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17. We will now deal with the evidence relating to Truck No. HRR-5167.

18. The first ingredient required to be proved in respect of this charge is the hiring of this truck by the returned candidate. The direct evidence produced by the petitioner to establish this fact consists of the oral statement of a solitary witness Tara Chand (P.W. 11) a resident of village Liwaspur. Tara Chand claims to be a relation of one Lakhi Ram of Turakpur who runs a shop at Sonepat and also has a brick-kiln in tiie area of Liwaspur. The story narrated by Tara Chand is that on the day preceding the poll, he went to Lakhi Ram at Ms brick-kiln just to smoke hukka. The appellant came there in a car, and, in the immediate presence of the witness and two or three other persons, including one Bhagwan Singh, hired the truck owned by Lakhi Ram and driven by his son, Kanwal Singh, for the purpose of carrying voters from Turakpur to the polling station at Mandaura, and paid there and then the hiring charges amounting to Rs. 200/-, which were reluctantly accepted by Lakhi Ram.

29. In cross-examination, his claim of being related to Lakhi Ram or being his intimate associate was blown to smithereens. When the pursuit for truth began, he, in a seductive bid tried like Will-'O'-the Wisp to draw his pursuer deep into the bogs and marshes of the murky past and said that his great-grand father's sister was married to the grand father of Lakhi Ram. The cross-examiner was not taken in. He Dressed hi9 probe further. The witness then tried to take refuge, in equivocation. Next he at tempted to hide behind the smoke-screen of 'failing' memory and said that he could not recollect the name of the woman through whom he was related to Lakhi Ram's grandfather, nor did he know the name of Lakhi Ram's grandfather. .The questioner relentlessly pursued his enquiry till the whole thing was exposed to be very nothing. Further cross-examination revealed that Tara Chand had only superficial knowledge of the affairs of Lakhi Ram and his family. He did not know how many children Lakhi Ram had. He did not know when and where Lakhi Ram's second son was married. He was not aware if Lakhi Ram was running shop in the Timber Market. Sonepat.

When I reached the spot I saw some of the voters had already alighted, whilst others...were in the course of alighting.
Thus, P. Ws. 9 and 10 were, if at all. post-accident witnesses. Still, an anxiety on their part to pose as full-fledged eve-witnesses of the accident by stretching their imagination, is discernible.

57. How deeply Amir Singh. P.W. 9. was committed to support the petitioner is demonstrated by what he said regarding the apparent ownership of Truck No. HRR 5167, in cross-examination. Kanwal Singh. R. W. 2. swore that this truck was his exclusive property and that his father had no interest or share in it. The witness purchased it for Rupees 13,000/- in 1968 from one Asa Nand of Sonepat. Consequently, since October 14, 1968, the truck stood registered in the records of Transport Department, in favour of the witness alone. Kanwal Singh brought with him the registration certificate in respect of this vehicle to make it available for inspection by the Court and the parties. He further testified that his name stood painted on the truck. He claimed to be separate from his father in mess and residence.

63. In cross-examination, Randhir Singh said that apart from the witness, a large number of persons including Risal Singh. Jai Lai, Lakhu. Kidarev, Bhogana, Narain Singh, helped in bringing about the settlement, and that the money was also paid by the appellant to the daughter of Mange Ram, in the presence of that crowd. Eight or ten persons from that crowd were present inside the baithek when the Police Sub-Inspector arrived, there. The witness admitted his relation ship-though far-fetched-with Ch. Raiinder Singh, Ex-Minister. He. how ever, expressed ignorance as to whether Ch. Raiinder Singh. Ch. Hukam Singh and the petitioner were members of the same political party in Sonepat District. He however, conceded: