Karnataka High Court
Raju vs The State Of Karnataka By Hunsur Police ... on 14 July, 2011
' (By $ijfldamafié1Vppa--.;« Advocate - w _ '~»1\i'§}r$3ré Qistrici. 'g7§jaj;ai»:u::i:2:J Eviajzigeg HCGPE 2 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT B55;NGALC3§§E'T. DATED THIS THE 1.4% DAY 0}? JULY. 20'.:..:_''' %- " BEFORE _ _ 4 THE HQNBLE: MR. JUSTIf$iEi B5,; _ CRLA 1\3C)g83OC}l:¥'1L'A.j?g€):1;'§_€LT"TV AA 'I V' BETWEE1N:- 'A 2 1.
Sri Raju, _ V S/0. Jayaram @ Tf1ambL ' "
Major, .~
2. Sri Ganesha'. V .
S / 0. late ,'F511fn':meg;oxxrda ,.
3. SriCha;1:3.F€'E§0\x?da,«.V S,!o+;--vThi:r:n1ég;n.Vd'a., A11'-are.R/0.
Hu:1sur=Tah'1ka';. .--
NiySOFé~vUiS{'fi(f-E. ' " V Appeiiants E31': ,5 8. "'§\;§yig;:*::;i3.h Asgociates} Thé ->Sta:€~ @f_'E\'Z3f11a:ai:a, By Hiznsmi P313336 Siaiisszg, R€sp::>::<ie::t 3 This Cri.A. is med E}/s,374 ef Cr.P.C. by for the appeliant/s ageing': the judgement dated"C}4:.Q6.vv2'Of)%§r.e passed by the 13.0., Fast Track Clenxrwf,-.1; "'..§;r[};sere f'{3,* K S.C.Ne.243/99 convicting" the AppeI]_e..:1:s/Ae:eus'edfl» to Siege-6 V the effenee punishable U/5.333 rh/W. 'Sec.'8é§-i'of_ VEECV éirzcf sentencing them to undergo S3. for ye'e;re' afid {TO ef Rs.2OOG;'~ in default {:3 undergo 'S__.I)._f0r 6 Vr_c?1,{}'r1i;1ris.'=.'TE'1e V' .V appe1iants/ accused prays that the abmfe ::rde:_~ '::f:21y_¥§;e= set --. L' asiée.
This appeal eeming made the fofiewing: V '_ _~ _ _ J ueaewgem 1 * This appeal is filed ehVa1}e'enjgin.§.Viiéejigdgment dated for this"'day,_t';r1e eeurt 04.06.2004 paesS'e>§j .'by :§._h€g Myscre in egiepeiiant fer the effenee punishggbiée' See. 3:; {PC and senter1e:in&g"eaCh: 8.1. for a period of 5 years; ané a 55: R:~:e~2OOG/~ in default to undergo 8.1. for ;1'59ericjdV0f si}xi"n1.Q_1_1ti1s§ It is the ease of the groseeuiien en at, about 8.85 pm. when the eemplainant B S2::1r1:13waI;1*£'§<.€:5Z%3o was 3 fereeter visited Raghavendra Saw
--V Miii 'road 0:: 'xierzfipaiyabore, Huneur in eezmeeiien K «.jav§tEes..;3ffive'iai aizerke Aecuseé Nej Raju. Veiuntariigr aeeauiteé .' i:}ii,E: :5: biggie ueesi for eufiiing ihe weer}: ané $12 is A4 eeeazziieeé him xvii}: reapey pi£~i§§€S aad eauseé grieveue hm': 2
to B Sannaswamy and thus cieterred him * his duty as a public servant and ihgrsby tVh{:j} have: committed Qffence under saittici-:1 3i33A.E':/\7iE'*$€C". 3~'§LVV:f 2, The prosecution in 0r'derI_:0".prove 121$' 'C?3iS€': h.E1S "
examined in all 15 VVKTIESSSSV a$<'§i'v--g0t I £0 9 and produced and M.Q.1 30 8' §i:e'i:é':n._<§e of 'the aécused is one if total denial and E_xs.D.1 and 13.2 being the pcrfiens Ci? and the FIR filed by No.4 was split up and ou:1----<3f. "%7.hOv':§hax?e been tried in this case, of by the trial judge for the Qffence aé sentenced accordingly. The C0nVi»§ftéd.accL1S'e.:i Vh5.ve {'iied this appeal. Hearé '£?>,-.r::1«*SiddamaHappa9 learned Ceunsel for Sria Vigayakumar Majage, iearrmd HCGP faéithé S§9;ééj.~: V 1 Learned Caunssi agpearing £231" ihf: appeilants "s'sA1;:*?;3:1f§E;'é that. {E33 itsmpiziinani xvhc; has §{3£::1 éxiarninaii 33 E3'_'*}Eif"VE® had {E85126 asJé;':E1 an uE%:::'E:>i* mmive {>3 zzzeisgi Pikféé 851$ 'X the BM. hespitah Mysore? the documents certificates were breught into existence with the'A..iht}ute.iii:e ef' PW 15. Hence, he submits that the-'.:ieeu$ed'_' E3.3f'_fi":<;"i"1:';."4t'i1;1VV(3(31:f()Vt."~~' an erder of aequittai.
5. Learned HCGP Of1_.'th€ ethet'-hand, PW10 injured had gene to Vth'e:"p1aCe V. Gf tEt:e on receiving Credible inf0m':.;ttien¢.Atthett_:'thet._foreet'Vpredhee has been illegally stacked t"ei'_».:R'agha\rendra Saw Mill and that he he feund that the teak Woeci stored in a room which timber. He submits that asitper. the legs have been seized by the poh'ce'_'ah_::1 xii: threw said mahazar it is feund that PEV1.C§A'xi?as perfeihzhfig the public duty as a forester arfl that §,3vh3';§e se.A«.pef§3Arming his duties he has been assaulted tg:';ie'*Ii_0t:sé;}:.,:r'V';»:_r_:<;iVifcierefore the ingredients ef the effenee under seetieh 13.233-n2PC are made Gut against at}: the aeeuseé. He : §'tn"ther Suhmits that the evidence ef PW5 and the evidence of Eiiifi PWE4 ee:'i'0'ee:'at;ee the eviéenee of PW§t{}t '%'he .. _,t:?§?':§€3€I3C{% ef @1315? the iEEji};E'€€§; the se E121? as the gkreeehee end %":>»"
6
pa1't;2Teipa'den of {he accused in the offence is edso eogen: and Clear and he also submiis that accused No.1 was' read handed and W233 produced befere the eC:uz'§5V:sI1"%;}:e: :'n.e:5%:v:. V. day morning immediaieiy afier the p1feparati.d:i'e§: in Cr.N0.14/99. He further Cr.No.1(:3/99 for the effence uride: seetiefi was lodged at 7 pm. on fie. deiay one day and that 2:130 before the eeurt and after seizfdrevidhef per E.x:.P.1. Hence he i;d"$:;.&Ne.16/999 is an afterthoughi C3:;d}3.§A"v.§:(5' V ceunter attack the the prosecution He submitgvV"-Q13/{'V to the evidence of the pr0see_u_i,iQnJ"Ehe §%O}'iee"v.hé3}e filed B report in the said ease and-'.efiF1a€;---eihe AaeeuSe'd"'fdVaVe not produced any documents to reperi has been Challenged by them in ariy ee'u:'{§A }fe::.ee:,'l_he subnlits that the accused have accepted the 'p_fB' rep<3ri:.";The::efere, the prosecution is ss.1eeee.efu1 in graying '~:j¥iZ*1V3.Vf;.d"'i}':€ aeeueed have <:emmi§;'§ed the efferzee ef obstrueéing ' Pikififi in "she dieitharge 05 his duties as 2% gmbiée eervaeé and I' that furtihez' they have eaueeei grievous injury on him as spoken to PW4 Dr. Abdui Waris. Hence he there is :10 merit in the appeai and the V' dismissed. ._
5. The proseeutien i_n_ihis«'eaSe eemriaerieed imiii: ' the recerding of the siatemefiVte»:e"i7 B.S3i;f1_.2is*$;?are§,{ of Beregowda in the C}ene1:*e1_&' §;§"'o':";4o2.1999 at abeut 22 hours. In flee Complainant has stated that. is M111 section as a forester Fefest, Govetnment of Ka1'nata}§a;e. a.m. when he was in JLB reed, he --. thet in Raghavendra saw M1115, Ver1tipa13;a*l_Be:fe, ' see1e'::'«i;.eeuth0rised forest produce is bregghi and being' Vunleadeci. Therefore he went on 3: Here °:~:a;§1£i:e §9"§}:>fe'f'«._§:}r*eie at about 835 P2111; near Raghavendra Aeeaw reached ihere he saw that SC}fI1€ eeepie ':Vere4.._unVlvee::hf;'1gf {he weeden pieces and were Stacking in a 'i'§}€}H1. TE"v2..e"saiei W096 was teakweed. Since he had the pewer {he Saw "M23, he went and ieeked éhe ream in which V the £;ee&«:wec3& %:im,ee§ 'W215 stacked age' iézereeiier he Wee:
///fie' /_ The police have also seized four reaper pattiee and~«:2r_1e used fer cutting the woofi as per Ex.P.1 _ beiween 14.38 is 15.38 hours on In {1:e.:_.f::eV2.1§1{Vi{::1e"« Accused N01 was arrested and court of the Magistrate and &':';Vfi{tZf 1"""¥f§?giSif3,§i0fixi)f:T;Fi.«§"'i:&HW<'V:8f1d "
on completion of investigation "EheV'--<:harge 'csheétgi
8. PW} is 03:_e'=._Ya]tak1:ig'e~wda~-_who has turned hostile to the case of" PW2- Sannegowda, PW"/'~A1jun and PW8 V. ¥ ie§:sfiI»e to the case of the prosecudo'1:--.. a Vi/'at-iéj has stated that on O1.02.i99§ ihe BM. hospitah Mysere, at about 11 .p.V§m,. day he has examined CWL San.:a§e.exx*amy' V Who__ was 'Draught by one C,MahadeVa. wiih the history Crf assault on @102. 1999 at a?;)9:)T£:_V: at Raghavendra Saw M1211, Hunsura The pereens=..é1eC,v:i}npa:1ied him {ski him that the patient was first . . :g.~e;1_*§ed :11. Gevernmerzt Hospfial Hunsur. On exarninaéion he ' . 53:2 zéeéed {he §"0i10win§3 énjuriee 3?: {he ssaié pereen:
§l%% l0
1. Bleeding from the :1<:ssirils, swelling on'*'&hev.___e' , A' bridge of the nose. _
2. Suturecl weund over the lei't_"_pet:<i..etal'* ' eminence, Of1€til'lCl'":iI'1l€_Tfl>gil.'}_.' _ V
3. Diffused swelling over lithe _righi«_tetr;p_ei"Q parietal regiesn and areuiad *;..lfie~ l'ighi_ eye; "L
4. Laeeratecl weunrgl ever the tight ;;)e:fle'L2Ll é emexineneeg one'ine:~13 X US incl: sealpm deep.
5. Laeerated weunel O\--f\f31;'».t'hx3._'ClOFSl1'f}1_ of the left little finger, the tem1jiné;l.._phalariX was cut off and harlging' b;g':h'e« _s1m. _ 6; Multiple eontuei0nsv"<:x}er.¢ il'{€:vV.Clersum of the left hanglvexrer 'the;be.ek .és.§1'Cll front of the.e*l1e$t. V V ' V 7'. Twig (E§i';¥'1"'£?:L1vS'€Cl l;_a§bra_siiQne ll '(wet the right ;'KneeV<jn'3:he'-laiereal 'a.sp.ee:_,'2 inches X 11/12 injured was admitted in the h0sp§.t--3.l and ;?{:ray. and'-Cl' scan was taken and on receipt of V' -t;he"X:ray'.ar:Ql CT Selélfl lfeport he Came to the conclusion that e__:ri3:;:f;e. and 8 are grievous in nature. He further eiatefi '::l_1gil;e:li.V_';l1::e Xeray discloses the fracture of superier l'._l3eardeI:fl{j:f the right i"I}-E3.;5{llla1"y bone right zigematle bone;
ef the meiaeareal bane of ihe index finger eené l eesniminuteel fraetuye of the distal end 0? :he nasal bones. lie has éeeued weurzel eerééfieaie as per E2x.P.3, Elie has epinecl éhegéi the irzjeurgf fezzlzid in E1:>«:.R3 C€.§1 be eauseé if 21 leereen is H assauited by wooden reapers and blade, which vy%e_11e»V'bee:f€,s:9e-« the Court at the time 01" his deposition. Inl'.ihe=,ei'0'Ss{" ' M examination it is euggested thV:>3f7 '..*Lre_atir':ve':2i '-xéizas}'--VA eommerzeed only on 2.2.99 and thfbégé depeSix1g.. that he has tzreateci the injL1}3<f__ 033 He'~.:hé_e""fu:'{her " V stated that the paiice didnot a:<3}';-Vi;ii'1*I1f0_fur;1i'sE':..Xg;7§.y report and CT scan report; V
9. PW5~K.K. Neharg "is 1the._v'E'g1i§_:€: constable in Hunsur To\nrn:..P:'$fiCe that on 1.2.99 himself duty. They heard sound took him there. There was a there was a vacant spacee CW1 had in} ured an his head and on his left *fingerx.' Awliden he enquired the injureé, he told that h'e.was z:;3s3_4:.ii«:ed by a person pointing cut a eerson W110 was "s:3;':i_§,:Ar:'(g person is a<:(::u,sed Noe} whe: is befere t§'1€"'i;-'-{31,1Ei_i.';{'1E:.£".€ eempiainam further told him f/ha: {here were 'ether pereons aise. Bu': PW5 Ceuiei not find them. PW5 aise " , ' eheeréxed ea few weeder: reapers and piece sf Saw Eying at ihe V. ..,e;§e§;, They have appreheiideci the férei a,<':eueeei amei éeek him R Check the Saw M13 which sL1§gestien has also been:
by PW8. PW8 has also further denied the assault, V.
11. Pwg « N.P.Raju is the Range FgreS';..v.Q';:i¢e: in 41 Hunsur Range. He has stated that en ree4e1pi"ef n:es_eé£ge frem Hunsur Town Police eiatmn thaéihe eQm§§1;1ih2{nt°'he{€» ' been assaulted by some one 'éi:1:L:1e'e.he w'a§_ i'11:.V.Ge§7eefiment Hospital, Hunsur, he I"VV1J<i>e$.pita;1'«e.ii'C": feund the cemplainant injured on and his little finger, On enq},:i1*§.¥z:V he information regarding the" Raghavendra Saw M111 xe9;evv.as'fs:auIted by the accused.
Thereafter PWSV keep watch around the Min and on i;hu"e.._:ieX:VdayA.p'e1ie'e prepared mahazar and seized W0e3'§:e:i "reape1;S"e,:;d :5; saw biade used for assaulting the r:e:1I::_};_3ie.i:A:a:1'--:.,V in so far as the statement ef this Witness that 1'i};.e ci--i_;:1 fie§: '_$.taie.'€§:1e names of the assailants as field ta him ':35; F135 flee. i'eé:f13efi Pubiie Preeeeuter had treaieei him hestfie. is_eug'§;es:ed is him that it is Al :9 A3 who had assauited . 'EA§1e>--es§:12p1aina:2ée whieh suggestien hee been aciexiited as u by {hie '&?§:.I)}.{,':SS:a He $223.5; feriher etaiefi the}. he has stated as per Ex.P.'? befare the police In the '<:_1*(:$s~ examinatizm it is suggesfisied that ii, is at his influence that a case against the aCcua€:'aA"-.VVhaé31"~ ~i.':)f:F3n1'i~' K registerad. He has siatad that ifié ..i}'isit1ee:i.:_.Vt}i€.VVVSpa? betweer: 8.30 and 9 on the 4n_ei:i_ day '€i"':€ $'p'Q{ ' mahazar.
12. PWIO is per the Complaint given by him: identified the accused bef<;:>i"€;' as' had assaulted him by meaiia the saw. He has stated that h§*'iVi?i'.SVi1€ifljV5t'}v1€;': foiiiii' stacking of the forest produccif'_v#ii.i'1Oui;VViiEi§iiSe'V_:.i'1i:':Raghavencira Saw Mill. He has stated thaxtiwiie §6:1fsAC;ri's'..--fi€arby infermed the police over Vpoiic"é"Cva.m.e:' {hare and took him to tha hospital. 'E§:xf.i7_8 [his campiaimi, which is recorded in ihe GQ\7€i'nni連:hgiispiiai Hunsuix In ihs cross»-examinatiori ii is 'V suggéaiévsi hff had Come to éha spa: witii an imeriiizari is .,C€';:'x';--;:'§:ii i'iL1iS8Li1(?€ in '(ha heusa of PW8 and ihai he had tried
iii)' ":;>'a:i*,:*ag%: éhs ii}¢3§€S'Ey oi ?\?EF8 and in thai gracsss this i " '"§£'1H8;§§€i'S haw 'biéiliifiii him. ii £5 i%;::'i;ii€:* auggéaiaii ihai {he 16 the Miii. Thereaiéer somebody infomxed the pohlee ar1€3',: {h:e poiiee came there. PW 10 had sustained a b1eeding':v~'i::}';;:j,2__'€51;IVA' the back sieie of his head. The poiiee have exxd A1 from the spot. He has ideniified {he accused as M.<}s.1 "£0 5. in ,'{he emséweXe1n3:§3;_;::iiC;1i' it V elicited that M.O..3 was with the ae(:uSee1'arii:i to 4 were with the remaining.geeusVe'd."
14. PW12.he.s 1...s'1°;gnatory to the EX.P.9 useiésed by ihe police.
PW13 is an advocate. He has stated in which he has
pr0duee(i"1\fIfOs.€SufeeA:--jS-- I§e-1:ei1«ging to his father~in~1aw. It is suggesied t0'7'.::,im-in f§'1€TCfOSS~€XEL1'I1iI1a?;iOH that he has §r1fli1etiee"Ci the pe1ieeV"f:§ «file a false C386'. against the accused. is the Head eonstabie who has visited the «V Scene 0£""v::'>eei.1re:*e:1ee at abeui 8.45 pm. and he has stated Ve.§hz:Iief;f1e Eggs seen fem? persens aseaulting (me ¥€.§.S()}_/la Since . éiéeji were Eflffiflilfid that the aeeueed ran away out of the ' 'g:='e§Ser:s§ runmieng, 'key Caught hoifi sf aiteueefi §€o.E befare / , the court and the remaining persons ran awa}f'L"""fherea:f§_,er« the injured was sent to hespital. The first aee1;se'd fivzzes tafieh ie the Police staiien. The ingusfed had _sLisi;:§1ihe4d'Vi.:1ju;*ies.;}n' his back and ether partes of the hoc:Ey'.«'----A
16. PWIS is the PSI 2;jegis.ie1*efiHa_ease after recording the S1Lf:1}Ef3fI1€I1v'{\\\/5;?'PW€_1§O?.:'iIjh.. fl*1eV':'§>e'a{ernment hospital at Hunsur and this case and seized the h;«Jhix'ed arrested the other accused sheet. In the Cross exaniinsheievht[hfisis Hehe basis of the complaint; of Cr,No.16/99 was registered against, the eenfipiaihahf. fer the offence under section 354 81 'V V' .5Qei'Ii3ei..,en 2.2.99 a{"é;eou: 7 pm. Visvfrom the above evidence of the prosecution wi'Lh.esse--s {he iearned Sessiehs Judge has held that ihe . .e..'p:*e.3eeL1ii'en has proved the ease agaishi. the accused beyehé e._'fee:s'e:*:ahie deuh: and that they have ebstmeteei PWEG in " ~£ii'schargi:1g his puhhe duty and has eazxseé gyieveus injuries {)1} him and aeee:'G'h:g13i has eemieieé anti semehaéee iheez. V. 59 I have no h€Sii'aiiGi'} to hold that Counter con:f3.1ai:2fiV' M sectien 354 IPC is an after thought, ::ar:d..hjas {C2 itmxnter the aliegatian of iflegal I' produce by PW8 who is the of €116 .5: all "
the accused had n1isbV§:haxre¢}AV__;:§;;;&;1--.g;,§Ar <.§\§..,{§¥:1;O'2i§1999 at about 8.30 pm' r1ot}'v1i'1:.?%' TQ approach the Police station onwilfxe se}.::1::v:.ri:z:'g? on the maxi day morning, away fmm the scene sf x}'1<3'urs in filing counter case bi% 1i€S PV-J8 or the accused for that matter. 3f:§."i":;rt1'p3.1&rV police have filed 'B' report in I'€Sp€{Ci» of tfié éofitgilaifit 1:€ga1'ding the molestation and '{h€' °a<:;ctrséd3--f'i2aVe« not chosen to produce any material to Show .'gH2;:. £. =Iija;a?é'=.p':f0test4ed against, the B repart 0:' ti) Sh0\--V the pmgress in 'iE3:eTc0unter Case. Neédiess to say that if that was Ha C::=ur1"i;€:A"1- case, ihai; cczuld have been tried akmg with this '.éa::s_e a";:~; per Ssc, 323 {Zr.P.C. Under these Circumstances, no CI"$d(i'I1C€ can bg given is the Cfiunter complaint and ihe afiegaiian thaé the" gemgslainam had gorge": to éhé Sififfifi <35 28 eccurrenee ta eutrage the medesty cf FWS cenientien.
E9. Theugh the faise defenceof iiheje' A' be taken as evifierzee against theme pesiiiise evifiefigeev of igmie prosecution Witnesses clearly 1 iégceuseci have assaulted FWIO ari:Aef!¢.._3fi,i';3ft*«_V1§*:e duties as a public eervani. it -'feed locked the room Where by PW8; If at all the aceueeei gicirt vVf.L('3 recognise him as a public the lack and taken away the"fgr"csVf: the injureci was taken to the hospitai. The'4"pz:€3see'uti£2n«&::z1se is that when the police Went the stie::1e* Qf oeeiiffehce at about 2.30 p.113. on the next ~C1é:s,'{"--,. 23 &>f_t e.ak weed were found in the said room anti the Eereet. Eepertment has seized the said logs. Under these V'-»;:ircu:r:i:3$::éa'§;1ees, I have F10 heeitatien its hoifi that the V.':V'CflIi1'.§i§_'3iIE8.f}i was discharging his publie duty ans} $13.3: whiie V. dieeharging the publie duiy he was ebgtrueieei and aseaulteé by the aeeuseé.
22 W'iif1€SS€S eiher than PW18. fiance, I am sf ihe eensiéeféfi aginion that ihs cesnvietien sf £1 b}; the triai <:5'z.::_*=ii_Mé;'fi'{,>é: s- deserve any ifiififféffiilcfi. Wh<3reas§ A2 ansi Ea3_--:;:--3.. §:%1<;,ti*{§£§Ci<.f0r "
an €}I'(§€:' <31' acqniiiai.
So far as the semence c§f:¢¢méfi,.__t}1se_é<;{:{:§.§;;é{iVwVE€§:s.1 has baen sentencefi to v13;--r1f:1ergQV-}'.E.jIA.."L_: f:ii*~..g. p€:'rié3d.._of_.%;'E5 years. Learnsd ceunsei for the {hat ssntence cf five years is exgesfiiafe A1 was a cooiie xv0rk§;""-$116; do with the saw mii}, sentenL¢'é'x:{f sE'1.'@_§)Vfv§'<3nce under sectien 333 IPC w<:;:.;1d*-- ..of justice. IN the rssult: the follawing 0i*::i_e:* is fgzaéié: = a§}pea1V fii::;d: "by the appeliants is partly allowed. . é{>jmzi<:*::i<3n passed against Accused N01 is hergby €<;>:§f:..;*ti}:<:i. Hewever the sentence sf imprisanmeni is ._::n3£iifi{=jd 'fe R3. fer a pariacl Qf twc» years While keeping the '~ « f "$5116 "::;:;a::::.
Th5 ssfier ef {':GI1§*'i_€'§§SE1 ané Sfiffééifléfi pa.S$$§ against Assassé %F5&2 311d 3 E3 sat asiéa arzé "ihey are aequiiéed cf i;1*:$ .,\;/ m 23 %%%A2 offence Ievefied against ihem. The bail benC1$ exactuted. and 3 are: discharged and fine amount paid Accused N03 is di:*e<:'{.€:d i;=::> be refundggi E0 th§:'€n;' K A' = " = Accused N01 is dire<:tes:i to siirréigitiér E5éf7:jr<:.,the' Ceurt and to suffer the senténCL'e..Vhere'i13V above filéfriiafifid.
custody to serve the ser:{.§: fg:€. V _
' , %
Q, A ' " fiflgffi
" Egfifig
The trial court is Ciirected to secg_fé- ..£§_xi~...f;1r1<:i .i0«-réimanféfi him to pSg*