Rajasthan High Court - Jaipur
Narayan And Ans vs State on 7 May, 2012
Author: Dalip Singh
Bench: Dalip Singh
IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE FOR RAJASTHAN AT JAIPUR BENCH, JAIPUR JUDGMENT D.B.CRIMINAL APPEAL NO.1176/2003 Narayan & Anr. VERSUS State of Rajasthan. D.B.CRIMINAL APPEAL UNDER SECTION 374 CR.P.C. AGAINST THE JUDGMENT DATED 25.07.2003 PASSED BY SHRI KEDAR LAL GUPTA, R.H.J.S., ADDITIONAL SESSIONS JUDGE (FAST TRACK) NO.5, BUNDI IN SESSIONS CASE NO.31/2003 WHEREBY THE ACCUSED APPELLANTS HAVE BEEN CONVICTED AND SENTENCED FOR THE OFFENCE UNDER SECTION 302/34, 450/34 AND 323/34 I.P.C. Date of Judgment. : May 7, 2012. PRESENT HON'BLE MR.JUSTICE DALIP SINGH HON'BLE MR.JUSTICE S.S.KOTHARI Mr.A.K.Gupta ] Mr.Saurabh Arya] for the appellant. Mr.Javed Choudhary, Public Prosecutor.
ORAL: (PER HON'BLE DALIP SINGH, J) This appeal has been filed by the two appellants namely Narayan son of Bardhilal and Dwarka Lal son of Narayan who have been convicted by the learned Additional Sessions Judge (Fast Track) No.5, Bundi in Sessions Case No.31/2003 for the offence under Section 302/34 I.P.C. and sentenced to undergo life imprisonment and a fine of Rs.5,000/-; in default of payment of fine, to further undergo two months simple imprisonment. In addition, both the accused appellants have also been convicted for the offence under Section 450/34 I.P.C. and sentenced to undergo five years rigorous imprisonment and a fine of Rs.2,000/-;in default of payment of fine to further undergo one months simple imprisonment. In addition to the above, both the accused appellants have also been convicted for the offence under Section 323/34 I.P.C. and sentenced to undergo six months rigorous imprisonment and a fine of Rs.500/-; in default of payment of fine to further undergo fifteen days simple imprisonment.
After the appeal was filed, this court suspended the sentence of the appellant No.1 Narayan son of Birdhilal vide order dated 13.10.2004 and released him on bail whereas the appellant No.2 Dwarka Lal son of Narayan is in jail.
The brief facts, giving rise to the present appeal are that on 01.09.2002 PW-7 Dhanna Lal lodged a report (Exhibit P-24) at Police Station Keshorai Patan alleging therein that on 01.09.2002 at about 7:30 PM he was sitting in the temple in village Madhorajpura. At that time PW-13 Ramlal and PW-10 Rameshwar and one Shivji came to meet Hariram Baba and told him that there had been some altercation between them and Narayan, accused appellant No.1, with regard to a piece of land at the drain. While they were sitting Narayan, accused appellant No.1, armed with a stick along with Dwarkalal son of Narayan and Devkaran also son of Narayan came inside the temple and inquired from Baba Haridas (deceased) as to how he had given their land to the school. It was stated that Narayan and Devkaran were armed with sticks whereas Dwarka was armed with a dhariya (sharp edged weapon). All of a sudden, they attacked Baba Haridas and caused several injuries to his head and other parts of the body. After receiving the injuries Baba Haridas fell down. Ramlal tried to intervene and also sustained injuries. After giving beating the accused persons ran away. When Dhannalal and others checked upon Baba Haridas, they found that Baba Haridas had died. They brought him to the hospital at Keshorai Patan and his body is lying in the hospital. On the above written report (Exhibit P-24), the police registered an FIR No.332/2002 for the offence under Section 302 and 323/34 I.P.C. and started investigation. The FIR is Exhibit P-25. After completing the investigation, the police filed challan against the accused persons. It has been brought to our notice that Devkaran son of Narayan was a juvenile and, therefore, he was dealt with under the provisions of Juvenile Justice Act, 2000. After the challan was filed the case was committed and charges were framed against the accused appellants for the offence under Section 450/34, 302/34 and 323/34 I.P.C. The accused appellants denied the charges and sought trial.
During the trial, the prosecution examined as many as 15 witnesses and adduced 33 documents in evidence. The learned trial court also recorded the statements of the accused appellants under Section 313 Cr.P.C. In defence, Narayan appellant No.1 appeared as DW-1. The defence also exhibited nine documents in support of their case.
After concluding the trial, the learned trial court after hearing the matter by the impugned judgment dated 25.07.2003 convicted the accused appellants for the offence under Section 450/34, 323/34 and 302/34 I.P.C., as mentioned hereinabove.
Being aggrieved by the aforesaid judgment dated 25.07.2003 passed by the learned trial court, the accused appellants have submitted this appeal before this court.
The submission of the learned counsel Mr.A.K.Gupta appearing on behalf of the accused appellants is that the present one is a case of sudden quarrel, as has been brought out in the evidence of the prosecution itself and, therefore, the question of common intention on the part of the accused persons to commit the murder of the deceased Baba Haridas cannot be inferred. It has further been submitted that as admitted by the prosecution witnesses themselves the deceased Baba Haridas had inflicted injuries upon the accused appellant No.1 Narayan with a kulhari (axe) on the head and it is only thereafter that the accused persons are said to have inflicted blows on the deceased Baba Haridas. He, therefore, submitted that the case against the accused persons was covered by Exception-4 to Section 300 I.P.C. It is submitted that in any event, in the facts and circumstances of the present case, there can be no inference of common intention and the accused persons could not have been convicted for the offence under Section 302 with the aid of Section 34 I.P.C. and each of the accused appellants shall have to be dealt with for their individual action.
As against the aforesaid contentions of the learned counsel Mr.A.K.Gupta, the learned Public Prosecutor has supported the judgment of the learned trial court and submitted that the learned trial court had rightly given a finding that the accused persons who had come armed to the temple where Baba Haridas was residing and started giving beating to the deceased. It was submitted that the fact that the accused persons had come armed only goes to show that they had come with the common intention of committing murder of the deceased Baba Haridas. He, therefore, submitted that the defence theory of the case being one of sudden quarrel is not made out from the prosecution evidence, as sought to be contended by the learned counsel for the accused appellants. The learned Public Prosecutor pointed out that in the instant case the fact that repeated blows with the sharp edged weapon-Dhariya were given by the accused clearly suggests that the case does not fall within the Exception-IV to Section 300 I.P.C. The fact that repeated blows were inflicted by the sharp edged weapon and the nature of injuries which were caused clearly go to show that the intention on the part of the accused persons was clearly to commit murder of Baba Haridas and the blows were inflicted and the injuries were caused with the intent to commit murder being fully aware that such injuries are dangerous to life and are likely to cause death.
We have given our thoughtful consideration to the aforesaid contentions. As far as the prosecution evidence is concerned, the report (Exhibit P-25) lodged by PW-7 Dhannalal is very categorical. In the report PW-7 Dhannalal has stated that he was sitting in the temple in village Madhorajpura on 01.09.2002 at about 7:30 in the evening with Haridasji Maharaj (the deceased). At that time PW-13 Ramlal and PW-10 Rameshwar and one Shivji Dhakar who has not been examined by the prosecution came to Haridasji Maharaj and told him that with regard to the land there had been an altercation between these three persons and Narayan, the accused at the drain. While they were discussing the issue with the deceased Baba Haridas, the accused appellant No.1 Narayan along with his sons Dwarka-accused appellant No.2 and Devkaran came to the temple. It has been stated that Narayan was armed with a stick while Dwarka was armed with a dhariya and Devkaran was armed with a stick. They came to Baba Haridas and enquired from him as to who he was to give their land for the school and so saying all three of them started giving beating to Baba Haridas. It has been stated in the report that the beating was given with the intention to kill Baba Haridas and the injuries were inflicted on his head and back. It was also stated that Baba fell down on floor. They tried to intervene and PW-13 Ramlal was injured while trying to intervene. This witness Dhannalal, the author of the report, has been examined by the prosecution as PW-7. During the examination in court he has been declared hostile by the learned Public Prosecutor and was allowed to be cross examined. He has stated that he was at the temple but he was standing outside and as such he could not see as to what exactly happened in the temple. The relevant portion of the statement in examination-in-chief reads as follows:-
"??? ???? ??? ?? ? ???????? ???? ????? ?? ??? ?? ??? ????? ?? ??????, ?????, ???????? ? ?????? ?????? ?? ??? ???????? ?? ?? | ??? ?? ??? ?? ????? ????? ???? ???? ??? ???? ??? ???? ?? ?? ??? ?? | Thus, PW-7 Dhannalal denies having witnessed the incident and as to who inflicted what injury on the person of the deceased Baba Haridas. As such his testimony is not of much assistance to the prosecution.
The other two witnesses who have been examined as eye witnesses by the prosecution are PW-10 Rameshwar and PW-13 Ramlal whose presence has been admitted by PW-7 Dhannalal, author of the FIR.
Learned counsel for the accused appellants has laid great stress upon the testimony of PW-10 Rameshwar and contended that the accused did not inflict the blows on Baba Haridas till such time the deceased Baba Haridas inflicted blows with an axe on the head of Narayan-accused appellant No.1. Learned counsel for the accused appellants relied upon the following portion of statement of PW-10 which reads as follows:-
".....??? ??? ???? ??? ?????? ? ?????????? ? ?????? ??? ????? ?? ? ?? ?? ??? ?? ???? ???? ?? ?????? ?? ????? ??? ??? ?? ?? ?????? ???? ?????? ?? ??? ?????? ???? ?? ?? | ??? ?????? ?? ?? ????????? ?? ?????? ?? ?? ????? ?????? ?? ???? ??? ??? |.....
On the basis of the above, it was stated that the prosecution has not declared this witness as hostile and his testimony must be accepted as stated by him. It was the contention that the deceased had inflicted blows upon the head of the accused appellant No.1 Narayan with an axe and it is only thereafter that Dwarka inflicted the blows with dhariya on the deceased Baba Haridas. In order to support the above contention, learned counsel further pointed out from the statement of PW-10 Rameshwar where he has stated soon after the above narration as follows:-
"?????? ?? ??????? ??? ?? ?????? ?? ?? ??? ???? ?? ???? ? ????? ???? ?? ???? | ??? ???? ?????? ???? ??? ?? | On the basis of the above testimony, it was contended by learned counsel Mr.Gupta that not until Baba Haridas had inflicted the injuries upon the accused appellant No.1 Narayan on the head with an axe that the accused appellant No.2 Dwarka caused any injury on the deceased Baba Haridas and only after seeing his father having been injured did the appellant No.2 Dwarka inflict the blows with a dhariya on the deceased Baba Haridas.
On the basis of the aforesaid story, we find, as has been accepted by PW-13 Ramlal who in his cross examination has admitted as follows:-
"???. ??? ?? ?????? ?? ??? ?????? ???? ?? ?? | ???? ?? ??? ????????? ?? | ????? ???????? ???? | We, therefore, find that the prosecution witnesses have admitted the fact that the deceased Baba Haridas did in fact first cause injuries to the accused appellant No.1 Narayan and that Baba Haridas caused these injuries by kulhari, as stated by PW-10 Rameshwar and PW-13 Ramlal who are the only eye witnesses apart from PW-7 Dhanna Lal who has been declared hostile and who has stated that he has not seen anything as he was stating outside the temple and then accused appellant No.2 Dwarka caused the injuries to the deceased. So far as earlier injuries caused by Narayan with a stick are concerned, they are simple and caused by blunt weapon.
Having given our thoughtful consideration to the above prosecution evidence, we find that even as per the prosecution case there had been some altercation between PW-13 Ramlal and the accused persons at the drain. Thereafter the prosecution witnesses PW-10 Rameshwar and PW-13 Ramlal and one Shivji Dhakar came to the temple of Baba Haridas (the deceased) and were telling him about the incident which happened earlier in the day. It is at that point of time that the accused appellant No.1 Narayan and his two sons Dwarka-accused appellant No.2 and Devkaran came on the spot. There was some exchange of words between the accused and the deceased regarding giving of the land belonging to the accused for the purposes of a school and questioning the authority of the deceased Baba Haridas to give their land for the purpose of the school. It appears that during this confrontation and exchange of words, some beating was given to Baba Haridas by Narayan accused appellant with a stick. Baba Haridas, as has been admitted by two eye witnesses PW-10 Rameshwar and PW-13 Ramlal picked up an axe and inflicted the injuries on the head of the accused appellant No.1 Narayan. When Dwarka-accused appellant No.2 saw his father being beaten by an axe by the deceased, he inflicted injuries on the deceased Baba Haridas. A perusal of the Post Mortem Report (Exhibit P-31) and in the injuries of the deceased go to show that the deceased Baba Haridas had received seven injuries out of which injury Nos.1, 4, 5 and 6 were caused by sharp edged weapon. These four injuries if had been inflicted before the deceased Baba Haridas picked up the axe and inflicted blows on the accused appellant No.1 Narayan, the deceased Baba Haridas would not have been in any position to cause any injury to the accused appellant No.1 Narayan. The injuries which have been caused by sharp edged weapon-dhariya which is said to have been carried by Dwarka the appellant No.2, as mentioned in the Exhibit P-31, the post mortem report are as follows:-
1. Sharp wound 9 cm x 4 cm bony deep upto vertebra cutting of 4,5 thoracic vertebra spinal cord cut. Rib cut lung tissue cut wedge shaped extending toward left side from mid line.
4. Sharp wound 3 cm above from left eyebrow. Frontal bone # (size 3 cm x 1 cm). Brain matter coming out.
5. Sharp wound 4 cm x 2 cm on the parietal bone left side muscle deep No.# of bone.
6. Sharp wound 4 cm x 1 cm pinna of external ear cut (left).
In the opinion of the Doctor the cause and manner of death has been stated to be due to head injury and injury of vertebral column, lung tissue.
We, therefore, find from the evidence that as per the prosecution case the accused persons came armed then there was heated arguments on the land dispute and this resulted in giving beating to the deceased Baba Ramdas with sticks which was carried by Narayan. The injuries which had been caused to the deceased by the accused appellant No.1 Narayan who possessed a blunt weapon (stick), as per the prosecution case had caused injury Nos.2, 3 and 7. As per the Post Mortem Report (Exhibit P-31) the injury No.2 is a bruise in the lower region on left side, the injury No.3 is a lacerated wound on the left forearm near wrist joint and the injury No.7 is a bruise on the left epigastric region.
It, therefore, appears that the initial assault was by the accused Narayan with the help of the stick and he caused three injuries, which were only simple in nature by blunt weapon. This leads one to infer that it was not the intention of the accused persons to commit murder of the deceased Baba Haridas till such time as Baba Haridas did not retaliate with the axe by inflicting the injuries on the accused appellant No.1 Narayan which was proved vide Exhibit D-3-the injury report of Narayan which shows he has three injuries and there was a fracture of frontal bone which was described as sharp, grievous and dangerous to life in the ordinary course of nature. Once these injuries were inflicted by the deceased to the accused appellant No.1 Narayan, then alone it appears that Dwarka inflicted dhariya blows to the deceased which have resulted in the death of Baba Haridas. From the above, we are of the view that no doubt the accused persons came armed to the temple where the deceased was staying but there was initially only exchange of words and arguments about giving away the land belonging to the accused for the school which led to inflicting of injuries with the sticks initially by accused Narayan, which are simple in nature and only when the deceased retaliate by inflicting axe blows on the accused appellant No.1 Narayan which is grievous and dangerous to life, did the accused appellant No.2 Dwarka retaliate by inflicting dhariya blows on the deceased. This is clearly borne out from the testimony of PW-10 Rameshwar who has stated that Maharaj Haridas inflicted a kulhari blow on Narayan on his head and then Dwarkalal inflicted the dhariya blows on the chest and on the head of the deceased Baba Haridas as a result of which Baba Haridas fell down.
We would, therefore, agree with the contention of the learned counsel for the accused appellant that evidence of the prosecution itself goes to show that the accused persons had not come to the temple where Baba Haridas was with the intention of committing the murder of the deceased and it was only after Baba Haridas inflicted the head injuries to Narayan, which are proved from Exhibit D-3, the injury report of the Narayan which shows that the deceased has caused grievous injuries on the vital part of the body of Narayan i.e. on his head, that infuriated the accused appellant No.2 Dwarkalal to cause injury to the deceased. In the case of sudden quarrel, it has been held by the Honble Supreme Court in the case of Munir Khan Vs. State of U.P. reported in AIR 1971 SC 335 as follows:-
4. In effect the learned trial judge accepted the defence version that it was the complainant's party which started abusing the appellant's party as a result of which a sudden fight developed in front of the second gate of the appellant's cycle stand. On the facts found by the trial Court, it follows clearly that there was a mutual fight between the parties. In that view, the trial Court was not justified in convicting any of the accused by having recourse to Section 149 I.P.C. In a mutual fight, there is no common object. But the trial Court arrived at the conclusion that the appellant was one of the persons who stabbed the deceased Anwarul Hasan. It did not give any finding as regards the nature of the injuries caused by the appellant.
5. In appeal the learned appellate judge on the erroneous basis that in the First Information Report, there is no reference to the appellant's stabbing Anwarul Hasan, acquitted the appellant under Section 304(I) I.P.C., but sustained his conviction under Section 307/149 and Section 323/149 I.P.C. We have gone through the First Information Report. Therein it is clearly stated that the appellant was one of the persons who stabbed Anwarul Hasan; but there is no evidence as to the nature of the injury caused by him. We have earlier come to the conclusion that injuries to deceased were caused during the course of a mutual fight. Hence on the basis of the evidence on record, the appellant can be convicted only under Section 324 I.P.C. His convictions under Section 307/149 I.P.C. as well as under Section 323/149 I.P.C. are clearly unsustainable.
(Emphasis supplied.) It being a sudden mutual fight the common intention without any other evidence cannot be inferred. Nor is there any case of exhortation to suggest that Narayan exhorted Dwarka to kill the Baba who had inflicted the head injury with an axe to Narayan.
In the case of sudden quarrel, as in this case, when initially the dispute started with the exchange of words and arguments over how the deceased Baba Haridas had given the land of the accused persons for the purpose of school and when the argument continued which resulted in an altercation whereby the accused appellant No.1 Narayan inflicted blows with the stick which he was carrying upon the deceased and the deceased retaliated with an axe by inflicting kulhari blows on the head of Narayan causing grievous hurts which was found to be dangerous to life and on the vital part of the body as a result of which the accused appellant No.2 Dwarkalal son of Narayan seeing his father injured retaliated by inflicting dhariya blows on the deceased. The common intention cannot be inferred to convict both the accused appellants but they shall have to be dealt with for their own individual acts.
As we have held above, the accused appellant No.2 Dwarka had not inflicted any injury to the deceased before the deceased inflicted the blows with an axe upon Narayan as such it would be appropriate in the facts and circumstances of the present case to hold that the accused appellants did not come with the intention to commit murder of the deceased and it was only as a result of sudden quarrel after the deceased inflicted the blows with the axe to the accused appellant No.1 Narayan that the accused appellant No.2 Dwarka inflicted the blows with dhariya on the deceased Baba Haridas.
As a consequence of the above, we would now examine as to what was the offence committed by each of the accused appellants. Even as per the prosecution case the accused appellant No.1 Narayan was only carrying a stick and the three injuries which were received by the deceased Baba Haridas by blunt weapon had not been described to be grievous or on any vital part of the body and are simple in nature. Thus, so far as the accused appellant No.1 Narayan is concerned, for his role of inflicting simple injuries with a stick as stated in the testimony of PW-10 Rameshwar and PW-13 Ramlal, he could only be said to be guilty of the offence under Section 323 I.P.C.
As far as the accused appellant No.2 Dwarka is concerned, we find that he too did not come with the intention of committing the murder of the deceased Baba Haridas. He accompanied his father-accused appellant No.1 Narayan with intention of telling Baba Haridas that he had no right to hand over their ancestral land for the purposes of the school. It was only after he saw Baba Haridas inflicting the blows with an axe to his father-accused appellant No.1 Narayan that he as per the testimony of PW-10 Rameshwar inflicted blows with the dhariya on the deceased. This was a sudden reaction on the part of the accused appellant No.2 Dwarka Lal and the injuries were not caused with any intention to commit the murder of the deceased Baba Haridas. We would, therefore, hold accused appellant No.2 Dwarka Lal guilty for the offence under Section 304 Part-II I.P.C.
Both the accused appellants have also been convicted for the offence under Section 450 read with Section 34 I.P.C. As we have held above, that there was no common intention shared by the accused appellants, therefore, the conviction of the appellants with the aid of Section 34 I.P.C. cannot be maintained. However, there is no doubt that both the accused persons entered upon the premises of the deceased which would amount to criminal trespass within the meaning of Section 441 I.P.C. As has been held hereinabove, there was no common intention or intention on the part of the accused persons to commit the offence of murder which is punishable with imprisonment for life, as held hereinabove. Thus, so far as the conviction under Section 450 I.P.C. is concerned, in the facts and circumstances of this case cannot be maintained and instead we would alter the conviction to one under Section 451 I.P.C. and reduce the sentence awarded by the learned trial court to that of two years R.I. while maintaining the fine of Rs.2,000/- and in default of payment of fine to further undergo one month's simple imprisonment, as awarded by the learned trial court.
Accordingly, this appeal filed by the accused appellants stand partly allowed. The accused appellant No.1 Narayan is on bail. He had been arrested on 24.09.2002 and remained in judicial custody during trial. He was released on bail by suspending the sentence by this court vide order dated 13.10.2004. He has been convicted by this court for the offence under Section 323 I.P.C. for which he had been sentenced to six months rigorous imprisonment by the learned trial court with a fine of Rs.500/-. The said sentence awarded to the accused appellant No.1 Narayan is maintained and his sentence upon being convicted for the offence under Section 451 I.P.C. is awarded two years rigorous imprisonment with a fine of Rs.2,000/- and in default of payment of fine to further undergo one month's simple imprisonment. In case the accused appellant No.1 Narayan has served his sentence, he shall not surrender to the bail bonds. However, his bail bonds and surety bonds shall remain in force for a period for six months, as required by Section 437-A I.P.C.
So far as the accused appellant No.2 Dwarka Lal is concerned, his appeal is also partly allowed. His conviction under Section 302 I.P.C. is altered to one under Section 304 Part-II I.P.C., as indicated hereinabove and sentenced to the period already undergone. His appeal against the conviction under Section 450/34 I.P.C. is also partly allowed and his conviction is altered to that of Section 451 I.P.C. and sentenced to two years rigorous imprisonment with a fine of Rs.2,000/- and in default of payment of fine to further undergo one month's simple imprisonment. He is in jail and shall be liable to be released forthwith, if not required in any other case on the condition that he shall submit a personal bond in the sum of Rs.20,000/- with two sureties in the sum of Rs.10,000/- each to the satisfaction of the learned trial court to fulfill the requirement of the provisions of Section 437-A Cr.P.C.
This appeal accordingly stands partly allowed, as aforesaid.
(S.S.KOTHARI),J. (DALIP SINGH),J. Certificate: All corrections made in judgment/order have been incorporated in the judgment/order being emailed. Solanki DS, P.A.