Document Fragment View

Matching Fragments

1. Around   1.45   pm   on   27.12.1988,   First   Information   Report No.244 came to be registered by Sub­Inspector Kaka Singh (PW5) of   Police   Station   “Kotwali”   of   Patiala   District   of   the   State   of Punjab on the basis of information given by one Shri Jaswinder Singh (PW3).  From the narration in the FIR, it appears that the incident   which   eventually   culminated   in   the   death   of   Gurnam Singh   could   have   simply   passed   off   as   yet   another   incident   of road rage but for the death of Gurnam Singh.   According to the FIR, around 12.30 p.m., an incident occurred at the traffic light of   Battian   Wala   Chowk   in   front   of   the   State   Bank   of   Patiala, Patiala City.  Jaswinder Singh (PW3), Avtar Singh (PW4) and the deceased Gurnam Singh were travelling in Maruti Car No.CH I 8422   driven   by   the   deceased.     Both   the   accused   herein   were travelling by vehicle No.PAD 6030.  A dispute arose on the right of way between the accused and the deceased.  In the process the first   accused   who   is   a   cricketer   of   some   fame   got   out   of   his vehicle, pulled the deceased out of his vehicle and inflicted fist blows.  When PW3 tried to intervene, the second 1 accused herein got  out   of   the   vehicle   and gave fist blows to  PW3.   Thereafter, they removed the keys of the car of the deceased and fled away from the scene of occurrence.  PW3 and PW4 took Gurnam Singh who was “in a state of unconsciousness” by a rickshaw to a hospital, known as Rajendra Hospital where the doctors announced that 1 It must be mentioned here that though the FIR clearly mentioned the name of first accused, the name of second accused was not mentioned. He was only described as a clean shaven man. Gurnam Singh was dead.  

23. The undisputed fact is that Gurnam Singh was declared to have been brought dead to the Rajendra Hospital around 12.45 pm   on   the   fateful   day.     According   to   the   prosecution   (FIR), Gurnam Singh received fist blows from A­1 around 12.30 pm and became unconscious.  The FIR is conspicuously silent about any physical attack by A­2 on Gurnam Singh.

To find either of the two accused guilty of the offence under Section 299 IPC, it must be proved that Gurnam Singh died as a consequence   of   the   physical   attack   and   the   resulting   injuries therefrom.     We   shall   defer   the   examination   of   the   medical evidence regarding the cause of death of Gurnam Singh for the time   being   and   proceed   on   the   basis   that   the   death   was homicidal as a consequence of the injuries received by him.  The question is ­ who caused the injuries?

34. We now examine each one of the above questions. To hold A­1 guilty of causing the death of Gurnam Singh, it must be proved that (i) he inflicted fist blows on Gurnam Singh as alleged by the prosecution; and (ii) the injuries resulting from the fist blows caused the death of Gurnam Singh.

35. In order to establish the fact that A­1 inflicted fist blows on Gurnam   Singh,   prosecution  relied upon the evidence of PWs 3 and 4 who claimed that they were travelling along with Gurnam Singh at the time of the occurrence in the car driven by Gurnam Singh and, therefore, witnessed the occurrence.

43. Therefore, we are of the opinion that the Sessions Court was wrong and the High Court was right (though the reasons are not well articulated) in believing the presence of PWs 3 and 4 at the time   of   the   commission   of   the   offence   along   with   deceased Gurnam   Singh.     We   must   hasten   to   add   that   from   the   above finding   it   does   not   follow   that   their   entire   evidence   is unimpeachable. 

44. Then it becomes necessary to examine as to what extent the evidence of PWs 3 and 4 is credible.  Both the witnesses in their evidence before the Sessions Court stated that they travelled with the deceased on the fateful day in a Maruti car driven by Gurnam Singh.     Both   of   them   stated   that   there   was   an   altercation between A­1 and the deceased regarding the right of way which resulted   in   the   1st  accused giving   fist  blows  to  Gurnam   Singh. They   did   not   make   any   allegation   in   their   evidence   that   A­2 attacked Gurnam Singh.  Their version is that when they tried to intervene to rescue Gurnam Singh, the 2nd accused attacked PW­ 3 by giving fist blows.