8. Learned counsel placed reliance on the judgment passed by the Supreme Court in the case of Churan Yadav v. State of Bihar, AIR 1971 SC 1641 and Mohammad Klam Khan v. Narcotics Control Bureau and Anr., E.F.R. (II) 213, Mst Phoolkunwarbai and Anr. v. State of M.P., 1994 EFR (I) 600 and State of M.P. v. Faz Mohammad, 1978 JLJ S. No. 2 (DB). All these authorities are unequivocally say that the prosecution has to establish by adducing satisfactory evidence that the house belonged to and was in possession of the appellant, and the contraband article was in his conscious possession. In the view of this Court, the learned Trial Court has not appreciated the evidence in this regard in its proper perspective. There is no satisfactory evidence available on record to hold that the house was owned and was in possession of the appellant No. 1 and the alleged contraband article (Smack) was seized from his conscious possession.
In the lack of the evidence regarding exclusive possession of the appellants over the alleged house the testimony of K.M. Chourasiya (P.W.2), Excise Sub-inspector does not help to the prosecution in any manner and conviction could not be sustained on its testimony or seizure as laid down by the Apex Court in the matter of Ghurun Yadav v. State of Bihar in which it is held as under :
It has been submitted by the appellant that the impugned
judgment and sentence have been imposed by the ld. Trial Court
mechanically without due application of mind and that the evidence has not
been appreciated; that no evidence has been led by the State to establish that
the House No. 585, Four Storey, Vishal Enclave, Delhi was in the exclusive
possession of the appellant nor had it been proved that she was the sole
owner of the same; and that there was no evidence on the record to connect
the accused with the premises from where the contraband was found and in
relation thereto, reliance has been placed on behalf of the appellant on the
verdicts of the Hon'ble Supreme Court in the case Mohd. Alam Khan vs.
Narcotics Control Bureau & Anr., I (1196) CR 190 (SC) and in the case
Guran Yadav vs. State, AIR 1971 SC 1641.
8. Learned counsel placed reliance on the judgment
passed by the Supreme Court in the case of Churan Yadav v.
State of Bihar : AIR 1971 SC 1641 and Mohammad Klam
Khan v. Narcotics Control Bureau and Anr., E.F.R. (II) 213,
Mst Phoolkunwarbai and Anr. v. State of M.P. 1994 EFR (I)
600 and State of M.P. v. Faz Mohammad 1978 JLJ 2 (DB). All
these authorities are unequivocally say that the prosecution has
to establish by adducing satisfactory evidence that the house
belonged to and was in possession of the appellant, and the
contraband article was in his conscious possession. In the view
of this Court, the learned Trial Court has not appreciated the
evidence in this regard in its proper perspective. There is no
satisfactory evidence available on record to hold that the house
was owned and was in possession of the appellant No. 1 and
the alleged contraband article (Smack) was seized from his
conscious possession."
8. Apart the above, the Investigating Officer Shri M.S. Sikarwar, (PW-7) deposed
that in pursuance to the aforesaid memorandum of the applicant, the alleged
recovery of currency was made from the house of the applicant but through
any document he could not prove that the house from which the alleged
currency and documents were recovered and seized was in exclusive
possession of the applicant. The same has also not been proved by the other
evidence available on record. In such premises, the inference could only be
drawn that at the time of alleged recovery the applicant was in custody of the
Police and such house was in possession of some other person and in such
circumstances the alleged recovery could not be said to be at the instance of
the applicant from his house. It is not the case of the prosecution that at the
time of seizure, the alleged house was closed or locked and same was opened
at the instance of the applicant. In such premises, exclusive possession of the
applicant over such house could not be deemed and I am of the considered
view that unless the exclusive possession of the applicant over the house,
from where the alleged currency and documents were seized is proved by any
admissible or documentary evidence, the alleged house could not be deemed
to be the house of the applicant and in such premises, the applicant could not
be connected with the alleged recovery. My aforesaid view is fully fortified by
the decision of the Apex Court in the matter of Ghuran Yadav Vs. State of
Bihar reported in AIR 1971 SC 1641, in which it was held as under:-
8. In this context, I have examined whether there
is any evidence to prove the possession of the house. PW6
conducted investigation and laid charge before Court. He
Crl.. Appeal No.1847/2004 10
obtained a certificate from PW7 to prove the possession of
the house. PW5, Taluk Supply Officer deposed that he
received Ext.P6 document at the time of issuing ration card
and as per Ext.P6, one Purushothaman is the head of the
family and Sarasamma is his wife. Even though Ext.P6 was
produced before Court, that itself is not sufficient to prove
the possession of the house. The Secretary of the
Chettikulangara Grama Panchayat (PW7) issued Ext.P7
certificate and as per Ext.P7, the owner of the house is one
Purushothaman but he is not an accused in this case. Apex
Court in Ghuran Yadav v. State of Bihar [AIR 1971 SC 1641]
held as follows:
7. A three bench decision of the Apex Court in
Ghuran Yadav v. State of Bihar [AIR 1971 SC 1641]
held that the conviction of a person under Sec.47 of the
Bihar and Orissa Excise Act is illegal when there is no
legal evidence to show that it was the house of the
accused which was searched.
In the light of the above decision, I have examined
whether there is any evidence to connect the accused with the
alleged offence. The occurrence was deposed by PW1, the
Excise Inspector, Mattannur. His evidence shows that on
1.12.1995, he got information that the accused was
manufacturing illicit arrack in her residence. He prepared a
search memorandum and sent it to the Court, thereafter
arrived at the house of the accused, conducted a search,
during search, he seized 1.5 ml arrack and 30 litres of wash,
for that he prepared Ext.P1 mahazar. After taking sample, he
destroyed the wash at the place of occurrence. MO1 to MO6
Crl.R.P.No.986/2003 4
were taken into custody. The accused was released on bail. He
also registered Ext.P2 crime and occurrence report. The
arrack was send over to the chemical examination lab and
obtained Ext.P3 chemical analysis report. Ext.P4 is the search
list. PW2 supported the evidence of PW1, who identified
signature in Ext.P1. He also identified MO1 to MO3. PW4
deposed that it was seized from a shed near the house of the
accused. The independent witnesses residing near the house
of the revision petitioner identified the revision petitioner. It
is true that no documentary evidence has been adduced by
PW1 to prove the possession of the house, but the evidence of
independent witnesses and the excise officials show that MO1
to MO6 were seized from the house of the revision petitioner.