sh.   Chandan   Prakash   is   the   brother   of deceased,   to   whom   the   dead   body   was   handed   over   after postmortem.

9.   PW­5 HC  Khem Chand  is the duty officer, who had received the call from control room regarding murder and had   recorded   DD   No.35­A   (Ex.PW5/A).     He   also   proved registration   of   FIR   as   Ex.PW5/B   and   his   endorsement   as Ex.PW5/C.

10.  PW­6 is SI Vijay, who deposed that on 16.04.15 on the   basis   of   secret   information,   he   arrested   accused   Vinod Paswan & conducted his personal search. Medical of accused was   got   conducted   and   he   was   taken   to   lockup.     SHO   was informed about it.  He deposed that DD No. 49­B was lodged about apprehension of accused.   He deposed that on the next FIR No. 181/2014, PS. Farsh Bazar Page 8 of 25 St. Vs. Vinod Paswan day, disclosure statement of accused was recorded, thereafter, accused led the police team to the place of incident and pointing out memo was prepared. 

11.  PW­6   HC   Manoj   Kumar   had   taken   the   exhibits from MHC(M) and deposited the same at FSL Rohini.

12.  PW­7 is Mohd. Salman, who at the relevant time was posted on Ambulance Alpha­08 as a para medical.  He on receiving the information had reached the spot, examined the deceased, who was lying in pool of blood and declared him dead.

13.  PW­8   Dr.   Arun   Kumar   had   conducted   the postmortem on the dead body of deceased. He proved his report as Ex.PW8/A.   As per him, injury no.1 is sufficient to cause death   in   ordinary   course   of   nature   individually.     In   his subsequent opinion Ex.PW8/C given on the application filed by IO/Inspector   Harish   Chander   on   14.03.2014,   with   regard   to weapon of offence, he stated that injury no.1 & 2 as mentioned in   PM   report   are   possible   by   weapon   of   offence   i.e   knife provided for examination.  He had also taken the measurement FIR No. 181/2014, PS. Farsh Bazar Page 9 of 25 St. Vs. Vinod Paswan of knife and prepared its sketch Ex.PW8/B.

14.  PW­9 Ct. Seema was at the relevant time posted in PHQ   CP   CR   and   had   received   a   call   from   mobile   number 7503769459,   wherein   caller   informed   that   "   Vishwas   Nagar Road, 7 ft Road, Gali No.14, Yaha Par Murder Ho Gaya Hai". She   proved   the   copy   of   PCR   form   as   Ex.PW9/A­1   and certificate u/s. 65­B of Indian Evidence Act as Ex.PW9/B.  

15.  PW­10 HC Sonu Kaushik had at the instance of IO inspected the place of incident and prepared rough notes and measurements. Thereafter, on the basis of rough notes, he had also prepared scaled site plan Ex.PW11/C.

16.  PW­11   HC   Sunil   Dutt   is   the   MCH(M),   who deposed about depositing of pullandas by IO/ Inspector Harish Chander  at  Malkhana.    He, on the direction  of  IO, had sent sealed   viscera   peti   alongwith   sample   seal   and   11   sealed pullandas to FSL Rohini through HC Manoj.  He deposed that on   26.06.14   one   sealed   wooden   box   alongwith   sealed   report was submitted in Malkhana by Ct. Nazim.

FIR No. 181/2014, PS. Farsh Bazar Page 10 of 25 St. Vs. Vinod Paswan

17.  PW­12   Ct.   Somveer   on   01.03.2014   remained associated   with   PW­3   SI   Bharat   Singh   and   deposed   on   the similar line.

18.  PW­13 is SI Kaushal Ganguli, who on 01.03.2014 was posted as Incharge Mobile Crime Team and on receiving information   through   control   room   regarding   murder,   had reached   the   spot   alongwith   Ct.   Vikas,   photographer   and   Ct. Sandeep, finger print proficient.   He deposed that finger print proficient   attempted   to   lift   chance   prints   from   beer   bottle, plastic whiskey bottle and kitchen knife but the same could not be lifted. He proved scene of crime report prepared by him as Ex.PW11/A.

19.  PW­14   Ct.   Vikas   is   the   photographer   posted   in Mobile Crime Team. He had taken 22 photographs of the spot at the instance of IO and Incharge Crime Team and proved the photographs as Ex.PW14/A1 to Ex.PW14/A19.

20.  PW­15 Inspector Harish Chander deposed on the same   terms   as   deposed   by   PW­3   SI   Bharat   regarding   the investigation done by him.

FIR No. 181/2014, PS. Farsh Bazar Page 11 of 25 St. Vs. Vinod Paswan

21.  PW­16 is SI Savai Lal, who had executed process u/s. 82 Cr.P.C against accused Vinod Paswan.   He proved his report as Ex.PW16/A.

22.  Statement   of   accused   u/s.   313   Cr.P.C   was recorded, wherein he denied all the incriminating evidence put to him and pleaded innocence. In answer to question no.1 of his statement recorded u/s. 313 Cr.P.C, he stated that in the year 2014, he was not living with Raghuveer, Pramod Paswan and deceased Ajay Paswan at the first floor in back portion of house of   PW­2   Sh.   Kishan   Pal.   Accused   did   not   opt   to   lead   any evidence in his defence.

Arguments and conclusion 

23. Arguments   have   been   addressed   by  Sh.   Sanjay Kumar,   Ld.   Addl.   PP   for   the   State   as   also   by  Sh.   Gaurav Vashisth, Ld. Amicus Curiae for accused.

24.  Ld.   Counsel   for   accused   argued   that   in   his   first statement complainant stated that Raghuveer (who has already been acquitted) had caught hold of deceased, however, in his FIR No. 181/2014, PS. Farsh Bazar Page 12 of 25 St. Vs. Vinod Paswan deposition before the court, he did not assign any role to him, which creates a doubt on the entire testimony of complainant. He argued that deceased himself was a habitual offender and was involved in 2­3 cases.   He further argued that gamchha allegedly   used   by   complainant   for   putting   on   the   wound   of deceased, was not handed over to the police and no blood stains were found on the clothes of deceased, which create a doubt about   his   presence   at   the   spot.     He   argued   that   PW­1 complainant is an interested witness, being relative of deceased and has falsely implicated the accused due to previous enmity.  

25.  In rebuttal, Ld. Addl. PP for the State argued  that prosecution has been able to prove its case beyond reasonable doubt   with   the   testimony   of   complainant,   who   is   also   eye witness of the incident and has given a consistent testimony. He further argued that accused ran away after the incident and evaded his arrest, as such, conduct of accused also proves his guilt.

26. Complainant, who is an eye witness of incident has remained consistent throughout and has in his first statement given to the police, as well as in depositions before the court FIR No. 181/2014, PS. Farsh Bazar Page 13 of 25 St. Vs. Vinod Paswan narrated the same facts and has not made any improvement or alterations with regard to the role of accused Vinod Paswan. He stated   that   after   taking   liquor,   accused   Vinod   asked   Ajay   to cook   food,   for   which   he   refused   saying   that   he   was   not   his servant and both entered into a scuffle.  In the said scuffle, Ajay caught the shirt of accused Vinod Paswan and accused Vinod stabbed Ajay with knife in his neck, due to which Ajay started bleeding.     After   stabbing   Ajay,   accused   Vinod   Paswan   fled away   from   the   house.   There   is   hardly   any   omission   or improvement with regard to role of accused in the statement of complainant, which could render his testimony doubtful. He has remained   firm   on   his   stand   even   in   the   lengthy   cross­ examination done by Ld. Defence Counsel.

  The  Hon'ble   Supreme   Court   in  2012   (2)   RCR (Criminal)231,   Sampath   Kumar   Vs   Inspector   of   Police Krishangiri referring to Vadivelu Thevar v State of Madras AIR 1957SC614  spoke of three category of witnesses: those that are wholly reliable, those that are wholly unreliable and who are neither wholly reliable nor wholly unreliable. In the case of the first category the courts have no difficulty in coming to   the   conclusion   either   way.   It   can   convict   or   acquit   the accused on the deposition of single witness if it is found to be FIR No. 181/2014, PS. Farsh Bazar Page 14 of 25 St. Vs. Vinod Paswan fully reliable. In the second category also there is no difficulty in arriving at an appropriate conclusion for there is no question of placing any reliance upon a deposition of a wholly unreliable witness.   It   is   only   in   the   case   of   witnesses   who   are   neither wholly reliable nor wholly unreliable that the Courts have to be circumspect   and   have   to   look   for   corroboration   in   material particulars by reliable testimony direct or circumstantial. 

The  Hon'ble   Supreme   Court   in   AIR   2012   SC 3157, Rai Sandeep @ Deepu vs State of NCT of Delhi with Hari Singh v State of NCT of Delhi  while laying down the quality of a witness held as under:

  ' "Sterling witness' should be of a very high quality and caliber whose version should, therefore, be unassailable. The court considering the version of such witness should be in a position to accept it for its face value without hesitation. To test   the   quality   of   such   a   witness,   the   status   of   the   witness would be immaterial and what would be more relevant would be the consistency of the statement right from the time when the witness makes the initial statement and ultimately before the Court.....The witness should be in a position to withstand the cross examination of any length and strenuous     it may be and under no circumstance should give room for any doubt as to FIR No. 181/2014, PS. Farsh Bazar Page 15 of 25 St. Vs. Vinod Paswan the factum of occurence, the person involved, as well as, the sequence of it...It should be akin to the test applied in the case of   circumstantial   evidence   where   they   should   not   be   any missing   link   in   the   chain   of   the   circumstances,   to   hold   the accused guilty of the offence alleged against him. ...To be more precise, the version of the said witness on the core spectrum of the   crime   should   remain   intact   while   all   other   attendant material namely, oral documentary and material objects should match   the   said   version   in   material   particulars   in   order   to enable the court trying the offence to rely on the core version to sieve."

27.  In   view   of   above   judgment,   totality   of   the   facts when considered, clearly reveals that statement of complainant cannot   be   stated   to   be   of   untruthful   witness   and   he  is   the witness of  first  category.  He was undoubtedly present at the spot and in coherent manner has described as to how the injury was caused on the person of the deceased.   Certain omissions here and there would not lead to a conclusion that the testimony of the complainant is unreliable.  

28. There is recovery of weapon of offence i.e knife FIR No. 181/2014, PS. Farsh Bazar Page 16 of 25 St. Vs. Vinod Paswan from the spot itself. The version of complainant that accused stabbed   deceased   in   his   neck   finds   corroboration   from   the postmortem report which says that injury no.1 i.e incised stab wound with clean margins measuring 2 cm x 0.2 cm x 5.2 cm present  almost  horizontally on left side neck, is sufficient to cause death in ordinary course of nature individually.   PW­8 Dr.   Arun   Kumar,   who   had   conducted   postmortem,   in   his subsequent   opinion   with   regard   to   weapon   of   offence,   has stated   that   injury   no.1   &   2   as   mentioned   in   PM   report   are possible   by   weapon   of   offence   i.e   knife   provided   for examination. Weapon of offence i.e knife has been identified in the court by complainant as well as other witnesses of recovery. Thus,   it   has   been   proved   on   record   that   the   murder   was committed with the same knife, which was seized from the spot and in the manner as deposed by complainant.

29.     The recovery of two quarter bottles of liquor and a beer   bottle   from   the   spot   also   supports   the   version   of complainant, who stated that on 01.03.2014, they all returned at the rented house at about 6.30 pm.   While he started taking beer,   accused   Vinod   Paswan,   Ajay   and   Raghuveer   started taking liquor.   Thus, the above recoveries combined with the FIR No. 181/2014, PS. Farsh Bazar Page 17 of 25 St. Vs. Vinod Paswan statement   of   complainant   makes   the   case   of   prosecution stronger and believable.

30. Now coming to the defence taken by accused.  The defence   has   taken   a   plea   of   enmity   between   deceased   and accused Vinod Paswan stating that deceased Ajay had built up a house   on   the   property   of   family   of   accused.     Any   previous enmity   between   deceased   and   accused   has   been   outrightly rejected by PW­1 during his cross­examination by Ld. Defence Counsel.     He even has deposed that no serious quarrel had taken place between them prior to incident.  No documentary or oral evidence has been adduced on record to prove that there was in fact, any enmity between deceased and accused, due to which he has been falsely implicated by the complainant, who is relative of deceased.  The contention of Ld. Defence Counsel that   complainant   is   relative   of   deceased   and   is   therefore,   an interested witness, cannot be a ground to reject his testimony.  

Reliance is placed upon the judgment of  Hon'ble Supreme court in Kartik Malhar Vs. State of Bihar, 1996 (1) SCC 614, wherein it was  held that " a close relative who is a natural witness cannot be regarded as an interested witness. The term ' interested ' postulates that the witness must have FIR No. 181/2014, PS. Farsh Bazar Page 18 of 25 St. Vs. Vinod Paswan some   direct   interest   in   having   the   accused   somehow   or   the other convicted for some animus or for some other reason."     In the instant case, defence has not been able to prove any enmity between complainant and accused and has also failed to prove that complainant has an interest adverse to that of accused,  as such, mere relationship of complainant with deceased does not disqualify him to depose as a witness and does not render his testimony unreliable.

31.  Defence   of   accused   that   he   was   not   living   with PW­1   Pramod   Paswan   and   deceased   at   the   time   of   incident stands contradicted by testimony of PW­2 Sh. Kishan Pal, who deposed   that   in   the   years   2014,   four   boys   namely   Vinod, Raghuveer   and   two   others,   names   of   whom   he   does   not remember,   were   living   as   tenants   in   the   back   portion   of   his house. He has identified accused Vinod Paswan as the person, who was his tenant. PW­2 is an independent public witness and has no concern with either party, hence there is no possibility of his suppressing the truth and telling a lie.   Thus, testimony of PW­2 Sh. Kishan Pal, completely discards the plea of accused that at the time of incident, he was not living with PW­1 and deceased.

FIR No. 181/2014, PS. Farsh Bazar Page 19 of 25 St. Vs. Vinod Paswan

32.  Another   defence   taken   by   accused   that   the gamchha   allegedly   used   by   complainant   for   putting   on   the wound of deceased, was not handed over to the police and no blood stains were found on the clothes of deceased is also not sustainable since complainant has nowhere stated that he ever tried to lift the deceased or to take him to the hospital. He rather stated that he did not provide any first aid to the deceased and that he had no medicine and tried to stop the blood by keeping his gamchha on the neck of deceased for about two minutes. Thus, there was no occasion for him to get his clothes blood stained.     Complainant   is   a   rickshaw   puller   and   cannot   be expected to behave like an educated person, who would have in such   circumstances   very   minutely   narrated   the   incident   and what   happened   thereafter,   in   detail,   to   the   police   or   would himself had handed over the articles, which could be connected with the case.  Thus, no­handing over of Gamchha to the police by complainant stands explained considering the background of complainant and the situation in which he was at that time.

33.    The conduct of accused in running away from the spot is also relevant to prove his guilt.   Accused immediately FIR No. 181/2014, PS. Farsh Bazar Page 20 of 25 St. Vs. Vinod Paswan after   committing   the   offence,   ran   away   and   could   not   be arrested since long.  He could be arrested after about two years of incident only when he was declared proclaimed offender. As such, the conduct of accused in itself is sufficient to prove that he was the person, who had in fact caused injuries on the person of deceased.

 

34. The case of the prosecution has been proved by the eyewitness   supported   by   the   medical   and   scientific   evidence and the other witnesses of prosecution.

35.  The   complainant/eye   witnesses   remained consistent on all aspects as discussed above, which shows that the incident did occur in his presence and that accused was the person, who committed the offence.  In view of all these facts, the evidence of the witness appears truthful and trustworthy. The prosecution thus, has proved that incident of stabbing took place   inside   the   four   corners   of   the   room,   where   deceased alongwith   accused   and   other   two   used   to   reside.  However, these facts taken per se make out a case u/s. 304 IPC and not U/s. 302 IPC. Reliance placed upon the judgment of Hon'ble Delhi High Court in 1995 (2) RCR, Bhagwan Das Vs. State.

FIR No. 181/2014, PS. Farsh Bazar Page 21 of 25 St. Vs. Vinod Paswan The facts of the said case as mentioned in para 6 at page no. 598   are   similar   to   the   facts   of   the   present   case   and   are reproduced hereunder:

" There is not even an iota of suggestions that the appellant had any motive to kill Sukh Lal or had any intention to cause his death.  She has pointed out that the occurrence had taken place in a very sudden manner.  The real purpose of the appellant and his co­accused was to somehow make Sukh Lal to gamble with them but Sukh Lal was not keen for gambling at that time because his two brothers had come and so he wanted to go back to his house and suddenly the appellant had taken out the knife and gave one stab blow at the back of the thigh of deceased and so the offence committed is under Section 304 Part II of Indian Penal Code."
  " That death was due to haemorrhage and shock resulting from injury to the said artery and the said injury was sufficient to cause death in ordinary course of nature."

  In the instant case, prosecution has failed to prove that   accused   had   any   motive   or   intention   to   cause   death   of deceased. No previous enmity or dispute between the deceased and accused could be proved.  The incident took place at the spur of the moment and nothing was pre­planned.   To impute FIR No. 181/2014, PS. Farsh Bazar Page 22 of 25 St. Vs. Vinod Paswan upon the accused, an intention to cause death of the deceased would  not  be  appropriate  as  the  evidence  of   the prosecution does not suggest this. PW­1 complainant has deposed that after taking liquor, accused Vinod Paswan asked Ajay to cook food, for which he refused saying that he was not his servant and both entered into a scuffle.  In the said scuffle, Ajay caught the shirt of accused Vinod Paswan and accused Vinod stabbed Ajay with knife   in   his   neck,   due   to   which   Ajay   started   bleeding.   The deposition of complainant shows that accused stabbed deceased in a sudden quarrel and in a fit of anger while he was under the influence of liquor only when deceased refused to cook for him. Accused   thus,   did   not   intend   to   cause   such   injury   to   the deceased   as   would   have   resulted   in   his   death   as   per   the requirement of section 300 IPC.  Going by the judgment cited above,   the   accused   having   caused   injury   on   the   person   of accused, which resulted into his death at the spur of moment, did not commit his murder and is not liable under section 302 IPC.  The offence committed in this case is u/s. 304 part II IPC having been caused with the knowledge that the act may result into   the   death,   which   ultimately   occurred.     Accused   is accordingly convicted u/s.304 part II IPC.    

FIR No. 181/2014, PS. Farsh Bazar Page 23 of 25 St. Vs. Vinod Paswan

36.  Coming   to   the   charge   u/s.   174­A   IPC   framed against   accused,   PW­16   SI   Savai   Lal,   who   had   executed process   u/s.   82   Cr.P.C   against   accused,   has   deposed   that   on 22.06.2014,   process   u/s.   82   Cr.P.C   against   accused   was entrusted to him. He deposed that he visited both the addresses of accused of accused i.e Village Basauli, PS. Bochaha, Distt. Mujaffarpur,   Bihar   and   500/20,   Gali   No.15,   Vishwas   Nagar, Shahdara and publicly read proclamation in both the localities. He also affixed copies of proclamation u/s. 82 Cr.P.C at both the addresses of accused and one copy at the notice board of the court   room.   He   has   proved   his   report   in   this   regard   as Ex.PW16/A.    In his cross­examination by Ld. Defence Counsel, he has stated that when he reached the village of accused, he made arrival entry in the local Police Station Bochaha.  He even deposed that wife and father of accused met him and he also got their photographs. The permanent address of accused on which the   process   u/s.   82   Cr.P.C   has   been   executed,   is   the   same address, which has also been given by accused in his statement recorded   u/s.   313   Cr.P.C.       He   has   not   taken   any   specific defence   in  reply   to  question   no.19   of   his   statement   u/s.   313 Cr.P.C, wherein it was stated that he concealed his presence and FIR No. 181/2014, PS. Farsh Bazar Page 24 of 25 St. Vs. Vinod Paswan proclamation   at   the   aforesaid   two   addresses   was   executed against him. He simply stated " it is incorrect".  In the absence of any specific plea taken by accused, from the statement of PW­16 SI Savai Lal, it is proved that process u/s. 82 Cr.P.C has been duly executed against accused at the address at which he was residing, he, however, intentionally evaded his arrest.  In view of above,  accused is also held guilty u/s. 174­A IPC.  Let accused be heard at the point of sentence.

SANJEEV KUMAR MALHOTRA Announced in the open court  Digitally signed by SANJEEV KUMAR MALHOTRA on 05.08.2017 Date: 2017.08.05 15:32:25 +0530      (Sanjeev Kumar Malhotra)         ASJ/FTC/E­COURT Shahdara/KKD/Delhi FIR No. 181/2014, PS. Farsh Bazar Page 25 of 25 St. Vs. Vinod Paswan