Mangaliya & Anr. vs State of M.P.

The appellant has preferred the present appeal against the judgment dated 20th March, 2008 passed by the Sessions Judge, Guna in Sessions Trial No.254/2007, whereby the appellant has been convicted of offence under Section 302 of IPC and sentenced to life imprisonment with a fine of Rs.1,000/-

The prosecution''s case, in short, is that on 05/05/2007, at about 6:00 pm Bablu (PW-1) along-with deceased Pahalwan went to wash their hands. Thereafter, they were consuming bidis at a public place in the village Biloniya Chak, Police Station Cantt. Guna, District Guna (MP). The appellant Bhagwat came to the spot and started abusing the deceased Pahalwan. When Pahalwan told not to abuse, the appellant gave a blow of axe on the head of the deceased Pahalwan. Again, a second blow was given on his neck. When complainant Bablu (PW-1) tried to save the deceased Pahalwan, the appellant also tried to give a blow to the complainant Bablu, but he saved himself. The appellant gave a threat to the complainant Bablu not to inform anyone about the incident. However, on shouting of Bablu a few persons of the village, namely, Devilal (PW-2) and Sitaram (PW-3) etc. came to the spot and thereafter the appellant ran away. Bablu and other villagers took the deceased Pahalwan to the hospital by a tractor and when police arrived at District Hospital Guna, Bablu informed the police about the incident and Head Constable Radheshyam Bhargava (PW-15) recorded a Dehati Nalisi Ex.P1. The Dehati Nalisi was sent to the police station and a case was registered by the FIR ExP13. The deceased Pahalwan, who was already in the hospital, examined by Dr.P.N. Dhakad (PW-8), who gave a MLC report Ex.P11. According to Dr.Dhakad, one lacerated wound was found on left forehead of the deceased whereas two incised wounds were found on the back of left ear. The deceased Pahalwan was admitted in the hospital for treatment. Dr. Sitaram Singh Raghuvanshi (PW-9) examined the deceased radiologically and gave a report Ex.P12. A depressed fracture of fronto parietal bone was found to him. After sometime the deceased Pahalwan succumbed to the injuries. ASI R.P. Sharma (PW-14) after completion of the formalities sent the dead body of the deceased Pahalwan for postmortem. Dr. Pushpendra Singh (PW13) performed the postmortem on the body of the deceased. He found the aforesaid three injuries as found by Dr.P.N.Dhakad (PW-8) and he also found abrasions on left shoulder and left elbow. On opening of the dead body, he found a depressed comminuted fracture to the deceased and clotted blood was found on meninges and nichosis was found within the tissues of the brain. On the left side of the chest third, fourth and fifth ribs were found broken and left lung was also lacerated below such fractures. According to Dr. Puspendra Singh, the deceased died due to head injury.

Head Constable Radheshyam Bhargava (PW15) went to the spot and prepared a spot map Ex.P2. SHO L.C. Shrivas (PW12) arrested the appellant on 14/05/2007 and prepared a memo Ex.P14. On information given by the appellant one axe was recovered from the appellant and a seizure memo Ex.P8 was prepared. The police have also received the clothes of the deceased from the hospital in a sealed packet. All such articles were sent to the Forensic Science Laboratory by a memo Ex.P6. After due investigation, the charge-sheet was filed before the Chief Judicial Magistrate, Guna who committed the case to the Court of Session.

The appellant abjured his guilt. He did not take any specific plea but he has stated that he was falsely implicated in the matter. However, no defence evidence was adduced.

The Sessions Judge,Guna after considering the prosecution evidence, convicted and sentenced the appellant, as mentioned above.

We have heard the learned counsel for the parties at length.

First of all, evidence given by Dr.Pushpendra Singh (PW13) may be considered, which is important. He performed the postmortem on the body of the deceased Pahalwan and gave a report Ex.P18. He found following injuries to the deceased:- "(i) Surgically stitched wound evident on left side forehead 2.5 cm above eyebrow 5 cm long vertically placed, margins contused swollen bluish black in colour 1 cm on each margin.

(ii) Surgically stitched wound on left temporal part posteriority with 2 stitches 1.5 cm long margins swollen bluish black.

(iii) Surgically stitched wound on Antero- Lateral occipital part 3 cm posterior from injury no 2 Bluish Black swelling evident 2 cm long, oblique.

(iv) Abrasion evident on left shoulder lateral aspect 2x3 cm reddish brown scab.

(v) Abrasion evident on left elbow posterior aspect 2 x 1 cm reddish brown scab."

Relating to the first three injuries, the report given by Dr.PN Dhakad (PW-8) may also be perused. He found the first injury, on the left side of forehead, to be a lacerated wound and injury nos.2 and 3 which were on the backside of the ear, were caused by sharp cutting weapon. According to Dr. Dhakad, all the three injuries were fatal in nature. According to Dr. Puspendra Singh (PW-13), a depressed comminuted fracture was found below the injury nos.1, 2 and 3 and consequently meninges and brain were injured. He has specifically mentioned that the fracture was also below the injury nos.2 and 3 and that portion of brain was also injured. Dr. PN Dhakad (PW-8) has opined that the injury nos.1, 2 and 3 were fatal in nature whereas Dr.Sitaram Singh Raghuvanshi (PW-9) found a depressed fracture of fronto parietal bone on the left side of the head.

Dr.Pushpendra Singh (PW-13) has accepted that the injuries found on the back of the ear i.e. on the parietal region could be caused by sharp cutting weapon whereas such opinion given by Dr. PN Dhakad (PW-8) that injury nos 2 and 3 were caused by sharp cutting weapon and injury no. No.1 could be caused by hard and blunt object. According to Dr. Pushpendra Singh (PW13), each of injuries no.1, 2 and 3 was sufficient to cause death of the deceased and the death of the deceased Pahalwan was homicidal in nature. Looking to the various injuries and their nature, it cannot be said that such injuries could be caused by the deceased Pahalwan himself or those could be caused in any accident. When looking to the injuries of the deceased death of the deceased could be neither accidental nor suicidal then opinion of Dr.Pushpendra Singh should be accepted that it was homicidal in nature.

In the present case, there was sole eyewitness, namely, Bablu (PW1) who has partly turned hostile. He has stated that on asking he gave a bidi to the deceased Pahalwan Singh and suddenly the appellant Bhagwat came from the back side of deceased Pahalwan and gave a blow of axe on the head and two blows were given on temporal region as well on the neck. When Bablu tried to save his cousin Pahalwan the appellant raised the axe to give a blow to the complainant Bablu and, therefore, he ran away. Thereafter, the deceased Pahalwan Singh fell down on the ground. Bablu has accepted that he had lodged a Dehati Nalisi Ex.P1 at District Hospital, Guna. His contention was duly proved by Head Constable Radheshyam Bhargava (PW15). Though the witness Bablu has turned partly hostile but relevant portion of his testimony appears to be acceptable. There was no suggestion of enmity given to the witness Bablu so that he would have falsely implicated the appellant in the crime. Testimony of Bablu is duly corroborated by Devilal (PW2) and Sitaram (PW3) who have seen the deceased Pahalwan Singh in injured condition and, thereafter, they took the deceased Pahalwan Singh to the District Hospital, Guna by a tractor. These witnesses have stated that Bablu who was cousin of the deceased Pahalwan Singh had informed that it was the appellant Bhagwat who assaulted the deceased Pahalwan Singh. Hence, the testimony of the witness Bablu is duly corroborated by the witnesses Devilal (PW2) and Sitaram (PW3) where their evidence can be considered under Section 6 of the Evidence Act.

The incident took place at about 6:00 pm and a Dehati Nalisi Ex.P1was lodged by complainant Bablu at about 8:15 pm whereas sufficient time was taken by the villagers to take the deceased Pahalwan to the hospital by a tractor and, therefore, Dehati Nalisi as recorded by Head Constable Radheshyam Bhargava (PW-15) appears to be recorded within a reasonable time and no delay has been caused in lodging the FIR. The testimony of the complainant Bablu is duly proved by the timely lodged Dehati Nalisi Ex.P1. Also, the testimony of the complainant Bablu is duly supported by the medical evidence as given by Dr.PN Dhakad (PW-8), Radiologist Dr.Sitatam Singh Raghuvanshi (PW-9) and Dr. Pushpendra Singh (PW13) who performed the postmortem of the deceased. In MLC report, only three injuries were found to the deceased Pahalwan Singh. It appears that since he was unconscious and, therefore, remaining minor injuries could not be noticed by Dr. PN Dhakad. However, Dr.Pushpendra Singh (PW-13) when examined the body of the deceased Pahalwan in detail, he found abrasion on left shoulder as well as on left elbow. Such injuries could be caused due to fall of deceased Pahalwan Singh after getting three strokes given by the appellant. Hence, the medical evidence also supports the evidence given by Bablu (PW1).

The learned counsel for the appellant has submitted that there is a lot of contradiction between the medical evidence and ocular evidence. Therefore, in the light of the judgment passed by the Division Bench of this Court in the case of ''''Dhanna alias Dhaniya and others vs. State of MP'''' [2005 CrLJ 3555] and the judgment passed by the Apex Court in the case of ''''State of MP vs. Sanjay Rai'''' [2005 (1) JLJ 411], in which the ocular evidence was discarded because of its contraction with the medical evidence, evidence of the eyewitness Bablu be discarded. The sole contradiction which is referred by the learned counsel for the appellant that according to Bablu (PW-1) the appellant assaulted the deceased Pahalwan Singh with an axe whereas the injury no.1 as found by Dr. PN Dhakad (PW-8) could be caused by hard and blunt object. However, such submission cannot be accepted in the present case because remaining two blows found to the deceased Pahalwan Singh were caused by sharp cutting weapon and those two blows were also sufficient to cause death of the deceased because a depressed fracture was found on the left parietal bone also and below that fracture, brain as well as meninges were found injured. Hence, if one injury was not found to be incised wound then it makes no difference. If a blow is given by sharp cutting weapon and due to thickness of hair, it is possible that the wound would not be caused as clean cut then certainly doctor would have opined that it could be caused by hard and blunt object. But so far as the eyewitness is concerned, he was correct that he saw that the appellant assaulted the deceased with an axe. Hence, in the present case, the medical evidence as proved by Dr.PN Dhakad (PW8) as well as Dr. Pushpendra Singh (PW13) is not contradictory to the ocular evidence so that ocular evidence may be discarded. The aforesaid judgments of the Apex Court as well as the Division Bench of this Court are not applicable in the present case. Under these circumstances, the testimony of the complainant Bablu though he was cousin of the deceased Pahalwan is acceptable because it is duly corroborated by timely-lodged FIR (Dehati Nalisi) Ex.P1 and medical evidence as proved by Dr.P N Dhakad (PW-8), Dr. Sitaram Singh Raghuvanshi (PW-9) and Dr. Pushpendra Singh (PW-13).

On the basis of the aforesaid discussion, the trial Court has rightly found that appellant gave as many as three blows of the axe causing death of the deceased Pahalwan Singh. The learned counsel for the appellant has also submitted that Bablu had shifted from his original story. According to the original story, the appellant Bhagwat abused the deceased Pahalwan Singh and when Pahalwan told him not to abuse, thereafter he gave three blows of the axe whereas before the Court he did not tell about the story of abuse. However, it is a minor contradiction and it cannot be accepted to discard the testimony of the complainant Bablu. Similarly, Bablu in para 6 has accepted that the incident took place at about 6:00 pm and there was no much light at that time. However, the incident took place in the month of May and, therefore, at about 6:00 pm in the month of May, there should be sufficient light so that the witness Bablu would have seen the incident. Bablu has partly turned hostile and he tried to save the appellant- accused by accepting that there was no much light at the time of incident but looking to his original version which is duly corroborated by the medical evidence as well as the FIR Ex.P1, it is true that the witness Bablu saw the incident and told about the incident to the other witnesses.

The learned counsel for the appellant also submitted that according to witnesses Devilal (PW2) and Sitaram (PW3) when the villagers shouted that Pahalwan Singh was injured, they went to the spot and found Pahalwan lying on the ground and at that time, Bablu was not present. It is further submitted by the learned counsel for the appellant that Bablu is a tutored witness. However, that submission cannot be accepted. Devilal (PW2) and Sitaram(PW3) have accepted that the information received by them from the villagers that Pahalwan Singh, brother of Sitaram was injured by the appellant Bhagwat with an axe and without any eyewitness villagers could not know about the culprit from very beginning and, therefore, it indicates that though Bablu went from the spot due to fear of the appellant but on his shouting, various villagers could know that it was the appellant who assaulted the deceased Pahalwan Singh. Hence, it cannot be said that Bablu was a planted witness.

It is true that Kishan (PW-4) and Sobran Singh (PW-5) etc. have turned hostile. Even the witnesses relating to seizure of the axe have turned hostile. However, since no report of Forensic Science Laboratory is filed, seizure of axe could not add any evidence against the appellant by the prosecution.

After considering the prosecution evidence by its totality, it is clear that initially, the complainant Bablu (PW-1) left the spot due to fear of the appellant but he shouted about the appellant that he assaulted the deceased Pahalwan Singh with an axe and, therefore, the villagers knew about the incident and, therefore, when the deceased was taken to the hospital by his brother Sitaram the witness Bablu was also called and he was taken to the hospital where he lodged the FIR. Sitaram (PW3) has stated in para 2 of his statement that Bablu told him about the incident that the appellant Bhagwat assaulted the deceased Pahalwan Singh.

The learned counsel for the appellant has submitted that no enmity between the deceased Pahalwan Singh and the appellant Bhagwat could be proved so that he would have killed the deceased Pahalwan Singh. However, for conviction under Section 302 of IPC, it is not necessary to prove enmity between the parties. If the enmity is proved, then it would be an additional piece in the chain of circumstantial evidence. If there was no enmity then there was no reason for either Sitaram or Bablu to falsely implicate the appellant Bhagwat. Hence, in absence of enmity the chances of false implication of the appellant can go away. Under these circumstances, there is no reason to discard the testimony of the complainant Bablu (PW1). Hence, it is proved beyond doubt that it was the appellant who gave three blows of the axe to the deceased Pahalwan Singh causing his death.

So far as the intention of the appellant is concerned, he gave as many as three blows on the vital part of the body of the deceased Pahalwan Singh causing depressed fracture of not only frontal bone but also of parietal bone and meninges and brain below such parts were found injured and due to head injury, the deceased died. If the appellant did not intend to kill the deceased Pahalwan Singh then after giving one blow he would have stopped giving blows or blows would have given to non-vital part of the body but looking to the depressed fracture from frontal bone to parietal bone on left side, it appears that the appellant Bhagwat gave three blows with force and, therefore, his repeated assaults clearly indicate that he intended to kill the deceased. When the appellant gave three blows of axe to the deceased with intention to kill him, then the trial Court has rightly found that the appellant was guilty of offence under Section 302 of IPC.

So far as the sentence is concerned, the trial Court has recorded the minimum sentence prescribed for that offence and, therefore, no further dilution can be done by this Court.

On the basis of aforesaid discussion, there is no reason to interfere in the judgment of conviction and sentence passed by the trial court. It is proved beyond doubt that the appellant killed the deceased Pahalwan Singh by giving three consecutive blows of axe on the head of the deceased Pahalwan Singh. Under these circumstance, the appeal filed by the appellant Bhagwat cannot be accepted and consequently, it is hereby dismissed by affirming the judgment of conviction and sentence passed by the trial Court.