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Judgment
J.C. Upadhyaya, J.—The challenge in this appeal is to the judgment and order rendered by the learned Sessions Judge, Valsad, in Sessions Case No. 550/2002, on 16.09.2004. The learned Sessions Judge recorded conviction of the appellant-accused for the offence punishable u/s 376 of the Indian Penal Code and awarded sentence of R.I for nine years and fine of Rs. 20,000/-, in default, to further undergo R.I for one year. It was further directed by the learned Sessions Judge that out of the fine recovered from the accused, Rs. 15,000/- be paid to the victim by way of compensation.
The facts leading to this appeal, in a nutshell, are as under:
2.1 On 23.09.2001 at about 15.30 hours, in Shiva Temple situated in the outskirts of village Nani-Vahiyal, Taluka : Pardi, District : Valsad, the accused-appellant called victim Hiralben, who was then aged about 13 years, and represented to her that he was a doctor and that he would give her Rs. 10/-, and according to the prosecution case, he committed sexual intercourse with victim Hiralben. It was further alleged that during the course of police investigation, though the name of the accused was Chhibubhai Naginbhai, he misled the investigating police officer that his name was Rameshbhai Naranbhai and thus, he committed offence punishable u/s 205 IPC. In connection with the incident, victim Hiralben herself lodged FIR before Dharampur Police Station and the police investigation was commenced. During the course of the investigation, statements of material witnesses were recorded and the prosecutrix was sent to Government Hospital for medical examination. After receipt of the medical certificate, police filed charge-sheet in the Court of learned J.M.F.C., Dharampur against the accused. Since the offence was exclusively triable by the Court of Sessions, the learned Magistrate committed the case to the Court of Sessions at Valsad.
2.2 The learned trial Judge framed charges against the accused for the offences punishable under Sections 376 & 205 of I.P.C at Exh.4. Since the accused did not plead guilty and claimed to be tried, the prosecution adduced oral and documentary evidence. After conclusion of evidence adduced by the prosecution, the learned trial Judge recorded further statement of the accused u/s 313 of Cr.P.C., wherein the accused denied generally all the allegations levelled against him and filed his written reply to the effect that he was falsely implicated in this case. The victim was never raped by him. That, he had paid Rs. 10/- to the victim for the purpose of purchasing incense to be used in the temple, but, the persons, who were present in the temple, made hue and cry and he was seriously beaten by them.
2.3 After appreciating the evidence on record and after hearing the arguments advanced on behalf of both the sides, the learned trial Judge rendered the impugned judgment, whereby he was pleased to acquit the accused for the offence punishable u/s 205 IPC, but, convicted him for the offence punishable u/s 376 IPC and awarded sentence, as stated hereinabove.
We have heard learned advocate Mr. J.B. Pardiwala for the appellant-accused and learned A.P.P. Mr. Bhatt for the respondent-State. We have also perused the record and proceedings of the case.
On behalf of the appellant, Mr. Pardiwala submitted that the learned trial Judge erred in convicting the accused-appellant for the offence punishable u/s 376 IPC. It is submitted that if the oral and documentary evidence adduced by the prosecution are taken into consideration as it is, the only offence said to have been committed by the accused is an attempt to commit rape punishable u/s 376 read with Section 511 of I.P.C. That, no actual rape was committed by the accused. That, the medical evidence adduced by the prosecution together with the deposition of prosecutrix Hiralben clearly reveals that there was no penetration at all. It is submitted that so far as the age of the prosecutrix is concerned, her age at the relevant time was 13 years. Therefore, it was submitted that the learned trial Judge erred in convicting the appellant-accused for the offence punishable u/s 376 IPC. The offence which is said to have been constituted is one punishable u/s 376 read with Section 511 IPC. It is submitted that the accused is in jail for more than 4 years & 6 months. He was arrested on 24.7.2001 and was released on bail pending trial on 6.11.2001. He came to be convicted on 16.9.2004 and since then he is in jail. It is submitted that the maximum sentence of imprisonment, for the offence of attempt to commit rape punishable u/s 376 read with Section 511 IPC, shall be half of the sentence of imprisonment prescribed for the offence punishable u/s 376 IPC, which comes to five years. Therefore, it is submitted that the conviction be altered to the offence punishable u/s 376 read with Section 511 IPC and the sentence awarded by the trial Court be altered to the sentence of imprisonment already undergone by the appellant-accused.
On behalf of the respondent-State, learned A.P.P. Mr. Bhatt submitted that considering the overall evidence on record together with the medical evidence, offence of rape punishable u/s 376 IPC can be said to have been proved by the prosecution. Therefore, it is submitted that the appeal be dismissed.
We have considered the oral and documentary evidence adduced by the prosecution in this case. The deposition of prosecutrix Hiralben is recorded at Exh.22. In her deposition, she has stated that she was called by the accused while the accused was in the temple and she went there and the accused gave her Rs. 10/-. That, she was undressed by the accused and that she was raped by the accused. That, she shouted and her uncle Navinbhai came there. Navinbhai also started shouting and the village people gathered there. That, she lodged FIR before police, which is produced at Exh.23. In her cross-examination, she has stated that she did not sustain any injury, either on her body or on her private part. She stated that at the time when she was raped by the accused, her uncle Navinbhai came. Considering the FIR Exh.23 about the incident, it is stated that at the time of rape, there was no penetration.
6.1 In the deposition of Navinbhai Nayak (Exh.34), he has stated that while he was passing near the temple, he heard shouting of Hiralben and, therefore, he went in the temple and saw that Hiralben was undressed and the accused was found on the body of Hiralben, and on seeing him, the accused tried to run away, but, he shouted for help and some of the village people came there and the accused was caught.
6.2 Dr.Rajendra Koradiya is examined at Exh.19. He had examined prosecutrix Hiralben and after examining the prosecutrix, he issued certificate Exh.20. In his deposition and Exh.20, it is stated that there were no marks of any injury on the body of the victim and that hymen was found intact. It was opined by the doctor that the findings are not suggestive of recent or past intercourse.
6.3 The prosecution examined Dr. Sulaxnaben Dharmendrabhai at Exh.31. The prosecutrix was also examined by this Doctor. She issued certificate which is produced at Exh.33. The medical examination reveals that her private part had become reddish and it was painful. There was no actual bleeding. She was referred to Civil Hospital, Valsad. We have considered the deposition of Dr.Koradiya, Medical Officer, Civil Hospital, Valsad, recorded at Exh.19 and the certificate issued by him at Exh.20. The medical certificate Exh.20 reveals that hymen was intact and there was nothing which could suggest recent or past intercourse.
6.4 The appellant-accused was examined by Dr. Iswarbhai Patel, Medical Officer, Dharampur Government Hospital, whose testimony is recorded at Exh.17. According to his deposition and the medical certificate Exh.18 issued by him, the appellant-accused was physically capable to commit rape, there were no bloodstains or semen-stains on his clothes, smegma was present. Dr. Patel, in his cross-examination on behalf of the accused, admitted that he did not find any symptom so that a conclusion can be arrived at that he committed rape.
Considering the oral and documentary evidence on record and especially, considering Section 375 IPC, it becomes clear that that sine-qua-non of the offence of rape is penetration. In the case of Koppula Venkat Rao Vs. State of Andhra Pradesh, in para-12 of the said judgment, the Hon''ble Apex Court has observed as under:
The sine qua non of the offence of rape is penetration, and not ejaculation. Ejaculation without penetration constitutes an attempt to commit rape and not actual rape. Definition of ''rape'' as contained in Section 375 IPC, refers to `sexual intercourse'' and the Explanation appended to the Section provides that penetration is sufficient to constitute the sexual intercourse necessary to the offence of rape. Intercourse means sexual connection. In the instant case that connection has not been established. Courts below were not correct in their view.
In that case, commission of actual sexual intercourse was not established, either from the evidence of the prosecutrix or from the medical evidence. The Hon''ble Apex Court came to the conclusion that commission of actual rape was not established, but, the evidence was sufficient to prove that an attempt to commit rape was made and the conviction was altered from Section 376 IPC to Section 376 read with Section 511 IPC.
Learned advocate Mr.Pardiwala placed reliance upon the decision in the case of Guddu @ Santosh v. State of Madhya Pradesh 2006 GLHEL SC 37212, wherein the Hon''ble Apex Court has observed that having regard to the medical evidence and the testimony of the prosecutrix corroborated by the statements of her mother and grandfather, the appellant-accused was found guilty of commission of offence punishable u/s 376 read with Section 511 IPC, and he was sentenced to ten years'' R.I by the High Court. The Hon''ble Apex Court has held that evidently, the appellant-accused had made an attempt to criminally assault the prosecutrix, the medical evidence showed swelling over her private part and it had become reddish, although her hymen was intact, redness of the hymen would not have been possible but for penetration to some extent. The Apex Court has further observed that it was established that there was an attempt to commit rape. The Hon''ble Apex Court has held that the High Court, however, erred in sentencing the appellant to 10 years'' R.I. The Hon''ble Apex Court in that case reduced the sentence to the imprisonment for five years from the imprisonment of 10 years.
In the case on hand, the evidence in the form of testimony of victim Hiralben and the deposition of her uncle Navinbhai together with the medical evidence on record, clearly reveals that there was no penetration, although the medical evidence showed that the private part of the victim had become reddish, but, her hymen was intact.
In the light of the above discussion, we are of the considered view that the learned trial Judge erred in recording conviction of the appellant-accused for the commission of offence punishable u/s 376 IPC. The appellant-accused is held guilty of the offence of an attempt to commit rape, punishable u/s 376 read with Section 511 IPC. As submitted by learned advocate Mr. Pardiwala, the appellant-accused is in jail since last 4 years & 6 months. Thus, the conviction recorded by the learned trial Judge for the offence punishable u/s 376 IPC is required to be altered to one punishable u/s 376 IPC read with Section 511 IPC. Considering the peculiar facts and circumstances of the case, the period undergone by the accused in the jail would be the appropriate sentence of imprisonment.
So far as the fine is concerned, the trial Court while recording the conviction of the accused for the offence punishable u/s 376 IPC, imposed fine of Rs. 20,000/-, and as submitted by learned advocate Mr.Pardiwala and the endorsement made below the certified copy of the judgment rendered by the learned trial Judge, it is clear that the appellant-accused has deposited the amount of fine of Rs. 20,000/- with the trial Court. The trial Court also directed that out of the amount of fine of Rs. 20,000/-, Rs. 15,000/- to be paid to victim Hiralben by way of compensation. Since the conviction is altered into the offence punishable u/s 376 read with Section 511 IPC, the amount of fine of Rs. 20,000/- imposed by the learned trial Judge is required to be reduced to Rs. 15,000/-maintaining the order of compensation rendered by the trial Court.
For the foregoing reasons, the appeal is partly allowed. The conviction recorded by the learned Sessions Judge, Valsad in Sessions Case No. 550/2002 by judgment and order dated 16.9.2004, for the offence punishable u/s 376 I.P.C. is altered into the offence punishable u/s 376 read with Section 511 of I.P.C, and the sentence of R.I. for nine years awarded by the learned Sessions Judge for the offence punishable u/s 376 IPC is altered to the sentence of imprisonment already undergone by the appellant-accused. The amount of fine of Rs. 20,000/- imposed by the learned Sessions Judge is reduced to Rs. 15,000/-, maintaining the order of compensation rendered by the learned Sessions Judge. The excess amount of fine of Rs. 5,000/- be refunded to the appellant-accused.