Research › Search › Judgment

Madras High Court · body

2004 DIGILAW 828 (MAD)

Durai alias Duraisamy v. The State represented by the Inspector of Police, Tiruppur North

2004-07-02

M.KARPAGAVINAYAGAM, S.K.KRISHNAN

body2004
S.K.Krishnan, J.: This appeal has been preferred by the accused/appellant against the conviction and sentence passed in S.C.No.57 of 1995 dated 14.2.1996 by the Principal Sessions Judge, Coimbatore. 2. The facts, leading to the filing of this appeal, in brief, are as follows: (a) Five years prior to the date of occurrence, both the appellant and the deceased Kanniyappan occupied Poramboke land of Noiyal river at Karumarampalayam and they have been residing at the Northerm side of the river. (b) The deceased Kanniyappan was working as a coolie under the appellant, a building contractor. Since the appellant was not prompt in making payment of wages to the deceased and there was a dispute between them, the deceased had chosen to work as a coolie under one Mari Boyan. (c) Having got irritated by the attitude of the deceased, the appellant came to the house of the deceased on 12.2.1994 at about 11.00 p.m. and on his shouting, the deceased came out of the house and there was some altercation between them. During such altercation, the appellant, took a knife from his waist and stabbed the deceased on his chest and all over his body indiscriminately. (d) On seeing this gruesome attack, P.W.1 Kuppammal, wife of the deceased, and his daughter Chitra cried. On hearing the cry of P.W.1, P.W.2 Palanisamy, came to the scene of occurrence and witnessed the attack by the appellant on the deceased. P.W.3 Ramasamy, also came to the scene of occurrence and saw the fleeing away of the appellant. (e) Thereafter. P.W.1 and P.W.2 took the deceased to the Government Hospital, Tiruppur, where, he was admitted by P.W.6 Doctor, who issued accident register Ex.P-6. (f) After admitting the deceased, P. W. 1 went to Tiruppur North Police Station and gave an oral complaint, which was reduced into writing by P.W. 10 Head Constable, who registered a case, on the basis of the complaint Ex.P-1, in Cr.No. 194 of94 under Sec.326, I.P.C. P.W.10 sent Ex.P-1 and the F.I.R. Ex.P-16 to the Judicial Magistrate No.1, Tiruppur and also a copy of Ex.P-16 to P.W.11 Sub Inspector of Police. (g) P.W.11, who took up the investigation, on 13.2.1994 recorded the statement of the deceased and P.W. 1 at the hospital and thereafter he proceeded to the scene of occurrence and prepared observation mahazar Ex.P-2 and rough sketch Ex.P-18 in the presence of P.W.4 Sakthivel and one Vijayabalan and also recovered bloodstained earth M.0.2 and sample earth M.0.3 under Ex.P-3 Mahazar. (h) Thereafter, around 11.00 a.m., P.W.11 arrested the accused and on the basis of his confession Ex.P-4, P.W.11 recovered the knife M.O.I under the cover of Ex.P-5 Mahazar in the presence of P.W.5 Abibulla Sait and one Abu Baker. (i) During enquiry, P.W.11, found an injury on the forehead of the appellant and when he was asked about the injury, the appellant gave a counter complaint, which was registered by P.W.11, in Cr.No.217 of 1994 under Secs.341 and 323, I.P.C. and sent the appellant to the Government Hospital Tiruppur with a police memo for receiving first aid treatment from P.W.7 and after examination P.W.8 issued a wound certificate Ex.P-9. The appellant was, thereafter, sent to judicial custody. (j) On 16.2.1994 at about 8.30 p.m., P.W.11 got the information from the Medical College and Hospital, Coimbatore, that the deceased Kanniyappan died at 2.50 p.m., and therefore, he altered the case into one under Sec.302, I.P.C. and sent the Express F.I.R. Ex.P-21 to the Judicial Magistrate No.1, Tiruppur and thereafter, he sent the files to the Inspector of Police, (k) P.W.12 Inspector of Police took up further investigation. On 17.2.1994, at Coimbatore Medical College and Hospital in front of the panchayatadars, he conducted inquest over the body of the deceased and prepared inquest report Ex.P-22. He then made further enquiry on the witnesses P.W. 1 to 3 and sent the body of the deceased for the post mortem examination with the requisition Ex.P-7. After examining the Doctors P.W.6 and P.W.7 and observing all the formalities and on completion of the investigation, he filed a charge sheet under Sec.302, I.P.C. before the Court of Judicial Magistrate No.1, Tiruppur. (1) Further, P.W.12, referred the counter case, given by the appellant, registered in Cr.No.217 of 1994 as mistake of fact and sent the referred report Ex.P-23 to the Court. 3. The prosecution, to prove the above case, examined 12 witnesses, filed 23 exhibits and marked 3 material objections before the trial Court. 4. (1) Further, P.W.12, referred the counter case, given by the appellant, registered in Cr.No.217 of 1994 as mistake of fact and sent the referred report Ex.P-23 to the Court. 3. The prosecution, to prove the above case, examined 12 witnesses, filed 23 exhibits and marked 3 material objections before the trial Court. 4. When the trial Court questioned the accused under Sec.313(l)(b), Crl.P.C, the accused totally denied the case of the prosecution as false. No witness was examined and no exhibit was filed on the side of the defence. But the appellant/accused filed a statement before the learned sessions Judge, stating that on the fateful day around 11.30 p.m., while he was returning to this home, since the deceased was making public nuisance in a drunken state with an aruval and when the same was asked by the appellant, the deceased cut the appellant with the aruval and thereafter, he went to the police station and gave a complaint, which was not registered and on the next day, the police obtained a signature under threat and he was sent to the hospital. Further, he stated that since the persons who assembled there, attacked the deceased, he sustained injuries and that the prosecution witnesses gave false evidence. 5. On the basis of the oral and documentary evidence, the trial Court, convicted the accused/ appellant under Sec.302, I.P.C. and sentenced him to undergo life imprisonment. 6. Aggrieved against the conviction and sentence passed by the learned Principal Sessions Judge, Coimbatore, the present appeal has been preferred by the appellant. 7. We have heard the learned counsel appearing for the appellant and also the learned Additional Public Prosecutor. 8. The learned counsel appearing for the appellant would vehemently contend that the conviction and sentence passed by the learned Sessions Judge, is not at all sustainable for the following reasons. (a) The motive stated by the prosecution is not at all established through the prosecution witnesses. (b) The circumstances shown by the prosecution case would reveal that following the quarrel between the accused and the deceased due to the sudden provocation, the accused stabbed the deceased and not with the intention to cause the death of the deceased. (c) The eyes witnesses P.W.2 and P.W.3., could not have seen the accused for the reason that the said occurrence had taken place in dark. (c) The eyes witnesses P.W.2 and P.W.3., could not have seen the accused for the reason that the said occurrence had taken place in dark. Therefore, the conviction on the appellant has to be set aside and the appellant is entitled for acquittal. 9.Per contra, the learned Additional Public Prosecutor would contend that the conviction and sentence passed by the learned Sessions Judge warrants to interference of this Court for the reason that the prosecution case has been proved beyond reasonable doubt by the pros-ecution witnesses. 10. Further, the learned Additional Public Prosecutor would submit that when P.W.1 and P.W.3 clearly established the motive for the occurrence and P.W.1 and P.W.2 witnessed the occurrence and P.W.3 also witnessed the fleeing of the accused after committing the said offence from the scene of occurrence and the evidence of P.W. 1 and P.W.2 is corroborated by the evidence of the doctors P.W.6 and P.W.7, it cannot be said that the conviction and sentence is not sustainable. 11. The learned Additional Public Prosecutor would further contend that when the motive is established by the prosecution witnesses, there is no question of sudden provocation and that too in the absence of any good reason for such sudden provocation, the contention of the learned counsel for the appellant cannot be accepted and that the prosecution case is not suffering from any infirmity and therefore the judgment of conviction rendered by the trial Court has to be confirmed. 12. The learned Additional Public Prosecutor has also relied on the decision in Jagtar Singh and another v. State of Punjab, 1999 S.C.C. (Crl.) 120, wherein the appellant inflicted gandasa blow on the head of the deceased and the deceased died after 16 days of the incident and the doctor opined that the death was caused by septicemia which was due to head injury and the said injury was sufficient in the ordinary course of nature to cause death and in the above circumstances, the Supreme Court held that the appellant was convicted rightly under Sec.302, I.P.C. 13. It is an admitted fact that the appellant, the deceased, P.W.2 and P.W.3, all were residing on the bank of Noiyal river. It is also a fact that the deceased was a coolie under the appellant. 14. It is stated that the appellant was not at all regular in payment of wages to the deceased. It is an admitted fact that the appellant, the deceased, P.W.2 and P.W.3, all were residing on the bank of Noiyal river. It is also a fact that the deceased was a coolie under the appellant. 14. It is stated that the appellant was not at all regular in payment of wages to the deceased. In such circumstances, whenever the deceased demanded wages payable to him, there was a quarrel between the appellant and the deceased. 15. It is stated that six months prior to the occurrence, there was a quarrel between these two with regard to non payment of wages. Since the deceased demanded wages payable to him on and off, the appellant got irritated and thereby there was enmity between them. This fact has been referred to in Ex.P-1. 16. It is seen that the said enmity developed further when the deceased joined as a coolie with one Mari Boyan. In the wake of development of such enmity, the accused came to the house of the deceased on the fateful day around 11.30 p.m. stood outside the house and shouted against the deceased. 17. On hearing the shouting of the accused, the deceased came out of the house and questioned him. Then there was a wordy quarrel between them and during that quarrel, the accused took out a knife from his waist and stabbed on the chest of the deceased and also stabbed all over his body indiscriminately. 18. On seeing this murderous attack, P.W.1, wife of the deceased and her daughter cried. On hearing the cry of P.W.I, P.W.2 Palanisamy, who is residing near to the house of the deceased came to the spot and witnessed the occurrence. The accused, after stabbing the deceased, ran away from the scene with the weapon, which was witnessed by P.W.3, who is also residing near to the house of the deceased. 19. Now, in the light of the evidence of these witnesses and the materials placed by them, it is for us to see whether the contentions urged by the learned counsel appearing for the appellant are tenable. 20. 19. Now, in the light of the evidence of these witnesses and the materials placed by them, it is for us to see whether the contentions urged by the learned counsel appearing for the appellant are tenable. 20. P.W.1 has deposed that three months prior to the date of occurrence, her husband attended the building work under the accused and there was a dispute between the accused and her husband over the non-payment of wages at every week end and therefore, her husband joined with another person and attended his job. 21. P.W.3 also has deposed that the deceased Kanniyappan had worked under the accused for some time and he himself stopped attending the work, since the accused did not pay the wages promptly and thereafter, on compromise made by P.W.3 and others, again the deceased attended the work under the accused and again there was no timely payment and therefore, there was dispute between the accused and the deceased Kanniyappan and consequently, deceased left his job. 22. In the complaint Ex.P-1, the above fact has been referred to. 23. Further, in the statement given by the appellant under Ex.P-10, he himself admitted that following a wordy quarrel, there was enmity between the appellant and the deceased. 24. The above evidence of P.W. 1 the wife and P.W.3, who is a neighbour, and the complaint Ex.P-1 and also the statement of the appellant under Ex.P-19 would prove clearly that there was enmity between the appellant and the deceased over the non payment of wages and thereby there was a motive against the deceased and in such circumstances, the contention of the learned counsel that the motive was not established by the prosecution witnesses cannot be accepted. 25. P.W. 1 has deposed that on the day of occurrence at night, the accused came to her house and shouted at her husband asking him as to why he did not come to the work and had gone to some other place for work, for which, her husband questioning the accused as why he was shouting for this, and immediately, thereafter, the accused took the knife from his waist and stabbed her husband on his right chest, on his face, hand, leg etc., indiscriminately causing more than 20 injuries. 26. 26. P.,W.2, in his evidence, has stated that on the day of occurrence at about 11 .p.m., on hearing the cry of P.W.1, P. W.2 came out of his house with a hurricane lamp and went in front of the house of the deceased Kanniyappan and saw the accused sitting on the chest of the deceased and stabbing him. 27. P.W.3 has deposed that On 12.2.1994 at about 11 p.m., on hearing the cry of P.W.1 and P.W.2, P.W.3 and one Angappan, while reaching the scene of occurrence saw that the accused was fleeing away from the scene and that the deceased Kanniyappan was lying on the ground with stab injuries. 28. Form the above evidence of P.W. 1 to P.W.3, who are the eye witnesses, it is clear that there was no sudden provocation for the appellant for causing not less than 20 stab injuries on all over the body with the knife indiscriminately. 29. When there was enmity between the deceased and the appellant and thereby, it was established that there was a motive and intention to kill the deceased and the fact that the appellant caused injuries on the chest, face, leg and hand of the deceased, not less than twenty in numbers with knife, the contention of the learned counsel appearing for the appellant that due to sudden provocation, the appellant stabbed the deceased, cannot be accepted. Because, firstly, as contended by the learned Additional Public Prosecutor, when it is proved that there was enmity between the deceased and the appellant and as such there was a motive against the deceased, there is no room for coming to the conclusion that the act done by the appellant was only due to the sudden provocation. Secondly, the appellant had not left the occurrence place by causing a single stab on the deceased and on the contrary he repeatedly inflicted several injuries on vital parts of the body. 30. The contention of sudden provocation can be accepted only when it is proved that there is no enmity and the act of the deceased led to sudden provocation and thereby, the act done by the appellant, could be natural to the human being in using the weapon and attack. 30. The contention of sudden provocation can be accepted only when it is proved that there is no enmity and the act of the deceased led to sudden provocation and thereby, the act done by the appellant, could be natural to the human being in using the weapon and attack. Only then, there is a room for coming to the conclusion that the appellant might have committed the offence under sudden provocation, otherwise, as in the instant case, this Court cannot came to the conclusion that the appellant committed the said offence under sudden provocation. 31. The learned counsel appearing for the appellant would contend that P.W.2 and P.W.3 could not have witnessed the occurrence, since the alleged occurrence is said to have occurred at 11.30 p.m. and there was no street light, as per rough sketch Ex.P-18 and therefore, the evidence of P.W.2 and P.W.3 are not reliable. 32. P.W.2 has deposed that the accused was stabbing the deceased Kanniyappan. P.W.3 has deposed that when he reached the scene of occurrence, the accused was fleeing away from the spot. From the evidence of P.W.2 and P.W.3, it is clear that the appellant stabbed the deceased. P.W.I has already stated clearly that the appellant came to the house of the deceased and stabbed the deceased with knife. 33. As referred to above, the appellant, the deceased, P.W.2 and P.W.3 were residing in the same place, i.e. on the bank of Noiyal River. So, there is no difficulty in identifying the appellant, who is not a stranger. Especially, for the village people even in the night times, it is not difficult to identify the persons of the same village. Even assuming that there was no street light, when P.W.I gave strong evidence with regard to motive and the act of the deceased on the day of occurrence and the evidence of P.W.2 and P.W.3, who are not interested witnesses, corroborating the evidence of P.W.1, we cannot accept the contention of the learned counsel appearing for the appellant, especially, when P.W.3, before deposing with regard to identification of the accused, came out of the witness box and went near the accused in the Court Hall and identified him and then deposed that he was the culprit. 34. Further, P.W.6 Doctor has deposed that on 13.2.1994 at about 1.30 a.m., P.W.I brought her husband Kanniyappan for treatment. 34. Further, P.W.6 Doctor has deposed that on 13.2.1994 at about 1.30 a.m., P.W.I brought her husband Kanniyappan for treatment. While Kanniyappan, who was conscious, was examined, he told the doctor that he was stabbed by one known person with knife. P.W.6 found injuries on right shoulder, left cheek, right chest, left leg and on the right nose not less than 19 injuries and issued Accident Register Ex.P-6. 35. The evidence of P.W.6 has corroborated the evidence of P.W.I with regard to stab injuries and the places. 36. P.W.7 Post Mortem Doctor, conducted the post mortem examination on the body of the deceased Kanniyappan and opined that the deceased would appear to have died of septic complications as a result of stab injury on the right of the chest associated with haemorrhage and shock due to other stab injuries sustained by him. 37. P.W.7 Post Mortem Doctor’s evidence has also corroborated the evidence of P.W.1, who has stated that the appellant stabbed on the right chest of the deceased and stabbed not less than 20 times on the body of the deceased. 38. Further, the recovery of knife M.O.1, bloodstained earth M.O.2 and sample earth M.O.3 and the preparation of observation mahazar Ex.P-2 and rough sketch Ex.P-19 in the presence of P.W.4 Sakthivel and one Vijayabalan, support the evidence of prosecution witnesses. 39. Before parting with, we want to say on the statement given by the appellant at the time of questioning under Sec.313(1)(b), Crl.P.C. before the trial Judge that the statement was solely a cooked up one, because, in the statement, it is stated that he denied the working of the deceased under him, whereas, he accepted in the complaint given by the appellant, while he was arrested by P.W.11, that there was a dispute between the appellant and the deceased. Further, in the statement, it is stated that the deceased cut the appellant with an Aruval, whereas in the Accident Register Ex.P-9, it is stated under Nature of Injury and treatment that "Alleged to have been hit by Aruval at about 12 midnight on 12/ 13.2.1994 in his house by unknown person. The above, two reasons are enough to discard the statement of the appellant as a cooked up one and on the other hand, it corroborates the case of the prosecution. 40. The above, two reasons are enough to discard the statement of the appellant as a cooked up one and on the other hand, it corroborates the case of the prosecution. 40. The evidence of prosecution witnesses and the materials placed before the Court and also the decision relied on by the Additional Public Prosecutor fully satisfy the ingredients of Sec.300, I.P.C. and thereby the accused is punishable under Sec.302, I.P.C. 41. In the light of the discussions held above, we are not inclined to interfere with the judgment of the Court below, since the same would not suffer from any infirmity, and thereby we confirm the same. The trial Court is directed to secure the custody of the accused to undergo the remaining period of sentence. 42. In result, the appeal is dismissed with the above direction.