Karnataka High Court
Basavaraj S/O. Mahalingappa Patil vs State Represented. By on 23 January, 2018
Bench: S.Sujatha, John Michael Cunha
CRL.A.NO.100097/2014
1
IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA
DHARWAD BENCH
DATED THIS THE 23RD DAY OF JANUARY, 2018
PRESENT
THE HON'BLE MRS. JUSTICE S.SUJATHA
AND
THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE JOHN MICHAEL CUNHA
CRIMINAL APPEAL No.100097/2014
BETWEEN:
1. BASAVARAJ
S/O. MAHALINGAPPA PATIL
AGE: 28 YEARS, OCC: AGRICULTURE
R/O. DHAVALESHWAR, TQ: MUDHOL
DIST: BAGALKOT
2. SADAPPA
S/O. NINGAPPA SHIVAPUR
AGE: 26 YEARS, OCC: AGRICULTURE
R/O. DHAVALESHWAR, TQ: MUDHOL
DIST: BAGALKOT
3. HANAMANT
S/O. PANDURANG BHAJANTRI
AGE: 30 YEARS, OCC: PRIVATE SERVICE
R/O. KPTCL QUARTERS, JAMKHANDI
DIST: BAGALKOT
... APPELLANTS
(BY SRI. M. B. GUNDAWADE FOR SRI. K. ANANDKUMAR,
ADVOCATE FOR A1;
SRI. B. V. SOMAPUR, ADVOCATE FOR A2;
SRI. V. M. SHEELVANT, ADVOCATE FOR A3)
CRL.A.NO.100097/2014
2
AND:
STATE REPRESENTED BY
HUNGUND POLICE STATION
DIST: BAGALKOT
... RESPONDENT
(BY SRI. V. M. BANAKAR, ADDL SPP)
---
THIS CRIMINAL APPEAL IS FILED UNDER SECTION
374(2) OF CR.P.C. SEEKING TO SET ASIDE THE
IMPUGNED JUDGMENT IN S.C.NO.132/2009 PASSED BY
THE DISTRICT & SESSIONS JUDGE, BAGALKOTE, ON
27.03.2014, BY ALLOWING THIS APPEAL.
THIS APPEAL HAVING BEEN HEARD AND RESERVED
FOR JUDGMENT ON 09.01.2018, COMING ON FOR
PRONOUNCEMENT OF JUDGMENT THIS DAY, JOHN
MICHAEL CUNHA J., DELIVERED THE FOLLOWING:
JUDGMENT
This appeal is directed against the judgment and order dated 27.03.2014 passed by the District and Sessions Judge, Bagalkote in S.C.No.132/2009, whereunder the appellants herein (hereinafter referred to as accused Nos.1, 2 and 3) are convicted for the offences punishable under Sections 420, 364, 342, 392, 506, 302 and 201 R/w. Section 34 of the IPC. CRL.A.NO.100097/2014 3
2. Briefly stated, the case of the prosecution is that;
(i) the deceased Shivappa Sangappa Gulappagol was working as Assistant Director of Agriculture at Bagalkote. He was also placed in additional charge at Hungund. Accused No.1 used to approach the deceased for purchase of seeds and fertilizers. With the common intention to rob the deceased, on 23.06.2009 at about 10.00 pm, accused No.1 along with accused Nos.2 and 3 took the deceased in an Indica car bearing registration No.KA-48/2084 driven by accused No.3. They ate in a Dhaba at Kamatagi cross. Thereafter, the accused robed the deceased of a cash of `20,000/-, a silver gundagadige, sonata watch and a Nokia mobile worth `2,800/-. He was made to sign blank cheque leaves. The accused thereafter strangulated the deceased with a rope and in order to cause disappearance of the evidence of murder, tied his hands and legs and threw the dead body in Ghataprabha river.
CRL.A.NO.100097/20144
(ii) PW2 - Basavaraj, a resident of Hunshyal P.Y., having noticed a dead body in Ghataprabha river near the bridge, informed the matter to the police. Based on this information, a case was registered by Kuragod Police Station in Crime No.101/2009. Inquest was conducted and photographs of the dead body were taken. The body was sent for post-mortem examination. The identity of the dead body having not been ascertained, it was buried.
(iii) On 29.06.2009, PW1 - son of the deceased, lodged a complaint about missing of the deceased, in Hungund police Station. Based on the said complaint (Ex.P1), Crime No.90/2009 was registered. Further investigation was taken over by PW38 - the PSI of Hungund Police Station. He secured the call details of the mobile of the deceased bearing No.9740633132 (Ex.P75). There were frequent calls to the mobile of the deceased from a mobile bearing No.9972943891 on 23.06.2009. Hence he secured the call records relating CRL.A.NO.100097/2014 5 to the said mobile phone and suspected the involvement of the accused. On 16.07.2009 records of Crime No.101/2009 of Kuragod Police Station were transferred to Hungund Police Station. PW38 included the transferred records in Crime No.90/2009 and incorporated the charge under Sections 302 and 201 of the IPC and forwarded the FIR at Ex.P71 to JMFC, Hungund. The said FIR was registered against unknown persons on 17.07.2009.
(iv) PW38 apprehended accused Nos. 2 and 3 and produced them before PW41 along with Indica car bearing registration No. KA-48/2084. On the same day, accused No.1 was also produced before PW41. PW41 recorded the voluntary statements of accused Nos. 1, 2 and 3. Based on the said voluntary statements, he seized the mobile produced by accused No.1 bearing No.9535713938 of Nokia Company and ascertained that accused No.1 had earlier used sim No.9972943891 in the same Nokia set and the same was standing in the CRL.A.NO.100097/2014 6 name of his father Mahalingappa M.D. Patil. PW41 seized the Indica car in the presence of panchas under
Ex.P12. Thereafter he conducted the spot mahazer as per Ex.P13 near Bharat Dhaba from where the accused took the deceased with them in the said Indica car.
Pursuant to the voluntary disclosures, accused Nos. 1 to 3 showed the spot where the deceased was murdered and the place where the body was thrown in the river.
The place where the belongings of the deceased were burnt was also shown by the accused and from the said spot, half burnt rexine bag, half melt plastic bottle, pair of keys and half burnt paper pieces were seized under the mahazer Ex.P17. One silver Gunagadagi belonging to the deceased at M.O.13 was recovered from the house of accused No.1 under mahazer Ex.P18. The Sonata watch belonging to the deceased at M.O.12 was recovered at the instance of accused No.2 from his house under Ex.P19. Panchanama was also drawn up at the places where the sim card and cheques were CRL.A.NO.100097/2014 7 thrown as per Exs.P20 and P21. The nylon handbag (M.O.14) belonging to the deceased was recovered from accused No.3 under Ex.P22. The accused were got identified by PW19, the driver of the office vehicle of the deceased, who dropped him near Bharath Daba and the police constable PW22 and DW1, who last saw the deceased in the company of the accused. On completing investigation, he laid charge sheet against all the three accused alleging commission of offences punishable under Sections 420, 342, 392, 506, 302 and 201 R/w. Section 34 of the IPC.
(v) At trial, the accused denied the charges. In order to bring home the guilt of the accused for the above offences, the prosecution examined 42 witnesses and produced in evidence as many as 83 documents at Exs. P1 to P83(a) and the material objects at M.Os. 1 to 21(a). One of the police constable cited as a charge sheet witness was examined by the defence as DW1 and through him Ex.D1, the nakabandi register came to be CRL.A.NO.100097/2014 8 marked. In their examination under Section 313 Cr.P.C., the accused denied all the circumstances appearing against them in the prosecution evidence and did not take up any specific defence.
(vi) On hearing the parties and considering the material evidence on record, by the impugned judgment, the trial Court found the accused guilty of all the above offences and accordingly sentenced them to undergo life imprisonment for the offence punishable under Section 302 of IPC and for various other terms of imprisonment and fine for offences under Sections 420, 364, 342, 392, 506 and 201 R/w. Section 34 of the IPC. Feeling aggrieved by the impugned judgment of conviction and the order of sentence, the appellants have preferred this appeal.
3. We have heard Sri. M. B. Gundawade, learned counsel appearing for accused No.1, Sri. B. V. Somapur, learned counsel appearing for accused No.2, CRL.A.NO.100097/2014 9 Sri. V. M. Sheelvant, learned counsel appearing for accused No.3 and also Sri. V. M. Banakar, Learned Addl. SPP appearing for the respondent-State.
4. Sri. M. B. Gundawade, learned counsel appearing for accused No.1 would contend that the trial Court has committed serious error in convicting the accused for the offence of murder and allied offences. The case of the prosecution is based exclusively on circumstantial evidence. None of the circumstances relied on by the prosecution have been proved with cogent and convincing evidence. The dead body itself was not identified. The medical opinion relied on by the prosecution regarding the cause of death is not clear and definite. The last seen theory relied on by the prosecution is not proved. According to the prosecution, the accused was found missing since 23.06.2009. His dead body was recovered at 3.30 pm on 24.06.2009. Having regard to this time gap, the CRL.A.NO.100097/2014 10 possibility of other persons committing the offence would not be ruled out. Barring the evidence of PW9, namely the driver of the deceased and two police constables, who have stated to have seen the deceased in the company of the accused, there is no other evidence in proof of the involvement of the accused in the alleged offence. The recovery evidence relied on by the prosecution is highly improbable. It cannot be believed that the accused would preserve the gunagadagi or the bag of the deceased in their house as if to preserve evidence of murder. The trial Court has failed to consider all these aspects of the case and has blindly accepted the evidence of the prosecution witnesses without application of mind. The reasons assigned by the trial Court are contrary to the documentary evidence produced by the prosecution. None of the recoveries are proved in accordance with law. As a result, there is no worthwhile evidence to CRL.A.NO.100097/2014 11 uphold the conviction. Hence he pleads for the acquittal of accused No.1.
5. Sri. V. M. Sheelvant, learned counsel appearing for accused No.3 has disputed the very factum of death of the deceased. Referring to the calls received in the mobile phone belonging to the deceased as per the call details produced by the prosecution at Ex.P75, the learned counsel would contend that those call records clearly indicate that the deceased had received phone calls at 12.15 pm on 24.06.2009 and therefore, the theory put forward by the prosecution that the deceased was murdered at 3.15 am on 24.06.2009 becomes highly doubtful. He contends that the dead body was not properly identified. Even if it is accepted that the dead body was that of the deceased, prosecution has not produced any material to connect accused No.3 to the murder of the deceased. The recovery attributed to accused No.3 is not proved in CRL.A.NO.100097/2014 12 accordance with law. The prosecution has relied on the joint statements of the accused which is not permissible in the eye of law. As a result there is no worthwhile evidence to prove the complicity of accused No.3 in the alleged offence. Accused No.3 had no motive whatsoever either to rob the deceased or to share common intention with other accused who were totally strangers to him and therefore, the conviction recorded against accused No.3 is wholly illegal and perverse and is liable to be interfered by this Court.
In support of his contention, the learned counsel has placed reliance on the following decisions:
i. Ashok Vs. State of Maharashtra
[2015(4) SCC 393]
ii. Nagraj Vs. State
[2015 AIR (Criminal) 311]
iii. Vijay Kumar Vs. State of Rajasthan [2014 SAR (Criminal) 337] iv. Ramereddy Rajeshkhanna Reddy Vs. State of Andhra Pradesh (AIR 2006 SC 1656) CRL.A.NO.100097/2014 13 v. Gopal Singh and Another Vs. State of Uttaranchal (2007 CRLJ 1972) vi. Md. Sajjad Vs. State of West Bengal [2017(3) SCC (Cri) 899] vii. Iqbal and Another Vs. State of Uttar Pradesh [2015(6)SCC 623]
6. The learned counsel appearing for accused No.2 has adopted the above submissions and has sought for acquittal of accused No.2 on the same grounds.
7. Refuting the above argument, the learned Addl. SPP, however, would contend that;
(i) The prosecution has convincingly established that the deceased was last seen in the company of the accused immediately preceding the incident. The witness examined by the defence namely DW1 has also corroborated the evidence of the prosecution witnesses that the deceased and the accused were last seen at nakabandi and therefore, the contention of the learned counsels appearing for the accused that none of the CRL.A.NO.100097/2014 14 circumstances are proved by the prosecution cannot be accepted. The prosecution has also established the identity of the accused by examining the Tahasildar who conducted test identification parade. The call details procured by the Investigating Officer clearly indicate that accused No.1 had made frequent calls to the deceased on 23.06.2009. The recovery of incriminating evidence at the instance of the respective accused directly connect them to the murder and the disappearance of the evidence of murder. The prosecution has also proved the motive for commission of the offence by examining the bank officials with whom the accused had produced the cheques robbed from the deceased. All these circumstances unerringly point out the guilt of the accused. The trial Court has appreciated all these facts and circumstances of the case in proper perspective and has rightly held the accused guilty of the above offence. The impugned judgment does not suffer from any error or infirmity as CRL.A.NO.100097/2014 15 contended by the defence. Hence he has sought for dismissal of the appeal.
(ii) Further, the learned Addl. SPP has placed reliance on the decision of the Hon'ble Supreme Court of India in the case of Pudhu Rajja and Another Vs. State represented by Inspector of Police reported in (2013) 1 SCC (Cri) 430, to contend that the prosecution having discharged the initial burden by adducing cogent evidence in proof of the incriminating circumstances, the failure of the accused to offer explanation as to when they parted company of the deceased furnishes another important link pointing out the guilt of the accused for the offence charged against them. Thus, he has sought for dismissal of the appeal.
8. We have bestowed our anxious consideration to the factual and legal contentions urged by the respective counsels appearing for the parties and have carefully examined the material on record. CRL.A.NO.100097/2014 16
9. The case of the prosecution is rested exclusively on circumstantial evidence. The first circumstance relied on by the prosecution is the circumstance of the deceased last seen in the company of the deceased. In proof of this circumstance, the prosecution has examined PW9, PW20 and PW22.
(i) PW9 - Manohal Ambalagi was the driver of the office jeep used by the deceased at the relevant time. This witness has stated that on 23.06.2009, he received a phone call from the deceased asking him to bring the jeep to Bagalkot office. Accordingly, he reached the office at 6.00 pm. Thereafter, he took the deceased in the Govt. Jeep and they went to Hungund office. The deceased Shivappa worked in the office till 10.00 pm. Then the deceased told PW9 that he intended to go in a vehicle of the persons acquainted with him which was parked near Bharat Dhaba. He carried the bag containing seed sample and fertilizer sample and came near Bharat Dhaba where an Indica white car was CRL.A.NO.100097/2014 17 parked. He saw three persons standing near the said car. The deceased addressed one of them as Patil and asked him to take the bag from PW9 and keep it in the car. Accordingly, the said person took the bag from PW9 and kept it in the Indica car. The deceased and the said Patil sat on the rear seat in the Indica car. One of the three sat on the driver's seat and another sat on the left front side seat. The deceased instructed PW9 to go home. He further deposed that the Indica car was bearing registration No.KA-48/2084 and on the rear side glass the word "Shiva" was written with radium. Since then deceased did not return to the office. When the relatives of the deceased came to the office to make enquiry, he informed them about the above facts. After about 15 days, the police asked him to show the spot where the deceased boarded the car, and he showed the said spot to the police. Subsequently he came to know that the deceased was murdered in Hunashyal village of Gokak Taluk. He identified accused Nos. 1 to 3 as the CRL.A.NO.100097/2014 18 persons who took the deceased in the Indica car on the date of incident. He also identified the bag belonging to the deceased, which he carried on 23.06.2009 as M.O.14 and also identified the contents of the said bag i.e., M.O.15 and M.O.16 namely the rubber stamp impression of Office of Assistant Director of Agriculture, Hungund. Further this witness identified the car M.O.11, in which the deceased was taken by the accused on the date of incident.
In the cross-examination of this witness, he reiterated that he had seen the registration number of the car when he saw it near Bharat Daba. He denied the suggestion that he has not disclosed the registration number of the said vehicle in his statement recorded by the police. Further, he admitted that PW1, the son of the deceased, CW14 - Tulasigereppa Mokashi, CW17 - Maliyappa Mokashi met him in the office on 30.06.2009.
CRL.A.NO.100097/201419
(ii) PW20 - Shamaraj Kalal, was the manager of a Dhaba at Kamatagi cross. This witness has stated that, he knew the deceased who used to come to his hotel by name Malaprabha. This witness has stated that about two years ago, in the night between 10.30 and 11.00 pm, the deceased has come to his hotel along with 3-4 persons in a car. He identified accused Nos. 1 to 3 as the persons who had come with the deceased on that day. He further deposed that the accused and the deceased had come to the hotel in an Indica car of white colour. He further stated that, he identified the accused during the test identification parade.
In the cross-examination, it is elicited that the amount of the bill was more than `300/- when the deceased and accused had come to his hotel on the said date.
(iii) PW22 - Basappa Kotimani, was the police constable in Bagalkote Rural Police Station at the relevant time. According to this witness, on CRL.A.NO.100097/2014 20 23.06.2009, he and PC-1057 (DW1) were entrusted with the duty of Nakabandhi at Sikkeri cross. At about 0015 hours on 24.06.2009, they noticed a white Indica car coming from Hungund side. The registration number of the said car was KA-48/2084. He asked the driver of the said car to switch on the light inside the car. When the light was switched on, he saw the deceased sitting on the front side seat by the side of the driver and two persons sitting on the rear seat. He further stated that, on enquiry, the driver disclosed his name as Hanamant. During his evidence, he identified accused Nos.1 to 3 as the persons who were found with the deceased in the said Indica car on 24.06.2009 at 0015 hours.
In his cross-examination it is elicited that, previous to that date, he had met deceased once in bus while going to Jamkhandi. He reiterated in the cross- examination that even in his statement before the police he has stated that on seeing the deceased he immediately went and spoke to him. He further stated CRL.A.NO.100097/2014 21 that the deceased told him that they had come from Hungund and were going to Jamkhandi.
10. The contention of the learned counsel for the accused is that the evidence of PW9 cannot be ascribed any weight as the prosecution has failed to produce the log book in respect of the office jeep in which the deceased is stated to have been taken by him to Bharat Dhaba and that the registration number of the Indica car in which the accused are stated to have taken the deceased from Bharat Dhaba has not been mentioned in the statement given by him before the police and therefore, his evidence is rendered doubtful. It is argued that above omissions create a serious doubt in the veracity of his testimony. Further, assailing the evidence of PW22, it is contended that the prosecution has not produced any material to show that PW22 was on duty at nakabandi at the time when he has stated to have noticed the deceased and the accused. There is CRL.A.NO.100097/2014 22 material discrepancy in the evidence of this witness, as this witness has stated that he saw the deceased sitting on the front seat, whereas PW9 has stated that the deceased was sitting on the rear side and therefore, the evidence of PW22 is not worthy of credence. It is also contended that the identification made by this witness after a long lapse of time cannot be ascribed any weight as it is quite unlikely that they would be in a position to identify all and every passers by during their discharge of duty in the nakabandi.
11. Having meticulously considered the evidence of PW9, PW21 and PW22 and the facts and circumstances brought out in their evidence, we are unable to accept the contentions urged by the learned defence counsel in disputing the veracity of the testimony of the above witnesses in proof of the last seen theory propounded by the prosecution. CRL.A.NO.100097/2014 23
12. First and foremost, the defence has not controverted the evidence of PW9 that he was the official driver attached to the office of the deceased at the relevant time. In his evidence, he has narrated his movements and has specifically explained the various places where he had taken the deceased in the office jeep on the date of the incident. There is absolutely no cross-examination whatsoever on this aspect, therefore, there was no necessity for the prosecution either to produce the log book of the office jeep or to produce any further evidence in proof of the fact that PW9 had dropped the deceased near Bharat Dhaba. The oral testimony of PW9 is not discredited in the cross- examination and we do not find any reason to doubt or disbelieve his evidence. The contention of the defence that the registration number of the car has not been mentioned in his previous statement before the police has been falsified by the very answer elicited from the mouth of PW9 in the course of his cross-examination. It CRL.A.NO.100097/2014 24 is seen from his evidence that he has denied the suggestion that he has not stated the registration number of Indica car before the police. The defence has not marked any portion of the previous statement of PW19 so as to contend that the above evidence is either an improvement or an omission. Therefore, even this contention cannot be accepted.
13. Insofar as the other contention urged by the accused disputing the presence of PW22 and DW1 at the nakabandi is concerned, it is relevant to note that;
(i) The accused themselves have examined one of the police constable who was posted along with PW22 at the nakabandi as DW1. During his examination, the accused themselves have got marked the nakabandi register as per Ex.D1 and the relevant entry therein dated 23.06.2009 at page No.80 is marked as Ex.D1. We have perused the said entry. The registration CRL.A.NO.100097/2014 25 number of the Tata Indica car finds place in page No.81 and it is signed by DW1.
(ii) Ex.D1 coupled with the evidence of PW22 leaves no manner of doubt that both of them were on patrolling duty at the nakabandi at Sikkeri cross and they stopped the Indica car and made enquiries with the driver of the vehicle as stated by them. The evidence of PW22 further indicates that he identified the deceased and even talked to him. This evidence is not challenged in the cross-examination.
(iii) These circumstances in our opinion lend full assurance to the testimony of these witnesses with regard to the circumstance of the deceased and the accused having been last seen by them at about 0015 hours on 24.06.2009.
14. The argument of the learned counsel that evidence of PW22 and DW1 is inconsistent to the evidence of PW9 as to the place where the deceased was CRL.A.NO.100097/2014 26 found sitting in the car is contrary to the evidence on record. This argument appears to have been canvassed by misreading the evidence of PW9 and PW22. It is evident from the evidence of PW9 that, what PW9 has stated is that, when the deceased got into the car, he found him sitting in the rear seat. It has come in evidence that after about half an hour the deceased and the accused had been to a hotel or dhaba of PW20 for dinner. In all probability, while commencing the journey from Kamatagi cross, after having their dinner, possibly the deceased might have changed the seat and occupied the front seat, which appears to be the reason why PW22 while checking the car at Sikkeri cross at the nakabandi found the deceased sitting on the front seat. In the said circumstance, the statements made by PW9 and PW22 in this regard cannot be treated as either discrepancies or inconsistencies affecting the credibility of their testimony. Therefore, even on this score the CRL.A.NO.100097/2014 27 contention of the learned counsel for the accused is liable to be rejected.
15. Further, placing reliance on the decision in the case of Ashok Vs. State of Maharashtra reported in (2015) 4 SCC 393, an endevour is made by the learned counsel appearing for the accused to persuade the Court to hold that the time gap between the deceased and the accused were alleged to have been last seen and the time when the dead body was recovered is so large that the possibility of any other person being the author of the crime cannot be ruled out. It is also contended that the last seen together circumstance is not conclusive of the guilt of the accused and therefore, solely on the basis of the said evidence the trial court could not have recorded a finding of guilt of the accused.
16. As a principle, we are in full agreement with the argument of the learned counsel for the accused CRL.A.NO.100097/2014 28 that, in order to accept the evidence of the last seen circumstance, the time gap between the deceased and the accused last seen together and the time of discovery of the dead body should not permit any other person to come in association with the deceased; but in the instant case, we do not find any material to show that after the deceased and the accused were last seen by PW22 and DW1 at Sikkeri cross, the deceased had been to any other place or that he was found in the company of any other person so as to discard the plea set up by the prosecution. It is not in dispute that the dead body was traced at about 3.00 O'Clock on 24.06.2009. In the post mortem report, the cause of death is shown as asphyxia due to strangulation. It is specifically mentioned in the postmortem report Ex.P66 that the stomach contained undigested food particles.
17. The prosecution has examined PW20, the owner of the dhaba in kamatagi cross. This witness has CRL.A.NO.100097/2014 29 stated that on the date of the incident between 10.30 and 11.00 pm, the deceased has come to his Hotel Malaprabha along with 3-4 persons in a Indica white car. This witness has identified all the three accused and has asserted that the very same persons had come to his hotel along with deceased. In the cross examination it is elicited that the deceased has paid a bill of more than Rs.300/- in respect of the food taken by him along with three persons. This evidence, therefore, goes to show that the deceased and the accused had consumed food in the hotel of PW20. If this evidence is considered along with the findings noted in the postmortem report that undigested food was found in the stomach, it would clearly indicate that within 3 or 4 hours after the consumption of food, the deceased was done to death. Therefore, even this contention falls to the ground.
CRL.A.NO.100097/201430
18. Insofar as the legal worth of the evidence relating to the last seen circumstance is concerned, the Hon'ble Supreme Court in a decision relied on by the learned counsel in the case of Ashok Vs. State of Maharashtra reported in (2015) 4 SCC 393, after analyzing the judgments on the issue, in para 12 of the said judgment has held as under:
"12. From the study of abovestated judgments and many others delivered by this Court over a period of years, the rule can be summarized as that the initial burden of proof is on the prosecution to bring sufficient evidence pointing towards guilt of the accused. However, in case of last seen together, the prosecution is exempted to prove exact happening of the incident as the accused himself would have special knowledge of the incident and thus, would have burden of proof as per Section 106 of the Evidence Act. Therefore, last seen together itself is not a conclusive proof but along with other circumstances surrounding the incident, like relations between the accused CRL.A.NO.100097/2014 31 and the deceased, enmity between them, previous history of hostility, recovery of weapon from the accused, etc., non-explanation of death of the deceased, may lead to a presumption of guilt." (underlining supplied)
19. In the case on hand, the prosecution has not rested its case solely on the last seen circumstance. The records indicate that, in addition to the above evidence, the prosecution has also relied on the recovery of the incriminating material at the instance of the respective accused as another important circumstance connecting the accused to the offences charged against them. By examining PW7 and PW11, it is proved by the prosecution that the gundagadagi belonging to the deceased (M.O.13) was recovered at the instance of accused No.1 under the mahazer Ex.P18. Likewise, the watch belonging to the deceased (M.O.12) was recovered at the instance of the accused No.2 under the mahazer Ex.P19.
CRL.A.NO.100097/201432
20. In proof of the recoveries, PW7 has deposed that about 2½ years earlier to his examination, he acted as a panch witness to the mahazer prepared by the police in Hungund police station as per Ex.P11. He has stated that three accused were present in the police station and one of them produced a mobile handset and the police seized the same. He identified the said mobile (M.O.10). He further deposed that, on the same day the police seized the car bearing registration No.KA- 48/2084 under mahazer Ex.P12 and he identified the said car (M.O.11). According to PW7, thereafter all the accused persons took them near Bharat Dhaba at Hungund and showed the place where the deceased was taken in the said Indica car and accordingly, the police drew up a mahazer as per Ex.P13.
21. PW11 is a panch witness to the recovery of other incriminating articles from the possession of accused Nos. 1 to 3. According to this witness, on the CRL.A.NO.100097/2014 33 request of the police he assisted them in investigation. The police officer, witnesses and three accused left the police station in the police jeep. The accused stopped the jeep 2-4 kms from Hunsyal and showed the place where the deceased was murdered and a panchanama was prepared at that spot as per Ex.P15. Thereafter, the accused took them near a bridge situated at a distance of about 2 furlongs and showed the place where the dead body was thrown in Ghataprabha river and a panchanama at Ex.P16 was prepared. Thereafter, the accused led them to a place situated at a distance of about 12-14 kms from Lokapur towards Yaragattti and showed the place where they burnt the papers and bag of the deceased. They found burnt pieces of paper, a piece of burnt bag, two small keys, a melted water bottle and ash. All these articles were seized under the mahazer Ex.P17. He identified the two burnt paper pieces pasted on white paper (M.O.17), burnt regzin bag piece (M.O.18), two small keys (M.O.19), melted plastic CRL.A.NO.100097/2014 34 bottle (M.O.20) and the ash (M.O.21). He further deposed that, thereafter the accused No.1 took them to his house situated at Dhavaleshwar and produced a silver gundagadi kept in a stainless steel box and the same was seized under mahazer Ex.P18. He identified the gundagadi (M.O.13). Thereafter, accused No.2 took them to his house situate in a land measuring four acres and accused No.2 took out a wrist watch kept in a box and produced the same before the police which was seized by drawing a mahazer Ex.P19. This watch has been identified as M.O.12. PW11 has further stated that thereafter, accused No.3 took the police party and the witnesses to his house at KEB quarters at Jamkhandi situate behind bus stand and went to the backyard of his house and took out a nylon bag which contained two other bags with bottles and rubber stamp seal of Agriculture Department. These articles were seized under mahazer Ex.P22. The witness identified them as M.Os.14 to 16.
CRL.A.NO.100097/201435
22. The articles recovered at the instance of the respective accused have been duly identified by the PW1, the son of the deceased as well as PW12, wife of the deceased. They not only identified the clothes worn by the deceased, namely M.O.4 shirt, M.O.5 banian, M.O.6 towel, M.O.7 lungi, M.O.8 underwear, M.O.9 pant and M.O.1 chappals, but has also identified the silver gundagadi M.O.13 and the wrist watch of his father M.O.12.
23. Though the learned counsels for the accused have now sought to dispute the recovery and the identification of the said material objects on the ground that the accused would not have retained the gungadagi and the wrist watch of the deceased with them as a piece of evidence, yet in accepting this contention, it is necessary to note that the accused have not disputed the identification made by PW1 and PW12 during the course of their evidence before the Court. In the cross- CRL.A.NO.100097/2014 36 examination, except eliciting from PW12 that M.O.6 was not of her husband, the identification of other articles including M.O.12 and M.O.13 have remained uncontroverted. Therefore, the contention urged by the learned counsel for the accused that the accused would not have retained M.Os. 12 and 13 with them or that the identity of these incriminating evidence has not been established by the prosecution cannot be accepted. When the prosecution has proved that M.Os. 12 and 13 were recovered at the instance of the accused and the same are proved to have been belonging to the deceased, the said evidence cannot be discarded on the basis of the contentions urged by the defence without bringing on record any circumstances to doubt or disbelieve either the recovery or identification of these incriminating evidence.
24. The dispute raised by the learned counsel for the accused with regard to the identity of the deceased CRL.A.NO.100097/2014 37 also does not merit any acceptance. We have gone through the entire materials and we do not find even a speck of evidence to show that the accused have disputed the identity of the deceased during trial. This contention is advanced only before this Court in the course of argument without any basis. It is the specific case of the prosecution that the dead body was found at Hunshyal P.Y. and it was not identified and therefore, after conducting inquest and the postmortem examination, the body was buried. The prosecution has produced the photographs of the deceased at Ex.P2 to P4. In this regard, PW42 has deposed that on 25.06.2009, after taking over the further investigation, he visited the spot where the dead body was found and got removed the dead body lying in the river water. He has further stated that he got the photographs of the dead body taken at the spot as per Exs.P2 to P4. On 26.06.2009, the photo of the dead body was published in Kannadamma, Hasiru Kranti, Samyukta Karnataka, CRL.A.NO.100097/2014 38 Kannada Prabha, Vijay Karnataka and Sanjevani. He has further stated that he sent the photo of the dead body along with the requisition to S.P. Belagavi for the purpose of publication in police criminal gazette and sent the information of the unidentified dead body to all the police station of Belagavi District. Even this evidence has not been challenged in the cross- examination. On the other hand, it is elicited that he handed over the file containing the copies of the news paper to the subsequent Investigating Officer on 28.06.2009. Thus, even the evidence regarding the photographs has remained unchallenged. As already discussed above, on the basis of these photographs and the clothes of the deceased, the identity of the deceased was established. Therefore, we do not find any substance in the contention raised by the learned counsel for the accused disputing the identity of the deceased at this stage of the proceedings. CRL.A.NO.100097/2014 39
25. PW1, the son of the deceased and PW12, the wife of the deceased have specifically stated that on 12.07.2009 on coming to know about the tracing of an unknown dead body within the limits of Hunsyal PY village in Kurgod police limits, they went to Kurgod police station and on seeing the photographs Exs.P2 to P4, readily identified the dead body as that of the deceased. Even this evidence has not been challenged in the cross examination making it evident that the identity of the deceased was not under challenge during trial. Even otherwise, the evidence discussed above, in our opinion, is more than sufficient to determine the identity of the deceased.
26. The learned counsel for accused No.2 appears to have disputed the identity of the deceased based on the call records relating to the mobile phone of the deceased. The learned counsel has drawn our attention to Ex.P75. Ex.P75 contains the call details CRL.A.NO.100097/2014 40 relating to the mobile no. of the deceased. It reflects that continuous calls were received in the said phone on 24.06.2009 between 12.30 pm and 12.35 pm. The call details also mentions the phone number from which the calls were made. The Investigating Agency has neither examined the person who made the said calls, nor has the prosecution produced the call details of the mobile number 9481707397 from which phone calls were made to the deceased. The learned counsel has persuaded us to believe that these call details indicate that the deceased was very much alive on 24.06.2009 till noon. Therefore, the very substratum of the prosecution case that the deceased was murdered at about 3.30 am on 24.06.2009 and that his dead body was found floating in the river is rendered doubtful.
27. We are not impressed by this argument. We have considered the call details at Ex.P75 as well as the call details of mobile No.9972943891 Ex.P76 relating to CRL.A.NO.100097/2014 41 the phone calls of accused No.1. No doubt it is true that the call details at Ex.P75 refers to the calls made to the mobile number of the deceased in the afternoon of 24.06.2009, but the said document does not indicate that the deceased has either received the said phone calls or that he had talked to the caller at the said time. The duration of the calls made at the relevant time as recorded therein indicate that the caller could not elicit any response from the said mobile and therefore, he tried repeatedly to call the said number. This entry therefore, in our opinion goes in support of the case of the prosecution that the deceased was dead even at the time when the said calls were made to his mobile phone. Of course the prosecution has not produced the mobile phone of the deceased; but it is seen from the records that, during investigation, voluntary statements of the accused were recorded and it was ascertained that the mobile phone of the deceased was thrown away by accused. This has been established by the evidence of CRL.A.NO.100097/2014 42 PW11 as well as the evidence of Investigating Officer who have unequivocally stated before the Court that, pursuant to their voluntary disclosure, all the accused took them to Saidapur Sameerwadi Sugar Factory near a tank and showed the place where the mobile of the deceased Shivappa along with the sim card of accused No.1 was thrown. PW11 has specifically stated that the people gathered there advised them not to get into that tank as it contained silt and it was dangerous to get into the tank and therefore, the police did not venture to find out the said mobile and the sim card; instead prepared a panchanama in that regard as per Ex.P20. We do not find any reason to disbelieve this evidence. Not even a stray suggestion is put to PW11 disputing the statements made by him with regard to the said mobile phone of the deceased or the contents of Ex.P20. The facts noted in Ex.P20 clearly incriminate the accused insofar as the knowledge of the accused with regard to the mobile phone possessed by the deceased. This CRL.A.NO.100097/2014 43 evidence and the entries contained in Ex.P75 would lead to the inevitable inference that even the mobile phone of the deceased was in the possession of the accused and that appears to be the reason why the phone calls made to the said mobile phone of the deceased were not attended. All these circumstances, therefore, in our opinion, incriminate the accused in the alleged offence rather than creating doubt with regard to the recovery evidence produced by the prosecution and the identification of the deceased as sought to be contended.
28. Thus, on overall consideration of the entire material on record, we are of the considered view that the prosecution has convincingly established the circumstances pointing out the guilt of the accused. It has been proved that based on the voluntary statements of the accused, the personal belongings of the deceased as well as the bag and the office materials namely the CRL.A.NO.100097/2014 44 office seals etc., were recovered at the instance of the accused. The recovery evidence produced by the prosecution is clear and cogent. The prosecution has marked the voluntary statements of the accused at Exs.P79, P80 and P81 respectively. Though the learned counsel for the accused have disputed the validity of the voluntary statements and the consequent recoveries effected pursuant thereto on the ground that the joint recoveries is not permissible in the eye of law, yet, having regard to the manner in which the voluntary statements of the accused were recorded by PW41 and the recoveries were effected pursuant thereto, we do not find any reason to doubt or disbelieve the recovery evidence produced by the prosecution. On going through the records, we find that after the arrest of the accused, their statements were recorded by the Investigating Officer one after another. The statements were given by the accused individually and they were recorded separately. Therefore, the argument of the CRL.A.NO.100097/2014 45 learned counsel that the joint statements of the accused have been recorded runs contrary to the material on record.
29. The question as to whether the facts discovered pursuant to the information given by an accused would incriminate all the accused need not detain us in view of the law laid down by the Hon'ble Supreme Court in State (NCT of Delhi) Vs. Navjot Sandhu Alias Afsan Guru reported in (2005) 11 SC 600, wherein at para 145, the Hon'ble Supreme Court has observed thus:
" Joint disclosures, to be more accurate, simultaneous disclosures, per se, are not inadmissible under Section 27. "A person accused" need not necessarily be a single person, but it could be plurality of the accused. It seems to us that the real reason for not acting upon the joint disclosures by taking resort to Section 27 is the inherent difficulty in placing reliance on such information supposed to have emerged from CRL.A.NO.100097/2014 46 the mouths of two or more accused at a time. In fact, joint or simultaneous disclosure is a myth, because two or more accused persons would not have uttered informatory words in a chorus. At best, one person would have made the statement orally and the other person would have stated so substantially in similar terms a few seconds or minutes later, or the second person would have given unequivocal nod to what has been said by the first person. Or, two persons in custody may be interrogated separately and simultaneously and both of them may furnish similar information leading to the discovery of fact. Or, in rare cases, both the accused may reduce the information into writing and hand over the written notes to the police officer at the same time. We do not think that such disclosures by two or more persons in police custody go out of the purview of Section 27 altogether. If information is given one after the other without any break, almost simultaneously, and if such information is followed up by pointing out the material thing by both of them, we find no good reason to CRL.A.NO.100097/2014 47 eschew such evidence from the regime of Section 27."
30. In the instant case, the evidence produced by the prosecution goes to show that all the accused made similar disclosures relating to the murder of the deceased, the knowledge of the spot of murder and the place where the dead body was thrown and the belongings of the deceased were burnt. All the accused volunteered to disclose the places where they had hidden the gundagadagi, watch and the bag belonging to the deceased. The information given by the accused has convincingly led to the discovery of the place of murder as well as the discovery of the burnt articles and other incriminating objects. Even if it is accepted that the disclosure statement made by the accused do not fall within the purview of Section 27 of the Evidence Act, in view of the ratio laid down in A. M. Venkatesh and another Vs. State of Karnataka reported in 2005 AIR SCW 3914, still the recovery of the incriminating CRL.A.NO.100097/2014 48 materials and the knowledge of the accused about the place of murder and the place of hiding the belongings of the deceased would become admissible under Section 8 of the Evidence Act. Therefore, viewed from any angle, we are of the considered opinion that the facts discovered pursuant to the voluntary disclosure made by the accused could be safely taken as another circumstance connecting the accused to the offences charged against them.
31. It is settled law that the circumstances from which conclusion of the guilt is drawn should be fully proved and such circumstances must be conclusive in nature. The evidence relating to the circumstances should be complete and there should be no gap left in the chain of circumstances. Further, the proved circumstance must be consistent only with the hypothesis of the guilt of the accused and inconsistent with his innocence. In the case on hand, on CRL.A.NO.100097/2014 49 considering the over all evidence produced by the prosecution, we are of the considered opinion that the prosecution has convincingly established each and every circumstance relied on by it. The circumstance of the deceased last seen in the company of the accused is proved with cogent and convincing evidence. The identity of the deceased is established and further it is proved in evidence that the mobile phone and other articles belonging to the deceased were in the possession of the accused. The recovery evidence relied on by the prosecution conclusively establishes that the gundagadagi, watch and the bag belonging to the deceased were found in the possession of the accused directly connecting them to the offences of murder and robbery. The prosecution has also produced convincing evidence with regard to the identification of the accused.
32. In proof of the identification of the accused, the prosecution has examined the Taluka Executive CRL.A.NO.100097/2014 50 Magistrate (PW31), who has specifically deposed about the Test Identification Parade conducted by him. The record of the proceeding of the Test Identification Parade is marked as Ex.P67. Though the name of accused No.3 is seen to have been repeated in the said proceedings, yet having regard to the uncontroverted testimony of PW31 regarding the procedure followed by him in conducting the Test Identification Parade and the specific identification made by the prosecution witnesses distinctly identifying the accused, in our opinion, even this circumstance would go in support of the case of the prosecution. The material witnesses examined by the prosecution namely PW9, PW22 and DW1 as well as PW20 have clearly identified the accused before the Court. The identification of the accused made by these witnesses in the course of trial has not been falsified in the cross-examination. The purpose of Identification Parade is merely an aid for the Investigating Agency so as to assure them of the proper CRL.A.NO.100097/2014 51 direction in the investigation. The substantive evidence is the one given before the Court. In that view of the matter, the identification of the accused made by the prosecution witnesses during their evidence before the Court having remained unimpeached, in our view, this evidence furnishes another link to the chain of circumstances relied on by the prosecution.
33. Insofar as the motive is concerned, the evidence let in by the prosecution leads to clear inference that the murder was committed for gain. The circumstances brought out in the evidence indicate that on the date of the incident, the deceased was carrying a cash of Rs.20,000/- with him. He had also carried a cheque book with him apart from other personal belongings. It is proved in evidence that the personal belongings of the deceased were robbed. The circumstances discussed above indicate that even the mobile belonging to the deceased was in the possession CRL.A.NO.100097/2014 52 of the accused. It is the case of the prosecution that during the occurrence, the accused had taken the signatures of the deceased on blank cheque leaves. An amount of Rs.90,000/- was entered in a cheque and the said cheque was tried to be encashed. In this regard, the prosecution has examined PW17 and PW18, two officials of State Bank of Hyderabad. Both these witnesses have stated that the deceased was having S.B. account in their bank. On 24.06.2009, two persons came to their bank with a cheque for Rs.90,000/- drawn on the account of the deceased. PW17 has stated that, on that day he was on the counter and the said cheque was presented before him. On examination of the cheque, he found alteration of date from 23 to 24 and hence he returned the said cheque to obtain the signature of drawer authenticating the said correction. He has further stated that on 25.06.2009, again those two persons came and presented one more cheque drawn on the account of the CRL.A.NO.100097/2014 53 deceased for Rs.90,000/-. Even in this cheque, he found overwriting and therefore, he returned the said cheque to those persons. But both these witnesses having failed to identify the accused, their evidence cannot be held against the accused. Yet, the material brought on record clearly goes to show that the accused themselves volunteered to show the place where they had destroyed the cheque leaves and had burnt the cheque book and other articles belonging to the deceased. The evidence of the prosecution goes to show that based on the information divulged by the accused, a panchanama was drawn up at the place from where the burnt ash and other half burnt articles were recovered as evidenced in Ex.P17. Therefore, it cannot be said that the prosecution has failed to establish the motive for commission of the offence as contended by the defence counsel.
CRL.A.NO.100097/201454
34. The circumstances discussed above, in our opinion, clearly establish that the murder was committed for gain. Therefore, we are of the clear view that the prosecution has established all the above circumstances which unerringly point out the guilt of the accused for the offences charged against them.
It is pertinent to note that, even though the prosecution has discharged the initial burden cast on it by establishing the circumstances of the deceased last seen in the company of the deceased, except pleading total denial, the accused have failed to offer any satisfactory explanation during their cross-examination under Section 313 Cr.P.C.
In this context, it may be useful to refer to the decision relied on by the learned Addl. SPP in Padhu Raja and Another Vs. State Represented by Inspector of Police reported in (2013) 1 SCC (Cri) 430, wherein the Hon'ble Supreme Court has observed that; CRL.A.NO.100097/2014 55
"17. It is obligatory on the part of the accused while being examined under Section 313 Cr.P.C., to furnish some explanation with respect to the incriminating circumstances associated with him, and the court must take note of such explanation even in a case of circumstantial evidence, in order to decide, as to whether or not, the chain of circumstances is complete. When the attention of the accused is drawn to the circumstances that inculpate him in relation to the commission of the crime, and he fails to offer an appropriate explanation, or gives a false answer with respect the same, the said act may be counted as providing a missing link for completing the chain of circumstances."
35. On going through the impugned judgment, we find that the trial Court has considered all the above facts and circumstances of the case and has appreciated the evidence on record in proper perspective. Even on re-appreciation of the entire material on record, we do not find any reason to hold a CRL.A.NO.100097/2014 56 different view. We do not find any error or infirmity either in the appreciation of the evidence or in the findings recorded by the trial Court in convicting the accused for the offences charges against them.
36. To sum up, we hold that the prosecution has proved the following circumstances in proof of the guilt of the accused for the offences charged against them:
i. The accused and the deceased were last seen together on 23.06.2009 at three places between 10:00 p.m. and 0015 hours on 24.06.2009 ii. Failure of the accused to offer any explanation as to when they parted company with the deceased.
iii. Knowledge of the accused about the spot of murder and the place where the dead CRL.A.NO.100097/2014 57 body was thrown and the belongings of the deceased were burnt.
iv. Recovery of gundagadagi, wrist watch and the nylon bag belonging to the deceased, at the instance of the accused.
v. Call details made by the accused No.1 to the deceased on the date of incident.
vi. Identification of the accused by the prosecution witnesses immediately after their arrest.
vii. Seizure of the car used for the commission of the offence.
viii. Motive for the commission of the offence.
37. On consideration of the materials produced by the prosecution and the reason assigned by the trial Court in holding the accused guilty of the above offences, we do not find any justifiable reason to CRL.A.NO.100097/2014 58 interfere with the impugned judgment. The accused have not been able to point out any illegality or perversity in the judgment of conviction and order of sentence passed by the trial Court. We do not find any merit in the contentions urged in the appeal. The appeal being devoid of merit is liable to be dismissed.
38. Hence, we proceed to pass the following order:
ORDER The appeal is dismissed.
The Judgment of conviction and Order of sentence dated 27.03.2014 passed by the District and Sessions Judge, Bagalkote in S.C.No.132/2009 is confirmed.
Sd/-
JUDGE Sd/-
JUDGE gab