M.P. Pashchim Kshetra Vidyut Vitran Co. Ltd. vs Kutubuddin S/o Abdullah Bhai

This criminal appeal has been filed under Section 374 of the Cr.P.C. against the judgment dated 15.09.2004 passed by Additional Sessions Judge, Shajapur in Sessions Trial No.57/2004, whereby the learned Judge found appellant guilty for the offence punishable under Section 302 of IPC and sentenced him to life imprisonment and fine of Rs.1,000/- and in default of payment of fine he was to undergo three months rigorous imprisonment.

Brief facts of the prosecution case are that on 26.01.2004 at about 9:00 pm at village Darna District-Rajgarh when Dhapu Bai (PW.5) went out from her house for answering the call of nature, appellant/accused Radheshyam came there and molested her, the whole incident was seen by Badrilal. On 27.01.2004 at 5:00 pm Badrilal met with appellant Radheshyam at his field situated at the forest of village Darana and told him not to misbehave with Dhapu Bai otherwise she would be defamed. On that appellant assaulted Badrilal by knife with the intent to kill him and inflicted two blows on his chest and three on his back due to which Badrilal sustained grievous injuries and fell down and appellant fled away. Thereafter, Radheshyam, Poonam Chand (PW.9), Mahesh (PW.4) and Soram Bai (PW.8) reached on the spot. Badrilal narrated the whole incident to them. They took injured Badrilal to village Darana and then to District Hospital Shajapur for treatment where Badrilal was admitted for treatment. Dr Mahendra Gupta (PW.15) examined him and gave M.L.C. report Ex.P/29 and Dr N.C.Jhala (PW.16) also treated Badrilal and prepared bed head ticket Ex-P/30. Dr. Mahendra Gupta also sent information Ex-P/28 to P.S. Shajapur. On receiving that information Rajaram (PW.11) came to hospital and after taking report Ex.P/14 from Dr. Mahendra Gupta that Badrilal is in a condition to give statement, recorded the statement of Badrilal Ex.P/16, Nayab Tehsildar Roop Narayan Joshi (PW.6) also recorded the dying declaration Ex-P/4 of Badrilal in presence of doctors. After returning from hospital Rajaram (PW.11) lodged the report of the incident Ex.P/17 at P.S. Shajapur that report was written by Sub Inspector Satnam Singh (PW.17) on which Crime No. 03/04 for the offence under section 307 I.P.C. was registered. That report was sent to P.S. Khujner for original registration where crime No.21/04 for the offence under section 307 I.P.C. Ex.P/21 was registered against appellant by Lokendra Singh (PW.14). He further investigated the crime and during further investigation He reached on spot and prepared spot map Ex.P/22 on the information of Mahesh (PW.4) and seizure one blood stained cap of Badrilal from the spot and prepared seizure memo Ex.P/8 and recorded the statements of Mahesh (PW.4), Poonam Chand (PW.9), Soram Bai (PW.8), Dhapu Bai (PW.5), Radheshyam and Vikram. On 30/01/04 Soram Singh also recorded the case diary statement of Badrilal in District Hospital Shajapur. Lokendra Singh also arrested Appellant Radheshyam and prepared arrest memo Ex.P/5. On 06/02/04 on the information of Radheshyam he sized blood stained Knife from their possession from his house and prepared information memo Ex.P/6 and seizure memo Ex.P/7. On 09/02/04 Badrilal was referred from district Hospital Shajapur to M.Y. Hospital Indore for further treatment, where During treatment on 10.02.2004 Badrilal died. The information about the death of Badrilal was sent from M.Y. Hospital to Police Station Sanyogitaganj, on which the enquest No.048/04 Ex.P/19 under S.174 of Cr.P.C. was registered. Jagdish Prasad (PW.10) inquired that inquest. During enquiry, he reached the hospital and prepared inquest memo Ex.P/11 and sent the dead body for postmortem along with the request letter Ex.P/12 for postmortem. On that application postmortem was conducted by Dr. P.S. Thakur (PW.12) and gave P.M. report Ex.P/18. After completion of inquest enquiry the inquest No.048/04 Ex.P/19 was sent to P.S. Kujner where original inquest No.2/04 Ex.P/20 was registered. The blood stained shirt, bandi and trouser of deceased Badrilal were also seized. The seized articles blood stained cloth of deceased Badrilal and Knife were sent to FSL Sagar for chemical analysis through the S.P. Shajapur along with FSL draft Ex.P/23 and Visara sent to Gandhi Medical College Bhopal along with FSL draft Ex.P/24 Report Ex.P/25, was received from the FSL Sagar, After completion of the investigation charge-sheet was filled. On that charge sheet S.T. No.57/04 was registered against appellant. Trial court framed the charge for the offence under Section 302 of the IPC and tried the appellant.

The accused/appellant abjured their guilt and submitted that he was being falsely implicated in the matter. Prosecution produced as many as 16 witnesses for proving his case. However, appellant did not examine any witness in defence. The trial Court on considering the evidence, however convicted and sentenced the appellant as herein above indicated and hence, this appeal.

It is contended by the learned counsel for the appellant that there is no eye-witness of the incident and the statement of so called eye witness Mahesh (PW.4) is not believable. The trial Court also disbelieved his statement. Dying declaration of deceased Badrilal is also not reliable. So there is no reliable evidence on record showing appellant caused injuries to deceased Badrilal. Trial Court wrongly relying on dying declaration of deceased Badrilal and found appellant guilty for murdering Badrilal. Even otherwise according to M.L.C. report Ex.P/29 deceased Badrilal sustained only five injuries on his body, in the incident, three on his back and two on his chest. While Thakur (PW.12), who conducted the postmortem of deceased Badrilal clearly stated that Badrilal died due infection in the hole of the intestine which was made by the doctors during treatment for draining out the pus from abdomen of Badrilal. Therefore, from the prosecution evidence it is also not proved that Badrilal died due to injuries which he sustained in the incident. The trial Court has wrongly found appellant guilty for murdering Badrilal. Hence, Counsel prayed that the impugned judgment be set aside and the accused be acquitted from the said offence.

On the other hand, learned Counsel for the respondent/State has vehemently opposed the submissions of the Counsel for the appellant and fully supported the judgment of the Trial Court and submitted that there is ample evidence on record to show that respondent murdered Badrilal. From the dying declaration of deceased Badrilal Ex.P/4 recorded by the Narayan Joshi (PW.6) also corroborated by the statement of Soram Bai (PW.8). It is clearly proved that in the incident appellant Radheshyam assaulted deceased Badrilal by knife with the intent to kill him and inflicted two blows on his chest, three on his back and from the statement of Dr. P.S. Thakur (PW.12) it also proved that deceased Badrilal died due to injuries sustained by him in the incident. Learned trial Court did not commit any mistake in holding appellant guilty for the offence under Section 302 of IPC and prayed for rejection of appeal.

The question that arises for decision of appeal are that:- (i)whether on 27/01/14 at about 5:00 pm at forest of village Darna District-Rajgarh appellant caused injuries to deceased Badrilal by knife with intent to kill him and thereby committed his murder.

According to prosecution story there is no eye witness of the incident. prosecution case is solely based on dying declaration of deceased Badrilal and other circumstantial evidence. Although Mahesh (PW.4 ) son of deceased Badrilal deposed that on the date of incident at about 5:00 pm he was grazing cattle in the field, and at that time he saw accused Radheshyam inflicting injuries to his father Badrilal with knife and as he went to protect his father, accused fled away from the spot. But on that point his statement is appears to be after thought, because this fact is not mentioned in his case diary statement Ex.D/1 learned trial Court also rightly disbelieved his statement in this regard.

But as far as dying declaration of deceased Badrilal is concerned. Narayan Joshi (PW.6) who recorded the Dying Declaration of deceased Badrilal Ex.P/4 at District Hospital Shajapur, deposed that on 28.01.2004 after taking the certificate from duty doctor that Badrilal is fit for giving statement, he recorded Badrilal''s statement in which Badrilal stated that ''at the night of 26.02.2004 accused Radheshyam molested Dhapu Bai. So on the next day on 27.01.2004 at about 5:00 pm he went on the field and told Radheshyam to never repeat that mistake on which Radheshyam assaulted him by knife and inflicted two blows on his chest, and also on his back and fled away from the spot".

This Dying Declaration of deceased Badrilal is also corroborated by his another Dying Declaration Ex.P/16 recorded by Rajaram (PW.11) on the date of incident i.e. 27.01.04. He also deposed that on receiving the information Ex.P/28 that Badrilal was admitted in District Hospital Shajapur in injured condition, he reached there and recorded the statement of Badrilal Ex.P/16, in which he deposed that on 26.01.2004 at about 5:00 pm accused Radheshyam assaulted him by knife and he sustained two knife blows on his chest, two blow on his back and one on his shoulder, thereafter, he got unconscious and fell down. After some time Radheshyam s/o Aman Singh, Malviya, Poonam Chand s/o Amarsingh Nagar, Mahesh and Sorambai reached the spot and brought him to the village Darana. Rajaram also deposed that after recording statement of injured Badrilal he reached P.S. Kotwali Shajapur and logged report of the incident Ex.P/17 Satnam Singh (PW.17), who wrote that report also proved the report. That report also corroborates Rajaram''s statement.

Mahesh (PW.4) and Soram Bai (PW.8) who reached on spot soon after the incident and saw Badrilal in injured state also deposed that Badrilal narrated the incident to them and told that appellant inflicted injuries on him. There is no significant difference in the Dying Declaration of deceased Badrilal recorded by Roop Narayan Joshi (PW.6), Ex.P/16 recorded by Rajaram (PW.11) and oral Dying Declaration as stated by Mahesh (PW.4) and Soram Bai (PW.8). Although Kudan (PW.7) and Punamchand (PW.9) did not support the prosecution story in this regard but only on that ground the statement of other witness mainly the statement of Roop Narayan Joshi PW(6) who is independent witness cannot be disbelieved.

On the point that in the incident deceased Badrilal received two injuries on his chest and three injuries on his back by sharp object like Knife dying declaration of deceased Badrilal is also corroborated by his M.L.C. report Ex.P/29 given by Dr. Mahendra Shukla (PW.15), who examined the deceased Badrilal soon after the incident. He deposed that on 27.01.2004 at 10:30 pm he admitted Badrilal in the hospital and on examination he found following injuries on his body:- i) stab wound size 6 x 3 cm on right side of back below the scapula .

ii) stab wound size 4 x 2 cm below the first injury.

iii) stab wound 3 x 1 cm on left side of back inside the scapula.

vi) stab wound 2 x 1 cm right side of chest below the nipple.

v) incised wound 4 x 2 cm on chest below left nipple.

The injuries number one, two, four is caused by sharp pointed objects and injury No.5 is caused by sharp object and duration within 12 hours of his examination. His statement is also corroborated from M.L.C. report Ex.P/29. Dr.Mahendra Gupta (PW.15) is an independent witness so there is no reason to disbelieve his statement. He examined Badrilal on 27.01.2004 at 10:30 pm and found that injuries were within 12 hours from the examination. Incident also is said to be have occurred at 5 PM which shows that the injuries found by Dr. Mahendra Shukla (PW.15) on the body of Badrilal at the time of examination sustained by him in the incident were caused by hard and sharp object like knife.

Lokendra Singh (PW.14) also deposed that on receiving report Ex.P/17 from P.S. Shajapur he registered Crime No.21/04 at P.S. Khujner Ex.P/21 and during investigation of that crime he prepared spot map Ex.P/22 and seized one cap of deceased Badrilal from the spot and prepared seizure memo Ex.P/ 8. On 06.02.2004 he arrested accused Radheshyam and prepaid arrest memo Ex.P/5. On inquiry, accused Radheshyam informed that he had concealed the knife in his house. On the information of appellant he also recovered knife from the house of appellant and also seized blood stained clothes of appellant from his possession and prepared information memo Ex.P/6 and seizure memo Ex.P/7. Nageshwar (PW.1), deposed that Badrilal handed over his shirt, bandi and a white trouser to the police and seizure memo Ex.P/1 was prepared. Rajaram further deposed that seized articles were sent to FSL along with draft Ex.P/23. Report Ex.P/ 25 was received from FSL. In the report, it was mentioned that in the seized clothes of deceased and on the seized shirt of accused human blood was found. That fact also strengthen the dying declaration of deceased Badrilal. So there is no reason to disbelieve the Dying Declaration of Badrilal.

From the Dying Declaration of Badrilal, it appear that on 27.01.2004 at 5:00 pm at appellant''s field situated at the forest of village Darana appellant assaulted Badrilal by knife and inflicted two blows on his chest and three blows on his back.

As regards whether Badrilal died due to injuries sustained by him in the incident.

Dr. N.C.Jhala (PW.15), who examined the deceased Badrilal soon after the incident and treated him in District Hospital Shajapur, deposed that Badrilal was admitted in District Hospital Shajapur, from 27.01.2004 to 09.02.04 for treatment and on 09.02.04, he referred Badrilal to M.Y. Hospital and prepared Ex.P/ 30 and Jagdish (PW.10) deposed that on information of death of deceased Badrilal in the enquiry of inquest No. 048/04 he went to to M.Y. Hospital Indore where after calling witness by notice Ex.P/ 10 he prepared inquest memo Ex.P/11 of dead body of deceased Badrilal and sent the dead body of Badrilal for postmortem along with the request letter Ex.P/12 which shows that Badrilal died in M.Y. Hospital hospital during treatment of injuries sustained by him in the incident

But as far as the cause of Badrilal''s death is concerned Dr. P.S. Thakur (PW.12) who conducted the postmortem of deceased Badrilal deposed that on receiving request letter Ex.P/12. He conducted postmortem of deceased Badrilal on 11.02.o4 at 2.15 pm and found following injuries on the dead body of deceased Badrilal:- (i) Healed mark of surgically stitched were present over right side of chest 3 cm, blow and 1 cm left to right nipple vertical 2.5 cm long 2 stitches mark present.

(ii) Healed mark of surgically stitched were present over left side of chest 6 cm below left nipple 6 cm long 7 stitches mark present.

(iii) Healed mark of surgically stitched wound present over back of left side of chest 3 cm left to midline and 10 cm below left shoulder tip 2.5 cm log 3 stitches mark present vertical.

(iv) Healed mark of surgically stitched wound present over back of lower half of right side of the chest 6 cm right to midline obliquely vertical 3 cm log 3 stitches mark present.

(v) Healed mark of surgically stitched wound present over back of lower half of right side of the chest 2 cm right of injury no.4 obliquely vertical 4.5 cm long 5 stitches mark present.

(vi) Drainage wound present over left lateral surface of abdomen lower half anteriorly 2 x 1 cm. Evidence of surgical treatment was present.

And He opined that Badrilal died due to cordial respiratory failure as a result of perforation peritonitis and its complications. Perforation appears to be due to blunt trauma in abdomen. Duration of death was between 12 to 36 hour before P.M. All injuries are ante mortem. which is also corroborated from the P.M. report Ex.P/18.

Learned counsel of the appellant submitted that from the statement of Dr.P.S. Thakur (PW.12) it is clear that Badrilal did not die due to injuries sustained by him in the incident but due to that sixth injury on his abdomen caused by doctors during treatment for draining out pus from his abdomen. But his argument has no force. Dr. P.S. Thakur (PW.12) deposed that Badrilal died due to perforation peritonitis and its complications and that Perforation was caused due to blunt trauma in small intestine. He did not depose that perforation peritonitis was caused due to drainage wound. He also deposed that on opening abdominal cavity about 1.5 lit. yellowish brownish haemolysed fluid was found. All visceral organs of abdomen are slightly softened, shiny, yellowish tinged. Loops of intestines are adhere with each other at places with fibrinous adhesions jejunal part of small intestine is perforated 20 cm. Distal to distal end of duodenum 1.5 X 0.5 cm. A small 50cc. Blackish haematoma present in the mesentery near perforation of intestine.

Dr. N.C.Jhala (PW.16 ) who treated Badrilal in District Hospital-Shajapur also deposed that from 27.01.2004 to 09.02.2004 Badrilal remained admitted in District Hospital- Shajapur on 31.01.2004, he complained regarding pain in abdomen and found tenderness on left side of his abdomen in hypochondrium region below the liver. on 31.01.2004 Badrilal again complained regarding pain in abdomen, so he conducted sonography of his abdomen, in which he found the intestine dilated which also show that intestinal injury found by Dr.P.S. Thakur (PW.12) during PM of Badrilal either occurred to him during the incident or due to complication of injuries sustained by him in the incident. So it is clearly proved that deceased Badrilal died due to injuries sustained by him in the incident or its complications.

Dr. Mahendra Gupta (PW.15) deposed that the injuries sustained by deceased Badrilal could be dangerous to life if he had not been treated at that time. From the dying declaration of deceased Badrilal it also appears that appellant caused two injuries on his chest which is vital part of the body. He also caused three injuries on his back even after falling of deceased Badrilal which shows that appellant caused injuries to deceased Badrilal with intention to kill him.

Conviction can be based solely on the dying declaration if it trustworthy, there is no infirmity in the Dying Declaration of Badrilal. So from the evidence it is clearly proved on 27.01.2004 at about 5:00 pm at forest of village Darana District Rajgarh appellant caused injury to Badrilal by knife with intent to kill him due to which Badrilal died on 10.2.04 thereby appellant murdered Badrilal. So in the considered opinion of this Court the trial Court did not commit any mistake in holding appellant guilty for the offence u/S. 302 IPC for murdering Badrilal .

The sentence for Life Imprisonment and a fine of Rs. 1000/-, in default, rigorous imprisonment for three months, as awarded by the trial Court to appellant for the offence u/S. 302 IPC is quite adequate and this Court does not find any reason to interfere with the judgment. Hence, appeal filed by the accused stands dismissed. The period already undergone shall be set off from the period of substantive jail sentence. The appeal is disposed of accordingly.