Patna High Court
Ram Niranjan Choudhary vs State Of Bihar Thru.Cbi on 24 July, 2014
Author: V.N. Sinha
Bench: V.N. Sinha
IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT PATNA
(Against the judgment dated 12.08.2009, passed by Additional
Sessions Judge-III, Patna, in Sessions Trial No. 613 of 2002,
arising out of Gardanibagh (Shastri Nagar) P.S. Case No.
336/98)
Criminal Appeal (DB) No.878 of 2009
===================================================
Rajan Tiwari S/O Vishwajeevan Tripathy, resident of Village-
Sohgaura, P.S.- Gagaha, Town and District- Gorakhpur, Uttar
Pradesh
.... .... Appellant
Versus
The State of Bihar through C.B.I.
.... .... Respondent
with
Criminal Appeal (DB) No. 874 of 2009
==================================================
Vijay Kumar Shukla @ Munna Shukla, son of Late Ramdas
Shukla, resident of Village- Khanjahachak, P.S.- Lalganj,
District- Vaishali
.... .... Appellant
Versus
The State of Bihar through C.B.I.
.... .... Respondent
with
Criminal Appeal (DB) No. 865 of 2009
==================================================
Mantu Tiwari, son of Paras Nath Tiwari, resident of Village-
Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 2
Kudarkat, Police Station- Chhauradano, District- East
Champaran at Motihari.
.... .... Appellant
Versus
The State of Bihar
.... .... Respondent
with
Criminal Appeal (DB) No. 859 of 2009
===================================================
Lallan Singh, son of Ram Balak Singh, resident of Village-
Shankarwar Tola, Mokama, P.S.- Mokama, District- Patna.
.... .... Appellant
Versus
The State of Bihar through the C.B.I..
.... .... Respondents
with
Criminal Appeal (DB) No. 898 of 2009
==================================================
Captan Sunil Singh, son of Ram Bilash Singh, resident of
Mohalla- Chandmari Road, P.S. Kankarbagh, District- Patna
.... .... Appellant
Versus
The State of Bihar through the C.B.I
.... .... Respondent
with
Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 3
Criminal Appeal (DB) No. 871 of 2009
==================================================
Ram Niranjan Choudhary, son of Rajendra Choudhary,
resident of Village- Bhagwanpur, P.S- Bhagwanpur, Distt-
Begusarai
.... .... Appellant
Versus
The State of Bihar through C.B.I.
.... .... Respondent
with
Criminal Appeal (DB) No. 825 of 2009
==================================================
Suraj Bhan Singh @ Suraj Singh @ Surja, son of Late Ram
Nandan Singh, resident of Village- Shankarwar Tola, Mokama,
P.S.- Mokama, District- Patna.
.... .... Appellant
Versus
The State of Bihar through the C.B.I..
.... .... Respondent
with
Criminal Appeal (DB) No. 899 of 2009
=================================================
Mukesh Singh, son of Laddu Singh, resident of Village-
Shankarwar Tola, Mokama, P.S.-Mokama, District- Patna
.... .... Appellant
Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 4
Versus
The State of Bihar through the C.B.I.
.... .... Respondent
with
Criminal Appeal (DB) No. 778 of 2009
==================================================
Shashi Kumar Rai, son of late Suraj Rai, resident of Village-
Sadhadambar, P.S. Motipur, District- Muzaffarpur at present
resident of 11- Birchand Patel Marg, P.S. Kotwali, District-
Patna.
.... .... Appellants
Versus
The State of Bihar through C.B.I.
.... .... Respondent
===========================================================
Appearance :
(In CR. APP (DB) No. 878 of 2009)
For the Appellant : Mr. Surendra Singh, Senior Advocate.
Mr. Dr.Abhishek Priyadarshi, Advocate.
(In CR. APP (DB) No. 874 of 2009)
For the Appellant : Mr. Ajay Kumar Thakur, Advocate.
Mr. Sunil Kumar, Advocate.
(In CR. APP (DB) No. 865 of 2009)
For the Appellant : Mr. K.P. Singh, Senior Advocate.
Mr. Ram Binay Singh, Advocate.
Ms. Jyotsana Kumari, Advocate.
(In CR. APP (DB) No. 859 of 2009)
For the Appellant : Mr. Akhileshwar Prasad Singh, Senior
Advocate.
Mr. Raj Kumar, Advocate.
(In CR. APP (DB) No. 898 of 2009)
For the Appellant : Mr. Raj Kumar, Advocate.
Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 5
(In CR. APP (DB) No. 871 of 2009)
For the Appellant : Mr. Mithilesh Kumar Rai, Advocate
(In CR. APP (DB) No. 825 of 2009)
For the Appellant : Mr. Surendra Singh, Senior Advocate.
Mr. Raj Kumar, Advocate.
(In CR. APP (DB) No. 899 of 2009)
For the Appellant : Mr. Akhileshwar Prasad Singh, Senior
Advocate.
Mr. Raj Kumar, Advocate.
(In CR. APP (DB) No. 778 of 2009)
For the Appellant : Mr. Md. Sufiyan, Advocate.
===================================================
For the C.B.I. in all
the appeals : Mr. Sidharth Luthra, ASG, Sr.
Advocate.
Mr. Bipin Kumar Sinha, Standing
Counsel, C.B.I.
Ms. Supriya Juneja, Advocate.
Mr. Sunil Kumar Ravi, Advocate.
Mr. Shashi Shankar Kumar Prasad,
Advocate.
==========================================================
CORAM: HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE I. A. ANSARI
and
HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE V.N. SINHA
C.A.V. JUDGMENT
(Per: HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE V.N. SINHA)
Date: 24-07-2014
V.N.Sinha,J. These nine appeals have been preferred
against the judgment dated 12.08.2009, passed by
Additional Sessions Judge-III, Patna, in Sessions Trial
Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 6
No. 613 of 2002, arising out of Gardanibagh (Shastri
Nagar) P.S. Case No. 336/98, whereunder the nine
accused, put on trial, have been convicted for different
offences. Accused No. 1, Suraj Bhan Singh @ Suraj
Singh @ Suraja, Appellant in Cr. Appeal (D.B.) No.825
of 2009 has been convicted for the offence punishable
under Section 302/34 read with Section 120B of the
Penal Code and sentenced to suffer imprisonment for
life as also to pay a fine of Rs. 20,000/- (Twenty
Thousand). Accused No. 2, Mukesh Singh, Appellant
in Cr. Appeal (D.B.) No. 899 of 2009 has been
convicted for the offence punishable under Sections
302/34, 307/34, 333/34, 355/34, 379/34 of the
Penal Code and Section 27 of the Arms Act and
sentenced to suffer imprisonment for life, Rigorous
Imprisonment for seven years with further direction to
pay fine of Rs. 20,000/- (Twenty Thousand) each
under Sections 302/34, 307/34 of the Penal Code. For
conviction under Section 333/34 he has been further
directed to suffer Rigorous Imprisonment for five years
with direction to pay fine of Rs. 20,000/- (Twenty
Thousand), for conviction under Section 355/34,
Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 7
379/34 of the Penal Code and Section 27 of the Arms
Act he has further been directed to suffer Rigorous
Imprisonment for 2, 1, 1 year respectively. Accused
Nos. 3, 4, 5, 6, 8 and 9 Lallan Singh, Mantu Tiwari,
Captain Sunil Singh, Ram Niranjan Choudhary, Vijay
Kumar Shukla @ Munna Shukla and Rajan Tiwari,
Appellant in Cr. Appeal (D.B.) No. 859 of 2009, 865 of
2009, 898 of 2009, 871 of 2009, 874 of 2009 and 878
of 2009 have been convicted for the offence punishable
under Section 302/34 read with Sections 120B,
307/34, 333/34, 355/34 and 379/34 of the Penal
Code and Section 27 of the Arms Act and directed to
suffer imprisonment for life under Section 302/34
read with Section 120B of the Penal Code with further
direction to pay fine of Rs. 20,000/- (Twenty
Thousand), under Section 307/34 of the Penal Code
they have been directed to suffer Rigorous
Imprisonment for seven years with further direction to
pay fine of Rs. 20,000/- (Twenty Thousand), under
Section 333/34 of the Penal Code they have been
directed to suffer Rigorous Imprisonment for five years
with further direction to pay fine of Rs. 20,000/-
Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 8
(Twenty Thousand) each, under Section 355/34,
379/34 of the Penal Code and Section 27 of the Arms
Act they have been directed to suffer Rigorous
Imprisonment for 2, 1, 1 year respectively. The
sentences imposed on the accused persons have been
directed to run concurrently without imposing any
default sentence for non-payment of fine. Accused No.
7 Shashi Kumar Rai, Appellant in Cr. Appeal (D.B.)
No. 778 of 2009 has been held guilty for the offence
punishable under Section 212 of the Penal Code and
directed to undergo Rigorous Imprisonment for two
years with further direction to pay fine of Rs. 10,000/-
(Ten thousand) with default sentence of Rigorous
Imprisonment for six months in the event fine is not
paid.
2. Prosecution case, as set out in the
fardbeyan of Amrendu Kumar Sinha (P.W. 10)
(Exhibit-50), recorded by S.S.P. Yadav, Inspector-cum-
Officer-in-Charge, Shastri Nagar Police Station, on
13.06.1998, at 21 hours is that informant, son of late Rishideo Narayan Prasad, resident of Bhawanipur Jirat, P.S. Chhitauni, District- East Champaran, Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 9 recorded his statement before the Inspector-cum- Officer-in-Charge, Shastri Nagar Police Station in I.G.I.M.S. campus, Sheikhpura, Patna on 13.06.1998, around 9:00 P.M. that he had come from home to the I.G.I.M.S. campus, Patna, on 13.06.1998, around 6:30 P.M., to meet the M.L.A of his area Sri Brij Bihari Prasad, who was admitted in the ward for treatment. At the time of his arrival, M/S. Arbind Singh (P.W. 13), Onkar Singh (not examined), Ram Nandan Singh (P.W.
12), Mahanth Ashwani Das (P.W. 25), Paras Nath Choudhary (P.W. 1) and 2-4 others were also present to meet the M.L.A. While the informant and other visitors were talking to the M.L.A., M.L.A. asked the visitors that they should accompany him outside the ward room for a stroll. Informant followed the M.L.A. from behind, while conversation about the affairs of the area was on, Informant, M.L.A. and others reached the open space meant for car parking in the I.G.I.M.S. campus around 8:15 P.M. covering a distance of 100- 150 metres. Informant, M.L.A. and other visitors taking stroll were also accompanied by the bodyguard of the M.L.A., Sri Lakshmeshwar Sah armed with Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 10 carbine, 2-3 sepoy, commando, armed with rifle. Armed bodyguard, sepoy(s), commandoes were all moving along with the M.L.A., either few steps ahead or behind, for providing security cover to the M.L.A. Meanwhile, one Sumo vehicle bearing Registration No. BR 1P-1818, followed by another white Ambassador car, number whereof could not be seen, as it stopped little behind at some distance, came from the southern main gate Bailey road side and stopped near the M.L.A. 20 steps ahead of him. Occupants of the two vehicles alighted therefrom, came near the M.L.A. From amongst the occupants of the two vehicles, informant identified (1). Bhupendra Nath Dubey (since deceased), (2). Accused No. 4 Mantu Tiwari, (3). Accused No. 8 Munna Shukla, (4). Sri Prakash Shukla (5). Accused No. 9 Rajan Tiwari, (6). Satish Pandey. Informant, however, could not identify 3-4 miscreants occuping the two vehicles, who could have been identified by others present along with the informant. Bhupendra Nath Dubey was armed with pistol, Mantu Tiwari was armed with stain-gun. All others were armed with pistol. All of a sudden, the miscreants Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 11 came near the M.L.A. and his bodyguard. Bhupendra Nath Dubey identified the M.L.A. Brij Bihari Prasad and abusively exhorted others to shoot him and himself fired shot from his pistol on the M.L.A. Mantu Tiwari also shot the M.L.A. from his stain-gun. Sri Prakash Shukla also shot at the M.L.A. from his pistol. Other accused persons, namely, Satish Pandey, Munna Shukla and Rajan Tiwari shot the bodyguard of the M.L.A. Sri Lakshmeshwar Sah. The M.L.A. and his bodyguard, having suffered fire-arm injury, fell down and collapsed. Even after the fall of the two, the miscreants continued with their indiscriminate firing on the two. Bhupendra Nath Dubey proclaimed that the M.L.A., his bodyguard have been killed, raised slogan in the name of Bajrangbali, took the stain-gun of the bodyguard, boarded the Ambassador car and moved in the southern direction. It has been claimed in the First Information Report that at the time of occurrence there was sufficient light, tube-lights were lit outside the hospital building in which the informant saw the assailants and recognized the miscreants. After departure of the miscreants, informant and Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 12 others came near the two injured and found them dead lying in a pool of blood. Information about the occurrence was given by the informant and others to the staff of the hospital. The hospital staff informed the Police Station, after arrival of the police party, informant recorded his statement. In the fardbeyan it is also stated that along with the informant and others Rabindra Bhagat (P.W. 14) was also present, suffered bullet injury on his left arm. In the fardbeyan it is also claimed that the incident has been committed by the accused persons after hatching conspiracy due to previous enmity. It is also stated in the fardbeyan that at the time of occurrence there was stampede in the I.G.I.M.S. campus and many of the attendents, present in the campus, ran away, leaving behind their shoe, sleepers. In the last paragraph of the fardbeyan, informant has claimed that the accused persons named in the fardbeyan along with others, having hatched conspiracy in a pre-planned manner, committed the murder of M.L.A. Sri Brij Bihari Prasad and his bodyguard Sri Lakshmeshwar Sah by shooting them down, after the death of bodyguard, his carbine Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 13 was also snatched. In the fardbeyan informant has also claimed that besides him others have also seen the incident and they may tell their version of the occurrence to the Investigating Officer. It also appears from the fardbeyan that its contents were read by the informant as also read over to him and having found the statement to be correct, informant put his signature over the fardbeyan at two places i.e. in the right hand margin of Page 2 and bottom of Page 4. Inspector-cum-Officer-in-Charge, Shastri Nagar Police Station having recorded the fardbeyan of the informant, returned to Shastri Nagar Police Station, forwarded the fardbeyan to the Officer-in-Charge, Gardanibagh Police Station to register First Information Report for the offences under Sections 302/307/34/120B/379 of the Penal Code and Section 27 of the Arms Act with further endorsement that he (Inspector-cum-Officer-in-Charge, Shastri Nagar Police Station) will investigate the case. In the light of the aforesaid endorsement of Inspector-cum-Officer-in- Charge of Shastri Nagar Police Station, over the fardbeyan of the informant (Exhibit-50), Gardanibagh Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 14 (Shastri Nagar) P.S. Case No. 336/98 dated 14.06.1998 (Exhibit-51) was registered on 14.06.1998 at 00:15 hrs. i.e. 12:15 A.M. for the offences under Sections 302/307/34/120B/379 of the Penal Code and Section 27 of the Arms Act with further endorsement that the investigation of the said case has already been taken over by Inspector-cum-Officer- in-Charge, Shastri Nagar Police Station, Sri S.S.P. Yadav. First Information Report of the case, however, reached the Chief Judicial Magistrate, Patna on 15.06.1998, as would appear from his endorsement on the margin of the fardbeyan (Exhibit-50).
3.Inspector-cum-Officer-in-Charge, Shastri Nagar Police Station, Sri S.S.P. Yadav continued with the investigation of the case until 14.07.1998 when he handed over investigation of the said case to Dy.S.P., Secretariat, Sri Shashi Bhushan Sharma (P.W. 54) in compliance of the instructions of the Senior Superintendent of Police, Patna, contained in Memo No. 1187/CR dated 14.06.1998.
4. Second Investigating Officer, Dy.S.P. Sri Shashi Bhushan Sharma (P.W. 54), having completed Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 15 the investigation, submitted charge-sheet No. 68 dated 30.10.1998 for the offences under Sections 302/307/379/353/333/120B of the Penal Code and Section 27 of the Arms Act against (1). Accused No. 1 Suraj Bhan Singh, (2). Accused No. 6 Ram Niranjan Choudhary, (3). Sunil Singh, son of late Ramakant Singh, (4). Sri Prakash Shukla @ Shiv Prakash Shukla @ Ashok Singh, (5). Anuj Pratap Singh @ Anuj, (6). Sudhir @ Sudhir Tripathi indicating that Sl. Nos. 4 to 6 died on 22.09.1998, (7). Bhupendra Nath Dubey (absconder), (8). Accused No. 8 Munna Shukla @ Vijay Kumar Shukla (absconder), (9). Satish Pandey (absconder), (10). Accused No. 4 Mantu Tiwari (absconder), (11). Accused No. 9 Rajan Tiwari (absconder), (12). Accused No. 3 Lallan Singh (absconder), (13). Naga @ Brajesh (absconder), (14). Accused No. 2 Mukesh Singh (absconder) and (15). Accused No. 5 Captain Sunil @ Sunil Tiger (absconder).
5. The State Government of Bihar vide Home Police Department Notification No. 159 dated 07.03.1999 granted its consent for entrusting the Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 16 investigation of Gardanibagh (Shastri Nagar) P.S. Case No. 336/98 dated 14.06.1998 to the member of the Delhi Special Police Establishment. In the light of the said consent, Government of India, Department of Personnel and Training issued Notification No. 16 dated 07.04.1999, extending the powers and jurisdiction of the members of the Delhi Special Police Establishment to the whole of the State of Bihar for investigating aforesaid Gardanibagh (Shastri Nagar) P.S. Case No. 336/98 dated 14.06.1998.
6. In the light of the aforesaid notification of the Government of India, Department of Personnel and Training dated 07.04.1999, C.B.I. registered RC 4 (S)/99/C.B.I./SIC-IV dated 09.04.1999 (Exhibit-62/2) and entrusted its investigation to Sri R.S. Khatri, Dy.S.P., C.B.I., S.I.C-IV, New Delhi (P.W. 62). Having registered RC 4 (S)/99/C.B.I./SIC-IV, Investigating Officer of C.B.I. (P.W. 62) proceeded with further investigation of the case and submitted supplementary charge-sheet dated 08.11.2000 under Section 173(8) of the Cr.P.C. after obtaining permission from the Court in continuation of the earlier charge-sheet No. 68/98 Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 17 dated 03.10.1998 submitted by P.W. 54 against Accused No. 7 Shashi Kumar Rai with further request that he may also face trial along with other accused persons against whom earlier charge-sheet No. 68/98 dated 03.10.1998 was submitted. P.W. 62 submitted yet another supplementary charge-sheet dated 20.04.2000, against Raghunath Pandey but the trial against Raghunath Pandey could not proceed as he died. In the light of the charge-sheet submitted by P.W. 54 and P.W. 62, after supply of police papers to the accused persons put on trial, the case was committed to the Court of Sessions by the C.B.I. Magistrate. The trial Court framed charges against the nine accused persons, who pleaded not guilty and claimed to be tried.
7. In support of the charges framed, prosecution examined as many as 62 witnesses.
P.W. 1 Paras Nath Choudhary is the brother-in-law of the deceased. He was taking stroll along with the deceased and others at the time of occurrence and is an eye-witness of the occurrence.
P.W. 2 Shiya Sharan Ram served as Sub-
Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 18 Divisional Engineer (Vigilance) in the office of General Manager, B.S.N.L., Patna and has submitted report dated 29.10.1999 to the Investigating Officer of C.B.I. (P.W. 62) in response to his letter dated 09.09.1999 in connection with Land Line Nos. 32448, 34772 Mokama, subscribed in the name of Shravan Kumar Agrawal but according to prosecution installed in the house of Accused No. 1 in Shankarwa Tola, Mokama.
P.W. 3 Prem Shankar Mishra served as Personal Assistant to General Manager, Telecom, Muzaffarpur Sri Ashok Kumar Das in August, 1999. He has stated in his evidence that C.B.I. authority asked for print out of Land Line Nos. 261373, 267099. General Manager gave dictation of his report to the witness which he typed.
P.W. 4 Prakash Chandra Shukla served as Assistant Manager with Reliance Telecome in Patna during the period between October 1999-December 1999 and issued details of Mobile No. 9835022271, subscribed in the name of Accused No. 8 Vijay Kumar Shukla @ Munna Shukla.
P.W. 5 Lallan Prasad Choudhary served as Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 19 Reader in the office of D.I.G., Special Branch, Bihar, Patna in the year 1999 and made available copy of the fax message bearing No. 2802 dated 13.06.1998 to the officers of C.B.I. under receipt dated 22.07.1999.
P.W. 6 Surendra Prasad Singh served as Steno-cum-Sub-Inspector in the office of Deputy Inspector General of Police, Central Range, Patna in July, 1999, he handed over the documents concerning Brij Bihari Prasad murder case to the C.B.I. officials on 23rd July, 1999 as per their request and obtained receipt.
P.W. 7 Dr. Arbind Kumar Singh served as Tutor in the department of Forensic Medicine, P.M.C.H., Patna on 14.06.1998 and on that day at 12:30, 1:30 P.M. he conducted post mortem on the dead body of Lakshmeshwar Sah, Brij Bihari Prasad under written orders of the District Magistrate, Patna.
P.W. 8 Dr. Tarkeshwar Prasad Singh examined injured Rabindar Bhagat (P.W. 14) on 13.06.1998 at 9:30 P.M. and issued injury-report dated 08.08.1998 (Exhibit-10).
P.W. 9 Dinesh Chandra Rai served as Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 20 Literate Constable in New Police Line, Patna in August, 1998 and received from Havildar Keshri Singh of Shastri Nagar Police Station four 3 nought 3 rifle along with 158 rounds of ammunition of 3 nought 3 and two empty of 3 nought 3 cartridge on 20.08.1998 at 5:20 P.M. along with seizure-cum-production list, prepared under the signature of the Officer-in-Charge, Shastri Nagar Police Station, over which he also put his signature.
P.W. 10 Amrendu Kumar Sinha is the informant of the case.
P.W. 11 Amod Kumar is the Manager of Jai Mata Dee Travel Agency and has been declared hostile.
P.W. 12 Ram Nandan Singh is the neighbour of the deceased Brij Bihari Prasad as his house is situate 100-150 yards away from his house and as per the contents of the fardbeyan he was present at the time, place of occurrence. He has stated in Paragraph 2 of his Examination-in-Chief that he reached the place of occurrence on the date of occurrence after 1½ hour of the occurrence and has Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 21 been declared hostile.
P.W. 13 Arbind Singh is also named as an eye-witness of the occurrence in the fardbeyan. Witness has also admitted in his Examination-in-Chief that he was also present at the time of occurrence but stated in Paragraph 6 of his evidence that he could not identify any of the miscreants and was declared hostile.
P.W. 14 Rabindra Bhagat is the injured who suffered gun-shot injury in his left hand during the occurrence. He has stated that deceased Brij Bihari Prasad told him that Bhupendra Nath Dubey, Suraj Bhan Singh and Munna Shukla have hatched conspiracy to eliminate him. He has also been declared hostile.
P.W. 15 Kamakhya Narayan Singh is also an eye-witness of the occurrence but has been declared hostile.
P.W. 16 Bhola Prasad Premy is also an eye- witness of the occurrence but was declared hostile.
P.W. 17 Mritunjay Kumar Pandey has also been declared hostile.
Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 22 P.W. 18 Ram Mohan Prasad is a retired Dy.S.P., who examined four rifle and two empty cartridge, which were entrusted to the security personnel for protection of deceased Brij Bihari Prasad, sent to him for examination by Dy.S.P., Secretariat under letter dated 25.08.1998, addressed to the Sergeant Major, New Police Line, Patna, over which P.W. 18 having examined the fire-arm, submitted report dated 28.08.1998. From the report it appears that rifle bearing Butt No. 255, 1498 had mark of firing. Those rifles were marked as Exhibits- A, B. Two other rifles bearing Butt No. 987, 1523 (Exhibits- C, D) had no mark of firing.
P.W. 19 Binod Kumar Singh is also an eye-
witness of the occurrence who met Brij Bihari Prasad during walk but could not identify any of the assailants.
P.W. 20 Baleshwar Prasad Singh has stated in his evidence that he has been married to the daughter of Ram Das Shukla and Kaushlendra Kumar Shukla @ Chhotan Shukla, Awadhesh Kumar Shukla @ Bhutkun Shukla, Vijay Kumar Shukla @ Munna Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 23 Shukla and Lallan Prasad Shukla are his brother-in- laws. He further stated in his evidence that he had not stated before the Investigating Officer of C.B.I. on 29.09.1999 that Chhotan Shukla and Bhutkun Shukla were killed. He further stated that he has no information as to who killed the two and in conspiracy with whom. He further denied the suggestion that he ever stated before the C.B.I. Investigating Officer that Chhotan Shukla was killed on 4th December, 1994 by the henchmen of Brij Bihari Prasad while he was returning home after canvassing. The witness has been declared hostile by the prosecution.
P.W. 21 Jai Prakash Prasad served as Reader in the office of Superintendent of Police, Muzaffarpur on 04.10.1999 and handed over copy of First Information Report of Town P.S.Case No. 323/87 to Dy.S.P., C.B.I. over which he also put his signature and is a formal witness.
P.W. 22 Chin Mai Mitra served as General Manager, Telephone, Patna on 08.02.2000 and has proved the print out of Land Line Nos. 229158, 229462, 229041 and 231838.
Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 24 P.W. 23 Dr. U.S. Rai served as Medical Superintendent, I.G.I.M.S., Sheikhpura, Patna in July, 1999 and has issued Photostat copy of the relevant record of admission, medical treatment of Brij Bihari Prasad while he was admitted in I.G.I.M.S., Patna. From the treatment-chart (Exhibit- 25) it appears that Brij Bihari Prasad was admitted in I.G.I.M.S., Patna on 13.04.1998.
P.W. 24 Rama Devi is the wife of the deceased Brij Bihari Prasad.
P.W. 25 Mahanth Ashwani Das is an eye-
witness of the occurrence named in the fardbeyan.
P.W. 26 Anil Kumar Yadav is Ambulance Driver serving in the I.G.I.M.S., Sheikhpura, Patna, is a witness on the inquest report of Lakshmeshwar Sah. He also took his dead body to P.M.C.H. P.W. 27 Pradeep Ram served as Sweeper in P.M.C.H., Patna on 14.06.1998 and at the instance of policemen put his signature on the Panchnama, which was drawn with respect to the two dead bodies. The witness, however, is not aware about the identity of both the bodies.
Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 25
P.W. 28 Ashok Kumar Singh is the
proprietor of the Medicine Shop situate in the campus of I.G.I.M.S., Sheikhpura, Patna. At the time of occurrence he was present in his medicine shop. He is a witness to the stampede, which was created at the time of occurrence, but he could not identify any of the miscreants.
P.W. 29 Anuj Kumar is employee of the medicine-shop, was also present in the shop at the time of occurrence.
P.W. 30 Rajeev Kumar is a businessman and stated that he never subscribed Land Line No. 32772, yet bill for the said Land Line number was given to him, which he returned.
P.W. 31 is Rabindra Nath Yadav. He is a retired employee of B.S.N.L. and was on duty at the B.S.N.L. Telephone Booth, installed in the premises of I.G.I.M.S., Sheikhpura, Patna on 13.06.1998 between 3:00-10:00 P.M. In the same evening, he heard sound of gun-shot being fired between 8:00-8:30 P.M. and had also seen people running away. Later the witness learnt that Brij Bihari Prasad has been shot dead and Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 26 his statement was also recorded by the police.
P.W. 32 is Sone Lal. He has been declared hostile, as he categorically stated that he did not make any police statement in connection with Brij Bihari murder case that he and Lal Babu Choudhary had come to Beur Jail 2-3 days prior to the occurrence to meet Sanjay Singh and heard Accused No. 8 Munna Shukla, Accused No. 3 Lallan Singh and Accused No. 6 Ram Niranjan Choudhary conspiring with Accused No. 1 Suraj Bhan Singh for the murder of Brij Bihari Prasad.
P.W. 33 Keshri Prasad served as Havildar in Police Line, Patna on 20.08.1998 and in his presence six 3 nought 3 police rifle, 150 rounds of ammunition and two empty cartridges, were seized vide seizure-list (Exhibit-34), over which he also put his signature.
P.W. 34 Riyajuddin Ansari served as Civil Guard in the old building of I.G.I.M.S., Sheikhpura, Patna on 13.06.1998 and he has put his signature over the seizure-list which was prepared after the occurrence around 10:00 P.M. on 13.06.1998. Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 27 P.W. 35 Sushil Kumar Singh is a Civil Contractor, resident of Muzaffarpur, he has stated in evidence that he never made any statement before the Investigating Officer of the C.B.I. in connection with Brij Bihari murder case and has been declared hostile by the prosecution.
P.W. 36 Awadhesh Kumar Singh is a member of District Board, Vaishali. The witness served as Civil Contractor before being elected as member of the District Board and use to obtain civil contract work, either in his own name or in the name of Raj Kumar Mishra. Raj Kumar Mishra suffered unnatural death, as his dead body was found thrown. He has also stated that he was known to Munna Shukla of Village- Khanjahachak, as he used to execute the civil work allotted to him after paying him 10% of the contract amount. He further stated that after the death of Brij Bihari Prasad on 13.06.1998 he came to Khanjahachak on 15.06.1998 at about 6:30 P.M. along with Madhup Kumar Munmun, where Accused No. 7 Shashi Kumar Rai had also come in Sumo vehicle with an air bag. Shashi Rai asked his driver to Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 28 take out the air bag from the vehicle. No sooner driver of Shashi Rai took out the bag and kept the same on the ground, there was explosion, as 2-3 arms were kept in the bag. In Paragraph 4 of the evidence P.W. 36 has stated that there was celebration during night and in course of interaction with Accused No. 8 Munna Shukla he learnt that Munna Shukla and others had committed the murder of Brij Bihari Prasad and the function was to celebrate his killing.
P.W. 37 Pooja, wife of Dhiraj is a member of the orchestra party of Hajipur and has stated that she never made any statement before the C.B.I. officers in connection with Brij Bihari murder case and has been declared hostile. She has further denied the suggestion that she came in June, 1998 to a village house in Vaishali area for giving musical programme where she learnt that the house was the village home of Accused No. 8 Munna Shukla.
P.W. 38 Bhrigu Nath Thakur is a police Havildar of B.M.P. 13 and was posted in I.G.I.M.S., Sheikhpura, Patna on 13.06.1998 as Armed Guard. He has stated in his evidence that at the time of Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 29 occurrence Brij Bihari Prasad had come out of his room for walk along with his bodyguard Lakshmeshwar Sah and one another person. He has further stated that he and other constables had written to the Senior Superintendent of Police, Patna that Brij Bihari Prasad, inspite of being asked not to come out of his room, always came out in the evening to take walk. He has also stated that his police statement was taken 4-5 days after the occurrence and not after 10-15 days after the occurrence. P.W. 38 has also been declared hostile.
P.W. 39 Lal Babu Choudhary has claimed in his evidence that he is friend of Sone Lal (P.W. 32) and eight years earlier he had gone to Beur Jail along with Sone Lal as Sone Lal had to meet Sanjay Singh, his friend, who was in judicial custody in Beur Jail. The witness, however, declined that on the date of his visit to Beur Jail to meet Sanjay Singh he saw at the jail gate Accused No. 1 Suraj Bhan Singh instructing Accused No. 3 Lallan Singh, Accused No. 6 Ram Niranjan Choudhary and Accused No. 8 Munna Shukla not to further delay assassination of Brij Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 30 Bihari Prasad in I.G.I.M.S., Sheikhpura, Patna. The witness was also declared hostile.
P.W. 40 Sugreew Singh is also constable of B.M.P. 13 and on 13.06.1998 was posted as Armed Guard in I.G.I.M.S., Sheikhpura, Patna along with Havildar Bhrigu Nath Thakur (P.W. 38) and others. He has also been declared hostile.
P.W. 41 Ashok Kumar Singh is A.S.P., Vigilance Department. He served as Additional S.P., Administration in the office of Regional I.G., Patna on 13.06.1998, has stated that in his office a fax message bearing No. 2802/SB dated 13.06.1998 was received on 13.06.1998 after 2:00 P.M. from the office of D.I.G., Special Branch, whereunder alert was sounded that Brij Bihari Prasad may be killed by the gang members of Devendra Nath Dubey and Accused No. 4 Mantu Tiwari. P.W. 41 has further stated that having received the fax message he endorsed the fax message to Senior Superintendent of Police, Patna under his signature, which the witness identified.
P.W. 42 Shashi Bhushan Singh is also a civil contractor. He has stated in his evidence that on Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 31 13.06.1998 he had come to the I.G.I.M.S. campus, Sheikhpura, Patna to meet Brij Bihari Prasad and met him in one of the hospital rooms and at the time of his meeting with Brij Bihari Prasad informant (P.W. 10), Mahanth Ashwani Das (P.W. 25) Paras Nath Choudhary (P.W.1), Accused No. 6 Ram Niranjan Choudhary, Rabindra Bhagat (P.W.14), Arbind Singh (P.W. 13), Ram Nandan Singh (P.W. 12), Onkar Singh (not examined) and others were also present. He has further claimed that he is also an eye-witness of the occurrence. The witness, however, has not been named as a witness of the occurrence in the fardbeyan.
P.W. 43 Raj Kishore Singh is a retired Superintendent of Police, Vigilance Department, Patna. He arrested Brij Bihari Prasad on 04.04.1998 in connection with Case No. RC 43(A)/97.
P.W. 44 Sanjay Kumar Singh was posted as Sub-Inspector in Shastri Nagar Police Station on 13.06.1998. He prepared the inquest report, dead body challan of Lakshmeshwar Sah in the campus of I.G.I.M.S., Patna by carbon process on 13.06.1998 at Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 32 9:30, 10:10 P.M. He also put his signature over the inquest report of Brij Bihari Prasad which was prepared in his presence by an Executive Magistrate in the Post Mortem House, P.M.C.H. P.W. 45 Kumar Ramanuj was posted as Executive Magistrate in Patna on 13.06.1998. He prepared the inquest report of Brij Bihari Prasad on 14.06.1998 at 12:45 A.M. in the Post Mortem House, P.M.C.H. P.W. 46 Shubhashish Ganguly has been declared hostile as he disowned his statement made before the C.B.I. officials that he served as a S.T.D., P.C.O. Operator in Neel Communication, Chandralok Chowk, Muzaffarpur during the period between 10.01.1997 and December, 1998, where P.C.O. No. 269018 and Land Line No. 269230 was being operated.
P.W. 47 Din Dayal Shukla has also been declared hostile as he disowned his statement made before the C.B.I. officials.
P.W. 48 Ram Anugrah Prasad Singh has also been declared hostile as he disowned his Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 33 statement made before the C.B.I. officials on 30.09.1999.
P.W. 49 is Shah Mohammad Jikrullah. He has stated in his evidence that in the year 1998 he was posted as Sub-Inspector in Sangrampur (Motihari) Police Station and was the Investigating Officer of Sangrampur P.S. Case No. 10/98 registered in connection with the murder of Devendra Dubey, M.L.A. which was registered by the then Officer-in- Charge, Sangrampur Police Station Md. Ali Imam in which Brij Bihari Prasad, Shyam Bihari Prasad, Kamakhya Narayan Singh (P.W. 15), Binod Singh, Tej Bahadur Singh and others were accused. He was the second Investigating Officer of the said case. He has also stated that C.B.I. authorities recorded his statement in connection with Brij Bihari murder case.
P.W. 50 Gulab Prasad Singh stated that in July, 1998 he was posted as Junior Sub-Inspector in Secretariat Police Station, Patna and executed attachment warrant against accused Sunil Tiger @ Captain Sunil, son of Ram Vilas Singh on 31.07.1998 in Brij Bihari murder case at his Chandmari Road, Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 34 P.S. Kankarbagh address. Having executed the warrant, the witness had also submitted report.
P.W. 51 Vijay Kumar Jha is a constable of B.M.P. 13 and on 13.06.1998 served as security of Smt. Rama Devi (P.W. 24). At the time of occurrence he was present in the I.G.I.M.S., Patna inside the hospital along with a patient and heard gun-shot whereafter he came at the place of occurrence and saw Hon‟ble Minister and Havildar Lakshmeshwar Sah injured with gun shot, fallen in a pool of blood. The witness went to the Bailey Road residence of the Hon‟ble Minister to inform P.W. 24 but she was not present there.
P.W. 52 Ashok Kumar Das served as General Manager, Telecom in August, 1999 at Muzaffarpur but he does not remember whether C.B.I. authorities had made request for issue of print out of Land Line No. 266071. Having seen the print out of the aforesaid Land Line number, the witness recollected that the print out for the aforesaid Land Line number, subscribed in the name of Vijay Kumar Shukla, for the period between 16.05.1998-15.7.1998, Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 35 was issued at his instance.
P.W. 53 Vimal Kumar Sinha is a Judicial Magistrate, who was posted as J.M., 1st Class in the year 1998 in Civil Court, Patna. On 29.06.1998 as per the direction of Chief Judicial Magistrate, Patna he recorded the statement of Arbind Kumar Singh (P.W.
13), Shashi Bhushan Singh (P.W. 42) and Mahanth Ashwani Das (P.W. 25) under Section 164 Cr.P.C.
P.W. 54 Shashi Bhushan Sharma is Superintendent of Police, Vigilance Bureau, Patna. In June, 1998 he served as Dy.S.P., Secretariat, Patna and Shastri Nagar Police Station was within his jurisdiction. He took charge of the investigation of Brij Bihari murder case on 14.07.1998 from the then Officer-in-Charge, Shastri Nagar Police Station, Inspector S.S.P. Yadav, who subsequently died. Having taken over charge of the investigation, P.W. 54 went through the investigation conducted by Sri Yadav by perusing the case diary Paragraphs 1 to 186, which is in the handwriting and signature of S.S.P. Yadav, which P.W. 54 identified and on his identification the same was marked as Exhibit 48 with objection. After Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 36 perusing the case diary P.W. 54 conducted further investigation in the matter and submitted charge-sheet No. 68 dated 30.10.1998 for the offences under Sections 302/307/379/353/333/120B of the Penal Code and Section 27 of the Arms Act against (1). Accused No. 1 Suraj Bhan Singh, (2). Accused No. 6 Ram Niranjan Choudhary, (3). Sunil Singh, son of late Ramakant Singh, (4). Sri Prakash Shukla @ Shiv Prakash Shukla @ Ashok Singh (dead), (5). Anuj Pratap Singh @ Anuj (dead), (6). Sudhir @ Sudhir Tripathi (dead) showing the three having died on 22.09.1998, (7). Bhupendra Nath Dubey (absconder), (8). Accused No. 8 Munna Shukla @ Vijay Kumar Shukla (absconder), (9). Satish Pandey (absconder), (10). Accused No. 4 Mantu Tiwari (absconder), (11). Accused No. 9 Rajan Tiwari (absconder), (12). Accused No. 3 Lallan Singh (absconder), (13). Naga @ Brajesh (absconder), (14). Accused No. 2 Mukesh Singh (absconder) and (15). Accused No. 5 Captain Sunil @ Sunil Tiger (absconder).
P.W. 55 Brij Kishore Singh is also a police officer, who was posted as Sub-Inspector in Shastri Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 37 Nagar Police Station in August, 1998 and as per the direction of P.W. 54, had executed attachment warrant against accused Naga Singh @ Brijesh @ Girijesh, Accused No. 3 Lallan Singh, Accused No. 5 Sunil Singh, Ramakant Singh, Accused No. 2 Mukesh Singh, all resident of area within Mokama Police Station.
P.W. 56 Bihariji Mishra is an Assistant Engineer, who at the instance of C.B.I Investigating Officer came to the I.G.I.M.S., Patna campus on 22.07.1999 and drew the sketch map of the place of occurrence (Exhibit-54).
P.W. 57 Shyam Prakash served as Sub-
Inspector in the office of C.B.I. and assisted P.W. 62, the Investigating Officer of C.B.I. in the investigation of the present case.
P.W. 58 Mukesh Kumar served as Deputy Inspector in the C.B.I. also assisted P.W. 62, the Investigating Officer of C.B.I., in the investigation of the present case, recorded the statement of Din Dayal Shukla @ Tuntun Shukla and others and submitted supplementary charge-sheet vide paragraph 2 of his Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 38 evidence.
P.W. 59 Tribhuwan served as Inspector, C.B.I. and also assisted Investigating Officer of C.B.I. (P.W. 62) in the investigation of Brij Bihari murder case as also recorded the statement of Kamakhya Narayan Singh (P.W. 15) Md. Jakirullah (P.W. 49) on 30.07.1999, 02.08.1999 respectively. He also issued requisition for obtaining print out of Land Line No. 266071.
P.W. 60 Mohan Lal Meena, Inspector, C.B.I. also assisted the Investigating Officer of C.B.I. (P.W. 62) in the investigation of the present case as he examined and recorded the statement of Sone Lal (P.W. 32) and others on 30.07.1999, Awadhesh Kumar Singh (P.W. 36) on 29.08.1999. He further made enquiry about the location of Land Line No. 32772 from the step-mother of Accused No. 1 and also recorded her statement at the Mokama residence of Accused No. 1.
P.W. 61 Dayal Singh Rawat also assisted the main Investigating Officer in conducting investigation of Brij Bihari murder case and recorded Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 39 the statement of Rajeev Kumar (P.W. 30) about the ownership and location of Land Line No. 32772.
P.W. 62 R.S. Khatri is the Investigating Officer of C.B.I., who conducted investigation and submitted supplementary charge-sheet dated 08.11.2000, 20.04.2001.
8. From the evidence of the aforesaid prosecution witnesses, P.W. 1 to 62, it is evident that P.W. 24 Rama Devi contested Lok Sabha Election, 1998 from Motihari Constituency as Rastriya Janta Dal candidate. She was opposed in the aforesaid election by Devendra Nath Dubey of Samajwadi Party. Polling in the Constituency took place on 22.02.1998, re-poll was ordered on few polling booths to be held on 24.02.1998. One day prior to the re-poll, on 23.02.1998, Devendra Nath Dubey was killed, for which Sangrampur P.S. Case No. 10/98 was registered, in which Brij Bihari Prasad, deceased of the present case, his brother Shyam Bihari Prasad, Kamakhya Narayan Singh (P.W. 15) and others were made accused. Brij Bihari Prasad was arrested by C.B.I. on 04.04.1998 in connection with Merit Scam Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 40 bearing R.C. No. 43(A)/97 and remanded to Beur Jail. On 05.04.1998, while in judicial custody, he was admitted in I.G.I.M.S., Sheikhpura, Patna as indoor patient. In order to avenge the death of Devendra Nath Dubey, his brother Bhupendra Nath Dubey, nephew, sister‟s son Mantu Tiwari (Accused No. 4) along with others named in fardbeyan as also others not named in the fardbeyan, including Accused No. 1 Suraj Bhan Singh, Accused No. 2 Mukesh Singh, Accused No. 3 Lallan Singh, Accused No. 5 Captain Sunil Singh, Accused No. 6 Ram Niranjan Choudhary hatched a conspiracy to eliminate Brij Bihari Prasad, which is evident from the print out of Land Line No. 32772 (Exhibit-1/1) and proved by P.W. 2, subscribed in the name of Shrawan Kumar Agrawal but installed in the Mokama house of Accused No. 1. It appears from the said print out that on 11.05.1998 a telephone call was made from Land Line No. 32772 to Land Line No. 226595 of Accused No. 7 Shashi Kumar Rai and to Land Line No. 266071 of Accused No. 8 Vijay Kumar Shukla. Between 12.05.1998 and 14.05.1998, 4 calls were made from Land Line No. 32772 to the Mobile Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 41 No. 9834004457 of Accused No. 5 Captin Sunil Singh. Between 25.05.1998 and 11.6.1998, 17 calls were made from Land Line No. 32772 to the Land Line No. 266071 of Accused No. 8 Munna Shukla. Two calls were also made to his Mobile No. 9835022271 during the said period from Land Line No. 32772. Besides the aforesaid documentary evidence P.W. 32 Sone Lal and P.W. 39 Lal Babu Choudhary have also deposed that 2-3 days prior to the killing of Brij Bihari Prasad they had gone to Beur Jail, Patna to meet one Sanjay Singh, an inmate of the prison. While the two were at Beur Jail campus meeting Sanjay Singh, they saw Accused No. 3 Lallan Singh, Accused No. 6 Ram Niranjan Choudhary and Accused No. 8 Munna Shukla speaking to Accused No. 1 Suraj Bhan Singh, who was also an inmate in Beur Jail. Accused No. 1 Suraj Bhan Singh was asking the three, namely, Accused No. 3 Lallan Singh, Accused No. 6 Ram Niranjan Choudhary and Accused No. 8 Munna Shukla to execute the plan hatched for killing Brij Bihari Prasad, while he is confined in judicial custody in I.G.I.M.S., Sheikhpura, Patna. In support of the Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 42 conspiracy, prosecution has further relied on the evidence of P.W. 24 Rama Devi that few days prior to the occurrence Brij Bihari Prasad had expressed apprehension that Accused No. 1 Suraj Bhan Singh, Accused No. 8 Munna Shukla, Accused No. 9 Rajan Tiwari, Bhupendra Nath Dubey, Raghunath Pandey, Satish Pandey and Shiv Prakash Shukla are holding meeting in jail to commit his murder. The occurrence, as reported in the fardbeyan (Exhibit-50) was committed in the evening of 13.06.1998 at 8:15 P.M. by those who have been named in the First Information Report and 2-4 others in furtherance of the conspiracy hatched earlier.
9. Learned counsel for Accused No. 1, Appellant in Cr. Appeal (D.B.) No. 825 of 2009 submitted that Accused No. 1 was arrested on 10.05.1998 in connection with Lehri P.S. Case No. 61/98 and remanded to Barh Jail. He was shifted from Barh to Beur Jail on 04.06.1998 and remained confined in Beur Jail on the date of occurrence of the present case i.e. 13.06.1998. He was, however, remanded in the present case on 08.07.1998. Learned Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 43 counsel for Accused No. 1 submitted that conviction of Accused No. 1 has been recorded with reference to telephone calls made from Land Line No. 32772 to the Land Line, Mobile number of the co-accused, which establish his close proximity with the other co-accused (Accused No. 7, 8 and 5) as he was in telephonic contact with them. According to learned counsel conviction of Accused No. 1 has also been recorded with reference to the evidence of P.W. 24 Rama Devi that her husband expressed apprehension that he would be killed at the hands of Accused Nos. 1, 8, 9, Bhupendra Dubey, Raghunath Pandey, Satish Pandey and Shiv Prakash Shukla as they were holding meeting in jail to eliminate him. Conviction of Accused No. 1 has further been recorded with reference to evidence of P.W. 32 Sone Lal and P.W. 39 Lal Babu Choudhary, who had gone to the Beur Jail few days prior to the incident to meet their friend Sanjay Singh in Beur Jail and had seen Accused No. 1 instructing Accused No. 3 Lallan Singh, Accused No. 6 Ram Niranjan Choudhary and Accused No. 8 Munna Shukla to execute the plan to eliminate Brij Bihari Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 44 Prasad at the earliest, while he is confined in I.G.I.M.S., Sheikhpura, Patna, as he is likely to be released on bail in the Merit Scam case.
10. Learned counsel for Accused No. 1 submitted that there is not an iota of proof that Land Line No. 32772 was subscribed by Accused No. 1 and installed at his Mokama residence. According to learned counsel, not a single witness or document has been produced to prove that the said Land Line number was subscribed by Accused No. 1 and was installed in his house. Counsel further submitted that no telephone set was ever seized from the house of Accused No. 1. According to learned counsel reliance placed on the evidence of P.W. 2 Shiya Sharan Ram, Sub-Divisional Engineer, Vigilance, B.S.N.L., who submitted report (Exhibit-1) with respect to Land Line No. 32772 cannot be relied upon as a piece of legal evidence as the report of P.W. 2 is based on the report prepared by M/S. S.M.M. Rahman and Jitan Mehta, both of whom have not been examined as a witness by the prosecution nor their original report has been produced and proved in Court. In this connection, Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 45 reliance is placed on the judgment of Varun Chaudhary vs. State of Rajasthan, A.I.R. 2011 Supreme Court 72 Paragraphs 19 to 22. According to learned counsel for Accused No. 1, to prove the location of Land Line No. 32772, the prosecution has relied on the evidence of P.W. 60 Mohan Lal Meena and P.W. 61 Dayal Singh Rawat, both officers of C.B.I. According to Mohan Lal Meena (P.W. 61) Paragraph 27, he went to the house of Accused No. 1 on 26.09.1999 and met a lady there, who said that she is the step-mother of Accused No. 1 and that Land Line No. 32772 was installed in her house. Mohan Lal Meena (P.W. 60) did not enter the house to verify the existence of the telephone set at the Mokama residence of Accused No. 1. The lady, who gave him information about Land Line No. 32772 being installed in the house of Accused No. 1, has also not been examined by the prosecution. Consequently evidence of P.W. 60 is inadmissible, as it is hear-say evidence. According to learned counsel P.W. 60, 61 being officers of the C.B.I. were strangers to Mokama and there is no proof that the two officers had gone to the house of Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 46 Accused No. 1 to make enquiry about the existence of Land Line No. 32772 in the house of Accused No. 1. According to learned counsel no neighbour of Accused No. 1 has been examined to prove that Land Line No. 32772 was installed in the house of Accused No. 1. Neither any telephone set was seized from his house nor any bill, document was produced to prove installation of Land Line No. 32772 in the house of Accused No. 1, it is difficult to prove the existence of the said telephone set in the house of Accused No. 1. In this connection, learned counsel for Accused No. 1 finally submitted that even assuming that Accused No. 1 was talking to the co-accused over the phone, this circumstance by itself does not prove the existence of conspiracy as the contents of the conversation are not known. Reliance in this connection is placed on the judgment of Supreme Court in the case of State (N.C.T. of Delhi) Vs. Navjot Sandhu A.I.R. 2005 Supreme Court 3820 Paragraph 20, Punni Bai Kanoje & Ors. Vs. State of Chhattisgarh & Ors., 2012 Cri.L.J. 2395.
11. Learned counsel for Accused No. 1 Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 47 further submitted that P.W. 24 Rama Devi has stated in Paragraph 4 of her evidence that some time prior to 13.06.1998 her husband told her that Bhupendra Nath Dubey, Accused No. 4 Mantu Tiwari, Accused No. 9 Rajan Tiwari, Raghunath Pandey, Accused No. 8 Munna Shukla, Satish Pandey, Shiv Prakash Shukla and Accused No. 1 Suraj Bhan Singh held a meeting in the jail to kill him. It is submitted that statement to the aforesaid effect was not made by the witness when she recorded her statement under Section 161 Cr.P.C., the witness was confronted about the said omission in Paragraph 96 of her deposition. Aforesaid omission is proved by the C.B.I. Investigating Officer, R.S. Khatri (P.W. 62) in Paragraph 146 of his evidence where he stated that he recorded the statement of Rama Devi (P.W. 24) on 18.10.1999 and 28.03.2001 but in both the statements she did not take the name of Accused No. 1 Suraj Bhan Singh, Accused No. 3 Lallan Singh, Accused No. 5 Captain Sunil Singh, Accused No. 2 Mukesh Singh, residents of Mokama. He further stated that he also does not remember if Rama Devi had named these aforesaid accused persons in the Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 48 letters she wrote to the C.B.I. Director and to the Prime Minister. It is submitted that for failure of Rama Devi (P.W. 24) to name Accused No. 1 Suraj Bhan Singh, Accused No. 3 Lallan Singh, Accused No. 5 Captain Sunil Singh and Accused No. 2 Mukesh Singh, resident of Mokama as conspirator before the Investigating Officer of C.B.I. on 18.10.1999 and 28.03.2001, her version given in Court that they were conspirators in the murder of her husband along with Bhupendra Nath Dubey, Accused No. 4 Mantu Tiwari, Accused No. 9 Rajan Tiwari, Raghunath Pandey, Accused No. 8 Munna Shukla, is not worthy of credence. In this connection, learned counsel has placed reliance on the judgment of the Supreme Court in the case of Sampat Kumar vs Inspector of Police, Krishnagiri AIR 2012 Supreme Court 1249 Paragraphs 9-11.
12. Learned counsel for Accused No. 1 further pointed out that the evidence of P.W. 24 that she learnt from her husband Brij Bihari Prasad that he was apprehending danger at the instance of Accused No. 1 Suraj Bhan Singh and others as they Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 49 had held a meeting in jail to kill him is not admissible in evidence, as such statement cannot be brought within the ambit of Section 32 of the Evidence Act, the only Section by which earlier statement of the deceased can be admitted in evidence. The expression of apprehension of danger at the hands of accused does not constitute a dying declaration as it is not a circumstance of the transaction which resulted in his death. Besides, the statement being omnibus in nature and not disclosing the source from which he obtained such information cannot be made admissible with reference to Section 32 of the Evidence Act. Reliance in this connection has been placed on the judgment of the Supreme Court in the case of Jayendra Saraswathi Swamigal vs State of Tamil Nadu A.I.R. 2005 Supreme Court 716 Paragraph 13 and State of M.P. through CBI and others vs. Paltan Mallah and others, (2005) 3 SCC 169 Paragraphs 10-12.
13. Learned counsel for Accused No. 1 further submitted that the case diary statement of both P.W. 32 Sone Lal and P.W. 39 Lal Babu Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 50 Choudhary is that 2-3 days prior to the killing of Brij Bihari Prasad they had gone to Beur Jail to meet their friend Sanjay Singh, resident of Mokama. They saw Accused No. 3 Lallan Singh, Accused No. 6 Ram Niranjan Choudhary and Accused No. 8 Munna Shukla standing near the window of the jail and conspiring with Accused No. 1 Suraj Bhan Singh to commit the murder of Brij Bihari Prasad. In the trial Court, however, both these witnesses did not support the aforesaid prosecution case and were declared hostile. P.W. 32 Sone Lal denied having gone to the jail but P.W. 39 Lal Babu Choudhary stated that he accompanied by Sone Lal had gone to the jail. Both these witnesses, however, denied in Court to have seen Accused No. 3 Lallan Singh, Accused No. 6 Ram Niranjan Choudhary, Accused No. 8 Munna Shukla in Beur jail premises and further denied the fact that they ever heard about any conspiracy to eliminate Brij Bihari Prasad. The witnesses were thereafter confronted with their case diary statements. Both the witnesses denied having made case diary statements. In view of the aforesaid evidence, learned counsel for Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 51 Accused No. 1 submitted that there is no shred of evidence to hold that Accused No. 1 entered into conspiracy with other co-accused to eliminate Brij Bihari Prasad. Reliance in this connection has been placed by the counsel for Accused No. 1 over the judgment of Supreme Court in the case of Hazari Lal vs. The State (Delhi Admn.) A.I.R. 1980 Supreme Court 873 Paragraph 7, Md. Ankoos & Ors. Vs. The Public Prosecutor, High Court of A.P. A.I.R. 2010 Supreme Court 566 Paragraphs 24-26. With reference to the judgment of the Supreme Court in the case of Sat Paul vs. Delhi Administration A.I.R. 1976 Supreme Court 294 Paragraph 54 it is submitted that police statement recorded under Section 161 Cr.P.C. cannot be used for seeking assurance of the prosecution case. Learned counsel for Accused No. 1 further submitted that police fabricated the story that a conspiracy was hatched at the Beur Jail to eliminate Brij Bihari Prasad in order to implicate Accused No. 1. In this connection, it is pointed out that there is no evidence that a person by the name of Sanjay Singh was incarcerated in the Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 52 Beur Jail whom P.W. 32 Sone Lal and P.W. 39 Lal Babu Choudhary had gone to meet. No Jail Register or Interview Slip has been produced to show that these two witnesses had come to Beur Jail 2-3 days prior to the occurrence and had sought interview with Sanjay Singh. Investigating Officer of the State Police P.W. 54 stated in Paragraphs 87, 88 of his deposition that he made no attempt to ascertain whether Sanjay Singh was in jail nor did he verify the Jail Register or Interview Slip to confirm the presence of Sanjay Singh in Beur Jail and the fact that P.Ws. 32, 39 had come to Beur Jail to meet him. Further there is no evidence led by the prosecution to indicate as to how P.W. 54 Shashi Bhushan Sharma came to know about the existence of P.W. 32, P.W. 39 as he has stated in Paragraph 9 of his evidence that on 19.08.1998 after more than two months of the occurrence he on his own reached Beur Jail where he found P.Ws. 32, 39 present and recorded their statement. It is submitted that aforesaid evidence is artificial for failure of P.W. 54 to indicate the purpose for which P.Ws. 32, 39 were present in Beur Jail campus on 19.08.1998, does not Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 53 inspire confidence, has been introduced only with a view to give fillip to a fabricated case. It is further submitted that P.Ws. 32, 39, having not disclosed the conspiracy for a period of over two months to anybody, is itself indicative of the fact that the witnesses have been set up to introduce conspiracy angle for implicating persons other than those named in the fardbeyan as assailants and the members of the unlawful assembly formed for the purpose of eliminating Brij Bihari Prasad. In this connection, it is submitted with reference to the judgment of the Supreme Court in the case of Kehar Singh and others Vs. The State (Delhi Admn.) A.I.R. 1988 Supreme Court 1883 Paragraphs 268, 272 that from the evidence of P.Ws. 32, 39 it does not appear that Accused No. 1 and others had drawn any plan or agreement for elimination of Brij Bihari Prasad. It also does not appear from their evidence that the accused persons had earlier come together to draw the plan for execution of unlawful object of eliminating Brij Bihari Prasad. It is submitted that even if evidence of P.Ws. 24, 32 and 39 is accepted, the same miserably fail to Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 54 prove the charge of conspiracy against Accused No. 1 and other conspirators.
14. Learned counsel for Accused Nos. 2, 3, Appellant in Cr. Appeal (D.B.) No. 899 of 2009, 859 of 2009 submitted that they are not named in the fardbeyan but put on trial on the basis of the material collected against them during investigation. They have not been named by any of the eye-witnesses as the assailants or their accomplice. They have been named by P.W. 24 Rama Devi, who is a hear-say witness and her evidence has not been corroborated by the eye- witnesses in material particular. In the circumstances, they deserve acquittal.
15. Learned counsel for Accused No. 4 Mantu Tiwari, Appellant in Cr. Appeal (D.B.) No. 865 of 2009 submitted that claim of the informant (P.W.
10) to have identified Accused No. 4 as one of the assailants of deceased Brij Bihari Prasad is not worthy of acceptance, as in Paragraph 8 of his evidence P.W. 10 has failed to identify him in Court although on the date of the deposition of the informant (P.W. 10) i.e. 07.12.2005 Accused No. 4 was present in Court but Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 55 informant could not identify him, as would appear from his evidence as also the order-sheet of that date maintained by the trial Court. In this connection, learned counsel further pointed out that in the fardbeyan informant identified Accused No. 4 as the one who was armed with stain-gun and that he shot Brij Bihari Prasad with the stain-gun but in Paragraph 7 of the evidence he has stated that he identified Accused No. 4 during occurrence as the one armed with pistol and that he shot Brij Bihari Prasad with the pistol. In this connection, learned counsel further pointed out from the evidence of P.W. 10 in Paragraph 9 of his deposition, which he recorded after being cross-examined by the prosecutor that he has not stated before the scribe of the fardbeyan that after the vehicles stopped, Bhupendra Nath Dubey, Accused No. 4 Mantu Tiwari, Accused No. 8 Munna Shukla, Sri Prakash Shukla, Accused No. 9 Rajan Tiwari, Satish Pandey and 3-4 others alighted from the two vehicles. In the same paragraph informant further stated that it is not a fact that he told the scribe of the fardbeyan that Bhupendra Nath Dubey and Accused No. 4 Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 56 Mantu Tiwari as also others were armed with pistol, stain-gun and pistol. In the same paragraph P.W. 10 further denied his other statements said to have been made in the fardbeyan or under Section 161 Cr.P.C. Learned counsel for Accused No. 4 further submitted with reference to Paragraph 13 of the evidence of informant (P.W. 10) that in the said paragraph P.W. 10 has ruled out the presence of P.W. 1 Paras Nath Choudhary at the place of occurrence at the relevant time, as in the said paragraph he has categorically stated that he is acquainted with P.W. 1 Paras Nath Choudhary, who is the brother-in-law of deceased Brij Bihari Prasad and he had not seen P.W. 1 at the place of occurrence although P.W. 10 remained at the place of occurrence for about 4½ hours. In the last line of Paragraph 13 informant (P.W. 10) further stated that he only put his signature over the fardbeyan. 16. Learned counsel for Accused No. 4 finally submitted that the fax message (Exhibit-6) only disclose information on the basis of suspicion, correctness whereof was never investigated by the C.B.I. Investigating Officer (P.W. 62), as would appear Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 57 from paragraph 80 of his evidence that he has not investigated the correctness of the fax message. In any case, according to learned counsel for Accused No. 4 the threat perception of the deceased cannot be a ground for connecting Accused No. 4 with the crime as there is hardly any evidence on the basis of which the contents of the fax message can be justified.
17. Learned counsel for Accused No. 6, Appellant in Cr. Appeal (D.B.) No. 871 of 2009 submitted that as he is not named in the fardbeyan but has been implicated as one of the conspirators in the light of the evidence of P.W. 32 Sone Lal and P.W. 39 Lal Babu Choudhary but there being nothing to substantiate their evidence, he also deserves to be acquitted.
18. Learned counsel for Accused No. 7 Shashi Kumar Rai, Appellant in Cr. Appeal (D.B.) No. 778 of 2009 submitted that his conviction for the offence under Section 212 of the Indian Penal Code, harbouring offenders, cannot be sustained, as such conviction has been recorded against him on the basis of the evidence of Mukesh Kumar, Assistant Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 58 Investigating Officer, C.B.I. (P.W. 58), who on the basis of the statement of Shambhu Kumar (not examined), son of Sri Ram Kumar Singh, village and Post Office- Dhanaut, Via Katra, District- Muzaffarpur dated 17.12.1999 deposed in Court that Shambhu Kumar having seen a sheet of paper on which photograph of Sri Prakash Shukla, Anuj Pratap and Sudhir Tripathi, killed in police encounter by Uttar Pradesh police and the photograph of Accused No. 8 Munna Shukla stated that on 12,13.06.1998 he had seen Sri Prakash Shukla, Anuj Pratap, Sudhir Tripathi and Accused No. 8 Munna Shukla at the residence of Accused No. 7 Veer Chand Patel Marg, Patna. Aforesaid evidence of P.W. 58 cannot be relied upon for failure of the prosecution to examine Shambhu Kumar and to indicate as to how P.W. 58 traced, reached Shambhu Kumar.
19. Learned counsel for Accused No. 8, Appellant in Cr. Appeal (D.B.) No. 874 of 2009 has posed the following questions in the light of the evidence of the prosecution witnesses:
(1). Whether the fardbeyan (Exhibit-50) Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 59 lodged at 9:00 P.M. on 13.06.1998 can be said to be the earliest version of the occurrence. In this connection, he has referred to the evidence of the second Investigating Officer (P.W. 54) Shashi Bhuhan Sharma, Paragraph 2 that he received a wireless message regarding the present occurrence on 13.06.1998 at about 8:30 P.M. and thereafter rushed to the place of occurrence but the wireless message received by P.W. 54 has been withheld by the prosecution. In this connection learned counsel has further submitted that the earliest information given to the Shastri Nagar Police Station which was incorporated in Station Diary of Shastri Nagar Police Station has also been withheld by the prosecution. He has further submitted that Sri S.S.P. Yadav, the scribe of the fardbeyan as also the first Investigating Officer of the case has not been examined by the prosecution and the explanation given by the second Investigating Officer (P.W. 54) that he is dead without producing any document to indicate that he is actually dead is indicative of the fact that the prosecution has not only concealed the earliest wireless message, information Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 60 received by P.W. 54, Shastri Nagar Police Station and recorded in the Station Diary of the said Police Station but also the information given by informant (P.W.10) and Shashi Bhushan Singh (P.W.42 ) to the I.G.I.M.S. staff about the occurrence, as has been claimed by the two witnesses P.W. 10, 42 in Paragraphs 6, 4 of their evidence respectively on the basis of which police arrived at the place of occurrence.
20. Learned counsel for Accused No. 8
posed the second question whether the present fardbeyan/First Information Report (Exhibit- 50, 51) is true or interpolated version of the occurrence. In this connection, he has referred to the evidence of the informant (P.W.10) in Paragraphs 1, 2 of his deposition and submitted that it is evident from the evidence of P.W. 10 in the aforesaid two paragraphs that he had put his signature over the fardbeyan at two places which he identified and on his identification the signatures were marked as Exhibits- 12, 12/1. The witness further stated in Paragraph 2 of his evidence that he is not aware whether the said fardbeyan was written by the Inspector of Shastri Nagar Police Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 61 Station. In this connection, learned counsel also referred to the evidence of Investigating Officer of C.B.I. (P.W 62) Paragraph 49 that informant (P.W.10) did not state before him that fardbeyan (Exhibit 50) was recorded at the place of occurrence, I.G.I.M.S, Sheikhpura, Patna. In this connection, learned counsel further submitted that from perusal of Column No. 8 of the format of First Information Report (Exhibit-51) and the photo copy of the same format appended with the First Information Report drawn by Superintendent of Police, C.B.I. on the basis of which RC 4 (S)/99/C.B.I./SIC-IV dated 09.04.1999 was drawn by Superintendent of Police, C.B.I./SIC- IV/N.Delhi (Exhibit 62/2), it would appear that the original First Information Report was drawn on 14.06.1998 and there was no entry in Column No. 8 of the original First Information Report but its copy, appended with the First Information Report of RC 4 (S)/99/C.B.I./SIC-IV drawn on 09.04.1999 indicates that in Column No. 8 direction of City S.P., Patna dated 15.06.1998 to S.D.P.O. to supervise and to issue S.R.-1 has also been incorporated. With reference to Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 62 the entries in Column No. 8 of the photo copy of the First Information Report, it is submitted that the First Information Report of the present case has been drawn on 15.06.1998 and not on 14.06.1998, as has been stated in the original format (Exhibit 51). In this connection, learned counsel further referred to the evidence of P.W. 54 in Paragraph 82 that Senior Superintendent of Police, Patna under Memo No. 1176 dated 14.06.1998 appointed him as the Investigating Officer of the case but he took charge of the investigation from Sri S.S.P. Yadav on 14.07.1998. In the same paragraph P.W. 54 stated that he is not in a position to explain as to why S.S.P. Yadav continued with investigation of the case even after issue of Memo No. 1176 dated 14.06.1998 until 13.07.1998. Learned counsel for Accused No. 8 further submitted with reference to the evidence of P.W. 62 Paragraph 100 that P.W. 62 has admitted in his evidence that C.B.I. registered First Information Report on the basis of the photo copy of the First Information Report of Gardanibagh (Shastri Nagar) P.S.Case No. 336/98 and its enclosures but perusal of the First Information Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 63 Report registered by the C.B.I. (Exhibit 62/2) indicates that the same has been registered on the basis of the photo copy of the format of Gardanibagh (Shastri Nagar) P.S. Case No. 336/98 and the photo copy of the typed fardbeyan but not the photo copy of the handwritten fardbeyan. It is submitted that along with the photo copy of the format photo copy of the hand written fardbeyan ought to have been annexed with the First Information Report drawn by the C.B.I. and according to learned counsel, photo copy of the original handwritten fardbeyan has been purposely suppressed by the prosecution. In this connection learned counsel has further pointed out that in the typed copy of the fardbayan annexed with the First Information Report drawn by the C.B.I. there is no indication in the typed copy of the fardbeyan that informant has put his signature on the right hand margin of Page No. 2 of the fardbeyan and the endorsement made by the Officer-In-Charge, Gardanibagh Police Station on Page 3 of the fardbeyan that he registered Gardanibagh P.S.Case No. 336/98, investigation whereof has already been taken over by Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 64 S.S.P. Yadav Officer-in-Charge, Shastri Nagar Police Station.
21. Learned counsel for Accused No. 8 in the background of the aforesaid unexplained entries in the First Information Report (Exhibit 51 and Exhibit 62/2) submitted that prosecution has not only delayed the dispatch of the First Information Report but also withheld the other First Information Report with the same number in Column No. 8 whereof City Superintendent of Police, Patna directed the S.D.P.O. on 15.06.1998 to supervise and to issue S.R.-1. 22. Learned counsel for Accused No. 8 further posed the question as to whether the informant and the eye-witnesses have seen the occurrence. In this connection, it is submitted that as per the prosecution story and the evidence of the witnesses deceased Brij Bihari Prasad at the time of occurrence was taking a stroll and was moving ahead followed by security personnel including his bodyguard Lakshmeshwar Sah (another deceased). The deceased was also followed by the visitors (the witnesses), assailants came in two vehicles, alighted therefrom Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 65 and resorted to indiscriminate firing on Brij Bihari Prasad and Lakshmeshwar Sah, both fell down at the same place. Place of Occurrence Map (Exhibits- 54,
63), however, indicates that the dead body of Lakshmeshwar Sah was lying far ahead of the dead body of Brij Bihari Prasad and there was considerable distance between the two dead bodies. Reference in this connection has been made by the counsel for Accused No. 8 to the evidence of P.W. 1 Paragraph 4, P.W. 10 Paragraph 4, P.W. 13 Paragraph 5, P.W. 14 Paragraph 1, P.W. 19 Paragraph 1, P.W. 24 Paragraph
6. P.W. 24 Rama Devi stated that the dead body of the two diseased was placed ahead of the portico. P.W. 26 has stated that the dead body was found within the premises of I.G.I.M.S. P.W. 38 has stated that the place of occurrence was open space outside the I.G.I.M.S. P.W. 40 has stated that the place of occurrence is outside the hospital. P.W. 42 has stated that both were killed near parking space. Aforesaid evidence, according to counsel for Accused No. 8, is not in tune with the place of occurrence where the two dead bodies were found as indicated in the Sketch Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 66 Map (Exhibit-54, 63).
23. Learned counsel for Accused No. 8 also submitted that the prosecution witnesses have identified the assailants in the vapour light but in the Place of Occurrence Map there is no indication of any vapour light available at the place of occurrence. 24. Learned counsel for Accused No. 8 raised further question about the correctness of the claim of the eye-witnesses that they are the eye- witnesses of the occurrence. In this connection Learned counsel further submitted that none of the eye-witnesses have named all the Accused persons in Court whom they earlier named in their 161 or 164 Cr.P.C. statement. He further submitted that none of the so-called eye-witnesses are the witnesses of inquest, seizure or the attesting witness of the fardbeyan. He further submitted that P.W. 1 in Paragraph 61 has stated that after the incident P.W. 24 Rama Devi came followed by Accused No. 6 Ram Niranjan Chaudhary, P.W. 15 Kamakhya Narayan Singh, P.W. 13 Arbind Singh, P.W. 42 Shashi Bhushan Singh, P.W. 25 Mahanth Ashwani Das, P.W. 51 Vijay Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 67 Jha, Security Guard and others including P.W. 12 Ram Nandan Singh P.W. 10 informant. P.W. 51 Vijay Jha in Paragraph 4 of his deposition has also admitted that he having heard the gun-shot also came to the place of occurrence just after the incident but has not confirmed the arrival or presence of the aforesaid persons at the place of occurrence. In the background of the aforesaid evidence of P.W. 1, P.W. 51 counsel for Accused No. 8 submitted that the claim of the prosecution that P.W. 15 Kamakhya Narayan Singh, P.W. 13 Arbind Singh, P.W. 42 Shashi Bhushan Singh, P.W. 25 Mahanth Ashwani Das, P.W. 51 Vijay Jha, P.W. 12 Ram Nandan Singh, P.W. 10 informant that they are the eye-witnesses of the occurrence becomes doubtful.
25. Further raising doubt about the truthfulness of the evidence of P.W. 1 counsel for Accused No. 8 submitted that he has stated in his Examination-in-Chief itself that the occurrence took place on 13.06.1998 between 6:30-7:00 P.M. He further submitted that from the evidence of P.W. 1 in Paragraph 40 it will appear that he is not even aware Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 68 about the fact that his brother-in-law Brij Bihari Prasad was referred to I.G.I.M.S., Sheikhpura, Patna for treatment in judicial custody after obtaining order from the Court and the witness having given the time of occurrence between 6:30-7:00 P.M., according to learned counsel his presence at the place of occurrence becomes doubtful.
26. Learned counsel for Accused No. 8 has further doubted the presence of the eye-witnesses on the ground that the eye-witnesses in their deposition have not stated that any other person besides the two deceased also suffered any injury in the occurrence although there were two injured in the occurrence, namely, P.W. 14 Rabindra Bhagat and one Shiv Balak Singh, charge-sheet witness but not examined by the prosecution. In this connection it is also pointed out that none of the eye-witnesses claimed that any of the security personnel present at the place, time of occurrence resorted to firing whereas the second Investigating Officer of the State Police P.W. 54 Shashi Bhushan Sharma and P.W. 18 Sergeant Major Ram Mohan Prasad claimed that the fire-arms and Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 69 ammunition entrusted to the security personnel for protecting the deceased was seized together with the empties of the ammunition vide seizure-cum- production list dated 20.08.1998 (Exhibit-49) and sent for testing by Sergeant Major Ram Mohan Prasad P.W. 18, who submitted his report in the light of the instructions contained in letter dated 25.08.1998 (Exhibit-17). P.W.18 having tested the fire-arms including the empty in Paragraph 2 of his evidence confirmed that he found evidence of firing in two out of the four rifles given to him for testing, which were marked as Exhibit- A, B. In paragraph 3 P.W. 18 further found that the two empties of .303 bore were also fired from the two rifles which were given to him for testing. The empties were marked as Exhibit E/1, E/2.
27. Learned counsel for Accused No. 8 further submitted that P.W. 1 was not present at the place of occurrence, had he been present and identified Accused No. 8, his full name and address should have been mentioned in the fardbeyan and not his alias name resident of P.S. and district Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 70 Muzaffarpur, Accused No. 8 being an M.L.A. from Lalganj was well known to P.W. 1, also resident of Lalganj, but in the fardbeyan only alias name of Accused No. 8 has been mentioned indicating resident of P.S. and district Muzaffarpur, which is indicative of the fact that P.W.1 was not present at the place, time of occurrence.
28. Learned counsel for Accused No. 8 further submitted with reference to Paragraph 9 of his notes of argument, Page 15 that C.B.I. Investigating Officer R.S. Khatri (P.W. 62) recorded the statement of P.W.1, P.W. 10, P.W 12, P.W. 16, P.W. 38 and P.W. 40, as would appear from his evidence in Paragraphs 41,
44. In this connection, he further submitted that out of the aforesaid prosecution witnesses P.Ws. 10, 12, 16, 38 and 40 were declared hostile but the learned Special Public Prosecutor invited their attention only towards the statement recorded by those witnesses under Section 161 Cr.P.C. before the Investigating Officer of the State Police Sri S.S.P. Yadav who was not examined and not towards the statement recorded by those witnesses before the C.B.I. Investigating Officer Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 71 (P.W. 62).
29. Learned counsel further pointed out that none of the eye-witnesses (P.W.1, 25, 42) are resident of the Constituency of the deceased, as such, according to learned counsel, their presence at the place of occurrence is doubtful.
30. Learned counsel for Accused No. 8 further submitted that the prosecution has withheld important eye-witnesses of the occurrence though their statement was recorded by C.B.I. officer Mohanlal Meena (P.W.60) who assisted the main Investigating Officer of the C.B.I. (P.W. 62) in investigation. In this connection he pointed out with reference to Paragraph 44 of the evidence of Mohan Lal Meena (P.W. 60) that he went to Darbhanga, recorded the statement of Constable(s) Veer Bahadur Singh, Ram Ruchi Tiwari, Govind Prasad Singh, Girish Prasad Singh, Constable in B.M.P. 13, who earlier were posted in the I.G.I.M.S., Sheikhpura for protection of deceased Brij Bihari Prasad. In this connection, he further submitted that the prosecution also withheld the evidence of Constable of the District Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 72 Police Hanif Bhingra, Nirmal Ram, though they were present at the place of occurrence being posted as Prisoner‟s Guard by the Patna District Police. He also submitted that security guard of I.G.I.M.S., Patna and its Havildar who were on duty at the time and place of occurrence have been withheld by the prosecution including Shankar Dayal Singh. He was examined by the Investigating Officer and has asserted before the Investigating Officer that he did not allow any vehicle to be parked in front of the administrative building of I.G.I.M.S., Sheikhpura, Patna. According to learned counsel, examination of the constable(s) of the B.M.P. 13, District Police and the security guard of I.G.I.M.S., Sheikhpura, Patna was necessary for unfolding the prosecution case.
31. Learned counsel for Accused No. 8 further submitted that many important Exhibits, like seizure-list of the empty, cartridge found at the place of occurrence including blood stained earth recovered from the ground at the place of occurrence the report of the Forensic, Ballistic Expert was also withheld. The Guard Register maintained to keep record of visitors Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 73 coming to meet the deceased Brij Bihari Prasad at I.G.I.M.S., Sheikhpura, Patna provided by the District Administration has also been withheld. According to learned counsel failure to produce the aforesaid documentary evidence is indicative of the fact that the prosecution was not sincere in making available all the documentary evidence which was necessary to establish the presence of eye-witnesses at the place of occurrence.
32. Learned counsel for Accused No. 8 further submitted that the entire investigation is tainted as from the evidence of C.B.I. Investigating Officer (P.W. 62) Paragraph 86, it is evident that P.W. 24 Rama Devi told the C.B.I. Investigating Officer that she learnt from Raj Kishore Prasad Sinha that he was present at the residence of Lalu Prasad when one Ashok Singh telephonically informed Lalu Prasad that Brij Bihari Prasad has been shot at, whereafter Lalu Prasad confirmed from Ashok Singh whether Brij Bihari Prasad has been actually shot-dead and thereafter the two i.e. Raj Kishore Prasad Sinha and Lalu Yadav came to the place of occurrence. Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 74 33. Learned counsel for Accused No. 8 further submitted that P.W. 1 has stated in Paragraph 48 of his evidence that police arrived at the place of occurrence at 8:30 P.M. P.W. 54, however, has stated in Paragraph 2 of his evidence that he received wireless message about the occurrence at about 8:30 P.M. and reached the place of occurrence thereafter. According to learned counsel, Officer-in-Charge, Shastri Nagar Police Station S.S.P. Yadav received information about the occurrence at 8:35 P.M. and he also came to the place of occurrence thereafter. It is submitted by the learned counsel for Accused No. 8 that although P.W. 54, Dy.S.P. was present at the place of occurrence and Shastri Nagar Police Station was within his jurisdiction, and he being present at the place of occurrence S.S.P. Yadav, having scribed the fardbeyan could not have taken up the investigation of the case on his own without receiving instruction from P.W. 54. In this connection, learned counsel for Accused No. 8 further referred to the evidence of P.W. 54 Paragraph 82 that Senior Superintendent of Police, Patna directed S.S.P. Yadav Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 75 under letter dated 14.06.1998 to hand over the investigation of the case to P.W. 54 but S.S.P. Yadav continued with the investigation until 13.07.1998 and handed over the investigation of the case to P.W. 54 on 14.07.1998. P.W. 54 in the same paragraph has stated that he is not aware as to why S.S.P. Yadav continued with the investigation of the case after 14.06.1998 until 13.07.1998 and with reference to the said fact learned counsel for Accused No. 8 submitted that there has been no investigation at all of the case during the period between 14.06.1998 till 13.07.1998. 34. Learned counsel for Accused No. 8 further submitted that investigation conducted by the C.B.I. is also not fair as the Investigating Officer of the C.B.I. has introduced the story of a orchestra programme hosted at the native village of Accused No. 8 during the night between 15.06.1998 and 16.06.1998 although police diary of the local police station indicates that during the night between 15- 16.06.1998 police party raided the house of Accused No. 8 situate in his native village and he was not found present in his house and that the police party has not Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 76 found any tent etc. or orchestra performer present in the house of Accused No. 8. In this connection learned counsel for Accused No. 8 has further submitted with reference to Exhibit-55 that C.B.I. investigator has manufactured documentary evidence by pasting the photograph of Accused No. 8 with the photograph of Sri Prakash Shukla and 2 others, killed in an encounter by U.P. police by pasting the four photographs on a sheet of paper as has been admitted by P.W. 58 in Paragraph 18.
35. Learned counsel for Accused No. 8 further submitted that perusal of last line of the first paragraph at Page 4 of the fardbeyan quoted below would indicate that the same has been inserted in the said paragraph subsequently in different handwriting.
"?kVuk ls HkxnM+ ep xbZ rFkk gkrk esa cSBs ejhtksa ds vkneh twrk&pIiy NksM+ dj Hkkx x;sA"
36. Learned counsel for Accused No. 8
further submitted with reference to the evidence of P.W.1, Paragraphs 4, 38, P.W. 10, Paragraphs 3, 4, P.W. 12, P.W. 13 Paragraph 5 P.W. 14 Paragraphs 1, Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 77 2, P.W. 19 Paragraph 1, 2, that the two deceased and others were taking walk in open space/parking area when the occurrence took place, P.W. 24 Paragraph 6 stated that she saw the dead body of her husband Brij Bihari Prasad and his bodyguard Lakshmeshwar Sah in a pool of blood just ahead of portico, P.W. 10 stated that the deceased and others were taking walk near parking area of I.G.I.M.S. where they suffered gun shot and fell down, P.W. 13 stated that he and others including the deceased were taking walk in the lawn when two Ambassador cars came, 7-8 persons got down and resorted to firing killing the two., P.W. 14 Paragraphs 1,2 stated that P.W. 14 and others were taking walk along with Brij Bihari Prasad in the hospital lawn where the occurrence took place in which he also suffered injury in his left hand, P.W. 19 Paragraphs 1, 2 stated that he met deceased Brij Bihari Prasad between 7:00-7:30 P.M. while he was taking a walk and came from the canteen side along with 2-4 persons and told him (P.W. 19) that he is delayed as his wife Rama has gone home and then proceeded 100-150 yards ahead when the firing was Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 78 resorted, P.W. 25 Mahanth Ashwani Das stated in Paragraph 3 of his evidence that he, the two deceased and the other visitors came out of the ward for walk. Some of them moved along with the two deceased and the security personnel, other visitors sat at different places in the campus, meanwhile one Ambassador and another Sumo vehicle came and the miscreants got down from the vehicles and resorted to firing, in Paragraph 6 the witness (P.W. 25) further stated that after the departure of the accused when he came to the place of occurrence, he found both the injured lying dead., P.W. 26 Anil Kumar Yadav, Ambulance driver of I.G.I.M.S. was on duty on the date, time of occurrence between 8:00-10:00 P.M. and is a witness over the inquest report, dead body challen of bodyguard Lakshmeshwar Sah (Exhibit-52/41) but from perusal of the inquest report/dead body challan it does not appear the exact place in the campus of the I.G.I.M.S., where the dead body of Lakshmeshwar Sah was found, has been indicated, the witness (P.W. 26) was on duty between 8:00-10:00 P.M. but has not heard the sound of gun-shot, as such, according to Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 79 learned counsel, the occurrence took place prior to 8:00 P.M., P.W. 28 Ashok Kumar Singh is the owner of the medicine shop established within the premises of I.G.I.M.S., Patna, P.W. 29 Anuj Kumar is his employee, both were present in the medicine shop at the time of occurrence but have not heard the gun shot and are witnesses to the stampede around 8:00 P.M., P.W. 31 Rabindra Nath Yadav, an employee of B.S.N.L., posted at the telephone booth established by the B.S.N.L. in I.G.I.M.S. campus, in Paragraph 1 has also not deposed about the exact place of occurrence where the two deceased were killed, P.W. 34 Riyazuddin Ansari, private security personnel of I.G.I.M.S. was on duty at the time of occurrence on 13.06.1998, in Paragraphs 1, 2 has also not stated either about the place or manner of occurrence though he was on duty at the time of occurrence and is witness on seizure-list. Perusal of seizure-list indicates that the seizure was made from parking place, 100-150 yards west of the ward, concrete road and the adjoining lawn, the Guard Room, P.W. 38 Bhrigu Nath Thakur, constable posted in the verandah of the ward to guard Brij Bihari Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 80 Prasad, stated in Paragraphs 2, 3 that he always prohibited Brij Bihari Prasad not to come out for walk but he violated his instructions. On the fateful day also Brij Bihari Prasad came out for walk between 7:30-7:45 P.M., the witness was standing in the verandah, the deceased along with another went out for walk, after sometime one car came and two persons got down from the car and resorted to firing, P.W. 40 Sugreew Singh, another constable posted in the I.G.I.M.S., Sheikhpura, Patna to protect Brij Bihari Prasad, has stated that the witness and other security personnel including commandoes, 2-3 visitors, went along with Brij Bihari Prasad on 13.06.1998 at 6:45 P.M. for walk. Mantriji, however, asked the security personnel to go back to the verandah as he was discussing personal matters. The witness and other security personnel went back to the verandah. According to witness, after one hour a car came, two persons alighted therefrom and resorted to firing, P.W. 42 Shashi Bhushan Singh in Paragraph 2 stated that the witness and others were walking on the road near parking space of the hospital. In the meantime, two Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 81 vehicles came, resorted to filing causing death of Brij Bihari Prasad and Lakshmeshwar Sah, P.W. 44 Sanjay Kumar Singh in Paragraphs 1, 2 stated that he prepared inquest report, dead body challan of Lakmeshwar Sah, Exhibits- 52, 41 at I.G.I.M.S., Sheikhpura, Patna campus. P.W. 51 Vijay Kumar Jha in Paragraph 4 stated that he saw the dead body of Mantriji and Havildar Lakshmeshwar Sah lying in a pool of blood, P.W. 54 Shashi Bhushan Sharma in Paragraph 2 stated that he learnt about the occurrence on 13.06.1998 at about 8:30 P.M. and reached the place of occurrence thereafter. In the light of the deposition of the aforesaid witnesses, P.Ws. 1, 10, 12, 13, 14, 19, 24, 25, 26, 28, 29, 31, 34, 38, 40, 42, 44, 51, 54, referred to above, it is evident according to learned counsel for Accused No. 8 that the aforesaid witnesses were also present at the place of occurrence from before or came to the place of occurrence soon after the occurrence but their evidence is not consistent about the place of occurrence and it is difficult to find the actual place where both the deceased were shot dead and fell on Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 82 the ground. There is inconsistency between the evidence of eye-witnesses as P.Ws. 1, 13, 14 and 42 have stated that both the deceased were shot when they went out of the ward in the parking place. P.W. 24, however, stated that the dead body of both the deceased was just ahead of portico P.Ws. 28, 29, 31 and 34, the owner, employee of the medicine shop, employee posted at telephone booth and the private guard of I.G.I.M.S., Patna were on duty at the time of occurrence have not even heard the gun shot. P.W. 38, 40 have not even specified the place where the gun shot was fired on the two deceased and they fell down. In this connection it is also pointed out that the inquest report and dead body challan of Lakshmeshwar Sah does not indicate the place within the I.G.I.M.S. campus where the dead body was found and the two documents were prepared. In this connection it is pointed out that I.G.I.M.S. campus is more than 60-70 acres, as such, it was for the prosecution to have pointed the exact place where the dead body of Lakshmeshwar Sah was found and the two documents, namely, inquest report and the dead body Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 83 challan was prepared as there is considerable distance between the ward, hospital, administrative building, parking area, open space and the road where the occurrence is said to have taken place.
37. Learned counsel for Accused No. 8 next submitted that prosecution has suppressed the earliest version of the occurrence. In this connection, he pointed out the evidence of informant (P.W. 10), Paragraph 6, P.W. 42, Paragraph 4, P.W. 54, Shashi Bhushan Sharma, Paragraph 2, P.W. 24 Rama Devi and submitted that after departure of the assailants from the place of occurrence P.W. 10, 42 gave information about the occurrence to the staff of the hospital. The staff of the hospital, in turn, informed the police but the information given by the staff of the hospital to the police has not been brought on record. It is not known as to what information P.W. 10, 42 have given to the staff of the hospital and their version as narrated in the fardbeyan as also in Court is the same version which they had given to the staff of the hospital. With reference to the evidence of P.W. 54, Paragraph 2 that P.W. 54 received a wireless message Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 84 about the occurrence on 13.06.1998 at 8:30 P.M. and soon thereafter reached the place of occurrence. Learned counsel submitted that prosecution having not brought on record the wireless message, it is not known about the contents of the wireless message and whether the contents of the wireless message was similar to that of the contents of the fardbeyan . In this connection, provisions contained in Section 36 of the Cr.P.C. and Rule 53, 54 of Chapter V of Bihar Police Manual, 1978 has also been relied upon. P.W. 54 at the relevant time was Dy.S.P., Secretariat and Shastri Nagar Police Station was within his jurisdiction. He having learnt about the occurrence through wireless message at 8:30 P.M, reached the place of occurrence soon thereafter, was required to have issued instructions for investigation of the case. S.S.P. Yadav, Officer-in-charge Shastri Nagar Police Station having recorded the fardbeyan at 9:00 P.M. while forwarding the fardbeyan to the Officer-in- Charge, Gardanibagh Police Station to register a case, ought not to have stated in the forwarding that he will investigate the case. In the light of the endorsement of Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 85 S.S.P. Yadav over the fardbeyan Officer-in-Charge, Gardanibagh Police Station registered the First Information Report stating that S.S.P. Yadav is already investigating the case. According to learned counsel Dy.S.P. Shashi Bhushan Sharma (P.W. 54) having learnt about the occurrence through wireless message at 8:30 P.M., reached the place of occurrence soon thereafter, the fardbeyan having been recorded by S.S.P. Yadav at 9:00 P.M., he could not have taken over the investigation of the case on his own without permission of P.W. 54, as P.W. 54 was also present at the place of occurrence. According to learned counsel as per Rule 54B of the Police Manual, S.S.P. Yadav ought not to have taken over investigation of the case without instruction from P.W. 54, who was present at the place of occurrence at the time fardbeyan was recorded. Taking over investigation of the case by S.S.P. Yadav suo motu in presence of P.W. 54 is indicative of the fact that chain of command in the police hierarchy was not effectively maintained.
37A. In the background of the aforesaid factual position that the then Officer-in-Charge Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 86 ignoring the presence of Dy.S.P. (P.W. 54) took over the investigation of the case, it is submitted that the First Information Report was not drawn on 14.06.1998 but was drawn on 15.06.1998 in view of the fact that First Information Report was received in Court on 15.06.1998 and there is entry dated 15.06.1998 in Column No. 8 of the photo copy of the First Information Report appended with the First Information Report drawn by the C.B.I. (Exhibit-62/2). In the aforesaid background, it is submitted that the First Information Report of the present case has not been drawn on 14.06.1998 at 00.15 hours, as is appearing therefrom. The same has been drawn on 15.06.1998 after due deliberation with the R.J.D. President, his wife, the then Chief Minister and Sri S.S.P. Yadav, Officer-in-Charge, Shastri Nagar Police Station who took up the investigation of the case on his own ignoring the presence of Dy.S.P. (P.W. 54) at the place of occurrence, and such fact according to learned counsel can be inferred from the evidence of P.W. 24 Rama Devi, wife of deceased Brij Bihari Prasad also read with the conduct of Sri S.S.P. Yadav to have Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 87 taken over the investigation of the case ignoring the presence of Dy.S.P. (P.W. 54) and continued with the investigation of the case until 13.07.1998 even though he was instructed by the Senior Superintendent of Police, Patna under letter dated 14.06.1998 to hand over the investigation of the case to Dy.S.P. Shashi Bhushan Sharma (P.W. 54).
38. Learned counsel for Accused No. 8 next submitted that the fardbeyan of the present case was not lodged at 9:00 P.M. on 13.06.1998 in the campus of I.G.I.M.S., Sheikhpura, Patna. It is submitted in this connection that informant (P.W. 10) is said to have lodged the fardbeyan on 13.06.1998 at 9:00 P.M. in the campus of I.G.I.M.S., Sheikhpura, Patna which was scribed by Inspector S.S.P. Yadav, Officer-in- Charge, Shastri Nagar police station but there is no attesting witness of the said fardbeyan although many eye-witnesses were present at the place of occurrence at the time of recording of the fardbeyan. In the light of the fardbeyan, the First Information Report is said to have been drawn on 14.06.1998 at 00.15 hours on 12:15 P.M. in the night between 13-14.06.1998 by the Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 88 Officer-in-Charge, Gardanibagh Police Station. The First Information Report, however, reached the Incharge, Chief Judicial Magistrate, Patna on 15.06.1998, Chehallum, which was a gazetted holiday and there is no explanation on record as to why First Information Report reached the Incharge Chief Judicial Magistrate on 15.06.1998, a gazetted holiday even when the same was drawn in the night between 13-14.06.1998 at 12:15 P.M In this connection it is pointed out that neither P.W. 54 Investigating Officer of the State Police nor P.W. 62, Investigating Officer of C.B.I. has explained as to why the First Information Report reached the Incharge Chief Judicial Magistrate on 15.06.1998 although there is hardly distance of 4½ kilometre from the Gardanibagh Police Station and the residence of Incharge Chief Judicial Magistrate. In this connection it is further pointed out that Column No. 3 of the First Information Report which indicates the time, date and the messenger through whom the First Information Report was dispatched to the Court is kept blank in the present case. In this connection it is also pointed out that the scribe of the fardbeyan was Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 89 required to have taken signature of the informant on the last page of the fardbeyan or on each of the four pages of the fardbeyan but in the present case the scribe obtained the signature of the informant (P.W.
10) on the right hand margin of page No. 2 and at the bottom of Page No. 4 of the fardbeyan. There is no explanation by the prosecution as to why the signature of the informant was not obtained on page 1 and page 3 of the fardbeyan and according to learned counsel, omission to obtain signature of the informant over page 1, 3 of the fardbeyan also creates doubt about the genuineness of the fardbeyan. It is further pointed out that informant (P.W.10) having perused the fardbeyan has only identified his signature on the fardbeyan in the right hand margin of Page 2 and bottom of Page 4. The informant in Paragraph 2 of his evidence categorically stated that he has no knowledge as to whether the said fardbeyan was scribed by Inspector of Shastri Nagar Police Station. In Paragraph 14 P.W.10 again stated that he put his signature on 3, 4 papers as per the direction of the Officer-in-Charge. 39. Learned counsel for Accused No. 8 Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 90 submitted in the light of the evidence of P.W. 1 Paragraph 2 that as per suggestion of Accused No. 6 Ram Niranjan Chaudhary, Brij Bihari Prasad came out for evening walk 5-10 minutes after the proposal for coming out for evening walk was mooted by Accused No. 6 along with Ram Niranjan Choudhary, the visitors from his Constituency, the brother-in-law of Brij Bihari Prasad (P.W. 1) also followed Brij Bihari Prasad from behind. In view of the aforesaid evidence of P.W. 1 it is submitted that informant (P.W. 10), resident of P.S. Chhitauni, Motihari, Rabindra Bhaghat (P.W. 14), resident of Jamui, Mahanth Ashwani Das (P.W. 25), resident of Masaurhi, Patna or Muzaffarpur and Shashi Bhushan Singh (P.W. 42) resident of Samayachak within Dhaka Constituency, Motihari could not have accompanied Brij Bihari Prasad in the evening walk, as claimed by them in evidence since they are not the residents of Aadapur, the Constituency of Brij Bihari Prasad. In this connection, with reference to Paragraph 9 of the evidence of P.W. 1 learned counsel submitted that from the said paragraph it would appear that when Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 91 the assailants alighted from Sumo, Ambassador car and resorted to firing, Accused No. 6 along with 2-3 others also appeared at the scene although he had gone away after Brij Bihari Prasad and others came out for evening walk.
40. Learned counsel for Accused No. 8 further submitted that P.W. 24 Rama Devi stated in Paragraph 2 of her evidence that her husband was admitted as an indoor patient in I.G.I.M.S., Patna 2½ months prior to the date of occurrence. In paragraph 6 P.W. 24 further stated that she learnt about the occurrence from Accused No. 6 Ram Niranjan Chaudhary while she boarded her car at Maurya Lok, hurriedly came to I.G.I.M.S. campus and saw both Brij Bihari Prasad and Lakshmeshwar Sah lying in a pool of blood just ahead of the portico. In Paragraph 7 she further stated that the witnesses who were present at the place of occurrence disclosed that while deceased and others were walking, two vehicles came from which Bhupendra Nath Dubey, Accused No. 4 Mantu Tiwari, Accused No. 9 Rajan Tiwari, Satish Pandey, Shri Prakash Shukla, Accused No. 8 Munna Shukla, Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 92 Accused No. 3 Lallan Singh, Accused No. 2 Mukesh Singh, Accused No. 5 Sunil Singh and Accused No. 1 Suraj Bhan Singh alighted, abusively identified the M.L.A. (her husband), resorted to indiscriminate firing and left proclaiming that he has been killed raising slogan in the name of "Jai Bajrangbali". Learned counsel further referred to Paragraph 47 of the evidence of P.W. 24 Rama Devi, wife of the deceased and submitted that she has admitted in her evidence that at the time of the incident the deceased was under protection of 5 commando(s) and 4 B.M.P. constable(s). In Paragraph 56 P.W. 24 stated that security personnel, deputed for the protection of her husband resided in the room situate in front of the room allotted to her husband in the hospital. In the same Paragraph P.W. 24 further stated that any visitor coming to meet her husband in the campus of I.G.I.M.S. used to meet him after obtaining permission from the security personnel, who used to ask her husband whether the visitor be allowed to come inside. Learned counsel further referred to Paragraph 70 of the evidence of P.W. 24 that after the occurrence Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 93 she enquired from the security personnel as to what they were doing at the time of occurrence and she herself stated in Paragraph 70 of her evidence that the security personnel did not resort to any firing. It is submitted that in view of the report of the ballistic expert dated 28.08.1998 (Exhibit-17) that firing was resorted to from two out of the four rifles entrusted to the security personnel deputed to protect Brij Bihari Prasad, claim of the prosecution that security personnel guarding Brij Bihari Prasad did not resort to firing does not appear to be correct and if that is so then the manner of occurrence, as has been asserted in the fardbeyan and the evidence of the witnesses is not correct.
41. Learned counsel for Accused No. 8 with reference to evidence of P.W. 25, Mahanth Ashwani Das in Paragraphs 3, 4, 28 and 29 submitted that true it is that the witness supported the case as eye-witness who was present in the room along with Brij Bihari Prasad and came out for evening walk together with Sri Prasad but he does not remember the name of others who came out with Brij Bihari Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 94 Prasad for the evening walk. In this connection, learned counsel further referred to Paragraph 6 of the evidence of P.W. 25 and submitted that in the said paragraph P.W. 25 stated that after accused persons left the place of occurrence, he went near the dead body of the two deceased where P.W. 24 Smt. Rama Devi, policemen, doctor, Lalu Prasad and others had also come. Having referred to the aforesaid evidence, learned counsel referred to the evidence of P.W. 25 in Paragraph 64 where he has stated that he does not remember whether he has given similar evidence as given in Court, before the State Police and the Investigating Officer of C.B.I. also. It is submitted by the learned counsel that P.W. 25 has been introduced as an eye-witness by the prosecution but in view of his evidence in Paragraphs 6, 64, it is difficult to sustain his evidence as an eye-witness of the occurrence. 42. Learned counsel for Accused No. 8 with reference to the evidence of P.W. 38, who has been declared hostile by the prosecution, submitted that he also deposed about the occurrence in a judicial Inquiry Commission, presided by a retired Judge of Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 95 the High Court in which he had submitted his evidence about the occurrence on affidavit which was produced in this Court and marked as Exhibit-Y. It is submitted that according to the evidence of P.W. 38, he along with P.W. 40 Sugreew Singh, Hanif Bhingra, Nirmal Ram (both not examined) were deputed in the I.G.I.M.S. campus for the purpose of providing security to the deceased Brij Bihari Prasad. According to P.W. 38 Paragraph 9, only two accused persons came on one vehicle and resorted to firing killing the two deceased. Learned counsel also referred to the evidence of P.W. 40 Sugreew Singh, who has also been declared hostile as he has also stated that on one vehicle two miscreants came and resorted to firing killing both the deceased and that he had also deposed before the Inquiry Commission. 43. Learned counsel for Accused No. 8 with reference to the evidence of P.W. 42 Shashi Bhushan Singh in Paragraphs 2, 45 submitted that though he is an eye-witness of the occurrence but his evidence does not inspire confidence as he has not seen the security personnel and commandos moving Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 96 along with the deceased Brij Bihari Prasad though in the vapour light he could identify the miscreants. 44. Learned counsel for Accused No. 8 with reference to the evidence of P.W. 51 Vijay Kumar Jha, Security Officer of Rama Devi, submitted that he is not an eye-witness of the occurrence as at the time of occurrence he was inside the hospital along with another patient and after hearing the gun-shot, he came running outside and saw stampede in the premises of I.G.I.M.S. and further saw that Mantriji and his bodyguard suffered injury and were lying in a pool of blood. Soon thereafter witness went to the house of Mantriji at 20 Bailey Road, Patna to inform P.W. 24 about the occurrence.
45. Learned counsel for Accused No. 8 with reference to the evidence of P.W. 56 Bihariji Mishra, Assistant Engineer, Minor Irrigation Division submitted that he prepared the site plan of place of occurrence (Exhibit- 54). In Paragraph 5 of his evidence P.W. 56 stated that at the time he drew the site plan, he was not informed about the place where the two vehicles were parked and stopped. Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 97 46. Learned counsel for Accused No. 8 submitted that the so-called eye-witnesses of the occurrence P.Ws. 1, 10, 13, 25, 42 are not fit to be relied upon. In this connection he pointed out to the evidence of P.W. 1 Paras Nath Chaudhary, brother-in- law of the deceased Brij Bihari Prasad and submitted that had he been an eye-witness of the occurrence, he should have become the informant or the witness of seizure or inquest. In this connection he further pointed out the evidence of P.W. 1 Paragraph 10 where the witness has stated that after the occurrence he has not given any statement to the police and then went on to say that the police enquired from him about the incident but at which place he does not remember. In this connection it is further pointed out that P.W. 1 in Paragraph 11 of his evidence has stated that Accused No. 9 Rajan Tiwari, who is present in Court along with other accused persons, is known to him from before, was not present at the time of occurrence. P.W. 1 in his 161 Cr.P.C. statement, however, named Rajan Tiwari as one of the assailants of the bodyguard Lakshmeshwar Sah. In view of the Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 98 omission of P.W. 1 not to name Accused No. 9 Rajan Tiwari as one of the assailants in Court, the possibility of P.W. 1 implicating others in his deposition in Court cannot be ruled out.
47. Learned counsel with reference to Paragraph 15 of the deposition of P.W. 1 submitted that it is admission of P.W.1 that deceased Brij Bihari Prasad was his brother-in-law but at the time of his deposition his sister P.W. 24 Rama Devi remained present in Court and thereby the possibility of P.W. 1 deposing under influence of P.W. 24 cannot be ruled out.
48. Learned counsel further referred to Paragraphs 17, 59 of the evidence of P.W. 1 where he has stated that 10-12 days prior to the date of occurrence deceased Brij Bihari Prasad was admitted in hospital, which is not correct in view of the evidence of P.W. 23 Dr. U.S. Rai and Exhibit 25 that he was admitted in I.G.I.M.S. on 05.04.1998. In this connection learned counsel further referred to the evidence of P.W. 1 that during 10-12 days when he was confined to hospital, he met Brij Bihari Prasad 4- Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 99 5 times but did not enquire from him about the nature of illness and treatment as also did not enquire about the name of the doctor who was treating him. He further stated that P.W. 1 is not even aware about the case in which Brij Prasad Prasad was arrested by C.B.I. and brought to I.G.I.M.S., Patna in judicial custody. Learned counsel with reference to Paragraph 26 of the evidence of P.W. 1 submitted that the witness has no idea about the persons living in the house of Brij Bihari Prasad situate at Muzaffarpur and his official residence 20 Bailey Road, Patna. He further stated that witness had no idea about Revolver and Mouser as he is only aware about carbine. With reference to Paragraph 29 of P.W.1 learned counsel submitted that P.W. 1 has no information about the candidate who was killed one day after the poll. P.W. 1 also does not remember that in the election he had seen the poster of Samajwadi Party candidate and he also does not remember his name. He further stated that it is not a fact that in the election the main contestant of P.W. 24 Rama Devi was Sri Devendra Nath Dubey. He further admitted that he has no Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 100 knowledge that because of the contest between P.W. 24 Rama Devi and Devendra Nath Dubey, Brij Bihari Prasad and his brother Shyam Bihari Prasad killed Devendra Nath Dubey. P.W. 1 further stated that he has no knowledge about the candidate killed in Motihari Constituency and that Brij Bihari Babu and his brother were accused in the said murder case. In Paragraph 30 P.W.1 stated that P.W. 42 Shashi Bhushan Singh and informant (P.W. 10) are residents of Dhaka, East Champaran, Dhaka Assembly Constituency and Motihari Assembly Constituency respectively. He further stated in the same paragraph that he knew the two for 7-8 years but he is not aware that the two persons were very close to Brij Bihari Prasad. Learned counsel further referred to the evidence of P.W. 1, Paragraph 32 where he has stated that he has no knowledge whether the dead body challan of Brij Bihari Prasad was prepared. Learned counsel for Accused No. 8 also referred to Paragraph 33 of the evidence of P.W.1 where the witness stated that he has heard about the Merit Scam case in which Brij Bihari Prasad was named but he has no Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 101 knowledge whether he was a witness or accused in the said scam. P.W. 1 further stated in the same paragraph that he has no knowledge that Brij Bihari Prasad had gone to jail in Merit Scam. Learned counsel with reference to Paragraph 40 of the evidence of P.W. 1 submitted that P.W. 1 never came to I.G.I.M.S. for meeting his brother-in-law after obtaining permission from Court or jail administration. He also did not take any permission from hospital authority to meet his brother-in-law, which assertion of the witness, according to learned counsel for Accused No. 8, is contrary to the evidence of P.W. 23 Dr. U.S. Rai, Superintendent, I.G.I.M.S., Patna Paragraph 6 where he has stated that if anybody wanted to meet the patient he should seek permission from the concerned authority. Learned counsel with reference to Paragraph 42 of the evidence of P.W. 1 stated that after the occurrence P.W. 1 did not inform any doctor or officer of the hospital about the incident and the name of the assailants who killed his brother-in-law and his bodyguard. Learned counsel for Accused No. 8 with reference to the Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 102 evidence of P.W. 1 Paragraph 43, 44 submitted that after the occurrence police arrived but he did not lodge the case. He is not even aware that at the place of occurrence police prepared any paper including fardbeyan, inquest reports and the seizure-list. Learned counsel with reference to the evidence of P.W. 1 Paragraphs 46, 48 submitted that at the time of occurrence P.W. 1 concealed himself by standing by the side of a vehicle. After the occurrence police came, as has been stated by P.W. 1 in Paragraph 48 of his evidence. Prior to arrival of the police staff of the hospital and public had assembled but he does not remember that on the date of occurrence he spoke about the occurrence to any police officer or employee of the hospital. He further stated in the same paragraph that police came at 8:30 P.M. and having seen the dead body of his brother-in-law prepared the papers concerning the dead body but he did not put his signature and also is not aware about those who put their signature. Similarly, the documents concerning the dead body of the bodyguard was also prepared but he did not put his signature on the Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 103 documents concerning the dead body of the bodyguard. Learned counsel with reference to the evidence of P.W. 1 Paragraph 50 submitted that P.W. 1 asserted in Court that he did not state before the police that from the Ambassador car Satish Pandey, Munna Shukla, who is M.L.A. from Lalganj and one or two other persons got down. Learned counsel for Accused No. 8 with reference to the evidence of P.W. 1 Paragraph 58, 59 submitted that according to P.W. 1 Brij Bihari Babu was walking along with other visitors who were on his left, right side (Agal Bagal), his bodyguard Lakshmeshwar Sah and P.W. 51 Vijay Jha, the security personnel of P.W. 24 Rama Devi was following Brij Bihari Prasad. Learned counsel next referred to Paragraph 61 of the evidence of P.W. 1 where P.W.1 stated that after the incident Rama Devi (P.W. 24) came, Accused No. 6 Ram Niranjan Chaudhary, P.W. 15 Kamakhya Narayan Singh P.W. 13 Arbind Singh, P.W. 42 Shashi Bhushan Singh P.W. 25 Mahanth Ashwani Das and P.W. 51 Vijay Jha also came, besides P.W. 12 Ram Nandan Singh, informant (P.W. 10).
Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 104
49. In the light of the aforesaid evidence of P.W. 1 learned counsel for Accused No. 8 has concluded that none of the aforesaid persons saw the occurrence as they all came after arrival of Rama Devi (P.W. 24). In the light of the evidence of P.W. 1 Paragraph 63 learned counsel submitted that police officer who came to the place of occurrence after the incident did not enquire from P.W. 1 about the occurrence. He (P.W. 1) also did not say anything to the police officer about the occurrence, Police officer, however, enquired from other persons present including the persons named by P.W. 1 in Paragraph
61. As such, according to learned counsel for Accused No. 8 P.W. 1 was perhaps not present at the place of occurrence at the time of arrival of the police. In Paragraph 65 P.W. 1 stated that Rabindra Bhagat (P.W. 14) came to meet Brij Bihari Prasad in the evening at 7:30 or 8:00 P.M. In paragraph 68 P.W. 1 further stated that he did not give any information about the occurrence to Smt. Rama Devi (P.W. 24) and he is not aware about the person who gave her information about the occurrence. In the light of the Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 105 aforesaid evidence of P.W. 1 learned counsel for Accused No. 8 submitted that from the evidence of P.W.1 it is clear that this witness is unreliable. He being the brother-in-law of the deceased was not even aware about the case in which his brother-in-law was in judicial custody and the ailment suffered by him for which he was being treated in I.G.I.M.S., Patna. Similarly, he is not even aware of the date from which he was admitted in I.G.I.M.S., Patna. The conduct of P.W. 1 after arrival of police is also raising doubt about his presence at the place of occurrence as he did not state anything about the occurrence to the police officer coming to the place of occurrence, as has been admitted by him in Paragraph 63 of his evidence, he also did not inform about the occurrence to the hospital doctor, nurse and other staff. Police having taken statement of all the persons present at the place of occurrence did not record his statement as per the version of P.W.1 himself in Paragraph 63, in the circumstances, presence of P.W. 1 at the place, date and time of occurrence becomes doubtful, so submitted counsel for Accused No. 8.
Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 106 50. Learned counsel for Accused No. 8 with reference to the evidence of P.W. 24 Rama Devi in Paragraph 50 submitted that after the dead body was sent for post mortem she along with her brother P.W. 1 and others including P.W. 15 Kamakhya Narayan Singh, informant (P.W.10), Onkar Singh (not examined) P.W. 25 Mahanth Ashwani Das, P.W. 12 Ram Nandan Singh, Shakil Ansari (not examined), Naveen Singh (not examined) and others returned to her Bailey Road residence. In Paragraph 51 she further stated that Lalu Prasad Yadav and several others also stayed at her Beiley Road residence for the whole night. In Paragraph 56 P.W. 24 stated that security personnel from jail were residing in a room situate in front of the room of her husband in the hospital and were doing their duty. She further stated in the same paragraph that after obtaining permission from the security personnel any visitor was allowed to meet her husband and the Visitor Register was also maintained by the security personnel which was seized but according to learned counsel for Accused No. 8 the Visitor Register has purposely not been Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 107 produced in Court. In Paragraph 61 P.W. 24 stated that she recorded her statement by the side of the dead body of her husband. It is submitted that the time of the deposition of P.W.1 has not been stated and the same could not be brought on record due to non-examination of the first Investigating Officer Sri S.S.P. Yadav but according to learned counsel this much is evident that the statement of witnesses were recorded only after institution of the First Information Report which was lodged at 00.15 hours on 14.06.1998 which goes to show that after a long delay the investigation began at the behest of P.W. 24 Rama Devi. Statement of some persons is shown to have been recorded by the Investigating Officer thereafter. In this connection learned counsel for Accused No. 8 further referred to Paragraph 64 of the evidence of P.W. 24 where her attention has been drawn towards the fact that she has not stated before the first Investigating Officer Sri S.S.P. Yadav that after her arrival at the place of occurrence she met her brother P.W. 1 Paras Nath Choudhary, Accused No. 6 Ram Niranjan Choudhary, P.W. 15, Kamakhya Narayan Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 108 Singh, P.W. 13 Arbind Singh, informant (P.W. 10), Onkar Singh (not examined), P.W. 25 Mahanth Ashwani Das, P.W. 42 Shashi Bhushan Singh alias Chunchun Mama and some other persons of the area but the said fact could not be verified from Sri S.S.P. Yadav as he was not produced for examination and according to learned counsel for Accused No. 8 the defence case has been prejudiced on account of non- examination of Sri S.S.P. Yadav as a witness in the case. Learned counsel for Accused No. 8 with reference to Paragraph 96 of the evidence of P.W. 24 Rama Devi stated that P.W. 24 disclosed the name of P.W. 13 Arbind Singh, informant (P.W.10), Anjani Kumar Das (not examined), P.W. 42 Shashi Bhushan Singh and P.W. 25 Mahanth Ashwani Das. In Paragraph 10 P.W. 24 confirmed that her husband was arrested in connection with Merit Scam by the C.B.I. on 04.04.1998, whereafter he was taken to Beur Jail and thereafter to P.M.C.H. and then to I.G.I.M.S., Sheikhpura, Patna. In Paragraph 131 of her evidence P.W. 24 further confirmed that before the C.B.I. she has given the statement that people who were present Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 109 at the time of killing of her husband informed her that from the two vehicles Accused No. 3 Lallan Singh, Accused No. 5 Captain Sunil Singh came down and resorted to firing. Learned counsel next referred to the evidence of P.W. 51 Vijay Jha, the bodyguard of Rama Devi (P.W. 24) and stated that he also has not stated about the presence of P.W. 1 at the place of occurrence.
51. In view of the aforesaid evidence of P.Ws. 1, 24 and 51 learned counsel for Accused No. 8 submitted that P.W. 1 is not to be relied upon as his presence at the place of occurrence at the time of occurrence is doubtful for the reason that he does not remember on which place his statement was recorded by the police and the fact that his sister Rama Devi (P.W. 24) has stated that after inquest report of Lakshmeshwar Sah was prepared, she along with P.W. 1, P.W. 25 Mahanth Ashwani Das and P.W. 15 Kamakhya Narayan Singh came to her residence 20 Bailey Road, Patna and remained there for the whole night and Lalu Prasad also remained there for the whole night. According to learned counsel P.W. 1 Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 110 should also not to be relied upon for the reason that he has introduced a new story about the manner in which deceased proceeded for his evening walk. According to learned counsel P.W. 1 is also not to be relied upon as he has not stated about the two injured P.W. 14, Rabindra Bhagat and Shiv Balak Choudhary. He is also not to be relied upon as he failed to state about the presence of the police personnel deputed to guard the deceased who resorted to firing as also for his failure to indicate the place where the car was standing by the side of which he concealed himself. According to learned counsel P.W. 1 has stated that the deceased was taking a walk in the parking area but from the evidence it does not appear that there is any parking area in the vicinity and the deceased was shot near the cycle-stand but the said fact could not be brought on record due to non-examination of the first Investigating Officer Sri S.S.P. Yadav, as he was the only police officer who inspected the place of occurrence. According to learned counsel P.W. 1 is also not to be relied upon as he has not stated about the means of identification. In view of the aforesaid Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 111 pit-falls in the evidence of P.W. 1 learned counsel submitted that P.W. 1 was not present at the place of occurrence, which is more evident from the fact that he is a resident of Lalganj and Accused No. 8 at the relevant time was an M.L.A. elected from Lalganj Constituency and if Accused No. 8 had participated in the occurrence and was identified at the place of occurrence, his full name and correct address should have been mentioned in the fardbeyan but the fardbeyan describes him as Munna Shukla, resident of village and P.O. Muzaffarpur. According to learned counsel P.W. 1 is not to be believed further as before the police he named 11 accused persons but during trial he named only 6 accused persons, yet prosecution has not chosen to declare him hostile. For the failure of the first Investigating Officer to be examined aforesaid contradiction in the evidence of P.W. 1 could not be brought on record.
52. Learned counsel for Accused No. 8 next referred to the evidence of informant (P.W.10) Paragraphs 12, 4, 5, 6, 13 in which he stated that witness is resident of a village which is at a distance of Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 112 160 kilometres from Patna. The deceased and others including the bodyguard were taking walk in the parking area when 5 to 6 persons alighted from two vehicles and resorted to indiscriminate firing causing injury to the Minister and his bodyguard, both fell down at the same place. After the occurrence accused fled away, information was given to the hospital staff, who, in turn, informed the police. In Paragraph 13 P.W. 10 has categorically stated that he is known to P.W. 1 Paras Nath Chaudhary, brother-in-law of deceased Brij Bihari Prasad, who was not present at I.G.I.M.S., Sheikhpura, Patna during the time P.W. 10 was at the place of occurrence. P.W. 10 further stated that he has only put his signature on the fardbeyan and 3-4 other papers at the request of the Officer-in- Charge, Shastri Nagar Police Station. The witness has been declared hostile by the prosecution and cross- examined to discredit his evidence but according to learned counsel declaring the witness as hostile does not mean that the statement made by the witness in cross-examination or in Examination-in-Chief is to be wholly ignored. P.W. 10 having identified two of the Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 113 accused persons is consistent in his evidence that Brij Bihari Prasad and his bodyguard Lakshmeshwar Sah were shot at the same place and they also fell down at the same place. The others were also moving along with the two. The witness, however, has not stated about the injury caused to any other person. According to learned counsel, the statement of the witness that both the deceased received injury at the same place, fell down and died at the same place is, being falsified by the objective finding of the Investigating Officer, as is evident from the site plan (Exhibit-63 and 54) which goes to show that both the deceased were lying at two different places. According to learned counsel for Accused No. 8 P.W. 10 has also not stated in his evidence about the means of identification. In view of the aforesaid evidence, learned counsel for Accused No. 8 submitted that as P.W. 10 failed to identify any of the accused persons in Court and deposed in Paragraph 2 of his Examination- in-Chief that he is not aware whether fardbeyan was written by the Inspector-cum-Officer-in-Charge, Shastri Nagar Police Station, contents of the Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 114 fardbeyan cannot override his deposition in Court that he could not identify any of the accused persons present in dock. Learned counsel for Accused No. 8 further submitted that the fardbeyan is doubtful document in view of the report of the ballistic expert (Exhibit-17) as the same does not indicate that the firing was also resorted to by the security personnel on duty for granting protection to the deceased Brij Bihari Prasad. Learned counsel for Accused No. 8 submitted that evidence of P.W. 13 Arbind Singh, also declared hostile, cannot be relied upon by the prosecution in view of his evidence in Paragraphs 4,5,6,12 and 15 in view of the fact that the witness has stated that accused persons came in two Ambassador car while the two deceased and others were taking walk in the lawn of the I.G.I.M.S., Sheikhpura, Patna but did not state anything about the manner of occurrence nor did he identify any of the accused persons. Witness has also not stated about the means of identification available at the place of occurrence and further for the reason that the witness has not spoken about the firing resorted to by the security personnel at the place Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 115 of occurrence deputed to guard Brij Bihari Prasad.
53. Learned counsel further referred to the evidence of injured Rabindra Bhagat (P.W. 14) and stated that the witness in Paragraph 1 has stated that he reached in the hospital room of the deceased on 13.06.1998 between 7:00-7:30 P.M. and went for walk along with Brij Bihari Prasad, 2- 3 others and security personnel. While they were walking, firing was resorted to but he could not see the number of persons who resorted to firing or identified them. The witness, however, suffered injury in the occurrence and was examined, treated by a private doctor in Alok Nursing Home/Anupama Hospital Private Ltd., Khajanchi Road, Patna. The witness has not stated about the means of identification. It is submitted by learned counsel for Accused No. 8 that it is strange that the witness having suffered injury, went to Alok Nursing Home/Anupama Hospital Private Ltd., Khajanchi Road, Patna leaving I.G.I.M.S., Sheikhpura, P.M.C.H., Patna, where he was examined by P.W. 8 Dr. Tarkeshwar Prasad, who issued medical report dated 08.08.1998 (Exhibit-10). P.W. 14 has also not Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 116 stated about the firing resorted to by the security personnel at the time of occurrence.
54. Learned counsel for Accused No. 8 with reference to the evidence of P.W. 25 Mahanth Ashwani Das Paragraph 2 submitted that in the evening of the occurrence Accused No. 6 Ram Niranjan Choudhary volunteered "it is very hot/sultry inside the room and they should go outside". After sometime, Brij Bihari Prasad came out with the witness and others including Ram Niranjan Choudhary for a walk together with bodyguard Lakshmeshwar Sah and the members of Rifle Party deputed in the ward for protecting prisioner Brij Bihari Prasad. Learned counsel with reference to the said evidence of P.W. 25 submitted that clear-cut inference from the aforesaid evidence of P.W. 25 is that members of the Rifle Party and bodyguard Lakshmeshwar Sah were in the same room from which Brij Bihari Prasad and others including the witness came out for a walk. Learned counsel for Accused No. 8 further referred to Paragraph 3 of the evidence of P.W. 25 where P.W. Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 117 25 stated that after coming out from the ward some of the companions of Brij Bihari Prasad continued moving with him and others sat at different places. In the meantime, one Ambassador car and another Sumo vehicle came there. In this connection, learned counsel also submitted that P.W. 25 in Paragraph 1 has stated that when he came to the ward at about 7:00 P.M. to meet Brij Bihari Prasad, at that time he saw amongst other visitors P.W. 42 Shashi Bhushan Singh present in the room from before but according to learned counsel P.W. 42 in Paragraph 1 of his evidence has stated that when he (P.W. 42) came to meet Brij Bihari Prasad he saw P.W. 25 present from before. Learned counsel referred to Paragraph 4 of the evidence of P.W. 25 in which he has stated that at about 7:00 P.M. in the evening of occurrence there was vapour light in which he identified the miscreants after concealing behind a pillar and saw two deceased being shot dead when they were near to each other. In this connection, learned counsel with reference to the site plan (Exhibits- 54, 63) submitted that in the two site plans there is no Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 118 indication of any vapour light or pillar behind which P.W. 25 concealed himself and saw the two deceased being shot dead near each other. From the site plan it, however, appears that the two dead bodies were at a considerable distance. As such, the claim of P.W. 25 of having identified the miscreants in the vapour light becomes doubtful. Learned counsel for Accused No. 8 further assailed his evidence with reference to Paragraphs 1, 4 that as per this witness the occurrence perhaps has taken place at 7:00 P.M. as he has stated in the said paragraph that miscreants were identified in vapour light at 7:00 P.M. Learned counsel for Accused No. 8 with reference to Paragraph 14 of the evidence of P.W. 25 submitted that the witness knew P.W. 24 Rama Devi, wife of Brij Bihari Prasad since 1996 when he had become disciple of Mahanth Anil Das and that his Guru died in the year 1997. He further stated in the same paragraph that P.W. 24 Rama Devi remained present during his deposition on all the three days. In Paragraph 16 P.W. 25 further stated that the house of Brij Bihari Prasad in Mohalla Brahmpura, Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 119 Muzaffarpur is at a distance of 125 yards from the Math and the agriculture land of the Math is situate on Motihari road. He also stated in Paragraph 17 that he is well acquainted with the informant (P.W.10), P.W. 13 Arbind Singh, P.W. 12 Ram Nandan Singh, P.W. 42 Shashi Bhushan Singh, P.W. 1 Paras Nath Choudhary, Onkar Singh (not examined). He also stated that P.W. 12 Ram Nandan Singh and Onkar Singh are his distant relatives but clarified that he has neither studied with them nor he has any business relationship with the aforesaid persons and they are also not the disciple of his Math nor the follower of kabir panth and they are residents of district- Motihari. In Paragraph 19, P.W. 25 further admitted that he had no specific reason to visit Brij Bihari Prasad in I.G.I.M.S., Sheikhpura, Patna on 13.06.1998 but whenever he came to Patna, he met him but in Paragraph 14 the witness clarified that he has no idea about the disease for which Brij Bihari Prasad was being treated in I.G.I.M.S., Sheikhpura, Patna as an indoor patient. In Paragraphs 16, 17 P.W. 25 asserted that there is Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 120 no case lodged against him but on being further cross-examined he admitted that earlier a murder case was lodged against him in the year 1979 for the occurrence which took place in his ancestral village Dhanauti, P.S. Masaurhi, district Patna where he has ancestral house and landed property, in which he has gone to jail, convicted and has been awarded life sentence, against which he filed appeal in the High Court in the year 1987, which is pending. In the same paragraph he further asserted that he has no knowledge whether his appeal was rejected maintaining the sentence imposed on him and that he has been declared absconder. In Paragraph 17 the witness admitted that he has got no documentary proof to show that he came to the hospital on 13.06.1998. He also stated that he has not put any signature on the register or any document in the hospital nor he has seen informant (P.W.10), P.W. 1 Paras Nath Choudhary, P.W. 13 Arbind Singh, P.W. 12 Ram Nandan Singh, P.W. 42 Shashi Bhushan Singh and Onkar Singh (not examined), either writing or putting their signature. P.W. 25 further Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 121 stated that he has neither put his signature on the fardbeyan nor on the inquest report or the seizure- list. In Paragraph 18 the witness admitted that his name is Ashwani Kumar Singh. In Paragraph 20 P.W. 25 admitted that Munna Shukla and others were made accused in the murder case of his brother Anil Das and with reference to the said statement learned counsel for Accused No. 8 submitted that P.W. 25 has admitted enmity with Accused No. 8. In Paragraph 24, P.W. 25 stated that he does not remember that on 10.09.1987 he was sentenced to suffer life imprisonment. In Paragraph 25 P.W. 25 stated that he does not remember that he filed Criminal Appeal No. 541 of 1987 in the High Court. His father has filed separate appeal and that he does not remember that Lakshman Singh had filed Criminal Appeal No. 481 of 1987 and that his father and others had filed Criminal Appeal No. 460 of 1987. In Paragraph 28 P.W. 25 stated that on 13.06.1998 when he came in the room of Brij Bihari Babu, several persons, whom he does not remember, were present. When Brij Bihari Prasad came out from Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 122 his room for the walk, armed guards followed him along with the bodyguard Lakshmeshwar Sah, who was behind Brij Bihari Prasad at a distance of 7-8 ft. In view of the aforesaid statement of P.W. 25 in Paragraph 28 that he does not remember the name of those who were present in room when P.W. 25 had come to meet Brij Bihari Prasad on 13.06.1998, his earlier statement made in Paragraph 1 that when he arrived in the room of Brij Bihari Prasad on 13.06.1998 at 7:00 P.M., informant (P.W. 10), P.W. 1 Paras Nath Chaudhary, P.W.13, Arbind Singh, P.W. 12 Ram Nandan Singh, P.W. 42 Shashi Bhushan Singh, Onkar Singh (not examined), Accused No. 6 Ram Niranjan Choudhary were present in the room, is falsified according to learned counsel for Accused No. 8. Learned counsel for Accused No. 8 with reference to Paragraph 30 of the evidence of P.W. 25 submitted that he has stated that when accused persons got down from the two vehicles at the place of occurrence and reached near Sri Brij Bihari Babu they resorted to indiscriminate firing and the entire occurrence took place within 3-4 minutes. The Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 123 witness, however, did not give any information about the occurrence to any police officer though he stayed at the place of occurrence until 9:00-9:30 P.M. In the meantime, police arrived and removed the two dead bodies. P.W. 25 further stated that he does not remember that in his presence any Panchnama was prepared by the police. Learned counsel submitted that aforesaid evidence of the witness indicates that he is not speaking the truth, as the inquest report and the dead body challan of Lakshmeshwar Sah was prepared at 9:30 P.M. and 10:10 P.M. (Exhibits- 52, 41). Learned counsel for Accused No. 8 next referred to the evidence of P.W. 25 in Paragraphs 31,33,35 and 36 where he stated that he had not come to the Post Mortem House and that he returned from I.G.I.M.S., Sheikhpura, Patna to the official residence of Mantriji and stayed there until 12:30 in the night and thereafter came back to Muzaffarpur Math by his own vehicle, which is an Ambassador car and until he left the residence of Mantriji from amongst his acquaintances P.W. 15 Kamakhya Singh, Shivji Prasad (not examined), Shankar Prasad Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 124 (not examined), P.W. 12 Ram Nandan Singh, Onkar Singh (not examined) Smt. Raj Bala Verma, the then District Magistrate, Patna and several other persons remained present in the house of the Hon‟ble Minister but learned counsel pointed out that from amongst those present in the house of Hon‟ble Minister, witness has not named P.W. 42 Shashi Bhushan Singh, as such, his presence at the place of occurrence and in the house of Hon‟ble Minister becomes doubtful. In Paragraph 33 witness admitted that he was arrested on 04.05.2006 from Bailey Road, Patna near the house of late Brij Bihari Prasad. In the background of the aforesaid evidence of P.W. 25 learned counsel for Accused No. 8 submitted that it is quite evident from the aforesaid evidence of P.W. 25 that he remained at the place of occurrence until 9:00-9:30 P.M. and thereafter came to the residence of Brij Bihari Prasad and remained there until 12:30 A.M. and thereafter left for Muzaffarpur. First Information Report having been drawn at 00.15 hours i.e. 12:15 A.M. on 14.06.1998, according to learned counsel, Investigating Officer of Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 125 the case having not visited the official residence of Brij Bihari Prasad during the night between 13- 14.06.1998, he could not have recorded the statement of P.W. 25 and others in the same night. Learned counsel for Accused No. 8 further referred to Paragraph 37 in which P.W. 25 stated that the dead body of the deceased was at a distance of 70-80 steps from the room in which Brij Bihari Prasad was admitted as a patient on the western side but such evidence of the witness is falsified from the site plan (Exhibits-54, 63). After the aforesaid room on the western side there is a passage and thereafter a long corridor from east to west and after crossing the corridor one will come out from the building. There is absolutely no pillar and if 70-80 steps is taken into account, then the incident took place inside the hospital building, in the corridor, and that is why the witness in Paragraph 37 has claimed that he concealed himself behind the pillar which was at a distance of 30-40 steps from the place of occurrence near the portico ignoring the fact that there is no portico in the said building. Learned counsel further Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 126 referred to Paragraph 40 of the evidence of P.W. 25 where he has admitted that he neither filed any application for meeting Brij Bihari Babu in the hospital nor he put signature in any of the hospital diary for such meeting, nor in the Security Guard Register, which according to learned counsel for Accused No. 8, was seized vide Exhibit-53 but withheld by the prosecution. Learned counsel for Accused No. 8 next referred to Paragraph 41 of the evidence of P.W. 25 where he has stated that he has no knowledge in which case Brij Bihari Prasad was in custody and such ignorance of the witness, according to learned counsel, is indicative of the fact that witness is not a truthful witness. In Paragraph 45 P.W. 25 admitted that he has gone to canvass in the election of P.W. 24 Rama Devi in Motihari Constituency and in Paragraph 46 P.W. 25 further admitted that when he recorded his statement under Section 164 Cr.P.C., he recorded his name as Mahanth Ashwani Das, father's name, disciple of Mahanth Anil Das and does not remember that he disclosed his father's name as Brajendra Kumar Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 127 Sinha while recording 164 Cr.P.C. statement. He further stated in the same paragraph that he does not remember as to whether before the police, C.B.I. he disclosed the name of his father as Brajendra Kumar Das. The witness then stated that in the Court of learned Magistrate he disclosed his father‟s name as late Brajendra Kumar Sinha. The witness denied the suggestion that it is not a fact that he deliberately suppressed his father's name before the Judicial Magistrate, police and C.B.I. In the same paragraph witness further stated that in the Court, in which he is presently deposing, he has disclosed his father‟s name as Brajendra Kumar Sinha. In view of the aforesaid attempt by P.W. 25 to suppress the name of his father, according to learned counsel, his evidence has become doubtful, not to be relied upon. Learned counsel further referred to Paragraph 48 of the evidence of P.W. 25 where he has stated that he has no knowledge that in the case of murder of Anil Kumar Singh, Munna Shukla and others have been acquitted by the learned District and Sessions Judge, Muzaffarpur under order dated 30.01.2004, passed Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 128 in Sessions Trial No. 448 of 2003. In the same paragraph the witness further stated that he does not have any knowledge that on the date of the murder of his brother, his brother was returning after filing tender. In view of the aforesaid evidence of P.W. 25 learned counsel submitted that P.W. 25 earlier stated in his evidence that there is no case against him but when he was confronted by the defence in the cross-examination then he changed the name of his father and afterwards disclosed his real name and address of Masaurhi and thereafter in Paragraph 49 of his evidence stated that Bochahan P.S. Case No. 85/98 was not lodged against him and he further stated that he has no knowledge that in the said case police submitted charge-sheet against him under Sections 302, 201, 120B of the Penal Code vide charge-sheet No. 177 dated 30.09.2000 (Exhibit-B/2) with regard to the killing of Maharaja Dilip Kumar and Ravi Shankar Gupta and he further stated that he has no information that he has been absconding in the said case and police went several times to arrest him but he evaded his arrest. The Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 129 witness further denied the suggestion that he has gone to fill up tender form on behalf of Crown Construction Pvt. Ltd., Hajipur (Construction Company of Rama Devi/Brij Bihari Prasad), as has been admitted by P.W. 24 in Paragraph 83. The aforesaid two deceased Maharaja Dilip Kumar and Ravi Shankar Gupta were returning after filing of tender and were killed by him (P.W. 25). P.W. 25 further denied the suggestion in Paragraph 50 that at the time of murder of Maharaja Dilip Kumar and Ravi Shankar Gupta, Rashtriya Janta Dal Government was in power and P.W. 24 was Member of Parliament and she gave protection to P.W. 25 and because of such protection he did not appear in the aforesaid case. In Paragraph 53 P.W. 25 stated that he has not given information to any doctor, officer or anyone about the present incident. In the same paragraph he further stated that his statement was recorded in the campus of I.G.I.M.S., Sheikhpura, Patna before the police in the night of occurrence. P.W. 25 having left I.G.I.M.S campus in the night of occurrence between 9:00-9:30 P.M., his police Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 130 statement in the I.G.I.M.S. campus could not have been recorded as the statements by Sri S.S.P. Yadav has been recorded from 12:30 A.M. onward before which time he had already left for Muzaffarpur. Learned counsel further referred to Paragraphs 54, 56 of the evidence of P.W. 25 and submitted that in the two paragraphs his attention has been drawn towards his previous statement but the same could not be proved because of non-examination of the Investigating Officer and failure of the prosecution to examine the Investigating Officer has prejudiced the case of the defence for which adverse inference is required to be drawn. Learned counsel for Accused No. 8 further referred to the evidence of P.W. 25 Paragraphs 61, 62 where the witness stated that even after death of Brij Bihari Prasad his relation with the family continued and he always used to visit the house of Rama Devi and he also went for canvassing on her behalf. The witness also denied the suggestion that it is not a fact that neither he was present at the place of occurrence on 13.06.1998 nor he has seen any occurrence and Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 131 under pressure from Rama Devi he has deposed falsely. In Paragraph 64 the witness admitted that he does not remember that he gave similar statement as he has given in Court, before the police and C.B.I. In the background of the aforesaid evidence it is submitted that P.W. 25 is completely unreliable as in Paragraph 53 he has stated that he recorded his police statement in the evening of occurrence in I.G.I.M.S., Sheikhpura campus and in Paragraphs 54, 56 he has said that he does not remember when he recorded his police statement and at which place. In this connection learned counsel further pointed out that P.W. 25 having left for Muzaffarpur at 12:30 P.M. in his Ambassador car has never given his police statement on the night of occurrence and his statement recorded in the case diary is a manufactured piece of evidence, that apart P.W. 25 being an absconder in several cases and under protection of P.W. 24, Rama Devi and the deceased, his evidence is fit to be rejected. Learned counsel for Accused No. 8 further submitted that P.W. 25 is not to be relied upon further for the reason that while Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 132 describing the manner of occurrence he has not stated about any of the injured i.e. P.W. 14 and Shiv Balak Chaudhary (not examined) as also for the reason that he has named 11 accused under Section 161, 164 Cr.P.C. statement but in Court he has named only 6 accused. According to learned counsel he is also not to be relied upon for the reason that according to P.W. 25 he identified the miscreants in vapour light but no vapour light was found in the site plan of the place of occurrence (Exhibits- 63, 54). According to learned counsel for Accused No. 8 P.W. 25 is not to be relied upon further for the reason that he has not discloses about the firing resorted to by the security personnel, as is evident from Exhibit-17. 55. Learned counsel for Accused No. 8 with reference to the evidence of P.W. 42 Shashi Bhushan Singh submitted that the witnesses is not named in the First Information Report as one of the visitors present in the I.G.I.M.S., Sheikhpura campus on the date, time of occurrence. Though, from his deposition it is evident that he is very close to deceased Brij Bihari Prasad and his family Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 133 including P.W. 24 Rama Devi. P.W. 42 is also an absconder and under protection of P.W. 24, which would be evident from his deposition. The police statement of this witness as per his own statement was recorded after 4-5/5-6 days of the occurrence, that too, when P.W. 24 asked him to come to Patna and record his police statement. In this connection it is pointed out that P.W. 42 has stated in Paragraph 1 of his deposition that when he came to meet Brij Bihari Prasad in I.G.I.M.S., Sheikhpura, men from his Constituency, namely, informant (P.W. 10), P.W. 25 Mahanth Ashwani Das, P.W. 1 Paras Nath Chaudhary, Accused No. 6 Ram Niranjan Choudhary, P.W. 14 Rabindra Bhagat, P.W. 13 Arbind Singh, P.W. 12 Ram Nandan Singh, Onkar Singh (not examined) and some others were present. It is submitted that none of the aforesaid persons are resident of the Constituency of Brij Bihari Prasad, Adapur. Informant (P.W. 10) is resident of Dhaka Assembly Constituency and Mahanth Ashwani Das is resident of Muzaffarpur Town Assembly or Masaurhi, Patna Constituency. P.W. 1 Paras Nath Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 134 Chaudhary is a resident of Lalganj Constituency, Accused No. 6 Ram Niranjan Choudhary is resident of either Patna or Begusarai Constituency, P.W. 14 Rabindra Bhagat is resident of Jamui Constituency, P.W. 13 Arbind Singh is resident of Dhaka Constituency. Onkar Singh (not examined) is resident of Masaurhi Constituency. As per the evidence of P.W. 42 when he arrived in the hospital room of Brij Bihari Prasad, he saw P.W. 25 Mahanth Ashwani Das present in the hospital room from before. P.W. 25 Mahanth Ashwani Das has stated in Paragraph 1 of his evidence that when he arrived in the hospital room of Brij Bihari Prasad, he saw P.W. 42 Shashi Bhushan Singh present in the hospital room from before. Aforesaid contradiction in the evidence of P.W. 42 and P.W. 25, according to learned counsel for Accused No. 8 is indicative of the fact that both were not present in the hospital room and in order to secure presence of the two, both have claimed in their evidence that when one arrived, the other was present. Learned counsel for Accused No. 8 further referred to the evidence of P.W. 42 where he Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 135 has stated that bodyguard Lakshmeshwar Sah also went along with Brij Bihari Prasad, informant (P.W.
10), P.W. 1 Paras Nath Chaudhary, P.W. 25 Mahanth Ashwani Das, P.W. 14 Rabindra Bhagat and some other persons for the walk, the occurrence took place on the road near parking, which is inconsistent with the evidence of other witnesses as according to them occurrence took place either near the portico or in the lawn. Learned counsel further referred to Paragraph 3 of the evidence of P.W. 42 and stated that according to P.W. 42 occurrence took place at 8:15 P.M whereas according to P.W. 1 occurrence took place between 6:30-7:00 P.M., according to P.W. 25 occurrence took place at 7:00 P.M. As such, according to learned counsel there is not only contradiction in the evidence of eye-witnesses about the place, time of occurrence but the claim of P.W. 42 that he identified the miscreants in vapour light also does not appear to be correct in view of Sketch Map (Exhibits- 54, 63) in which there is no indication of the vapour light being available at the place of occurrence. Learned counsel next referred to Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 136 Paragraph 4 of the evidence of P.W. 42 where he has stated that soon after the occurrence he came near Brij Bihari Prasad and his bodyguard Lakshmeshwar Sah, found the two lying on the ground dead, gave information to the hospital staff. Rama Devi also came and made inquiry about the occurrence, to whom P.W. 42 disclosed about the occurrence as also the name of the assailants. It is pointed out with reference to Paragraph 7 of the evidence of Rama Devi (P.W. 24) that she learnt about the name of the assailants from the witnesses present at the place of occurrence after her arrival at the place of occurrence but such evidence of P.W. 42, P.W. 24, according to learned counsel for Accused No. 8 is not to be relied upon in view of the evidence of C.B.I. Investigating Officer (P.W. 62) Paragraph 135 that P.W. 24 in her police statement recorded by C.B.I. Investigating Officer had not named either Accused No. 8 Munna Shukla or other accused. Learned counsel further referred to the evidence of P.W. 42 in Paragraph 5 where he has stated that his police statement was recorded after 4-5 days of the Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 137 occurrence although he has stated in Paragraph 32 of his evidence that he accompanied the dead body of Brij Bihari Prasad from Patna to his native village Bheriahi and remained there till his Shradh was performed and came to 20 Bailey Road, official residence of Rama Devi after the Shradh was over. It is further pointed out that after the occurrence, large number of police officers had come to the place of occurrence, at the official residence of the deceased Brij Bihari Prasad as also to his native village and had P.W. 42 been an eye-witness of the occurrence, he ought to have recorded his statement in the evening of the occurrence itself or in any case before he went with the body to the native village of the deceased Brij Bihari Prasad. Learned counsel submitted that assertion of the witness that he recorded his police statement after 4-5 days of the occurrence also does not appear to be correct in view of the fact that he recorded his statement after the Shradh ceremony and Shradh is over after 12-13 days. Learned counsel submitted that had P.W. 42 been an eye-witness of the occurrence, he should Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 138 have recorded his police statement in the evening of the occurrence itself, as from the place of occurrence P.W. 42 is said to have come to the official residence of the deceased Brij Bihari Prasad and thereafter accompanied the dead body of Brij Bihari Prasad to his native village for his last rites but he did not record his statement either on the evening of the occurrence or until he went along with the dead body to the native village of the deceased for last rites. It appears from Paragraphs 12, 13 of his evidence that he was called by Rama Devi from native village to record his statement which he recorded after coming from native village to the official residence 20 Bailey Road, Patna. Learned counsel also referred to the evidence of P.W. 42, Paragraphs 9, 10 and 11 in which he admitted that he never obtained permission from the Security Guard, doctor, nurse or staff of the hospital when he came to meet Brij Bihari Prasad in connection with development work in his area. In the same paragraph witness has admitted that Brij Bihari Prasad was not the M.L.A. of his Constituency, as his Constituency is Motihari and Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 139 Brij Bihari Prasad was M.L.A. from Adapur. In Paragraph 12 the witness has further admitted that on the date of occurrence, his statement was not recorded and thereafter he did not receive any notice for giving his statement and that he came from the native village Bheriahi on instructions from P.W. 24 Rama Devi and that while his statement was being recorded in Court P.W. 24 Rama Devi remained present in Court but on the date such question is being put she is not available. In Paragraph 15 of his evidence P.W. 42 stated that in none of his police statement he disclosed the name of his father Ganga Singh, resident of Betauna, P.S. Patahi. He also stated in his evidence that he has not put his signature on the inquest report or other documents. He also did not accompany the dead body for post mortem but went along with the body of the diseased to his native village on the next day at about 4:00 P.M. In Paragraph 15 P.W. 42 stated that after the occurrence in the I.G.I.M.S. hospital large number of policemen arrived but he did not record his statement to either policemen or the Investigating Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 140 Officer of the case. In Paragraphs 17, 18 and 19 P.W. 42 stated that he was not absconding in Patahi P.S. Case No. 38/2003 in which case he was arrested by Pirbahore police, a day prior to his deposition. In Paragraph 20 of his evidence P.W. 42 stated that prior to his arrest in Patahi P.S. Case No. 38/2003 he never tried to obtain bail in the said case. It is submitted by the learned counsel for Accused No. 8 that from the evidence aforesaid of P.W. 42 it is evident that he was an absconder and under protection of P.W. 24. Learned counsel then referred to Paragraph 30 of the evidence of P.W. 42 from which also it is evident that P.W. 42 is absconder in Patahi P.S. Case No. 634 of 2005. In Paragraph 31 P.W. 42 stated that his police statement was not recorded in the present case by the police for 6-7 days and his statement was recorded by the side of 20 Bailey Road in front of the official residence of Rama Devi. It is submitted by the counsel for Accused No. 8 that from the evidence of P.W. 42 in Paragraph 31, it is quite evident that while recording his police statement in the present case P.W. 42 was Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 141 under influence of P.W. 24 Rama Devi. In Paragraph 33 the witness admitted that he did not receive any injury in the present case. In Paragraph 41 of his evidence P.W. 42 stated that while he remained at the place of occurrence, dead body of Brij Bihari Prasad was not removed. The witness, however, left the place of occurrence between 9:00-9:15 P.M. and came to the official residence of the deceased 20 Bailey Road, Patna and remained at the residence during night of 13.06.1998 but the witness is not aware as to who others were present in the official residence of the deceased as he had gone to sleep. In view of the evidence of P.W. 42 learned counsel for Accused No. 8 submitted that the conduct of the witness itself goes to show that the witness is thoroughly unreliable and as per his statement he left the place of occurrence after sometime of the alleged occurrence when the dead body of Brij Bihari Prasad was still lying at the place of occurrence and he came to the official residence and went to sleep and he is not aware who other persons had come to the official residence of Brij Bihari Prasad. Aforesaid Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 142 evidence of P.W. 42, according to learned counsel, is in teeth of the evidence of P.W. 24 Rama Devi because she has categorically stated in her evidence that after the dead body was removed from the place of occurrence, she along with P.W. 42, P.W. 1 and P.W. 25 came to her official residence at 20 Bailey Road, Patna. In Paragraph 45 P.W. 42 stated that apart from the deceased there was only one bodyguard deceased Lakshmeshwar Sah and he did not see any other guard with the deceased and according to counsel for Accused No. 8 aforesaid evidence of P.W. 42 is contrary to the evidence of almost all the prosecution witnesses as they have all deposed about the presence of other security personnel and commandos at the place of occurrence while the deceased had come out to take evening walk. Learned counsel also referred to Paragraph 47 of the evidence of P.W. 42 where he has stated that he had come to meet the M.L.A. in connection with electricity work but in the same paragraph he admitted that on the date of his visit he was neither entrusted with any contract concerning execution of Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 143 electricity work nor he had any other work concerning electricity in his area and that the deceased was also not the Energy Minister on the said date. Learned counsel also referred to Paragraph 48 of the evidence of P.W. 42 where he has stated that his house is not in the Constituency of the deceased but he is acquainted with him since the year 1990- 1991. In repeat Paragraph 50 P.W. 42 further stated that he is native of Village- Betauna, P.S. Patahi, district- Motihari where his parents are residing and it is not correct that he has concealed his name Chunchun Singh before the police and the Magistrate as he is wanted by the name of Chunchun Singh. The witness, however, admitted that he has been arrested in the name of Chunchun Singh and he had come to depose from jail custody. P.W. 42, however, denied the suggestion that his criminal activities were being protected by the deceased M.L.A. during his lifetime and after his death by his wife who was M.P., M.L.A. It is submitted that P.W. 42 named 11 accused persons in his police statement but during trial he named Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 144 only 6 accused, yet was not declared hostile by the prosecution and for failure of the prosecution to examine the Investigating Officer, appellant was seriously prejudiced as he could not prove the said omission by P.W. 42. According to Learned counsel P.W. 42 is also not to be relied upon for the reason that he has not disclosed about the firing resorted to by the security personnel, as is evident from Exhibit-
17. 56. Learned counsel for Accused No. 8 submitted with reference to the evidence of injured P.W. 14 Rabindra Bhagat that he being a close associate of deceased Brij Bihari Prasad, was moving along with him and also suffered injury but he has not named any of the so-called eye-witnesses who were also moving along with him in the evening. He also submitted that so-called eye-witnesses who were also moving with the deceased did not suffer any injury, as such, their presence at the place of occurrence is doubtful.
57. Learned counsel next referred to the evidence of P.W. 19 Binod Kumar Singh, who is Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 145 also an eye-witness and met Brij Bihari Prasad while he was taking walk between 7:00 and 7:30 P.M. coming from the side of the canteen with 2-4 persons. Deceased having spoken to P.W. 19, proceeded ahead. The witness further stated that along with the deceased one Shiv Balak Singh was also present. They proceeded 100-150 yards ahead where firing was resorted to. P.W. 19 could not see the assailants but only heard sound of firing. Shiv Balak Babu, who also accompanied the deceased, became injured. According to P.W. 19 those who were with the two deceased or within the radius of 100-150 yards suffered injury like Shiv Balak Babu but according to learned counsel it is strange that none of the so-called eye-witnesses P.Ws. 1,10,13,25,42 received even a scratch. 58. Learned counsel for Accused No. 8 next referred to the evidence of P.W. 26 Anil Yadav, Ambulance Driver of I.G.I.M.S., Sheikhpura, who was on duty at the time of occurrence but he has not stated in his evidence that he saw any firing or the so-called two vehicles coming at the place of Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 146 occurrence.
59. Learned counsel next referred to the evidence of P.W. 28 Ashok Kumar Singh, owner of the medicine shop situated in the campus of I.G.I.M.S., Sheikhpura, Patna and his employee P.W. 29 and submitted that P.W. 28, 29 did not even heard the sound of firing or saw the vehicle arriving at the place of occurrence but simply saw attendants of the patient running away speaking about the firing. P.W. 31 Rabindra Nath Yadav, an employee of the Telephone Department serving at the telephone booth installed in the premises of I.G.I.M.S., Sheikhpura was also on duty at the time of occurrence, has simply stated that he heard the sound of firing and saw persons running away and subsequently learnt that Brij Bihari Prasad and his bodyguard have been killed but the witness did not support the prosecution case that two vehicles came, assailants got down and resorted to firing. 60. Learned counsel for Accused No. 8 next referred to the evidence of P.W. 34 Riyajuddin Ansari, Private Security Guard, employed by Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 147 I.G.I.M.S. for the last 4 years and was on duty at the time of occurrence. This witness has also not stated that he saw two vehicles coming from which miscreants got down and resorted to filing. He has also not stated that he heard any sound of firing nor did he support any part of the prosecution case though he is full-fledged prosecution witness. 61. Learned counsel for Accused No. 8 next referred to the evidence of P.W. 38 Bhrigu Nath Thakur and P.W. 40 Sugreew Singh, the two police constables of Patna Police (Prisoners‟ Guard) posted in the I.G.I.M.S., Sheikhpura Patna to ensure that deceased Brij Bihari Prasad remained in the ward of the hospital as a prisoner. Both the two witnesses have been declared hostile by the prosecution but the two witnesses have neither stated in the Court nor before the police under Section 161 Cr.P.C. that on the date of occurrence P.Ws. 1,10,13,25 and 42 had come to meet Brij Bihari Prasad or to see his dead body. They, however, have stated that guards were posted for the last two months at I.G.I.M.S. in the room of the deceased Brij Bihari Prasad. P.W. 38 Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 148 has stated that he was on the verandah of the hospital. Brij Bihari Prasad along with bodyguard Lakshmeshwar Sah and one or two persons went outside for walk. After sometime while Brij Bihari Prasad was moving outside, one car came and two persons got down from the vehicle and resorted to firing. This witness has also admitted in cross- examination that he earlier deposed in the Judicial Enquiry Commission, presided by a retired High Court Judge. His evidence before the Commission was on affidavit Photostat copy whereof is also produced during the present proceedings. In Paragraph 9 of his evidence P.W. 38 stated that before the Commission also he stated that only one vehicle had come and from the said vehicle two persons got down and killed Brij Bihari Prasad and his bodyguard. It is submitted that once P.W. 38 admitted in his evidence that he deposed before the Judicial Enquiry Commission constituted under Enquiry Commission Act, the said evidence will be admissible in view of the judgment of the Supreme Court in the case of Sudevanand & Ors. Vs. State Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 149 through CBI 2012(2) PCCR 11 Paragraph 32. It is submitted that in the reported case Hon‟ble Supreme Court has held that the later statement of the witness made in a legal way will be admissible under Section 311 or 391 of the Code of Criminal Procedure. Learned counsel for Accused No. 8 with reference the evidence of P.W. 38 Paragraph 10 submitted that P.W. 38 has admitted in his evidence that his duty was to ensure confinement of Brij Bihari Prasad in the hospital room so that no outsider can meet him but violating his instruction he went for walk and report was made against him. In this regard learned counsel also referred to the evidence of Sugreew Singh (P.W. 40), another constable of Patna District Police posted along with P.W. 38, his evidence is also on the similar lines as that of P.W. 38. Learned counsel then referred to the evidence of P.W. 51 Vijay Kumar Jha, security of P.W. 24 Rama Devi. He also in his deposition did not state that he saw any of the so-called eye-witnesses at the place of occurrence when he came to meet Brij Bihari Prasad nor he has stated that after the Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 150 occurrence he saw any of the so-called eye- witnesses.
62. Learned counsel next referred to the evidence of P.W. 24 Rama Devi and submitted that she is the wife of one of the deceased Brij Bihari Prasad and it is expected of her that after coming to know about the death of her husband she will come to the place of occurrence. In Paragraph 6 of her evidence P.W. 24 has stated that she found Brij Bihari Prasad and his bodyguard Lakshmeshwar Sah in a pool of blood lying just ahead of the portico. In Paragraph 47 she has stated that five commandos and 4 constables of B.M.P. were deputed at the time of occurrences in the security of her husband including the constable of Patna District Force who were guarding him as prisoner, which is also evident from Paragraph 56 of her deposition in which she stated that the security guard who has come from jail along with her husband were also performing their duty at the same place and were residing in front of the room of her husband and they also used to guard the door of the room of her husband. She Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 151 further stated that the jail security personnel along with other guards which were given to her husband all used to stay there and with their permission only one could to go inside the room of her husband. In Paragraph 60 she has stated that Judicial Enquiry Commission was constituted after the incident of which Hon‟ble Justice Loknath Prasad (Retd.) was the Chairman and she gave her evidence before the Commission but she said that she does not remember her statement given before the Commission and according to learned counsel her evidence before the Commission has been withheld by the prosecution. She further said in Paragraph 61 of her evidence that she does not remember as to whether informant gave oral or written statement at the time of giving his fardbeyan in her presence. In Paragraph 62 P.W. 24 further stated that on 13.06.1998 she recorded her statement before P.W. 54 Shashi Bhushan Sharma Investigating Officer. According to learned counsel aforesaid statement goes to suggest that after the murder of Brij Bihari Prasad earliest information was given to Shashi Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 152 Bhushan Sharma at 8:30 P.M. through wireless on the basis of which he reached the place of occurrence and recorded the statement of Rama Devi (P.W. 24) at the place of occurrence. Aforesaid statement of P.W. 24 Rama Devi recorded by P.W. 54 is not on record and has been suppressed as it is said that Sri S.S.P. Yadav, Officer-in-Charge, Shastri Nagar Police Station recorded the fardbeyan of informant (P.W.
10) at 9:00 P.M. In this connection, learned counsel also referred to the evidence of P.W. 24 in Paragraph 90 where her attention has been drawn towards her previous statement made before the officer of C.B.I. in which she has stated that C.B.I. recorded her statement on two occasions 18.10.1999 and 28.03.2001. She further stated that it is not a fact that she has not stated anything against Munna Shukla before the Investigating Officer of C.B.I. (P.W.
62) in Paragraphs 134, 135 stated that Rama Devi has not stated before him about the involvement of Munna Shukla in the assassination of her husband as also the fact that she learnt about the involvement of other accused from the visitors whom she left in Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 153 the hospital room of Brij Bihari Prasad on 13.06.1998 before leaving for Maurya Lok Complex, after she came back to the I.G.I.M.S., Sheikhpura campus hearing about the occurrence that Accused No. 6 persuaded Brij Bihari Prasad to come out for walk and the visitors, namely, P.W. 15 Kamakhya Narayan Singh, P.W. 1 Paras Nath Chaudhary, P.W. 13 Arbind Singh, informant (P.W. 10), P.W. 42 Shashi Bhushan Singh, Onkar Singh (not examined), P.W. 25 Mahanth Ashwani Das were walking along with Brij Bihari Prasad, in the meantime, two vehicles, one Sumo bearing Registration No. BR-1P 1818 and another Ambassador car, registration number of which could not be seen, came from which Bhupendra Nath Dubey, Accused No. 4 Mantu Tiwari, Accused No. 9 Rajan Tiwari, Satish Pandey, Sri Prakash Shukla, Accused No. 8 Munna Shukla, Accused No. 3 Lallan Singh, Accused No. 2 Mukesh Singh, Accused No. 5 Sunil Singh, Accused No. 1 Suraj Bhan Singh came out and resorted to firing. Learned counsel also referred to Paragraph 131 of the evidence of P.W. 24 in which she stated that the Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 154 visitors present at the place of occurrence disclosed that from the two vehicles Lallan Singh and Sunil Singh got down and resorted to firing killing her husband. In the background of the aforesaid evidence it is submitted that P.W. 24 Rama Devi in her statement before the Investigating Officer has neither disclosed the name of the so-called eye- witnesses who were present at the place of occurrence nor she disclosed the name of Accused No. 8 and others as the assailants of the deceased. It is submitted that none of the natural eye-witnesses, present at the place of occurrence i.e. the Prisoner Guard, security personnel, commando of B.M.P. or P.W. 51 Security Officer of Rama Devi or the injured or the guard of I.G.I.M.S., Sheikhpura or telephone booth operator or medicine shop owner or its employee or Rama Devi herself has named Accused No. 8 as an assailant, as such, he deserves acquittal. 63. Learned counsel for Accused No. 8 further submitted that prosecution has suppressed important and material witnesses. In this connection learned counsel for Accused No. 8 referred to the Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 155 evidence of P.W. 1 Paragraphs 2, 35 and 59 that deceased went for a walk along with his bodyguard and other security personnel including deceased Lakshmeshwar Sah and P.W. 51 Vijay Jha and that Lakshmeshwar Sah and Vijay Jha were moving right and left of Brij Bihari Babu. Informant (P.W. 10) has also admitted in Paragraph 4 that deceased was moving along with his security personnel. P.W. 24 Rama Devi in Paragraph 47 has stated that at the time of occurrence 5 commandos, 4 B.M.P. constables were deputed as security personnel of her husband. She further stated in Paragraph 56 that apart from the aforesaid persons, jail authorities had also provided constables of District Police P.W. 38 Bhrigu Nath Thakur and P.W. 40 Sugreew Singh, who were deputed in front of the room of her husband and they used to discharge their duty at the door of his room for ensuring that anyone who meets her husband meets him with their permission. P.W. 25 Mahanth Ashwani Das has stated that apart from bodyguard Lakshmeshwar Sah, Rifle Party was also present for providing security to Brij Bihari Prasad. Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 156 P.W. 54, second Investigating Officer of the case, stated in Paragraph 10 that he received seizure-list of rifle, cartridge and empty cartridge of the security personnel from District Armed Police who were deputed with Brij Bihari Prasad. P.W. 60 M.L. Meena has also stated that he recorded the statement of Constable Dinesh Chandra Rai, Keshari Prasad Singh in Patna Police Line. He has also stated that he recorded the statement of police Head Constable Chandra Kishore Jha, Smt. Ramruch Devi, Smt. Neha, Ambika Rai, Sanjay Paswan, Rabindra Prasad, constable of Bihar Police Dinesh Kumar. He also stated that he recorded the statement of Amit Kumar Sharma and Jitendra Singh, Ambulance Driver, Constable Veer Bahadur Singh, Ram Ruchi Tiwari, Govind Prasad Singh, Girish Prasad Singh of B.M.P. 13 at Darbhanga Sergeant Major Binod Kumar Singh, evidence of P.W. 60 Investigating Officer M.L. Meena, part Investigating Officer of C.B.I. indicates that a number of security personnel were provided to Brij Bihari Prasad who recorded their statement before C.B.I. Investigating Officer. Aforesaid Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 157 witnesses were admittedly present at the place, date and time of occurrence have not been examined according to learned counsel perhaps for the reason that the manner of occurrence, as unfolded by the prosecution, was not the one in which the occurrence had actually taken place and to avoid such controversy prosecution has chosen not to examine them.
64. Similarly, from the evidence of P.W. 24, Rama Devi Paragraph 7, it is evident that prior to her arrival Lalu Prasad Yadav has arrived at the place of occurrence and she further stated that in presence of Lalu Prasad Yadav she arrived at the place of occurrence and started weeping and also made enquiry from the security personnel as to how the occurrence took place but none of the security personnel have been examined by the prosecution in the present case, particularly the security personnel i.e. commandos, B.M.P. personnel as well as constable of District Armed Force whose statement has been recorded by P.W. 60, 62 and the 17 personnel entrusted with the security of Brij Bihari Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 158 Prasad. According to learned counsel the evidence of personnel of B.M.P. 13 become very important because Lakshmeshwar Sah was also one of the security personnel of B.M.P. 13 and from the aforesaid fact, according to learned counsel for Accused No. 8 the only inference which can be drawn is that if those security personnel had been produced in the Court, they would have disclosed the real fact, which according to learned counsel will perhaps go against the prosecution and that is why they have been withheld.
65. According to learned counsel examination of Shiv Balak Singh, another injured whose statement was recorded by P.W. 62 was also very necessary, as his examination would have disclosed the name of the two assailants of the occurrence and due to that he has not been examined. In this connection, learned counsel also referred to the application filed by the defence for examination of Shiv Balak Singh under Section 311 Cr.P.C. but the request was rejected by the trial Court under order dated 12.05.2008 against which Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 159 Vijay Kumar Shukla Accused No. 8 filed Cr. Misc. No. 20544 of 2008 which was dismissed under order dated 10.07.2008 observing that the prosecution has to prove the charges framed against the accused persons beyond all reasonable doubt and if the prosecution fails to prove the charge or withhold important witnesses, the prosecution will face the consequences and the benefit would definitely go to the defence.
66. According to learned counsel examination of the then District Magistrate Rajbala Verma has also been withheld. It is further submitted that as per the prosecution case, large number of patients and their attendants including the doctor, nurse and staff of I.G.I.M.S., Sheikhpura were present at the place, date and time of occurrence but none of them have been examined by the prosecution except P.W. 23 Dr. U.S. Rai, who was not present at the relevant time of occurrence and he being the Superintendent of the Hospital, his duty was from 10:00-4:00 P.M. and he produced documents relating to treatment chart of deceased Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 160 Brij Bihari Prasad. According to learned counsel security guard of I.G.I.M.S., Sheikhpura Dineshwar Sah, one of the witness of seizure-list and other charge-sheet witnesses as well as other security guards of I.G.I.M.S., Sheikhpura who were on duty at the time of the incident and at the relevant place, which is evident from the evidence of Riyajuddin Ansari and were charge-sheeted have also not been examined in the present case.
67. Learned counsel for Accused No. 8 next submitted that the prosecution has led evidence that both the deceased Brij Bihari Prasad and Lakshmeshwar Sah died at I.G.I.M.S., Sheikhpura, Patna. P.W. 26 Anil Kumar Yadav, an Ambulance Driver of I.G.I.M.S., Patna has deposed that he carried the dead body of Lakshmeshwar Sah alone from I.G.I.M.S., Patna, to P.M.C.H. but the prosecution is completely silent as to how and on which vehicle the dead body of Brij Bihari Prasad was carried from I.G.I.M.S., Sheikhpura and reached P.M.C.H. particularly when none of his relatives or close associates like P.Ws. 1, 10, 24, 25 and 42 have Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 161 stated about the mode and manner in which his dead body was taken from I.G.I.M.S., Sheikhpura to P.M.C.H. According to learned counsel failure to disclose the manner and mode in which the dead body of Brij Bihari Prasad was carried from I.G.I.M.S., Sheikhpura to P.M.C.H. is indicative of the fact that the investigation of the occurrence is not truthful or at least is not disclosing the manner in which the same has been conducted. The Executive Magistrate P.W. 45 has stated that he prepared the inquest-report of deceased Brij Bihari Prasad (Exhibit-42/1) at Post Mortem House of P.M.C.H. in the night of 13/14.06.1998 at 00:45 P.M. and the said inquest report was prepared in presence of P.W. 27 Pradeep Ram and Jai Ram, both employees of P.M.C.H., as admitted by him in Paragraph 4 and he further said that only two persons i.e. Pradeep Ram and Jai Ram were available and accordingly they were made witness of inquest report. Learned Magistrate who prepared inquest report of Brij Bihari Prasad has stated in 5th paragraph of his evidence that he saw blood coming Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 162 out from all the injuries of Brij Bihari Prasad. Besides, learned Magistrate, Sub-Inspector Sanjay Singh of Shastri Nagar Police Station (P.W. 44) is also a witness of the said inquest report. P.W. 44 Sanjay Singh has stated in Paragraph 6 that he prepared the inquest report of Lakshmeshwar Sah at I.G.I.M.S., Sheikhpura and at that time the dead body of Brij Bihari Prasad was not present in I.G.I.M.S., Sheikhpura. In the light of the aforesaid evidence learned counsel submitted that if the statement of P.W. 28 Ashok Kumar Singh owner of medicine shop, P.W. 29 Anil Kumar, employee of medicine shop, P.W. 31 Rabindra Nath Yadav, employee of the B.S.N.L. booth is considered in the light of the evidence of P.W. 44, S.I. Sanjay Kumar, P.W. 45 Executive Magistrate Kumar Ramanuj then the same will demolish the prosecution case that Brij Bihari Prasad and Lakshmeshwar Sah were killed simultaneously at the same place in the same transaction.
68. Learned counsel for Accused No. 8 next submitted that from perusal of seizure-list Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 163 (Exhibit-53) it would appear that as many as 19 articles were seized from the place of occurrence including Guard Register but the prosecution deliberately did not produce any of the seized articles before the Court, articles were not made Exhibit. It is submitted that the prosecution withheld production of the seized articles only with a view to conceal the Guard Register in which name of the security personal posted at the time of occurrence as also the visitors present at the time of occurrence was written and available. In this connection, learned counsel again referred to the evidence of P.W. 24 Rama Devi in Paragraph 56 that only after taking permission from the prisoners‟ security guard posted in the I.G.I.M.S., Sheikhpura, visitor was being allowed to meet Brij Bihari Prasad. In this connection learned counsel also referred to the evidence of P.W. 23 Dr. U.S. Rai, Superintendent of I.G.I.M.S., Sheikhpura Paragraph 4 and the evidence of C.B.I. Investigating Officer P.W. 62 Paragraph 116 that only after taking permission from the concerned authority of the hospital and from the Court a visitor can be allowed Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 164 to meet the prisoner undergoing treatment. It is submitted with reference to the aforesaid evidence that purposely the seized articles were neither produced nor made material exhibit as production of Guard Register would have indicated that so-called eye-witnesses P.Ws. 1, 10, 12, 13, 25 and 42 were not amongst the visitors who came to meet the deceased Bihari Prasad on 13.06.1998 and if they were not the visitors there was no question of their being eye-witnesses of the occurrence. Non- production of the empty cartridge and the blood stained earth, according to learned counsel is indicative of the fact that the manner of occurrence asserted by the prosecution witnesses is different from the one in which the occurrence has taken place. It is submitted that both the dead bodies were lying at two different places on metal road and there was no question of seizure of any blood stained earth. Similarly production of empty cartridge would have reflected that the injury found on the person of the two deceased could not have been caused by the ammunition, empty cartridge seized from the place of Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 165 occurrence. Failure to produce the Forensic Science Laboratory report is further indicative of the fact that in fact no seizure was made from the place of occurrence and the seizure-list is mere paper work like the so-called recorded statement of the so-called eye-witnesses after 12:30 A.M. on 14.06.1998. 69. Learned counsel for Accused No. 8 next pointed out that the motive for the alleged occurrence was the murder of one Devendra Dubey, who contested M.P. election from Motihari Parliamentary Constituency against Rama Devi and was killed one day prior to re-poll. After the murder of Devendra Dubey, Brij Bihari Prasad, his brother Shyam Bihari Prasad, P.W. 15 Kamakhya Narayan Singh and others were made accused in Sangrampur P.S. Case No. 10/98 in which Accused No. 8 is not named as accused and during the entire investigation, trial of the said case the prosecution has not produced even an iota of evidence to connect Accused No. 8 with the murder of Devendra Dubey as associate and comrade in arms of Brij Bihari Prasad and Shyam Bihari Prasad for committing the murder Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 166 of Devendra Dubey.
70. It is also pointed out that none of the telephone print out in any way connects Accused No. 8 with other accused persons, who is either resident of Motihari or Uttar Pradesh. Accused No. 8, has, however, been connected with co-accused Sri Prakash Shukla, Anuj Pratap Singh and Sudhir Tripathi as their photograph, taken after they were killed in police encounter, was shown to one Sahmbhu Kumar by C.B.I. official P.W. 58 together with the photograph of Accused No. 8 on 17.12.1999 by affixing the four photographs on a sheet of paper. Having seen the photographs of Sri Prakash Shukla, Anuj Pratap, Sudhir Tripathi and Accused No. 8, Shambhu Kumar informed P.W. 58 that he had seen the four earlier in the house of Accused No. 7 Shashi Rai, M.L.A. and recorded such endorsement on a sheet of paper overleaf whereof the four photographs were affixed. Signature of Shambhu Kumar is Exhibit-55 and has been identified by P.W. 58 Mukesh Kumar, part Investigating Officer of C.B.I. It is submitted that Shambhu Kumar having not been Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 167 examined as a prosecution witness in the instant case, the claim of P.W. 58 that he has learnt from Shambhu Kumar that Shambhu Kumar had seen Sri Prakash Shukla, Anuj Pratap, Sudhir Tripathi and Accused No. 8 in the house of Shashi Rai, situate at Veer Chand Patel Marg, Patna is of no assistance to the prosecution to establish the connection of Accused No. 8 with aforesaid accused who were killed in police encounter. It is further submitted that even if Accused No. 8 was seen in the house of Accused No. 7 along with the three who were later killed in police encounter, it does not mean that Accused No. 8 was associated with Sri Prakash Shukla, Anuj Pratap and Sudhir Tripathi, so submitted learned counsel for Accused No. 8. According to learned counsel for Accused No. 8 from the evidence of P.W. 58, 62 it is evident that the photographs of those killed in police encounter was received from Special Task Force, Lucknow and that of Accused No. 8 was with P.W. 62. Learned counsel for Accused No. 8 further referred to the evidence of P.W. 62 in Paragraph 124 and submitted that P.W. 62 has Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 168 stated that he does not have any other photograph of Accused No. 8 in the company of the three who were killed in police encounter other than Exhibit-55. 71. Learned counsel for Accused No. 8 with reference to the evidence of P.W. 24 Rama Devi Paragraph 75 submitted that Accused No. 8 does not have any enmity with the deceased though earlier Rama Devi stated in her evidence that Accused No. 8 had filed a case against her husband in which he was the informant but in cross-examination failed to substantiate the same and stated that Munna Shukla has not filed any case against her husband and her husband has also not filed any case against Munna Shukla. She has further said that Munna Shukla has not filed any case either against her or any of her family members. In Paragraph 76 she stated that her husband has never contested election against Munna Shukla nor Munna Shukla has contested any election against her husband and that she has also not contested any election against Munna Shukla and she has no litigation with regard to land or property with Munna Shukla. Learned Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 169 counsel with reference to Paragraphs 10, 100 of the evidence of P.W. 24 submitted that in Paragraph 10, P.W. 24 stated that Munna Shukla and his two other brothers were made accused in the Combined Building attack case but clarified in Paragraph 100 that neither she nor her husband was the informant in the Combined Building attack case and she is not aware whether Munna Shukla was an Accused in the said case as during the occurrence of the said case neither she nor her husband was available in the Combined Building.
72. Learned Counsel for Accused No. 8 further submitted that Accused No. 8 is not connected with the conspiracy angle of the present case as prosecution has not produced any evidence to indicate that he hatched any conspiracy for eliminating Brij Bihari Prasad. The telephone print out according to learned counsel does not connect Accused No. 8 with the conspiracy hatched to eliminate Brij Bihari Prasad. In this connection reference is made to the evidence of P.W. 52 Ashok Kumar Das, Divisional Manager, Telephone, Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 170 Muzaffarpur Paragraph 6 where he has stated that he cannot say from the record that Land Line No. 266071 was installed in the house of Vijay Kumar Shukla and the printout (Exhibit 43) is not for the period 16.05.1998 to 15.07.1998, as has been mentioned over the printout but the said printout is for the period 26.05.1998 to 11.06.1998. In Paragraph 9 P.W. 52 further stated that from the printout it cannot be said that who was the caller from Land Line No. 266071 and to whom the caller called/spoke and what were the contents of their conversation. It also does not appear from the printout as to who called on Land Line No. 266071 and to whom the caller calling on Land Line No. 266071 spoke to.
73. Learned counsel with reference to the evidence of P.W. 59 Mr. Tribhuwan, part Investigating Officer of C.B.I. Paragraph 7 and Investigating Officer, C.B.I. (P.W. 62) Paragraph 200 further submitted that from perusal of the printout (Exhibit- 43) incoming call detail of Land Line No. 266071 is not available and thus, according to the Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 171 counsel for Accused No. 8 the prosecution has not been able to prove that the said Land Line number belongs to Accused No. 8 nor there is anything to show that the incoming call received on Land Line No. 266071 was from those with whom he is said to have hatched conspiracy to eliminate Brij Bihari Prasad. It is further submitted that according to the prosecution Accused No. 8 subscribed Mobile No. 9835022271 of Reliance Company but P.W. 62 at Page 697 has stated that he did not obtain the printout of outgoing or incoming call of the said mobile number. It is submitted that prosecution has purposely withheld these documents as these documents will expose the false implication of Accused No. 8 in the present case. In this connection, learned counsel also referred to the statement of P.W. 62 that Reliance Company informed P.W. 62 in response to his request letter dated 10.10.1999 for furnishing call detail of Mobile No. 9835022271 that the same cannot be entertained as the period for which call details are being asked for is quite old. Learned counsel for Accused No. 8 Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 172 then referred to the evidence of P.W. 4 Prakash Chandra Shukla, employee of Reliance Company, Patna Paragraph 1 and submitted that Reliance Company has received requisition from C.B.I. dated 18.10.1999 for furnishing call details which was replied to vide letter dated 18.12.1999 and in the said letter according to P.W. 4 supply of required call details was not refused for the reason of lapse of time. In the light of the evidence of P.W. 4 it is submitted by learned counsel for Accused No. 8 that C.B.I. has deliberately suppressed the call details of the mobile subscribed by Accused No. 8 as the said mobile detail (print out) was likely to establish the innocence of Accused No. 8.
74. Learned counsel for Accused No. 8 further submitted that introduction of P.W. 36 Awadhesh Kumar Singh to establish that he along with Madhup Kumar Munmun (not examined) visited the house of Accused No. 8 in village Khanjahachak within Lalganj Police Station, district Vaishali in the evening of 15.06.1998 where an orchestra programme was organised to celebrate the murder of Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 173 Brij Bihari Prasad in which Accused No. 8, in presence of 8-10 visitors informed P.W. 36 that he and others committed the murder of Brij Bihari Prasad, is not to be relied upon as P.W. 36 never recorded such statement before local police and it is not known as to how Investigating Officer, C.B.I. discovered P.W. 36 and P.W. 60 M.L. Meena recorded his statement and stated in Paragraph 100 that the address of P.W. 36 was given to him by the main Investigating Officer of C.B.I. (P.W. 62). P.W. 60 further stated in the same paragraph that he has no knowledge who disclosed the name and address of P.W. 36 Awadhesh Kumar Singh to P.W. 62. In this connection, learned counsel also referred to the evidence of P.W. 62 in Paragraph 169 where he has stated that he did not record the statement of P.W. 36 and volunteered that his associate Investigating Officer M.L. Meena (P.W. 60) recorded his statement. In the same paragraph P.W. 62 stated that P.W. 60 M.L. Meena informed him about the address of P.W. 36 but he is not aware who disclosed the address of P.W. 36 Awadhesh Singh to P.W. 60. It is submitted Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 174 in the aforesaid background that evidence of Awadhesh Singh was recorded by C.B.I. on 14.11.2000 after lapse of 1½ year of the alleged occurrence without disclosing the source from which they could discover P.W. 36. It appears that P.W. 36 has been introduced only with a view to implicate Accused No. 8 with the occurrence. It is submitted on behalf of Accused No. 8 that C.B.I. has tried to manufacture evidence for connecting Accused No. 8 with the main accused persons from Uttar Pradesh and Motihari, firstly by pasting his photograph on a sheet of paper together with the photograph of 3 accused, namely, Sri Prakash Shukla, Sudhir Tripathi and Anuj Pratap, subsequently killed in police encounter by Special Task Force, U.P. vide Exhibit 55 through Shambhu Kumar (not examined), who made statement before part Investigating Officer of C.B.I. Mukesh Kumar (P.W. 58) that Shambhu Kumar had seen Accused No. 8 and Sri Prakash Shukla, Sudhir Tripathi and Anuj Pratap at the Veer Chand Patel Marg residence of Accused No. 7 Shashi Kumar Rai. Later C.B.I. caught hold of P.W. 36 Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 175 Awadhesh Kumar Singh on 14.11.2000 and recorded his statement that he was present in the orchestra programme on 15.06.1998, organized in the village home of Accused No. 8 to celebrate the murder of Brij Bihari Prasad in which Accused No. 8 informed P.W. 36 that he and others had committed the murder. Aforesaid evidence of P.W. 36, 58, according to learned counsel, cannot be relied upon to maintain the conviction of Accused No. 8 as the same is in the nature of hear-say not corroborated by any legal evidence.
75. Learned counsel for Accused No. 8 again submitted that P.W. 25 and P.W. 42 have identified the assailants in the vapour light but no such vapour light was found by any of the Investigating Officer on the place of occurrence nor there is any such description available in the Sketch Map of place of occurrence (Exhibits- 63, 54), as such, the claim of P.Ws. 25, 42 that they identified the assailants in the vapour light is not to be accepted.
76. Learned counsel for Accused No. 8 Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 176 has further doubted the presence of any car parking at the place of occurrence. In this connection he has submitted that Sri S.S.P. Yadav, first Investigating Officer, who came to the place of occurrence, has not been examined so as to enable the defence to disprove the claim of the prosecution party that there was a car parking available in the vicinity of the place of occurrence, as according to the defence there was only cycle stand available at the place of occurrence.
77. Learned counsel next submitted that the dead bodies were not found at the place of occurrence as per the consistent prosecution case that the deceased Brij Bihari Prasad was ahead and all others were following him including his bodyguard. It is submitted that the dead body of bodyguard Lakshmeshwar Sah was lying much ahead than the dead body of Brij Bihari Prasad and at two different places as per the evidence of prosecution witnesses, as would appear from Site Plan (Exhibits- 54, 63) and in the light of the Site Plan the evidence of the eye-witnesses is required to be disbelieved.
Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 177 78. Learned counsel for Accused No. 8 further submitted that from the prosecution evidence it is quite evident that P.W. 14 Rabindra Bhagat, injured, was quite intimate and close to Brij Bihari Prasad, yet he has not named the other eye- witnesses who were present at the place of occurrence at the time of occurrence, is indicative of the fact that those eye-witness did not accompany Brij Bihari Prasad at the time of his evening walk. 79. Learned counsel for Accused No. 8 further submitted that during examination of Accused No. 8 under Section 313 Cr.P.C. he was not put any question with reference to the evidence of P.W. 36 and the orchestra programme in which he is said to have learnt from Accused No. 8 in presence of 8-10 persons that it was Accused No. 8 and others who committed the murder of Brij Bihari Prasad, as such, the evidence of P.W. 36 according to learned counsel cannot be relied upon against Accused No. 8. In this regard reliance is placed on the judgement of the Supreme Court in the case of State of U.P. Vs. Mohd. Iqram & Anr. 2011 CRI.LJ 3931, equal to Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 178 A.I.R. 2011 Supreme Court 632 Sajjan Sharma Vs. State of Bihar Paragraph 15, (2007) 12 SCC 341 Ajay Singh Vs. State of Maharashtra.
80. Learned counsel for Accused No. 8 finally submitted that investigation in the present case has not been fair. In this connection he pointed out that admittedly Dy.S.P. Shashi Bhushan Sharma (P.W. 54) was the first person to receive information about the incident at 8:30 P.M. and he rushed to the place of occurrence whereas the first Investigating Officer Mr. S.S.P. Yadav received information about the occurrence at 8:35 P.M. and thereafter made Station Diary entry of the said information and then proceeded to the place of occurrence, but it is strange that he himself not only recorded the fardbeyan on 13.06.1998 at 9:00 P.M. but came with the fardbeyan to Shastri Nagar Police Station and endorsed the fardbeyan to Gardanibagh Police Station on the basis of which formal First Information Report of the instant case was drawn on 14.06.1998 at 00.15 hours and thereafter he returned back to the place of occurrence and Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 179 proceeded with the investigation. Senior Superintendent of Police, Patna vide Memo No. 1176 CR entrusted the investigation of the case to P.W. 54 Sri Shashi Bhushan Sharma but inspite of such entrustment Sri S.S.P. Yadav continued with the investigation until 13.07.1998 and P.W. 54 in Paragraph 82 has stated that he cannot say as to why Mr. S.S.P. Yadav continued with the investigation up to 14.07.1998 in spite of order dated 14.06.1998. According to learned counsel so-called prosecution eye-witnesses P.W. 1, 10, 25 and 42 in their deposition have stated that they left the I.G.I.M.S., Sheikhpura, Patna between 9:00-9:30 P.M. and thereafter remained in the night, or for few hours, at the Bailey Road residence of the deceased. The Investigating Officer never visited 20 Bailey Road residence of the deceased during the night between 13-14.06.1998 and none of these witnesses have disclosed the time when they recorded their police statement. Failure to disclose the time of recording of police statement by the eye-witnesses, according to learned counsel, is indicative of the fact that earliest Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 180 prosecution version given by Rama Devi to P.W. 54 Shashi Bhushan Sharma has been suppressed. According to learned counsel Sri S.S.P. Yadav subsequently did table work, recorded the fardbeyan at 9:00 P.M. and on the same line recorded statement of the eye-witnesses from 12:30 A.M. onwards on 14.06.1998 except that of P.W. 42 whose name does not find mentioned in the fardbeyan. According to learned counsel it is with a view to suppress the statement recorded before P.W. 54 that S.S.P. Yadav, first Investigating Officer, has not been produced in Court and verbal statement has been made that he is dead, no documentary proof indicating his demise has been brought on record although, he is a public servant, nor the investigation done by him has been brought on record and withheld by the prosecution rendering serious prejudice to the defence.
81. Learned counsel for Accused No. 9, Appellant in Cr. Appeal (D.B.) No. 878 of 2009 submitted that the scribe of the fardbeyan (Exhibit-50) is Sri S.S.P. Yadav, who could not be examined at the trial as he had died. Consequently, there is no Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 181 evidence that the fardbeyan (Exhibit-50) was lodged by P.W 10 Amrendu Kumar Sinha on 13.06.1998 at 9:00 P.M. Fardbeyan has been marked as an Exhibit as P.W. 10 admitted his signature at page Nos. 2, 4 of the fardbeyan. According to learned counsel mere marking of a document as an exhibit does not prove the contents of the document. The narration of the fardbeyan that Accused No. 4 Mantu Tiwari, Accused No. 8 Munna Shukla, Accused No. 9 Rajan Tiwari participated in the incident cannot be read in evidence in view of the evidence of P.W. 10. In this connection, reliance has been placed on the judgement of the Supreme Court in the case of Sait Tarajee Khimchand and others vs. Yelamarti Satyam and others A.I.R. 1971 Supreme Court 1865 Paragraph 15, Narbada Devi Gupta vs. Birendra Kumar Jaiswal and another (2003) 8 SCC 745 Paragraph 16.
82. Learned counsel further submitted that an F.I.R. or fardbeyan, recorded under Section 154 Cr.P.C., is not substantive evidence. It can be used to either contradict or corroborate the informant, on whose statement fardbeyan has been recorded. Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 182 Reliance in this connection is placed on the judgement of the Supreme Court in the case of Hasib Vs. The State of Bihar A.I.R. 1972 Supreme Court 283 Paragraph 4, C. Magesh & Ors. etc. Vs. State of Karnataka A.I.R. 2010 SC 2768.
83. Learned counsel for Accused No. 9 next referred to the evidence of P.W. 1 Paras Nath Chaudhary, the brother-in-law of the deceased, who was present at the time and place of occurrence from before and had seen the assailants. It is submitted by the counsel for Accused No. 9, with reference to the evidence of P.W. 1 Paragraph 11, that though witness knew and identified Rajan Tiwari from before but categorically stated in Paragraph 11 of his evidence that he was not present at the place of occurrence at the time of the incident. It is submitted that aforesaid evidence about the absence of Accused No. 9 at the time of incident was not challenged by the prosecution either by way of re-examination or by declaring the witness hostile, as such, the evidence of P.W. 1 with respect to Accused No. 9 Rajan Tiwari is binding on the prosecution and is sufficient to warrant his Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 183 acquittal. Reliance in this connection is placed on the judgment of the Supreme Court in the case of Javed Masood and Anr. Vs. State of Rajasthan AIR 2010 Supreme Court 979 Paragraph 12 to 14. In the background of the evidence of P.W. 1, it is submitted by the counsel for Accused No. 9 that where an important prosecution witness, relied upon by the prosecution, in the instant case P.W. 1, exonerates a particular accused, in the instant case Accused No. 9, even though other witnesses implicate him, the circumstance of exoneration by one important witness is sufficient to grant Accused No. 9 benefit of reasonable doubt. Reliance in this connection is placed on the judgement of the Supreme Court in the case of Shanta Vs. State of Haryana A.I.R. 1981 Supreme Court 650.
84. Learned counsel for Accused No. 9 further submitted that evidence of P.W. 25 Mahanth Ashwani Das, an eye-witness of the occurrence, is liable to be rejected, as he was prosecuted and convicted in the year 1979 for the offence of murder vide repeat Paragraph 16 of his evidence. His appeal Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 184 filed against the said conviction was dismissed by the High Court under order dated 21.11.2002. Even after dismissal of his appeal, Mahanth Ashwani Das did not surrender. He was declared an absconder and arrested on 04.05.2006 from near Late Brij Bihari Memorial Building, Bailey Road, Patna.
85. It is further submitted that while recording 164 Cr.P.C. statement P.W. 25 mentioned fictitious name of his father because he wanted to conceal his true identity as he was charge-sheeted in Bochaha P.S. Case No. 85/98 (Exhibit-B2) for the offence under Section 302 and other allied Sections of the Penal Code Vide Paragraph 49 of his evidence. In this connection, it is further pointed out that P.W. 25 is a close neighbour of Brij Bihari Prasad as his Math is situate 125 yards from Muzaffarpur house of the deceased Brij Bihari Prasad. P.W.25 actively canvassed on behalf of Brij Bihari Prasad and Rama Devi during their election campaign vide Paragraphs 44, 60, 61 of his evidence. In view of the antecedent of P.W. 25 and the fact that after dismissal of his appeal, he remained absconding, living under protection of Brij Bihari Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 185 Prasad and his wife, the witness could very easily be introduced in the case as an eye-witness to record false evidence, especially in view of the fact that he has admitted in Paragraph 20 of his deposition that his brother Anil and 3 others were killed in which case Accused No. 8 was prosecuted and acquitted.
86. It is further submitted that P.W.25 ordinarily resides at Muzaffarpur, which is at a distance of 75 kilometres from Patna, P.W. 25 having admitted in Paragraph 19 of his deposition that there was no reason whatsoever for him to have visited Brij Bihari Prasad on the date of the incident, in the circumstances, counsel for Accused No. 9 submits, P.W. 25 is just a chance witness.
87. Learned counsel for Accused No. 9 further submitted with reference to the evidence of P.W.25 Paragraph 35, 56 that on the night of occurrence witness stayed at the official residence of the deceased until 12:30 A.M on 14.06.1998 whereafter he went to his Math at Muzaffarpur, as such, it is difficult to accept that his police statement was recorded in the same evening in view of the Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 186 contents of the case diary (Exhibit-48), which begins from 12:30 A.M. on 14.06.1998 with the statement of the informant (P.W.10). Subsequent to the statement of the informant, statement of four other witnesses have been recorded. It is only thereafter the police statement of P.W.25 has been recorded. When the aforesaid aspect was brought to the notice of P.W. 25, he stated in Paragraph 56 of his deposition that he is unable to state the time, place of his police statement.
88. In view of the aforesaid evidence of P.W. 25 it is submitted by the counsel for Accused No. 9 that it is apparent that the statement of P.W. 25 was not recorded in the night of the incident but later after he was called from Muzaffarpur and was introduced as an eye-witness. Learned counsel for Accused No. 9 further submitted with reference to Paragraph 30 of the evidence of P.W. 25 that he remained at the place of occurrence until 9:00-9:30 P.M. of 13.06.1998, by which time, according to P.W. 25 police had already removed both the dead bodies from the place of occurrence. The witness, however, does not remember whether inquest of the two deceased was conducted by Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 187 then. It is submitted that from the inquest report of Lakshmeshwar Sah it is quite evident that the same was prepared at the place of occurrence at 9:30 P.M. and subsequent thereto at 10:10 P.M. the dead body of Lakshmeshwar Sah was removed from the place of occurrence vide dead body challan, as such, according to learned counsel assertion of P.W. 25 that he was present at the place of occurrence until 9:00-9:30 P.M. by which time the two dead bodies were already removed, does not appear to be correct and is indicative of the fact that P.W. 25. was not present at the place of occurrence on the date and time of the incident. Learned counsel for Accused No. 9 further submitted with reference to Paragraph 37 of the deposition of P.W.25 that P.W. 24 Rama Devi remained present in Court on each date when P.W. 25 recorded his evidence and aforesaid conduct of Rama Devi, according to learned counsel, is a strong proof of the fact that P.W. 25 deposed under influence of Rama Devi.
89. Learned counsel for Accused No. 9 submitted that the evidence of P.W. 42 Shashi Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 188 Bhushan Singh, an eye-witness of the occurrence, is also required to be rejected as he is a notorious criminal and was prosecuted in two cases of murder and one case of dacoity, as would appear from Paragraph 20 of his deposition. He was also prosecuted for an offence of attempt to murder and during the said prosecution he was arrested on 18.09.2006 while recording evidence in Court in the present case on behalf of the prosecution, as would appear from Paragraphs 17, 18 of his evidence. His evidence is further required to be rejected, as he has admitted in Paragraph 7 of his evidence that his home village Samayachak, Motihari is situate at a distance of 200 kilometre from Patna and has not given any plausible reason for being present at the place of occurrence, I.G.I.M.S, Sheikhpura, Patna on 13.06.1998 vide Paragraphs 8 to 11, 47 of his evidence. His evidence is further required to be rejected in view of Paragraph 41 of his evidence that he remained at the place of occurrence till 9:15 P.M. and thereafter went to the house of the deceased at 20 Bailey Road, Patna and went to sleep. Aforesaid Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 189 conduct belies the fact that he was present during the incident. The witness has stated in Paragraphs 15, 32 of his evidence that he remained at the residence of the deceased until 14.06.1998, 4:00 P.M. whereafter he left for the village home of the deceased Brij Bihari Prasad along with his dead body and participated in his funeral. Police remained present, both at the residence of the deceased, and at his village home, yet he did not disclose to the police party that he is an eye-witness of the occurrence and recorded his statement 4-5 days after the occurrence on 18.06.1998, as has been admitted by him in Paragraph 5 of his evidence, in the house of P.W. 24 Rama Devi after he was brought back from village home of the deceased by Rama Devi to record his statement, as has been admitted by him in Paragraphs 12, 13 of his evidence. The witness has further admitted in Paragraph 14 of his evidence that P.W. 24 Rama Devi remained present in Court during his deposition. In view of the aforesaid evidence of P.W.42 Shashi Bhushan Singh it is submitted that where a witness does not disclose to the police for a period of Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 190 five days that he witnessed the assault, no reliance can be placed on the testimony of such witness as from his evidence it is quite evident that he recorded his police statement and deposition in Court under influence of P.W. 24 Rama Devi. Reliance in this connection is placed on the judgment of the Supreme Court in the case of State of Orissa Vs. Mr. Brahmananda Nanda A.I.R. 1976 Supreme Court 2488 Paragraph 2, State of Rajasthan Vs. Teja Singh and Others A.I.R. 2001 Supreme Court 990 Paragraph 2, Ramreddy Rajeshkhanna Reddy & Anr. Vs. State of Andhra Pradesh A.I.R. 2006 Supreme Court 1656 Paragraph 4-6.
90. Learned counsel for Accused No. 9 in the light of the aforesaid evidence of P.W. 25 and 42 submitted that the aforesaid two witnesses are notorious criminals and being under the influence and patronage of deceased Brij Bihari Prasad and his wife P.W. 24 Rama Devi, their testimony having been recorded after being prevailed upon by P.W. 24, no reliance should be placed on their testimony. 91. Learned counsel for Accused No. 9 Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 191 further submitted that P.W. 12 Ram Nandan Singh and P.W. 13 Arbind Singh did not support the prosecution case and were declared hostile whereafter they were confronted with their 164 Cr.P.C. statement. 164 Cr.P.C. statement, being not substantive evidence, cannot be pressed into service by the prosecution for proving the case against the accused. In this connection reliance has been placed on the judgement of the Privy Council in the case of Brij Bhushan Singh Vs. Emperor A.I.R. (33) 1946 Privy Council 38, 41, Ram Kishan Singh Vs. Harmit Kaur and Another A.I.R. 1972 Supreme Court 468 Paragraph 8 and Baij Nath Sah Vs. State of Bihar (2010) 6 SCC 736 Paragraph 6.
92. Learned counsel for Accused No. 9 further referred to the evidence of P.W. 24 Rama Devi and submitted that her evidence is also fit to be rejected as P.W. 24 has stated in Paragraph 7 of her evidence that after she reached the place of occurrence, on being intimated about the murder, she was informed by P.W. 1 Paras Nath Choudhary, P.W. 10 informant, P.W. 13 Arbind Singh, P.W. 15 Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 192 Kamakhya Narayan Singh, P.W. 25 Mahanth Ashwani Das and others that Bhupendra Nath Dubey, Accused No. 1 Suraj Bhan Singh, Accused No. 2 Mukesh Singh, Accused No. 3 Lallan Singh, Accused No. 4 Mantu Tiwari, Accused No. 5 Captain Sunil Singh, Accused No. 8 Munna Shukla, Accused No. 9 Rajan Tiwari, Satish Pandey and Sri Prakash Shukla are the assailants. Aforesaid fact, however, was not stated by her in her police statement. Her attention was drawn to the aforesaid omission in Paragraph 97 of her deposition and the said omission has ben proved by the Investigating Officer of C.B.I. P.W. 62, R.S. Khatri in Paragraph 206 of his deposition. It is, therefore, evident that P.W. 24 has recorded false evidence in Court. In this connection it is further pointed out by the counsel for Accused No. 9 that none of the eye- witnesses stated that Accused No. 1 Suraj Bhan Singh, Accused No. 2 Mukesh Singh, Accused No. 3 Lallan Singh were present at the scene of occurrence. In fact, it is the prosecution case itself that Accused No. 1 Suraj Bhan Singh was in Beur jail at the time of incident. According to learned counsel, it is, therefore, Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 193 clear that P.W. 24 has given false evidence to implicate the accused persons. Learned counsel for Accused No. 9 further submitted that P.W. 10, P.W. 13 and P.W. 15 having not supported the prosecution case and declared hostile, the evidence of P.W. 24 Rama Devi that she was provided information about the occurrence by these witnesses is not admissible in evidence and is hit by the rule of hear-say evidence. Reliance in this connection has been placed on the judgement of the Supreme Court in the case of Vijender Vs. State of Delhi (1997) 6 SCC 171 Paragraph 11.
93. Learned counsel for Accused No. 9 finally submitted that the fardbeyan (Exhibit- 50) is an unproved document and its contents cannot be relied upon. There is no other document on record linking any of the accused to the occurrence. No case-diary statement of any of the witnesses was recorded on 13.06.1998. Even the counterfoil of the First Information Report was dispatched on 15.06.1998. The evidence of P.W. 24 Rama Devi that she was informed about the name of the assailants by P.Ws. Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 194 1,10,13,16 and 25 on 13.06.1998, soon after the occurrence, at the place of occurrence itself, as has been asserted by her in Paragraph 7 of her deposition, is required to be rejected for the reason that she has not disclosed such fact to the Investigating Officer of C.B.I. R.S. Khatri, P.W. 62, as has been proved by him, then it is quite evident that P.W. 24, wife of the deceased was also not informed about the identity of the assailants on 13.06.1998, which is indicative of the fact that the identity of the assailants was not known on 13.06.1998, in such view of the matter, the accused persons are required to be acquitted.
94. Learned counsel for the C.B.I., before coming to the merit of the evidence, produced to support the prosecution case and subsequent conviction, submitted that Accused Nos. 2, 3, 4, 5, 8 and 9 have also been convicted for the offence under Section 27 of the Arms Act but sentenced to undergo rigorous imprisonment for one year, which is less than the statutory minimum sentence of three years to be awarded for the said conviction. This Court should enhance the said sentence to three years or Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 195 impose such appropriate sentence as this Court may deem fit after notice to the aforesaid accused persons. In this connection, learned counsel placed reliance on the judgment of the Supreme Court in the case of Prithipal Singh and others Vs. State of Punjab and another (2012) 1 Supreme Court Cases 10 and Narendra Champaklal Trivedi Vs. State of Gujarat, (2012) 7 Supreme Court Cases 80.
95. Learned counsel for the C.B.I. next submitted that true it is that large number of prosecution witnesses have become hostile but on cross-examination by the Public Prosecutor in the trial Court prosecution case has been reaffirmed by the hostile witnesses, which has not been rebutted in further cross-examination on behalf of these accused persons. Evidence brought on record by the prosecutor during cross-examination by the hostile witnesses is required to be appreciated by this Court for appreciating the prosecution case. In this connection, he placed reliance on the judgment of the Supreme Court in the case of Gudu Ram Vs. State of Himachal Pradesh 2012 (11) SCALE 637, Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 196 Paragraph 23, Ramesh Harijan Vs. State of U.P., 2012 (5) SCALE 561, Paragraph 18, Raghunath @ Raghu @ Mange Vs. State, 2007 (2) JCC 1113, Paragraph 14, Khujji @ Surendra Tiwari Vs. State of Madhya Pradesh, 1991 (3) SCC 627, Paragraph 6, Sat Paul Vs. Delhi Administration, 1976 SCC (Cri.) 160, paragraphs 30-52. Learned counsel for the C.B.I., in this connection, further referred to the proviso to Section 154 of the Evidence Act, which was inserted in the year 2006 pursuant to 185th report of the Law Commission of India dated 13.03.2003 and submitted that said report of Law Commission was submitted by the Commission to bring the Evidence Act in line with the decision of the Supreme Court in the case of Sat Paul (supra) and other judgments rendered by the Supreme Court following Sat Paul (supra).
96. Learned counsel for the C.B.I. next referred to the judgment of the Supreme Court in the case of Tahsildar Singh and another Vs. State of U.P., AIR 1959 Supreme Court 1012, Paragraphs 13, 25, 26, 27 and submitted that applying the Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 197 principles of cross-examination, as indicated in the case of Tahsildar Singh (supra) to the evidence brought on record by the prosecution witnesses in the present case, it is apparently clear that the accused persons have not been able to elicit any contradiction or omission from the prosecution witnesses to their advantage.
97. Learned counsel for the C.B.I. accepted that Accused No. 1 was taken in custody on 10.05.1998 and then remanded to Barh Jail wherefrom he was transferred to Beur Jail, Patna on 04.06.1998. He also conceded the position that on the date of occurrence of the present case, Accused No. 1 was in Beur Jail custody but submitted that he along with other co-accused of the present case hatched a conspiracy to eliminate Brij Bihari Prasad, which is proved by the evidence of P.W. 32 Sone Lal and P.W. 39 Lal Babu Choudhary. Both the aforesaid witnesses having been declared hostile, it is necessary to consider their evidence brought on record by way of cross-examination by the prosecutor, in Paragraph 2 of P.W. 32 and Paragraph Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 198 6 of P.W. 39. He further submitted that the aforesaid evidence brought in cross-examination by the prosecutor is required to be read with the evidence of Second Investigating Officer (P.W. 54) in Paragraphs 23-26 and 87-89, as in those paragraphs P.W. 54 has proved recording of statement by P.Ws. 32, 39.
98. Learned counsel for C.B.I. next submitted with reference to the print out that telephone call was made from Land Line No. 32772 installed in Mokama house of Accused No. 1 to the Land Line of Accused No. 7 Shashi Kumar Rai. He also submitted that print out of Land Line Nos. 32448 and 32772, installed at Mokama, is relevant in this regard. According to learned counsel telephone call was made from Mokama residence of Accused No. 1 by Land Line No. 32772 to the Mobile No. 9835022271, Land Line No. 266071 of Accused No. 8 Munna Shukla as also to the residence of Accused No. 7 Shashi Kumar Roy on Land Line No. 226595 and to Captain Sunil Singh on his Mobile No. 9834004457. The calls made between these numbers are evidence of conspiracy against Accused No. 1, Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 199 Accused No. 8, Accused No. 7 and Accused No. 5. According to learned counsel Land Line No. 32772 is subscribed in the name of Rajeev Kumar, son of Surendra Kumar but Rajeev Kumar (P.W. 30) has stated in his evidence that though the said telephone allotted to Shravan Kumar Agrawal was never installed at his residence, he received bill and then filed application (Ext. 31) which was forwarded to General Manager, Telephone bearing registered receipt No. 5349 (Ext. 32) and based on the aforesaid evidence enquiry was carried out and report dated 29.10.1999 of Sub-Divisional Engineer, Vigilance in the office of General Manager, Telecom, Patna (Ext. 1) submitted, from which it is evident that Land Line No. 32772 is installed at Mokama residence of Accused No. 1. In this connection, learned counsel for the C.B.I. also referred to Paragraph 1 of the evidence of P.W. 2 Siya Saran Ram, Sub-Divisional Engineer, Vigilance in the office of Principal General Manager, Telecom, Patna where the witness has stated that he was asked to furnish details of Land Line Nos. 32448 and 32772, both Mokama through a Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 200 letter. The first number belongs to Shravan Kumar Agrawal and the other belongs to him. Again he volunteers that both the telephone numbers were operating at the residence of Accused No. 1, Shankarwar Tola, Mokama.
99. Learned counsel for the C.B.I. further submitted that the third set of evidence against Accused No. 1 relates to prior enmity, which is proved through the testimony of P.Ws. 12 Ram Nandan Singh, Page 74-78 and P.W. 13 Arbind Singh, Page 79-86 though both were declared hostile during recording of their evidence. P.Ws. 12 and 13 both recorded their statement under Section 164 Cr.P.C. (Exts. 13, 15). P.W. 13 also filed complaint (Ext. 16) that he was being threatened. 164 Cr.P.C. statement of P.Ws. 12 and 13 are proved through the testimony of Bimal Kumar Sinha, Judicial Magistrate (P.W. 53), who recorded his 164 Cr.P.C. statement.
100. Learned counsel for the C.B.I. also referred to the evidence of P.W. 25 Mahant Ashwani Das, Paragraph 7 and P.W. 42 Shashi Bhushan Singh, Paragraphs 5, 52 and submitted that in the Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 201 aforesaid two paragraphs P.Ws. 25, 42 proved their 164 Cr.P.C. statement recorded before the Judicial Magistrate. Learned counsel also referred to the evidence of P.W. 24 Rama Devi Paragraph 121 where she denied the suggestion that she has not stated before the C.B.I. that before 13.06.1998 when she used to go to meet Brij Bihari Prasad at I.G.I.M.S., Sheikhpura, Patna, he used to tell her that apart from other persons Accused No. 1 was meeting with others and planning to kill him in spite of being in jail. In this connection, learned counsel submitted that testimony of S.S.P. Yadav could not be recorded as he died and the investigation conducted by Sri Yadav was proved by his successor Investigating Officer (P.W. 54) as he deposed in Paragraph 1 of his evidence that he was posted as Dy. S.P., Sachivalaya in June, 1998. Shastri Nagar Police Station was within his jurisdiction. He had taken over charge of investigation of Brij Bihari Prasad murder case from Sri S.S.P. Yadav, Inspector of Police and the then S.H.O., Shastri Nagar P.S. on 14.07.1998. Sri S.S.P. Yadav is no more. He perused the investigation report Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 202 conducted by Sri Yadav after he had taken over charge of investigation of the case from him. He identified his writing and signature. Case diary, Paragraphs 1 to 186 are in the handwriting and signature of Sri Yadav, which the witness identified, marked Ext. 48. Learned counsel with reference to Paragraph 103 of the case diary, which is Ext. 48, submitted that the antecedent of Accused No. 1 is not clean which was proved by P.W. 54 in his evidence, Paragraph 1.
101. Learned counsel for the C.B.I. further submitted that Accused No. 2 Mukesh Singh, Accused No. 3 Lallan Singh are shooters and associates of Accused No. 1 Suraj Bhan Singh. Their presence at the place of occurrence is proved by the testimony of P.W. 12 Ram Nandan Singh, P.W. 13 Arbind Singh and P.W. 15 Kamakhya Narayan Singh. P.W. 12, though declared hostile, has deposed in Paragraph 4 of his cross-examination that Accused No. 3 Lallan Singh, Accused No. 2 Mukesh Singh, Accused No. 5 Captain Sunil Singh were also firing. P.W. 13, though declared hostile, deposed in Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 203 Paragraph 1 of his examination-in-chief that he recorded statement under Section 164 Cr.P.C. before the learned Judicial Magistrate, Patna over which on the instruction of Peskar (Bench Clerk) he wrote "read and put my signature after finding it to be true". He also identified his writing, signature and date marked Ext. 15. Learned counsel then referred to the evidence of P.W. 15 Kamakhya Narayan Singh, another hostile witness in Paragraphs 2, 3, which is also on the same lines as that of Paragraph 4 of the evidence of P.W. 12. Learned counsel next referred to the evidence of P.W. 25 Mahanth Ashwani Das and P.W. 42 Shashi Bhushan Singh and submitted that these two witnesses though did not specifically name Accused Nos. 2, 3 in their testimony in trial court but admitted before the trial court in Paragraphs 7, 5 respectively that they recorded statement under Section 164 Cr.P.C. before the learned Magistrate and having seen the statement proved the same, marked Exts. 29, 39, perusal whereof indicates that both P.Ws. 25, 42 had named Accused Nos. 2, 3 in their statement recorded before the Judicial Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 204 Magistrate, P.W. 53 Sri Bimal Kumar Sinha. It is submitted that both P.Ws. 25, 42 have supported the prosecution version and have remained unshaken in cross-examination.
102. Learned counsel for the C.B.I. next referred to the case of Accused No. 4 Mantu Tiwari and submitted that he is the nephew of Bhupendra Nath Dubey, brother of Devendra Nath Dubey, who was killed one day prior to the re-poll and was contesting M.P. election from Motihari Constituency as Samajwadi Party Candidate against P.W. 4 Rama Devi, the R.J.D. Candidate. His relationship with Bhupendra Nath Dubey has been proved by P.W. 24.
He is also named in the fax message dated
13.06.1998 (Exhibit-5) that gang members of
Devendra Nath Dubey have planned to eliminate Brij Bihari Prasad and his sister‟s son, Mantu Tiwari is masterminding the operation. He is also named in the fardbeyan (Exhibit-50) as the one who was armed with stain-gun and resorted to firing on the person of Brij Bihari Prasad. His presence at the place of occurrence has been established with reference to Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 205 the evidence of P.W. 1, Paras Nath Choudhary. P.W. 10 Amrendu Kumar Sinha, P.W. 12 Ram Nandan Singh, P.W. 13 Arbind Singh, P.W. 25 Mahanth Ashwani Das and P.W. 42 Shashi Bhushan Singh. P.W. 1 in Paragraphs 6, 11 of his evidence has stated that Accused No. 4 was present at the spot and was holding a big weapon in his hand. He further deposed that Mantu Tiwari along with others fired at the deceased Brij Bihari Prasad. In Paragraph 37 P.W. 1 has denied the suggestion that he recognized Accused No. 4 in Court after being prompted by someone from behind, whereas he was in front of the Court. P.W. 25 Mahanth Ashwani Das in Paragraphs 3, 4 and P.W. 42 Shashi Bhushan Singh in Paragraphs 2, 6 also supported the presence of Accused No. 4 at the place of occurrence and submitted that supporting the presence of Accused No. 4 at the place of occurrence they had also recorded statement under Section 164 Cr.P.C. though informant (P.W. 10), P.W. 12, P.W. 13 have been declared hostile and cross-examined by the prosecutor. In the cross-examination P.W. 10 in Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 206 Paragraph 7 (Paragraph 6 of the English translation of the deposition) deposed that amongst the persons who came out of the vehicles he recognized Bhupendra Nath Dubey and Mantu Tiwari by name but he did not recognize the others. All who came in two vehicles had pistols. Bhupendra Nath Dubey and Mantu Tiwari had also pistols. On being declared hostile P.W. 10 was cross-examined by the Public Prosecutor in Paragraphs 10-13 (Paragraphs 9-11 of the English translation of the deposition). He stated in Paragraph 10 (Paragraph 9 of the English translation of the deposition) that Mantu Tiwari fired from his stain-gun on the M.L.A. Learned counsel for the C.B.I. further submitted that P.W. 12 though declared hostile but after being cross-examined by the prosecutor stated in Paragraph 4 that Accused No. 4 was holding stain-gun and others were having pistols in their hands. Similarly, as regards P.W. 13 counsel for the C.B.I. submitted that after being declared hostile and cross-examined by the prosecutor he also stated in Paragraph 10 of his evidence that Bhupendra Nath Dubey was armed Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 207 with pistol, Mantu Tiwari with stain-gun and Sri Prakash Shukla with pistol, resorted to firing at Brij Bihari Prasad. In this connection he also pointed out that P.Ws. 12, 13 both recorded their statement under Section 164 Cr.P.C. and in the said statement also stated about the presence of Accused No. 4 at the place of occurrence. He further pointed out that P.W. 13 has filed complaint (Exhibit-16) that he was being threatened. Learned counsel for the C.B.I. further submitted that Accused No. 4 has prior enmity with Brij Bihari Prasad and such fact has been stated by P.W. 24 Rama Devi in Paragraph 4 that her husband used to tell her that Bhupendra Nath Dubey, Mantu Tiwari, Rajan Tiwari, Raghunath Pandey, Sri Prakash Shukla and Suraj Bhan Singh were meeting and planning to eliminate him (Brij Bihari Prasad).
103. Learned counsel for the C.B.I. next referred to the case of Accused No. 5 Sunil Singh @ Captain Sunil Singh and submitted that he is also shooter and associate of Accused No. 1 and was present at the place of occurrence as he has been Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 208 identified by P.W. 12 Ram Nandan Singh, P.W. 13 Arbind Singh, P.W. 14 Rabindra Bhagat, P.W. 15 Kamakhya Narayan Singh, P.W. 25 Mahanth Ashwani Das, P.W. 42 Shashi Bhushan Singh. P.Ws. 25, 42 supported the prosecution case by identifying Accused No. 5 at the place of occurrence and remained unshaken in cross-examination. They also recorded statement under Section 164 Cr.P.C. and reference in this connection has been made to the evidence of P.W. 25 in Paragraph 7 and P.W. 42 in Paragraph 5. In this connection, learned counsel submitted that though P.Ws. 12, 13, 14, 15 were declared hostile but during cross-examination by the prosecutor have supported the prosecution version which would appear from the evidence of P.W. 12, Paragraph 4 as in the said paragraph he has stated that Accused No. 5 got down from the vehicle and Mantu Tiwari was holding stain-gun and all others were having pistols in their hands. Rajan Tiwari, Satish Pandey, Munna Shukla started firing on the bodyguard Lakshmeshwar Sah. Lallan Singh, Mukesh Singh, Sunil Singh, Naga Singh @ Brajesh, Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 209 Captain Sunil Singh were also firing. P.W. 13 also became hostile but after being cross-examined by the prosecutor deposed in paragraph 10 that all got down from the vehicle. One Captain Sunil Singh of Kankarbagh also got down from the vehicle together with them. Lallan Singh, Sunil Singh, Mukesh Singh, Naga Singh @ Brajesh, Captain Sunil Singh were also firing indiscriminately. Learned counsel further pointed out that P.Ws. 12, 13 both recorded statement under Section 164 Cr.P.C. supporting the presence of Accused No. 5 and others. P.W. 13 besides recording statement under Section 164 Cr.P.C. also filed complaint (Ext. 16) that he was being threatened. According to counsel for the C.B.I. testimony of P.Ws. 12, 13 is required to be read with the testimony of P.W. 54 Shashi Bhushan Sharma as Accused No. 5 declined to cross-examine P.Ws. 12 and 13. The evidence of P.W. 15 in Paragraphs 2, 3 recorded after P.W. 15 was declared hostile on being cross-examined by the prosecution indicates that Accused No. 5 is a member of the gang of Accused No. 1 and that Accused No. 3 Lallan Singh, Accused Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 210 No. 2 Mukesh Singh, Sunil Singh, Naga Singh @ Brajesh, Accused No. 5 Sunil Tiger @ Captain Sunil also fired from the weapon held in their hands and with reference to the said evidence, it is submitted that testimony of P.W. 15 is indicative of the fact that Accused No. 5 was present at the place of occurrence and resorted to firing. Learned counsel for the C.B.I. further submitted that the telephone print out evidence also exists against Accused No. 5 as he is subscriber of Mobile No. 9834004457 from which calls were received on the Land Line of Accused No. 1 between 12.05.1998-14.05.1998 (Exhibits- 1, 1/1) which has been proved by C.B.I. Investigating Officer (P.W. 62), Paragraph 37 where he has stated that he received print out of Land Line No. 32772 and four calls were made from Land Line No. 32772 to Mobile No. 9834004457 of Captain Sunil Singh between 12.05.1998-14.05.1998.
104. Learned counsel for the C.B.I. next referred to the case of Accused No. 6 Ram Niranjan Choudhary and submitted that Accused No. 6 earlier served as Personal Assistant to the deceased Brij Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 211 Bihari Prasad, on the date of occurrence he came to meet Brij Bihari Prasad in his hospital room and at his instance deceased Brij Bihari Prasad had gone out for a walk with other visitors. It is submitted that evidence against Accused No. 6 is of two types- (i) about his presence at the place of occurrence prior to the incident and (ii) about prior enmity. Learned counsel referred to the evidence of P.W. 1 Paras Nath Choudhary, and P.W. 24 Rama Devi and submitted that they are the witnesses on the point of prior enmity of Accused No. 6 with the deceased Brij Bihari Prasad and referred to the evidence of P.W. 1 in Paragraphs 3, 10. In Paragraph 3 P.W. 1 has stated that Accused No. 6 and 2-3 persons accompanying him departed after some time. Accused No. 6 was not the Private Secretary of deceased Brij Bihari Prasad at the time of occurrence or before the occurrence. In Paragraph 10 P.W. 1 has stated that when they reached near the injured they found that both were dead. When they used to come to meet Brij Bihari Prasad in the hospital, he used to tell him that Ram Niranjan Choudhary was not a good man. He had Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 212 suspicion on him. Due to this reason only he could not make him his Personal Assistant again. P.W. 24 stated in Paragraph 5 that Accused No. 6 used to bring different persons in the hospital. He also told that Ram Niranjan Choudhary had association with many criminals. In Paragraph 7 P.W. 24 stated that Accused No. 6 tried to take Brij Bihari Prasad for walk outside and they were also walking with him. In Paragraph 47 she further stated that after the occurrence Accused No. 6 informed the security personnel at her official residence and thereafter informed her near Maurya Lok. In Paragraph 53 P.W. 24 stated that she told police officials verbally that Accused No. 6 has conspired with criminals. In Paragraph 57 P.W. 24 stated that when she came out from the hospital room she saw Accused No. 6 on hospital gate with two persons who asked her that where is she going. On this, P.W. 24 told him that she was going to Maurya Lok. She further stated in the same paragraph that in the hospital room of her husband she had also seen Accused No. 6 at 7:00 P.M. and both her statements are correct. In Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 213 Paragraph 61 P.W. 24 stated that it is not a fact that Accused no. 6 has been erroneously made accused in this case rather he has been made accused because he is the main accused of the case. In cross- examination P.W. 24 stated in Paragraph 34 that she reached I.G.I.M.S., Sheikhpura, Patna at about 1:00 or 1:30 in the evening (sic). Her husband came in a police vehicle. At that time Accused No. 6 also arrived at I.G.I.M.S., Sheikhpura, Patna along with her though, she came from her official residence and remained present thereafter. P.Ws. 10, 25, 42 have also confirmed the presence of Accused No. 6 at the place of occurrence prior to the incident. Informant (P.W. 10) in Paragraph 3 (Paragraph 2 of the English translation of the deposition) has also confirmed the presence of Accused No. 6 at the place of occurrence. P.W. 10 after being declared hostile was cross- examined on behalf of Accused No. 6 and stated in Paragraph 15 (Paragraph 13 of the English translation of the deposition) that he has not mentioned the name of Accused no. 6 while giving his police statement nor did he take his name before the Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 214 C.B.I. official. In Paragraph 16 (Paragraph 14 of the English translation of the deposition) of the cross- examination P.W. 10 stated that he visited the Minister even before the occurrence and he knew Accused No. 6 because he was P.A. to the Minister earlier. Learned counsel next referred to the evidence of P.W. 25 Mahanth Ashwani Das, who supported the prosecution version as also proved the presence of Accused No. 6 before the occurrence. In this connection he referred to Paragraphs 2, 5 of the evidence of P.W. 25 where he has stated that Accused No. 6 asked the Minister to come out of the ward as it was very hot inside. After sometime P.W. 25 and others including Brij Bihari Prasad and Accused No. 6 came out for walk. In Paragraph 5 P.W. 25 stated that amongst the accused persons present in Court, he identified Mantu Tiwari, Rajan Tiwari and Accused No. 6 Ram Niranjan Choudhary. Learned counsel also submitted that during cross- examination of P.W. 25 on behalf of Accused No. 6 P.W. 25 deposed in Paragraph 57 that Accused No. 6 was present at the place of occurrence from before. It Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 215 is also pertinent to point out that P.W. 25 on being cross-examined by Accused No. 6 in Paragraph 63 denied giving any deposition under pressure from P.W. 24. Learned counsel with reference to the evidence of P.W. 42 Shashi Bhushan Singh submitted that he also deposed in Paragraph 1 that Accused No. 6 was present at the time of occurrence. P.W. 42 in Paragraph 6 of his evidence also identified Accused no. 6, Mantu Tiwari, Munna Shukla and Rajan Tiwari present in court. It is submitted that though P.W. 42 was cross-examined at length on behalf of Accused No. 6 but his evidence has not been shaken, as such, according to learned counsel P.Ws. 25, 42 have supported the prosecution case by identifying Accused No. 6 on the spot and such evidence having remained unshaken in the cross- examination is required to be accepted as before recording the aforesaid evidence the two witnesses also recorded their statement under Section 164 Cr.P.C. which has been proved by the learned Magistrate (P.W. 53) who recorded the said statement.
Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 216
105. Learned counsel for the C.B.I. while discussing the case of Accused No. 7 Shashi Kumari Rai submitted that at the relevant time he was M.L.A. and was later charge-sheeted for the offence under Section 212 of the Penal Code alleging that he harboured offenders. The evidence led against him is that Accused No. 1 made telephone call from his Land Line No. 32772 to the Land Line No. 226595 of Accused No. 7 between 11.5.1998-31.5.1998, which is established from print out (Exhibits-1, 1/1). During the aforesaid period Accused No. 7 also made call from his Land Line No. 226595 to Land Line No. 266071 of Accused No. 8 as also on P.C.O. No. 269018 of brother-in-law of Accused no. 8. Aforesaid printouts have been duly proved by P.W. 22 Chin Mai Mitra, General Manger, Telephone Department, Patna, who in Paragraph 3 of his evidence stated that the printout of Land Line No. 226595 having 22 pages from 16.4.1998 to 13.6.1998 was provided to the C.B.I., total five pages are related to this telephone. The printout of earlier phone and this phone is for outgoing S.T.D. Land Line No. 226595 Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 217 was also in the name of Accused No. 7 and address is House No. 11, Veer Chand Patel Path, Patna, where it was installed. P.W. 22 also proved telephone record of Raghunath Pandey, Exts. 21, 22. P.W. 52 Ashok Kumar Das General Manager, B.S.N.L., Muzaffarpur proved the printout of Land Line No. 2660671 of Accused No. 8 as he stated in Paragraph 2 of his evidence that this is the printout from 16.5.1998 to 15.7.1998 of Land Line No. 266071 which is in the name of Accused No. 8 and has been issued under his endorsement. Learned counsel next referred to the evidence of P.W. 35 Shushil Kumar Singh, P.W. 36 Awadhesh Kumar Singh, P.W. 37 Pooja, though they have become hostile and with reference to their evidence, particularly of P.W. 36, Paragraph 3 submitted that Accused No. 7 also visited Khanjahachak in the evening of 15.06.1998 to attend Orchestra programme organized to celebrate the murder of Brij Bihari Prasad.
106. Learned counsel next referred to the case of Accused No. 8 Vijay Kumar Shukla @ Munna Shukla and submitted that he is brother of Chhotan Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 218 Shukla (deceased) and has been named in the fardbeyan. His presence at the place of occurrence has been proved by P.W. 1 Paras Nath Choudhary, P.W. 25 Mahanth Ashwani Das and P.W. 42 Shashi Bhushan Singh. In this connection he referred to the evidence of P.W. 1, Paragraphs 5, 11. In Paragraph 5 P.W. 1 stated that Satish Pandey and Accused No. 8, M.L.A. of Lalganj, came out of the Ambassador along with one or two others, whose name he did not know. In Paragraph 11 P.W. 1 stated that out of six accused persons present in Court room, he recognized Mantu Tiwari, who was holding bigger weapon at the time of occurrence. Apart from him, the witness recognized Accused No. 8. Learned counsel also submitted that P.W. 1 was extensively cross-examined on behalf of Accused No. 8 but nothing effective could be drawn from him in the cross-examination. Learned counsel then referred to the evidence of P.W. 25 Paragraph 3 where P.W. 25 stated that those who came out of the two vehicles including Bhupendra Nath Dubey, Sri Prakash Shukla, Rajan Tiwari, Munna Shukla, Satish Pandey and others, he knew those persons Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 219 from before. He also referred to the evidence of P.W. 25 in Paragraph 4 where P.W. 25 stated that Munna Shukla, Satish Pandey and Rajan Tiwari fired at Lakshmeshwar Sah. Witness also stated that he had seen the occurrence concealing behind the pillar of the building. Counsel also referred to Paragraph 5 of the evidence of P.W. 25 where he has stated that he identified Munna Shukla, who is being represented today. Learned counsel next referred to the evidence of P.W. 42 Shashi Bhushan Singh, Paragraph 2 in which he stated that Munna Shukla, Rajan Tiwari and another man, name not known, resorted to firing on the bodyguard from their pistol. In paragraph 6 P.W. 42 recognized Ram Niranjan Choudhary, Mantu Tiwari, Munna Shukla and Rajan Tiwari, all are present in Court today. Learned counsel further submitted that informant (P.W. 10), P.W. 12 Ram Nandan Singh, P.W. 13 Arbind Singh and P.W. 14 Rabindra Bhagat also identified Accused No. 8 on the spot but they have been declared hostile during trial. P.W. 10 being declared hostile was cross-examined by the Public Prosecutor and then stated in Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 220 Paragraph 9 (Paragraph 8 of the English translation of the deposition) that Mantu Tiwari fired from his stain-gun on the M.L.A., Sri Prakash Shukla fired from his pistol on the M.L.A. At the same time their other accomplice Satish Pandey, Munna Shukla and Rajan Tiwari fired from their fire-arms on the bodyguard Lakshmeshwar Sah and having got injured he fell down, in Paragraphs 12, 13 (Paragraphs 11 of the English translation of the deposition) P.W. 10 stated that his house is about 160 kilometers from the place of occurrence (Patna). He knew P.W. 1 Paras Nath Choudhary, brother-in- law of Brij Bihari Prasad. He remained in the hospital for about 4 ½ hours. During this time in the hospital he never saw P.W. 1. Learned counsel next referred to the evidence of P.W. 12 Ram Nandan Singh, an eye-witness of the occurrence, who was also declared hostile and was cross-examined by the prosecution and stated in Paragraph 4 that Bhupendra Nath Dubey moved forward and resorted to firing on the M.L.A. Mantu Tiwari and Sri Prakash Shukla also shot at him. Rajan Tiwari, Satish Pandey and Munna Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 221 Shukla shot at the bodyguard Lakshmeshwar Sah. It is submitted that further cross-examination of P.W. 12 on behalf of Accused No. 8 was futile without any benefit for Accused No. 8. Learned counsel for the C.B.I. also referred to the evidence of P.W. 13 Arbind Singh in Paragraph 10 that Munna Shukla, Satish Pandey, Rajan Tiwari fired at the commando Lakshmeshwar Sah. He also referred to the evidence of P.W. 14 Rabindra Bhagat in Paragraph 4 that Bhupendra Nath Dubey hatched conspiracy for the murder with Rajan Tiwari of U.P. and Munna Shukla with the gang of Accused No. 1 Suraj Bhan Singh. In this connection he further submitted that presence of P.W. 14 at the spot cannot be disputed as he was an injured witness and had gone to private Nursing Home for treatment of his gun-shot injuries. The factum of his being treated for gun-shot injury is proved by P.W. 8, Dr. Tarkeshwar Prasad Singh. Learned counsel for the C.B.I. also submitted that P.W. 24 Rama Devi deposed about prior enmity of Accused No. 8 with the deceased in Paragraph 10 where she stated that her husband had reached at Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 222 Combined Building, Muzaffarpur in 1987. Munna Shukla, Chhotan Shukla, Bhutkun Shukla and his criminal associates attacked him and killed his bodyguard Munshi Singh by gun-shot and exploding bomb. P.W. 24 also deposed in Paragraph 96 about her knowledge of conspiracy being hatched between the accused persons to kill the deceased. Learned counsel for the C.B.I. further submitted that the other set of witnesses deposing against Accused No. 8, P.W. 4 Prakash Chandra Shukla, P.W. 52 Ashok Kumar Das, P.W. 3 Prem Shankar Mishra, have proved the print out of Mobile No. 9835022271 and Land Line No. 266071, subscribed in the name of Accused No. 8 (Exts. 3, 4, 4/1 and 43) and print out of Land Line Nos. 261373 and 267099.
107. Learned counsel for the C.B.I. finally referred to the case of Accused No. 9 Rajan Tiwari. He is named in the fardbeyan as the one present at the place of occurrence and said to have opened fire on the bodyguard Lakshmeshwar Sah. His presence at the place of occurrence has been proved by P.Ws. 25, 42. Learned counsel for the C.B.I. with reference Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 223 to the evidence of P.W. 25 Paragraph 3 stated that P.W. 25 categorically deposed that those, who came out of the two vehicles, included Bhupendra Nath Dubey, Sri Prakash Shukla, Rajan Tiwari, Munna Shukla, Satish Pandey and others and he knew those persons from before. He also referred to Paragraph 4 of the evidence of P.W. 25 where he stated that Munna Shukla, Satish Pandey and Rajan Tiwari fired at Lakshmeshwar Sah and he saw the occurrence from behind the pillar of the building. Learned counsel further referred to Paragraph 5 of the evidence of P.W. 25 where he identified Mantu Tiwari, Rajan Tiwari and Ram Niranjan Choudhary in Court. Learned counsel next referred to the evidence of P.W. 42 Paragraphs 2, 6 where he stated that Munna Shukla, Rajan Tiwari and another man, name not known, resorted to firing on the bodyguard from their pistol. The witness recognized Ram Niranjan Choudhary, Mantu Tiwari, Munna Shukla and Rajan Tiwari as those who were present in Court. Learned counsel for the C.B.I. then referred to the evidence of informant (P.W. 10), P.W. 12 Ram Nandan Singh, Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 224 P.W. 13 Arbind Singh and P.W. 14 Rabindra Bhagat (injured) and submitted that they also identified Accused No. 9 on the spot but have been declared hostile during trial and were subjected to cross- examination by the prosecutor. According to learned counsel for the C.B.I., the evidence of P.W. 10 in Paragraph 9 (Paragraph 8 of the English translation of the deposition) is that Mantu Tiwari fired from his stain-gun on the M.L.A., Sri Prakash Shukla fired on the M.L.A. from his pistol. At the same time their other accomplice Satish Pandey, Munna Shukla and Rajan Tiwari fired from their fire-arms on the bodyguard Lakshmeshwar Sah, both got injury and fell down. Learned counsel for the C.B.I. further referred to the evidence of P.W. 10 Paragraphs 12, 13 (Paragraph 11 of the English translation of the deposition) that the house of the informant is about 160 kilometers from the place of occurrence. He knew P.W. 1, brother-in-law of Brij Bihari Prasad. He remained in the hospital situate at Sheikhpura, Patna for about 4½ hours. During the time he remained in I.G.I.M.S., Sheikhpura, Patna, he never Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 225 saw Paras Nath Choudhary. In the light of the aforesaid evidence of P.W. 10 in Paragraphs 9, 12, 13 (Paragraphs 8, 11 of the English translation of the deposition) learned counsel submitted that though the witness has been declared hostile but from his deposition in Paragraphs 9, 12, 13 (Paragraphs 8, 11 of the English translation of the deposition) obtained by the prosecutor during his cross-examination, the accusation levelled against Accused No. 9 stands proved. Learned counsel also referred to the evidence of P.W. 12 Ram Nandan Singh, an eye-witness of the occurrence, who was also declared hostile and effectively cross-examined by the prosecutor and then stated in Paragraph 4 of his evidence that Bhupendra Nath Dubey moved forward and started firing on the M.L.A. Mantu Tiwari and Sri Prakash Shukla also resorted to firing. Rajan Tiwari, Satish Pandey, Munna Shukla fired on the bodyguard Lakshmeshwar Sah. It is submitted that P.W. 12 was further cross-examined on behalf of Accused No. 9 but nothing substantial could be taken from him, which could demolish his evidence in Paragraph 4 Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 226 noted above. Counsel for the C.B.I. also referred to the evidence of P.W. 13 Arbind Singh, who deposed in Paragraph 10 that Munna Shukla, Satish Pandey and Rajan Tiwari fired at commando Lakshmeshwar Sah. He also referred to the evidence of P.W. 14 Rabindra Bhagat (injured) in paragraph 4 where he stated that Bhupendra Nath Dubey hatched conspiracy for the murder of Brij Bihari Prasad with the criminal Rajan Tiwari of U.P. and Munna Shukla with the gang of Accused No. 1 and submitted that presence of P.W. 14 at the place of occurrence cannot be disputed as he became injured in the same occurrence and treated in a private nursing home and his injury and treatment has been proved by P.W. 8 Dr. Tarkeshwar Prasad Singh.
108. Learned counsel for the C.B.I. having placed the evidence led against each of the nine accused, as noted above, raised the legal issue with reference to Sections 6, 32 of the Indian Evidence Act, 1872, referred to the evidence of P.W. 24 Rama Devi paragraph 4 that her husband deceased Brij Bihari Prasad before his murder used to tell her that Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 227 Bhupendra Nath Dubey, Mantu Tiwari, Rajan Tiwari, Raghunath Pandey, Munna Shukla, Satish Pandey, Sri Prakash Shukla and Suraj Bhan Singh while in jail custody are planning to eliminate him. In this connection, he placed reliance on the judgment of the Supreme Court in the case of Javed Alam Vs. State of Chhattisgarh and Another (2009) 6 SCC 450, Paragraph 19.
109. Learned counsel next referred to the evidence of P.W. 1 Paras Nath Choudhary, who stated in his testimony in paragraph 10 that his brother-in-law deceased Brij Bihari Prasad used to tell him that Ram Niranjan Choudhary is not a good man and he always suspected him and then referred to Section 32 of the Evidence Act and submitted that it is now settled by the Supreme Court that the words spoken by the deceased with reference to a circumstance which has connection with the transaction ending in the death of such person would fall within the purview of Section 32 (1) of the Evidence Act. In this connection he relied on the judgment of the Supreme Court in the case of Rattan Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 228 Singh Vs. State of H.P., (1997) 4 SCC 161, Paragraphs 12, 13, 15, State of U.P. Vs. Ramesh Prasad Misra and another (1996) 10 SCC 360, Paragraph 11, Sharad Birdhichand Sarda Vs. State of Maharashtra, AIR 1984 SC 1622, Paragraphs 18, 21 and judgment of the Privy Council in the case of Pakala Narayana Swami Vs. Emperor, AIR 1939 Privy Council 47.
110. Learned counsel next referred to sub-section (2) of Section 154 of the Evidence Act and submitted that evidence of hostile witnesses cannot be discarded completely as it has already been settled by the Supreme Court as to how the testimony of the hostile witnesses, namely, P.Ws. 10, 12, 13, 15, 32, 39 and others are to be considered to corroborate the prosecution case. In this connection he relied on the judgment of the Supreme Court in the case of Sat Paul (supra), paragraphs 30-52 with emphasis on the law laid down in paragraph 52. In this regard he also placed reliance on the judgment of the Supreme Court in the case of Khujji @ Surendra Tiwari (supra) with emphasis on paragraph Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 229 6 of the said judgment. Having referred to the aforesaid two judgments learned counsel submitted that the Law Commission of India having taken note of the law laid down by the Supreme Court in the case of Sat Paul (supra) and Khujji Surendra Tiwari (supra) recommended in its 185th Report to provide a proviso in Section 154 of the Evidence Act giving liberty to the party to rely on any part of the evidence of a witness who has been declared hostile and then referred to the Amendment made in the Evidence Act in the year 2006. Having referred to 2006 Amendment made in the Evidence Act inserting sub- section (2) in Section 154 learned counsel submitted that the evidence of P.W. 25 Mahanth Ashwani Das can always be relied upon to corroborate the other evidence. In this regard he also relied on the judgment of Guahati High Court in the case of Brajalal Deb & Ors. Vs. State of Tripura, 2011 Cri.L.J 4643, Paragraph 16 as also on the judgment of the same High Court in the case of Sushendra alias Sushai Deb Vs. State of Tripura, 2010 Cri.L.J 4777, Paragraphs 12, 13 and in the case of Ramesh Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 230 Harijan (supra), Gudu Ram (supra), Raghunath @ Raghu Mange (supra), and The State of Gujarat Vs. Balubhai Madhabhai Zala 1995 Cri. L.J. 2588, Paragraph 6.1.
111. Having referred to the 2006 Amendment made in Section 154 of the Evidence Act, learned counsel for the C.B.I. invited our attention to the „law of evidence‟ by M.C. Sarkar 15th Edition 1999, Page 20 and submitted that the law of evidence is a mere procedure and does not affect the substantive rights of the parties and alteration in the form of procedure are always retrospective unless there is some good reason for not applying them with retrospective effect. In this connection he also referred to the Full Bench judgment in the case of Data Xiva Naique Desai and another Vs. The State (F.B.), 1967 Cri.L.J. 52, Paragraph 8 that the „law of evidence‟ is a procedural law and as such has retrospective effect. In this connection he also referred to the judgment in the case of Paras Ram and Anr. Vs. Mt. Mewa Kunwar and others, AIR 1930 Allahabad 561 that evidence law applies Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 231 retrospectively.
112. Having discussed the aforesaid legal issue learned counsel referred to the evidence of the Investigating Officer vis-à-vis hostile witnesses and submitted that from the testimony of P.W. 53 Bimal Kumar Sinha, Judicial Magistrate, it is quite evident that P.Ws. 12, 13, 25, 42 recorded their 164 Cr.P.C. statement and later became hostile in Court, as such, their 164 Cr.P.C. statement should be relied upon in the light of the evidence of P.W. 54 Shashi Bhushan Sharma, Second Investigating Officer of the State Police, P.Ws. 56, 59, 60, 61, 62 and his assistants, who recorded 161 Cr.P.C. statement of the hostile witnesses. In this regard learned counsel for the C.B.I. referred to the judgment of the Supreme Court in the case of Mahesh, son of Janardhan Gonnade Vs. State of Maharashtra (2008) 13 SCC 271, Paragraphs 49-52 and Rameshbhai Mohanbhai Koli and others Vs. State of Gujarat, (2011) 11 SCC 111, Paragraphs 32-35.
113. Learned counsel for the C.B.I. also referred to the case of Tahsildar Singh (supra), Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 232 Paragraphs 13, 25, 26, 27 while explaining the position as to how the Court should consider the evidence of an eye-witness who denies his former statement. In this regard he also referred to the judgment of the Supreme Court in the case of Dahyabhai Chhaganbhai Thakker Vs. State of Gujarat, (1964) 7 SCR 361 at Page 368, 369.
114. Learned counsel for the C.B.I. placing reliance on the judgment of the Supreme Court in the case of Sarwan Singh and others Vs. State of Punjab, AIR 1976 SC 2304 submitted that it is settled canon of criminal law that mere delay in dispatch of First Information Report to the Magistrate cannot be a circumstance itself to throw out the case of the prosecution. In this connection, he submitted that learned counsel for the appellants have strenuously relied that there was delay in registration of First Information Report but at the same time have failed to show how delay in registration and dispatch of First Information Report caused prejudice to any of the accused persons. In this connection learned counsel placed reliance on the finding recorded by Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 233 the learned trial Court in Paragraph 145 at Page 134 of the impugned judgment, where learned trial Court has held that in view of the promptness of investigation work, entire incident cannot be discarded, merely on the ground of not dispatching the First Information Report and fardbeyan in time to the Court. In this connection, learned counsel for the C.B.I. also placed reliance on the judgment of the Supreme Court in the case of Manga alias Man Singh Vs. State of Uttarakhand, (2013) 7 SCC 629, Paragraphs 15, 21-26, 33 as also on the judgment of the Supreme Court in the case of Surjan Mahto Vs. State of Bihar, 1998 SCC (Cri) 886, Paragraph 7 and Pala Singh and another Vs. State of Punjab (1972) 2 SCC 640, Paragraph 8.
115. Learned counsel for the C.B.I. further submitted that statement of eye-witnesses cannot be discarded by the Court merely on the ground that such an eye-witness happened to be a relative of the deceased and submitted that the testimony of P.W. 24 Rama Devi, wife of deceased Brij Bihari Prasad and P.W. 1 Paras Nath Choudhary Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 234 cannot be doubted. In this regard he also placed reliance on the judgment of the Supreme Court in the case of Dayal Singh and others Vs. State of Uttaranchal, (2012) 8 SCC 263, Paragraph 14 and Sucha Singh and another Vs. State of Punjab, 2003 Cri.L.J. 3876, Paragraphs 13, 16. He also placed reliance on the judgment of the Supreme Court in the case of Dayal Singh (supra), Paragraphs 19, 26-29, 32-34 and 41 and submitted that deliberate lapses of the Investigating Officer as well of the Doctor conducting post mortem of the deceased cannot be a ground to disbelieve the eye-witnesses.
116. Learned counsel for the C.B.I. further submitted that if the accused fails to cross- examine the prosecution witness, it leads to presumption against accused that whatever the witness has stated is true and he did commit the offence. In this connection learned counsel placed reliance on the judgment of the Supreme Court in the case of Baldev Singh Vs. The State of Himachal Pradesh 1976 Cri.L.J. 758, Paragraph 5 as also on the judgment in the case of State of Himachal Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 235 Pradesh Vs. Thakur Dass and etc. etc. 1983 Cri.L.J. 1694, Paragraph 26.
117. Learned counsel for the C.B.I. supported the conviction of Accused No. 7 Shashi Kumar Rai for the offence under Section 212 of the Penal Code that he harboured the offenders, as has been found by the trial Judge in Paragraph 175 at Page 162 of the impugned judgment that Accused No. 7 gave shelter to the accused persons in their criminal act before and after the incident and he also attended the orchestra programme organized at the village residence of Accused No. 8 Munna Shukla in village Khanjahachak on 15.06.1998 after the murder of Brij Bihari Prasad on 13.06.1998. All the ingredients of the offence under Section 212 of the Penal Code are complete and such conviction should be maintained. In this connection learned counsel placed reliance on the judgment of the Supreme Court in the case of State of Tamil Nadu through Superintendent of Police, CBI/SIT Vs. Nalini and others 1999 Cri.L.J. 3124, Paragraphs 577-580 as also on the judgment of the Andhra Pradesh High Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 236 Court in the case of Aleem Vs. State of A.P., 1995 Cri.L.J. 866, Paragraphs 5, 6.
118. Learned counsel for the C.B.I. further submitted that the criminal antecedent of a witness, in the instant case of P.W. 25 Mahanth Ashwani Das and P.W. 42 Shashi Bhushan Singh, cannot be a ground to discard their evidence in view of the finding recorded by the trial Court that the two witnesses, notwithstanding their criminal record, had close relationship with the family of the deceased and it was very natural for the two witnesses to have visited the deceased in the I.G.I.M.S., Sheikhpura, Patna. In this connection, learned counsel also placed reliance on the judgment of the Supreme Court in the case of State of U.P. Vs. Farid Khan and others, (2005) 9 SCC 103, Paragraph 4 where the Supreme Court observed that the evidence of the witness who has criminal background is to be viewed with caution but if such evidence gets sufficient corroboration from the evidence of other witnesses, there is nothing wrong in accepting such witness.
119. Learned counsel for the C.B.I. with Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 237 reference to the judgment of the Supreme Court in the case of Sunita Devi Vs. State of Bihar and another (2005) 1 SCC 608 submitted that the entire case diary cannot be exhibited as has been done in the present case and in this regard placed reliance on the judgment of the Supreme Court in the case of Sunita (supra).
120. By filing additional submission learned counsel for the C.B.I. submitted that failure to seize the telephone set from Mokama residence of Accused No. 1 Suraj Bhan Singh during investigation by the police will not have adverse effect of the prosecution case. He further submitted that failure to examine that the local witnesses of Mokama including the step-mother of Accused No. 1 will also not affect the merit of the prosecution case as P.W. 2 Siya Sharan Ram has specifically stated in Paragraph 2 that Land Line Nos. 32448 and 32772 were installed and operational at the residence of Accused No. 1. P.W. 2 has not been cross-examined on this aspect. In this connection, counsel for the C.B.I. placed further reliance on the evidence of P.W. 30 Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 238 Rajeev Kumar, son of Surendra Kumar of village Mokama, district Patna and Ext. 1 to establish that it was Accused No. 1, who was the subscriber of Land Line Nos. 32448 and 32772. It is further submitted that local prosecution witnesses of Mokama could not have dared to adduce evidence in the trial Court because of the antecedent of Accused No. 1 and his associates Mukesh Singh, Lallan Singh, Captain Sunil Singh and accused Naga Singh @ Brajesh @ Niranjan, which is mentioned in Paragraph 103 of the case diary of Gardanibagh (Shastri Nagar) P.S. Case No. 336/98, Paragraphs 1 to 186 (Ext. 48). The criminal antecedent of other appellants, namely, Accused No. 8, Accused No. 9, Accused No. 4 mentioned in Paragraphs 102, 104 respectively of Ext. 48. Learned counsel for the C.B.I. in the additional submission further submitted that failure of the prosecution to examine Shiv Balak Singh (injured) charge-sheet witness in the trial, has not dented the prosecution case. Request of Accused No. 8 to examine him having been refused by the trial Court and affirmed by the High Court under order Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 239 dated 10.07.2008, passed in Cr. Misc. No. 20544 of 2008, failure to examine Shiv Balak Singh, will not affect the merit of the prosecution case, which stands proved as has been held by the trial Court in the impugned judgment and the appeals are fit to be dismissed.
121. In view of the rival submissions made on behalf of the parties to the appeals, before proceeding to examine the merit of the ocular evidence, led in support of the prosecution case that Accused No. 4 Mantu Tiwari, Accused No. 8 Munna Shukla, Accused No. 9 Rajan Tiwari and others named in the fardbeyan (Exhibit-50), came to the campus of I.G.I.M.S., Sheikhpura, Patna, on 13.06.1998, around 8:00 P.M., in two vehicles, one Sumo bearing Registration No. BR 1P- 1818, the other Ambassador, number whereof could not be seen, to execute the conspiracy to eliminate Brij Bihari Prasad, shot him and his bodyguard, Lakshmeshwar Sah, dead, it is desirable to, first, examine the evidence led in support of the factum of conspiracy hatched to eliminate Brij Bihari Prasad. Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 240
122. To prove conspiracy having been hatched to eliminate Brij Bihari Prasad, prosecution relied upon the printout of Land Line, Mobile numbers (Exhibit- 1/1, 21, 22, 23, 24 and 43), Reports (Exhibit- 1, 2, 4) and the evidence of P.W. 2 Siya Saran Ram, Sub-Divisional Engineer (Vigilance), B.S.N.L., P.W. 3 Prem Shankar Mishra, Personal Assistant to General Manager, Telecom, Muzaffarpur, P.W. 4 Prakash Chandra Shukla, Assistant Manager, Reliance Telecom, Patna, P.W. 22 Chin Mai Mitra, General Manager, Telephone, Patna, P.W. 52 Ashok Kumar Das, General Manager, Telecom, Muzaffarpur. On the aspect of conspiracy, prosecution has also relied on the evidence of P.W. 30, Rajeev Kumar, who has stated that he never subscribed Mokama Land Line No. 32772, yet bill of the said telephone number was received by him, which he returned through registered post. In this regard, prosecution has further relied on the evidence of P.W. 32 Sone Lal, P.W. 36 Awadhesh Kumar Singh and P.W. 39 Lal Babu Choudhary, the three private witnesses, to establish conspiracy. Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 241
123. From the print-out and the evidence of Investigating Officer, C.B.I. (P.W. 62) R.S. Khatri, it appears that on 11.05.1998, call was made from Mokama Land Line No. 32772 to Patna Land Line No. 226595, subscribed by Accused No. 7 Shashi Kumar Rai and also to Muzaffarpur Land Line No. 266071, subscribed by Accused No. 8 Vijay Kumar Shukla. Between 12.05.1998-14.05.1998, four calls were made from Mokama Land Line No. 32772 to Mobile No. 9834004457 of Accused No. 5 Captain Sunil Singh. Between 25.05.1998- 11.06.1998, 17 calls were made from Mokama Land Line No. 32772 to Muzaffarpur Land Line No. 266071 subscribed in the name of Accused No. 8 Munna Shukla. Between the same period, two calls were made from Mokama Land Line No. 32772 to Mobile No. 9835022271 of Accused No. 8 Munna Shukla.
124. In order to connect the aforesaid telephone calls with the conspirators i.e. accused persons, it was necessary for the prosecution to establish that the aforesaid Land Line/Mobile Numbers had been subscribed and also used by the Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 242 accused persons. To establish that Mokama Land Line No. 32772 has been subscribed by Accused No. 1 Suraj Bhan Singh and used by him at his Mokama residence, prosecution has relied on the report, dated 29.10.1999 (Exhibit-1), submitted by P.W. 2 Shiya Sharan Ram, Sub-Divisional Engineer (Vigilance), B.S.N.L., Patna, as also on the evidence recorded by him during the trial.
125. Perusal of the report, dated 29.10.1999 (Exhibit-1), however, indicates that said report has been submitted, with regard to Mokama Land Line Nos. 32448 and 32772, after physical verification about the location of both the land lines made by Sri S.M.M. Rehman, Sub-Divisional Engineer, Barh, and Sri Jitan Mehta, J.T.O., Hathidah, and the two verifying Officers reported that both the land lines i.e. Land Line No. 32448 and 32772, had been functioning at the residence of Accused No. 1 situate in Shakarwa Tola, Mokama.
126. From the report, it further appears that Land Line No. 32448 was subscribed by/opened in the name of Shravan Kumar Agarwal, Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 243 Savera Vastralaya, Main Road, Mokama, on 05.12.1989 and disconnected with effect from 10.09.1996. Land Line No. 32772 has been subscribed/ opened with effect from 16.08.1996 and disconnected due to non- payment of bill from 31.07.1998. Name of the subscriber/owner of Land Line No. 32772 has not been indicated in the report. P.W. 2, author of the report (Exhibit-1), however, in his evidence, Paragraph 1, stated that both the Land Line numbers, referred to in the report, were subscribed in the name of Shrawan Kumar Agrawal, but operational in the house of Accused No. 1 Suraj Bhan Singh at Shankarwar Tola, Mokama. P.W. 2 further stated in Paragraph 5 of his cross- examination that location of the two Land Lines have been mentioned in the report on the basis of office record and telephone printout.
127. From the above evidence of P.W. 2, it becomes more than abundantly clear that he has no personal knowledge with regard to the location of the two land lines aforementioned. Perusal of the report (Exhibit-1), however, indicates that the Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 244 location of both the Land Line numbers at the residence of Accused No. 1 in Shakarwa Tola, Mokama, has been reported in the light of physical verification made by Sri S.M.M. Rehman, Sub- Divisional Engineer, Barh, and Sri Jitan Mehta, J.T.O., Hathidah. From the report, however, it does not appear that M/S S.M.M. Rehman and Jitan Mehta submitted any written report about the location of the two Land Line numbers at the residence of Accused No. 1 Suraj Bhan Singh at Shakarwa Tola, Mokama. The report (Exhibit-1) is addressed to the Investigating Officer, C.B.I. (P.W.
62). From the evidence of P.W. 62, it does not appear that P.W. 62 upon receipt of the report dated 29.10.1999, took any steps to verify the contents of the report by examining M/S S.M.M. Rehman and/or Jitan Mehta, on whose physical verification, report, dated 29.10.1999, was submitted. From the evidence of M.L. Meena (P.W. 60), Assistant Investigating Officer of C.B.I., Paragraph 27, it appears that on 26.09.1999, he traced out the address of Accused No. 1 Suraj Bhan Singh at Shakarwa Tola, Mokama, and Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 245 met his step mother, who told him about the installation of Land Line No. 32772 in the house. He also recorded the statement of 5 neighbours and instructed Assistant Investigating Officer Dayal Singh Rawat (P.W. 61) to contact Rajeev Kumar and collect the details of Land Line No. 32772. From the evidence of Rajeev Kumar (P.W. 30), it appears that he is son of Surendra Kumar, resident of Shakarwa Tola, Mokama, Patna. In Paragraph 1 of his evidence P.W. 30 stated that in the year 1998, he was preparing for competitive examinations at Patna and had not submitted any application for installation of telephone in Mokama, still he received telephone bill for Land Line No. 32772, which he returned to the Telephone Department and submitted application, dated 06.10.1998, to the General Manager, Telephone, Patna, through registered post and retained carbon copy of the application (Exhibit- 31) with registration receipt (Exhibit-32). Both carbon copy and the registration receipt were seized by the Assistant Investigating Officer Dayal Singh Rawat (P.W. 61) on 26.09.1999 vide seizure-list (Exhibit- Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 246 33/1) over which he also put his signature (Exhibit-
33). Even the evidence of P.W. 30 does not prove the location of the land lines.
128. Prosecution having not examined Shrawan Kumar Agrawal, proprietor of Savera Vastralaya, Mokama, subscriber of Land Line No. 32772, as also M/S S.M.M. Rahman, Jitan Mehta, the two Telecom Officers, who are claimed to have made inquiry about the location of Land Line No. 32772, as also the step mother and the five neighbours of Accused No. 1, whose statements P.W. 60 M.L.Meena recorded on 26.09.1999, it is difficult to confidently conclude that Land Line No. 32772, though subscribed in the name of Shravan Kumar Agrawal, Proprietor, Savera Vastralaya, Mokama, was installed at the Mokama residence of Accused No. 1. Location of Land Line No. 32772 having not been established at the Mokama residence of Accused No. 1, it is difficult to sustain further prosecution case that from the same Land Line No. 32772, Accused No. 1 spoke to Accused No. 8 Munna Shukla 17 times on his Land Line No. 266071, twice on his Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 247 Mobile No. 9835022271, four times on the Mobile No. 9834004457 of Accused No. 5, 14 times on the Land Line No. 226595 of Accused No. 7 Shashi Kumar Rai. In this connection, we may also refer to the evidence of P.W. 4 Prakash Chandra Shukla, Assistant Manager, Reliance Telecom, Patna Paragraphs 1, 2 and 3, wherefrom it appears that the required information about Mobile No. 9835022271 was furnished to the C.B.I. i.e. the name, address of the subscriber, date of activation and identity proof of Accused No. 8 (Exhibit-4, 4/1). Printout of the said mobile number was not even asked for by the C.B.I. to establish his complicity in the assassination of Brij Bihari Prasad.
129. Coupled with the above, it cannot be and must not be ignored that even if one assumes that the said land lines stood located at the house of Accused No. 1, there is no material on record to show as to what conversation had taken place through the said land lines.
130. In the circumstances indicated above, there is substance in the submission made, on behalf Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 248 of Accused No. 1 that there is no evidence to show as to what conversation had taken place between Accused No. 1 and the remaining accused, even if one were to assume that the land lines stood installed at the location, which the prosecution claims, and in the absence of the contents of conversation, theory of conspiracy cannot be said to have been proved.
131. Prosecution having failed to establish the foundation of the conspiracy by proving location of Land Line No. 32772 in the Mokama residence of Accused No. 1, the further edifice of conspiracy hatched to eliminate Brij Bihari Prasad may not be sustained placing reliance on the evidence of P.W. 54 Paragraph 23 read with the evidence of P.W. 32 Sone Lal and P.W. 39 Lal Babu Choudhary. The two (P.W. 32, 39) met the second Investigating Officer of the case P.W. 54 Shashi Bhushan Sharma on 19.08.1998 outside Beur Jail and informed him that both had come to Beur Jail 2- 3 days prior to the assassination of Brij Bihari Prasad to meet their friend Sanjay Singh of Mokama lodged in the Beur Jail, saw at the jail gate Accused Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 249 No. 8 speaking to Accused No. 1 and both were known to P.Ws. 32, 39 from before. P.Ws. 32, 39 overheard Accused No. 1 asking Accused No. 8 not to further delay the assassination of Brij Bihari Prasad as he is likely to be released on bail soon and that he should be killed at the earliest, in the campus of I.G.I.M.S., Sheikhpura, Patna, where he is presently confined. P.Ws. 32, 39 also identified Accused No. 3 Lallan Singh and Accused No. 6 Ram Niranjan Choudhary amongst the visitors, who had come, along with Accused No. 8, to meet Accused No. 1 in Beur Jail. Aforesaid evidence of P.W. 54 may not be sustained as he failed to explain, in his deposition, as to how he came to discover P.Ws. 32, 39 on 19.08.1998 i.e. after more than two months of the occurrence as also for the reason that P.Ws. 32, 39 failed to disclose about the factum of conspiracy to anyone for more than two months. Statement about the knowledge of conspiracy recorded by P.Ws. 32, 39 after more than two months of execution of the conspiracy will hardly have any relevance, when the two witnesses P.Ws. 32, 39 have disowned, in their Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 250 evidence, that they ever made such statements to P.W. 54 on 19.08.1998 and P.W. 54 failed to establish that Sanjay Singh of Mokama was an inmate in Beur Jail along with Accused No. 1, 2-3 days prior to the present occurrence and that P.Ws. 32 and 39 had come to meet Sanjay Singh of Mokama from the jail records, like Visitor Slip, Register etc. In the circumstances, it is difficult to sustain the evidence of P.W. 54 that P.W. 32 and 39 had informed him, on 19.08.1998, that they had heard about the conspiracy from Accused No. 1, while he was instructing Accused No. 8 Munna Shukla, Accused No. 3 Lallan Singh and Accused No. 6 Ram Niranjan Choudhary, 2-3 days prior to the occurrence, to execute the plan to assassinate Brij Bihari Prasad without undue delay.
132. From the fardbeyan (Exhibit-50), it appears that Brij Bihari Prasad was assassinated, on 13.06.1998, around 8:15 P.M., while he was taking evening stroll in the campus of I.G.I.M.S., Sheikhpura, Patna. Information about his assassination was given by the informant, eye- Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 251 witnesses, named in the fardbeyan, to doctor, staff and other employees of the I.G.I.M.S., who, in turn, telephonically informed Shastri Nagar Police Station about the occurrence. Inspector S.S.P. Yadav, Officer-in-Charge, Shastri Nagar Police Station, having received the information about the assassination, made Station Diary entry and flashed wireless message about the assassination and, then, reached the place of occurrence inside the campus of I.G.I.M.S., Sheikhpura, Patna, at 8:35 P.M. Dy.S.P., Secretariat, Shashi Bhushan Sharma, having received the wireless message, also reached the place of occurrence soon thereafter. Fardbeyan of informant (P.W. 10) (Exhibit-50) was scribed by Inspector S.S.P. Yadav, Officer-in-Charge of Shastri Nagar Police Station, in the campus of I.G.I.M.S. at 9:00 P.M. naming P.W. 13 Arbind Singh, Onkar Singh (not examined), P.W. 12 Ram Nandan Singh, P.W. 25 Mahanth Ashwani Das and P.W. 1 Paras Nath Chaudhary as the witnesses of the occurrence. Perusal of the fardbeyan indicates that P.W. 10 put his signature over right hand margin of Page 2 and Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 252 bottom of Page 4 in the fardbeyan, which he identified as Exhibits- 12, 12/1. Further perusal of the fardbeyan (Exhibit-50) indicates that Inspector S.S.P. Yadav, Officer-in-Charge, Shastri Nagar Police Station, having scribed the fardbeyan, returned to the Police Station and forwarded the fardbeyan to Officer-in-Charge, Gardanibagh Police Station, to register a case under Sections 302/307/34/120B/379 of the Indian Penal Code read with Section 27 of the Arms Act with further endorsement thereon that the investigation of the said case has already been taken over by him. Officer-in-Charge, Gardanibagh Police Station, Inspector Jainuddin Khan, having received the fardbeyan, registered formal First Information Report of the present case i.e. Gardanibagh (Shastri Nagar) P.S.Case No. 336/98 at 00:15 hours on 14.06.1998 (Exhibit-51). Second Investigating Officer of the case P.W. 54 Shashi Bhushan Sharma has proved the handwriting and signature of both, Inspector S.S.P. Yadav, Officer-in-Charge, Shastri Nagar Police Station, and Inspector Jainuddin Khan, Officer-in- Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 253 Charge, Gardanibagh Police Station, over the fardbeyan (Exhibit-50) and formal First Information Report (Exhibit-51) respectively vide Paragraphs 18, 19 of his evidence. From perusal of the entire evidence of P.W. 54, it does not appear that he has proved the contents of the fardbeyan (Exhibit-50).
133. Inspector S.S.P. Yadav, Officer-in- Charge, Shastri Nagar Police Station, having scribed the fardbeyan (Exhibit-50), took over investigation of the case, inquest report of Lakshmeshwar Sah, bodyguard of Brij Bihari Prasad, another deceased in the same occurrence (Exhibit-52), was prepared by P.W. 44 Sub-Inspector Sanjay Kumar Singh of Shastri Nagar Police Station at 9:30 P.M. in the campus of I.G.I.M.S., Sheikhpura, Patna, in presence of P.W. 26 Anil Kumar Yadav, Ambulance Driver of I.G.I.M.S., Sheikhpura, who was on duty on 13.06.1998 between 8:00-10:00 P.M. The dead body Challan of Lakshmeshwar Sah was also prepared by P.W. 44 in presence of Constable 1629 Rabindra Nath Tiwari (not examined) and Anil Kumar Yadav (P.W. 26) on 13.06.1998 at 10:10 P.M. (Exhibit- 41). Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 254 Inquest report of Brij Bihari Prasad was, however, prepared in the Post Mortem House, P.M.C.H., by Executive Magistrate Kumar Ramanuj (P.W. 45) on 14.06.1998 at 00.45 hours i.e. 12.45 A.M. over which P.W. 44 also put his signature, marked Exhibit-42/1. Dead body Challan of Brij Bihari Prasad is not available on the record, as such, it is difficult to ascertain as to how did his dead body travel from I.G.I.M.S., Sheikhpura campus, to the Post Mortem House of P.M.C.H., where the inquest report was prepared on 14.06.1998 at 12:45 A.M. After drawal of the formal First Information Report on 14.06.1998 at 00:15 hours i.e. 12.15 A.M., the first Investigating Officer of the case Inspector S.S.P. Yadav, Officer-in- Charge of Shastri Nagar Police Station, came to the place of occurrence in the campus of I.G.I.M.S., Sheikhpura, Patna, at 12:30 hours on 14.06.1998 and proceeded to record the statement of the eye- witness named in the fardbeyan as also others, who had reached the place of occurrence soon after the occurrence i.e. the wife of deceased Brij Bihari Prasad P.W. 24 Rama Devi and was informed by the Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 255 eye-witnesses about the name of the assailants. The question, which has been posed, on behalf of the appellants, is as to whether the eye-witnesses named in the fardbeyan as also the others including P.W. 24, Rama Devi, P.W. 15 Kamakhya Narayan Singh and 42 Shashi Bhushan Singh were present in the campus of I.G.I.M.S., Sheikhpura, Patna at 12.30 A.M. on 14.06.1998, to record their police statement. In this connection, reference is made to the evidence of P.W. 1 Paras Nath Chaudhary, brother-in-law of the deceased Brij Bihari Prasad, Paragraph 49, where he has stated that his first police statement was recorded after 10-12 hours of the occurrence. Reference is next made to the evidence of P.W. 25 Mahanth Ashwani Das, Paragraphs 30, 31 and 35, wherefrom it appears that the witness after the occurrence stayed at the I.G.I.M.S., Sheikhpura, Patna until 9:30 P.M. on 13.06.1998, whereafter P.W. 25 came to the official residence of the Minister and remained there until 12:30 A.M. of 14.06.1998 and, thereafter, left for his Muzaffarpur Math in his own Ambassador car. Reference is further made to the Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 256 evidence of P.W. 42 Shashi Bhushan Singh Paragraph 5 that his police statement was made after 4-5 days of the occurrence. Reference is also made to the evidence of P.W. 24 Rama Devi Paragraph 50 where she stated that after she learnt about the assassination of her husband, she came to the I.G.I.M.S., Sheikhpura campus, the dead body of her husband was sent for post mortem examination along with the dead body of his bodyguard Lakshmeshwar Sah. 2-3 hours thereafter, the two dead bodies were sent for post mortem examination P.W. 24 Rama Devi came back to her official residence along with P.W. 1 Paras Nath Chaudhary, P.W. 15 Kamakhya Narayan Singh, P.W. 10 informant, P.W. 13 Arbind Singh, Onkar Singh (not examined), P.W. 25 Mahanth Ashwani Das, P.W. 12 Ram Nandan Singh, Shakil Ansari (not examined), Navin Singh (not examined) and few others of the Constituency. Dead body Challan of Brij Bihari Prasad is not available on record. Perusal of his inquest report, however, indicates that the same was prepared by P.W. 45 Executive Magistrate Kumar Ramanuj on 14.06.1998 Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 257 at 12:45 A.M. at the Post Mortem House, P.M.C.H., as such, it is not possible to ascertain the time of dispatch of his dead body from I.G.I.M.S., Sheikhpura, Patna, to P.M.C.H. for post mortem examination. Perusal of the contemporaneous documents i.e. inquest report and dead body Challan of Lakshmeshwar Sah (Exhibit- 52, 41), however, indicates that the two documents were prepared at 9:30, 10:10 P.M. on 13.06.1998, as such, it can be concluded that the dead body of not only Lakshmeshwar Sah, but also Brij Bihari Prasad was sent for post mortem examination at 10:10 P.M. or soon thereafter. P.W. 24 Rama Devi and the witnesses named by her in Paragraph 50 also left I.G.I.M.S., Sheikhpura, Patna, for her official residence 20 Bailey Road, Patna after dispatch of the two dead bodies to P.M.C.H. for post mortem examination. P.W. 24 Rama Devi and the witnesses, having left for Bailey Road residence at 10:10 P.M. or soon thereafter, were not available in the I.G.I.M.S. campus, at 12:30 A.M., on 14.06.1998, to record their statements before Inspector S.S.P. Yadav. This Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 258 is also corroborated from the evidence of P.W. 1 Paras Nath Chaudhary Paragraph 49, that P.W. 1 recorded his police statement 10-12 hours after the occurrence. P.W. 25 Mahanth Ashwani Das stated in Paragraphs 30, 31 and 35 that he stayed at the place of occurrence, at I.G.I.M.S., Sheikhpura campus, after the occurrence until 9:30 P.M. whereafter the witness left for the official residence of deceased Brij Bihari Prasad, where he stayed until 12:30 A.M. of 14.06.1998 and, thereafter, left for his Muzaffarpur Math. P.W. 42 Shashi Bhushan Singh Paragraph 5 stated that he recorded his police statement 4-5 days after the occurrence. It is, thus, held that P.W. 24 Rama Devi and the witnesses named by her in Paragraph 50 of her evidence were not available in the campus of I.G.I.M.S., Sheikhpura, Patna, on 14.06.1998, at 12:30 A.M., to record their police statement.
134. From the evidence of P.W. 24, Rama Devi, in Paragraph 62, it is further evident that her police statement was recorded, on 13.06.1998, by P.W. 54 Shashi Bhushan Sharma, which is not Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 259 available on record and, perhaps, to suppress the same, police statement of witnesses is said to have been recorded by Inspector S.S.P. Yadav, on 14.06.1998, at 12:30 A.M., at the place of occurrence, at I.G.I.M.S., Sheikhpura, Patna. At this stage itself, it is necessary to notice the evidence of informant (P.W. 10) in Paragraph 1, where he has admitted his signature (Exhibits- 12, 12/1) on the margin of page 2 and bottom of page 4 of the fardbeyan (Exhibit- 50) and has further stated in Paragraph 2 that he is not aware whether his fardbeyan statement was scribed by the Inspector of Shastri Nagar Police Station. In Paragraph 7, informant stated that amongst the miscreants, he identified Bhupendra Dubey and Accused No. 4 Mantu Tiwari by name. In Paragraph 8, he further stated that in his police statement, he has not named any other accused person. This witness did not, however, identify any of the 10 accused persons, facing trial and present in dock, except Accused No. 6 Ram Niranjan Choudhary. At this stage, informant was declared hostile and, on being cross-examined Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 260 by the prosecutor, clarified in Paragraph 14 of his evidence that he merely put his signature on 3-4 sheets of paper in the hospital at the instance of Sub-Inspector. In this connection, reference is further made to the evidence of the second Investigating Officer (P.W. 54) Paragraphs 18 and 19, where he only proved the handwriting and signature of S.S.P. Yadav (Exhibit- 51/1) and his forwarding (Exhibit- 50/1) over the fardbeyan (Exhibit-50), but not the contents of the fardbeyan that it was scribed in his presence. In view of the afore-discussed evidence of P.W. 24 Rama Devi Paragraph 62, informant (P.W. 10) Paragraphs 2, 7, 8 and 14 and second Investigating Officer (P.W. 54) Paragraphs 18 and 19, we are inclined to conclude that the fardbeyan (Exhibit- 50) did not come into existence in presence of the informant (P.W. 10) and second Investigating Officer (P.W. 54). It has been brought into existence by Inspector S.S.P. Yadav to suppress the statement of P.W. 24 Rama Devi recorded by P.W. 54 on 13.06.1998.
135. Having concluded as above, we Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 261 proceed to examine the contents of formal First Information Report (Exhibit- 51), perusal whereof indicates that the same was drawn by Inspector Jainuddin Khan, Officer-in-Charge, Gardanibagh Police Station, on 14.06.1998, at 00.15 hours, i.e. 12.15 A.M., without indicating the date and time of its dispatch in Column No. 3. Further perusal of the said First Information Report indicates that its Column No. 8, which provides for result of the case is also kept blank by the officer who drew the same. From the evidence of the Investigating Officer, C.B.I. (P.W. 62) Paragraphs 3, 8 it appears that on the basis of photo copy of the First Information Report of Gardanibagh (Shastri Nagar) P.S. Case No. 336/98 (Exhibit- 51) C.B.I. registered RC 4 (S)/99/C.B.I./SIC-IV dated 09.04.1999 (Exhibit- 62/2). Perusal of Exhibit- 62/2, however, indicates that Column No. 8 of the photo copy of the First Information Report of Gardanibagh (Shastri Nagar) P.S. Case No. 336/98 (Exhibit- 51) contains direction of City Superintendent of Police, Patna, dated 15.06.1998, to the S.D.P.O. to supervise and Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 262 issue SR-1. Aforesaid direction of City Superintendent of Police, Patna, to the S.D.P.O. to supervise and issue SR-1 is not available in Column No. 8 of the original First Information Report of Gardanibagh (Shastri Nagar) P.S.Case No. 336/98 (Exhibit- 51) received in Court on 15.06.1998 and to explain as to why instructions of the City Superintendent of Police, Patna, to S.D.P.O. to supervise and issue S.R.-1 dated 15.06.1998 is not available in Column No. 8 of original First Information Report of Gardanibagh (Shastri Nagar) P.S.Case No. 336/98 dated 14.06.1998, it was necessary for the prosecution to have examined either Inspector Jainuddin Khan, Officer-in-Charge, Gardanibagh Police Station, who drew the formal First Information Report, or the then City Superintendent of Police, Patna, who wrote such instruction in Column No. 8 of the photo copy of the First Information Report as to when such instruction was written in Column No. 8 of photo copy and why did photo copy of the First Information Report did not reach the Chief Judicial Magistrate along with its Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 263 original on 15.06.1998 or later. They were also required to explain as to why the original First Information Report did not reach the Chief Judicial Magistrate, Patna, during the day on 14.06.1998. In this connection, it is also relevant to refer to the evidence of the second Investigating Officer (P.W. 54) Shashi Bhushan Sharma, in Paragraphs 4, 82 of his evidence that he took charge of the investigation of the present case on 14.07.1998 in compliance of the instructions of the Senior Superintendent of Police, Patna under Memo No. 1176 dated 14.06.1998 on 14.07.1998 from Inspector S.S.P. Yadav, Officer-in- Charge, Shastri Nagar Police Station, and he is not in a position to explain as to why Inspector Yadav continued with the investigation of the case even after issue of Memo No. 1176, dated 14.06.1998, until 13.07.1998. Failure of Inspector Yadav to hand over investigation of the case to P.W. 54 on 14.06.1998 or soon thereafter until 13.07.1998 i.e. for about a month, is indicative of the fact that Inspector Yadav was hardly concerned about the instructions of his superior and the chain of Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 264 command in the hierarchy of Patna police had, perhaps, broken down as Inspector Yadav kept the investigation of the present case, concerning the assassination of a Minister of the State Government, to himself for about a month despite being ordered to hand over the investigation to superior officer and, thus, the investigation of the case could not proceed in the right direction to unearth the conspiracy and to find out the actual assailants of the deceased.
136. Now, we proceed to consider the merit of the evidence of the eye-witnesses named in the fardbeyan, namely, informant (P.W.10). P.W. 1 Paras Nath Chaudhary, P.W. 12 Ram Nandan Singh, P.W. 13 Arbind Singh, P.W. 25 Mahanth Ashwani Das as also P.W. 42 Shashi Bhushan Singh, P.W. 15 Kamakhya Narayan Singh (both not named in the fardbeyan) as eye-witness in seriatim. In this context, evidence of P.W. 1 Paras Nath Chaudhary, brother- in-law of Brij Bihari Prasad, has to be considered first. P.W. 1 was present in the hospital room of Brij Bihari Prasad from before the occurrence and accompanied him outside the room along with others Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 265 for the evening walk. In Paragraph 10 of his evidence, P.W. 1, however, stated that after the occurrence, his police statement was not recorded. Aforesaid evidence of P.W. 1 has not been challenged by the prosecution. He, being the brother-in-law of deceased, Brij Bihari Prasad, and present at the place of occurrence from before, should have become the informant of the case by recording his police statement. He having not become the informant, his evidence in Court that his police statement was not recorded, not being challenged by the prosecution, is itself enough to disbelieve him. His evidence is to be rejected further as he deposed in Paragraph 11 that Accused No. 9 Rajan Tiwari, who is present in dock along with other accused persons, is known to him from before, was not present at the time of occurrence, though as per the police statement of P.W. 1, Rajan Tiwari is said to be one of the assailants of bodyguard Lakshmeshwar Sah. His evidence is also to be rejected as he has come to depose in Court as an eye-witness under pressure from his sister P.W. 24 Rama Devi, who remained Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 266 present during his evidence on all the three days, as would appear from Paragraph 15 of his evidence. In the circumstances, no reliance is required to be placed on the evidence of P.W. 1.
137. P.Ws. 10, 12, 13 and 15, being hostile, their evidence was required to have been rejected but the evidence of the aforesaid hostile witnesses is being considered in the light of the submission of the learned counsel for the C.B.I. that after being declared hostile, the three witnesses were cross-examined by the prosecution and during the cross-examination by the prosecutor, the hostile witnesses i.e. P.W. 10 in Paragraphs 12, 15 and 16 (Paragraph 11, 13, 14 of the English translation of the deposition), P.W. 12 in Paragraph 4, P.W. 13 in Paragraph 10, P.W. 15 in Paragraphs 2, 3 have proved the prosecution case. In Paragraph 12, 15 and 16, informant (P.W.10) has categorically stated that his village is at a distance of 160 K.M. from Patna, he did not name Ram Niranjan Chaudhary in his fardbeyan statement as also in his further statement, or in his statement before the C.B.I., he visited the Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 267 house of the Minister earlier and knew Ram Niranjan Chaudhary from before as he was his Personal Assistant earlier and further said that he has not deposed incorrectly. In view of the aforesaid evidence of the informant, the submission of the learned counsel for the C.B.I. that during cross-examination of the informant by the prosecutor, informant has proved the case of the prosecution in Paragraphs 12, 15 and 16 of his evidence, does not appear to be correct and the submission of the learned counsel for the C.B.I. is rejected. Similarly, P.W. 12 in Paragraph 4 and P.W. 13 in Paragraph 10 after being cross-examined by the prosecutor have not supported the prosecution case; rather, the two witnesses in those two paragraphs have denied all the suggestions given to them by the prosecutor in the two paragraphs. Reliance placed by the learned counsel for the C.B.I., on the earlier 164 Cr.P.C. statements of P.Ws. 12 and 13, are also misconceived inasmuch as 164 Cr.P.C. statement is not substantive evidence unless the truth of the statement is owned up by the witnesses concerned.
138. Now, coming to the evidence of Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 268 P.W. 25 Mahanth Ashwani Das, it is evident from repeat Paragraph 16 of his evidence that he is a convict in a murder case of the year 1979, but did not surrender even after dismissal of his appeal by the High Court, declared absconder, arrested on 04.05.2006, while deposing, in the present trial, from near Brij Bihari Memorial Building, Bailey Road, Patna, the official residence of P.W. 24 Rama Devi. This is indicative of the fact that he has been under patronage, protection of the deceased Brij Bihari Prasad, his wife, Rama Devi (P.W.24). P.W. 25, to establish his presence at the place of occurrence, has stated that on the date of occurrence, when he came to visit Brij Bihari Prasad in the campus of I.G.I.M.S., Sheikhpura, Patna, P.W. 42 Shashi Bhushan Singh and others were present from before in the I.G.I.M.S., Sheikhpura room of Brij Bihari Prasad. P.W. 42 though not named as a visitor in the fardbeyan also claimed his presence before the time of occurrence in the hospital room of deceased Brij Bihari Prasad. While claiming such presence, P.W. 42 also stated that when he came to visit Brij Bihari Prasad in the Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 269 hospital room on 13.06.1998 P.W. 25 was present from before. Thus, while P.W. 42 claims that P.W. 25 was present at the hospital from before, P.W. 25 claims that when he (P.W. 25) arrived at the hospital, P.W. 42 was already there. Antecedent of P.W. 42 is also not clean, as would appear from his evidence in Paragraph 20 inasmuch as he was arrested on 18.09.2006, while deposing at the present trial, by Pirbahore police, evident from Paragraph 18 of his evidence. In view of the conviction, antecedent of P.W. 25, 42 including the fact that both were under patronage, protection of deceased Brij Bihari Prasad and his wife Rama Devi (P.W. 24), were arrested on 04.05.2006, 18.09.2006 respectively while deposing in the present trial, their evidence is required to be examined with caution. P.W. 25 and 42 have contradicted each other while trying to establish their presence in the hospital room of I.G.I.M.S., Sheikhpura, Patna, before the occurrence, coupled with the fact that admittedly, name of P.W. 42 is not included in the fardbeyan as a visitor present at the place of occurrence and that he recorded his police Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 270 statement after 4-5 days of the occurrence. Therefore, it is not safe to rely on his evidence. P.W. 25, though named in the fardbeyan, as per his own evidence, in Paragraphs 30, 31 and 35, came back from the place of occurrence to the official residence of deceased Brij Bihari Prasad and P.W. 24 Rama Devi between 9:00-9:30 P.M. on 13.06.1998 and left for Muzaffarpur Math in his own Ambassador car, on 14.06.1998 at 12:30 A.M., could not have recorded his police statement before Inspector S.S.P. Yadav in the I.G.I.M.S., Sheikhpura campus, Patna, at 12:30 A.M. of 14.06.1998. Had he been present in the evening of occurrence at the place of occurrence, his statement must necessarily have been recorded after recording of the fardbeyan and before he left the I.G.I.M.S. campus at 9:30 P.M. along with P.W. 24 Rama Devi and others for her official residence. In the circumstances, it may not be safe to place reliance on the statement of P.W. 25 as well.
139. Besides the evidence of P.W. 25, 42 and other eye-witnesses is also not to be relied upon as those eye-witnesses have not disclosed about the Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 271 firing resorted to by the security personnel posted in the I.G.I.M.S., Sheikhpura, Patna campus, on 13.06.1998, as Security Guard of deceased Brij Bihari Prasad, which is, otherwise, established from the report, dated 28.08.1998 (Exhibit-17) of P.W. 18, who, at the relevant time, served as Sergeant Major, New Police Line, Patna. Arms given to the security personnel posted, as Security Guard in the I.G.I.M.S., Sheikhpura, Patna campus, on 13.06.1998, bearing Butt No. 255 Arsenal No. 55185, Butt No. 1498 Arsenal No. 41831, Butt No. 978 Arsenal No. 1213, Butt No. 1523 Arsenal No. 6418 were seized along with two empties of 0.3 nought 3 cartridge under Memo No. 2399 dated 25.08.1998 by P.W. 54 and sent for examination to Sergeant Major, New Police Line, Patna, who examined the fire-arms and submitted his report dated 28.08.1998 (Exhibit-17) over Memo No. 2399 dated 25.08.1998, wherefrom it appears that out of the four rifles entrusted to the Sergeant Major for examination, he found that shots were fired from rifles bearing Butt No. 255, 1498.
140. Now, coming to the evidence of P.W. Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 272 24 Rama Devi, it appears that earlier in the day on 13.06.1998, she had come twice to the I.G.I.M.S., Sheikhpura, Patna campus, to meet her husband, Brij Bihari Prasad, in his hospital room, but before the occurrence, she left for Maurya Lok Complex, Patna, to purchase some articles for her son(s) leaving other visitors, namely, P.W. 1 Paras Nath Choudhary, Accused No. 6 Ram Niranjan Choudhary, P.W. 15 Kamakhya Narayan Singh, P.W. 13 Arbind Singh, Informant (P.W. 10), Onkar Singh (not examined), P.W. 25 Mahanth Ashwani Das, P.W. 42 Shashi Bhushan Singh @ Chunchun Mama and others in the room. While she was boarding her vehicle at Maurya Lok Complex, she learnt about the occurrence from Accused No. 6 Ram Niranjan Choudhary, came to the I.G.I.M.S., Sheikhpura, Patna, and saw the dead body of her husband and his bodyguard fallen on the ground in a pool of blood ahead of the portico. Few amongst the visitors of the Constituency, whom she had left in the hospital room, namely, P.W. 15 Kamakhya Narayan Singh, P.W. 1 Paras Nath Choudhary, P.W. 13 Arbind Singh, informant (P.W. Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 273
10), P.W. 42 Shashi Bhushan Singh, Onkar Singh (not examined) and P.W. 25 Mahanth Ashwani Das, informed P.W. 24 that Accused No. 6 Ram Niranjan Choudhary persuaded her husband to come out of the room for evening walk and while the deceased and the visitors were taking walk, two vehicles, Ambassador and Sumo, arrived, from which Bhupendra Nath Dubey, Accused No. 4 Mantu Tiwari, Accused No. 9 Rajan Tiwari, Satish Pandey, Sri Prakash Shukla, Accused No. 8 Munna Shukla, Accused No. 3 Lallan Singh, Accused No. 2 Mukesh Singh, Accused No. 5 Sunil Singh, Accused No. 1 Suraj Bhan Singh alighted and resorted to indiscriminate firing killing Brij Bihari Prasad and his bodyguard. In Paragraph 50 of her evidence P.W. 24 stated that she remained in the campus of I.G.I.M.S., Sheikhpura, Patna, for 2-3 hours until the dead body of her husband and bodyguard Lakshmeshwar Sah were sent for post mortem examination. She came back to her Bailey Road residence along with her brother P.W. 1 Paras Nath Choudhary, P.W. 15 Kamakhya Narayan Singh, P.W. 10 informant, Amrendu Kumar Sinha, P.W. 13 Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 274 Arbind Singh, Onkar Singh (not examined), P.W. 25 Mahanth Ashwani Das, P.W. 12 Ram Nandan Singh, Shakil Ansari, Navin Singh and few others. In Paragraph 62 of her evidence, she stated that her police statement was recorded on 13.06.1998 by P.W. 54 Shashi Bhushan Sharma. Aforesaid statement has not been brought on record as P.W. 54 in his evidence Paragraphs 4, 82 stated that he took charge of the investigation of the present case on 14.07.1998 in compliance of the instructions of the Senior Superintendent of Police, Patna under Memo No. 1176 dated 14.06.1998 from Inspector S.S.P. Yadav, Officer- in-Charge, Shastri Nagar Police Station. The assertion of P.W. 24 that she learnt about the name of the assailants from the visitors whom she had left earlier in the day in the hospital room of her husband, namely, eye-witnesses was not disclosed by her to the Investigating Officer of C.B.I. (P.W. 62) before whom she recorded her statement on two occasions i.e. on 18.10.1999 and 28.03.2001, and such fact was put to her in cross-examination vide Paragraph 90 of her evidence and confirmed from Investigating Officer of Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 275 C.B.I. (P.W. 62) in Paragraph 134, 135, where the Investigating Officer, C.B.I. categorically stated that he was not informed about the name of the assailants by P.W. 24. First statement of P.W. 24 recorded before P.W. 54 was not brought before the Court for the reasons explained earlier in Paragraph 129 above, she having not named the assailants before the Investigating Officer of C.B.I. (P.W. 62) on 18.10.1999 and 28.03.2001, it would not be safe to place reliance on her evidence recorded in Court.
141. Introduction of P.W. 36 Awadhesh Kumar Singh to establish that he attended orchestra programme in the evening of 15.06.1998 organized at the village home of Accused No. 8 in which he learnt from Accused No. 8, in presence of 8-10 visitors, that Accused No. 8 and others executed the assassination of Brij Bihari Prasad, is also not to be relied upon as P.W. 36 made such statement, for the first time, before the Investigating Officer of C.B.I. M.L. Meena (P.W. 60) on 14.11.2000 after about 1½ year of the occurrence and P.W. 60 failed to disclose the source from which he learnt about P.W. 36, as he has stated in Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 276 Paragraph 100 of his evidence that he learnt about the address of P.W. 36 from the main Investigating Officer of C.B.I. (P.W. 62), P.W. 62, however, in Paragraph 169 has stated that he did not record the statement of P.W. 36 and volunteered that his associate Investigating Officer M.L. Meena (P.W. 60) recorded his statement and that M.L. Meena informed him about the address of P.W. 36 and he is not aware who disclosed the address of P.W. 36 to M.L. Meena. It is, therefore, quite evident that neither the main Investigating Officer (P.W. 62) nor P.W. 60 M.L. Meena is aware as to how they learnt about P.W. 36. In the circumstances, it would not be safe to place reliance on the evidence of P.W. 36 Awadhesh Kumar Singh.
142. Reliance placed over the evidence of Assistant Investigating Officer, C.B.I. (P.W. 58) Mukesh Kumar and Exhibit 55, sheet of paper over which photograph of Sri Prakash Shukla, Sudhir Tripathi and Anuj Pratap, taken after they were killed in police encounter by Special Task Force of Uttar Pradesh Police was pasted along with the photograph of Accused No. 8, which was shown to one Shambhu Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 277 Kumar, son of Sri Ram Kumar Singh of Village- Dhanaut via Katra, Muzaffarpur on 17.12.1999 and Sri Shambhu Kumar having seen the photograph of the three, Sri Prakash Shukla, Anuj Pratap, Sudhir Tripathi, killed by Uttar Pradesh Police in police encounter and Accused No. 8 informed P.W. 58 that he had seen all of them in the house of Accused No. 7 Shashi Kumar Rai on 12, 13.06.1998., aforesaid evidence to connect Accused No. 7 and 8 with those killed in police encounter, is hardly of any consequence as the C.B.I. has chosen not to examine Shambhu Kumar as a prosecution witness at the trial.
143. In view of the discussion about the merit of the prosecution evidence in Paragraphs 121 to 142, Appellants namely, Suraj Bhan Singh @ Suraj Singh @ Surja, Mukesh Singh, Lallan Singh, Mantu Tiwari, Captain Sunil Singh, Ram Niranjan Choudhary, Shashi Kumar Rai, Vijay Kumar Shukla @ Munna Shukla and Rajan Tiwari deserve grant of benefit of doubt. Their conviction under the impugned judgment is, accordingly, set aside. Appellants, Mantu Tiwari, Vijay Kumar Shukla @ Munna Shukla and Patna High Court CR. APP (DB) No.878 of 2009 dt. 24 -07-2014 278 Rajan Tiwari, are in jail. They are directed to be released from jail custody forthwith if not wanted in any other case. Appellants, Suraj Bhan Singh @ Suraj Singh @ Surja, Mukesh Singh, Lallan Singh, Captain Sunil Singh, Ram Niranjan Choudhary, and Shashi Kumar Rai, are on bail. They are discharged from the liability of their respective bail bonds. The appellants are, however, directed to execute bail bond in terms of Section 437(A) of the Cr.P.C. to the satisfaction of the learned trial Court.
144. The appeals are, accordingly, allowed.
145. Send back the L.C.R. (V.N. Sinha, J) I. A. Ansari, J. I agree (I. A. Ansari, J) A.F.R. P.K.P. Arjun Rajesh __ |_√_| U |_√_| T