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2015 DIGILAW 1062 (GUJ)

State of Gujarat v. Prabhatsinh Banubha Jadeja

2015-10-17

G.B.SHAH, K.S.JHAVERI

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JUDGMENT : K.S. Jhaveri, J. 1. Respondent No. 3 has expired and therefore, this appeal stands abated qua respondent No. 3. Appeal is, therefore, heard qua respondent Nos. 1, 2 and 4. 2. The present appeal, under section 378 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973, is directed against the judgment and order dated 24.02.2006 passed by the Additional Sessions Judge, Court No. 4, Jamnagar in Sessions Case No. 20 of 2002 whereby the accused have been acquitted of the charges leveled against them by granting benefit of doubt. 3. The brief facts of the prosecution case are that on 15.12.1990 one written complaint was addressed to PSI, Jodiya given by brother of deceased which narrates that his sister got married on 23.5.1987 with respondent No. 1. Respondent No. 2 is father of respondent No. 1, respondent No. 3 is mother of respondent No. 1 and respondent No. 4 is mother of father of respondent No. 1. It further states that there was a custom of dowry. The complaint further states that on 13.12.1990 at about 4 O'clock respondent No. 1 along with one Mr. Ghanshyamsinh Zala came at Danada and told that health condition of the deceased was not good. It is the case of the prosecution that the deceased was admitted in hospital and thereafter, she died. Thereafter, section was added being 498(A) with 304 (B), 306 and 114 of IPC. A complaint was therefore lodged by the complainant. Pursuant to the complaint, investigation was carried out. After investigation, charge-sheet was filed and as the case was triable by the Court of Sessions, it was committed to the Court of Sessions. 3.1 The trial Court framed charge against the accused. The accused pleaded not guilty to the charge and claimed to be tried. Therefore, the prosecution produced following witnesses as oral evidence: Witness Name Exh. Relation PW 1 Gambhirsinh Kalubha Vaghela 16 Complainant and brother of the deceased PW 2 Karubha Ranchhodji 19 Father of the deceased PW 3 Hemubha ghanshyamsinh 20 Sister-in-law of deceased PW 4 Laduben Tribhuvanbhai 21 Neighbor of complainant PW 5 Kuljiben Shankarbhai 22 Neighbor of complaint PW 6 Manchhaba Gambhirsinh 23 Sister-in-law of deceased PW 7 Rakeshkumar Shridayal Sharma 35 PSI and I.O. PW 8 Dr. Mohanbhai Khodabhai 47 Doctor 3.2 The prosecution also produced following documents as documentary evidence. Sr. No. Particulars Exh. Mohanbhai Khodabhai 47 Doctor 3.2 The prosecution also produced following documents as documentary evidence. Sr. No. Particulars Exh. 1 Letter written by Gambhirsinh Kalubha Vaghela, complainant to Jodiya by complainant 36 2 Letter written to PSI, Jodiya by complainant 37 3 Letter written to JMFC to add sections by PSI, Jodiya 38 4 True copy of station diary 39 5 Xerox copy of destroy register and its forwarding letter to Public Prosecutor, Sessions Court by writer of Police Station Jodiya 40 6 Yadi given by Divisional Police Officer to add Section 304 (B) to PSI, Jodiya 41 7 Typed carbon copy of complaint by complainant 42 4. At the end of the trial and after recording the statement of the accused under section 313 of Cr. P.C., and hearing arguments on behalf of prosecution and the defence, the learned Additional Sessions Judge acquitted the respondents of all the charges leveled against them by granting them benefit of doubt vide impugned judgment and order. Being aggrieved by and dissatisfied with the aforesaid judgment and order passed by the Sessions Court, the appellant State has preferred the present appeal. 5. Ms. C.M. Shah, learned APP appearing for the appellant-State has submitted that the trial court committed an error in releasing the respondents-accused. It was contended by Ms. Shah, that the judgment and order of the Sessions Court is against the provisions of law; the Sessions Court has not properly considered the evidence led by the prosecution and looking to the provisions of law itself it is established that the prosecution has proved the whole ingredients of the evidence against the present respondents. Learned APP has also taken this court through the oral as well as the entire documentary evidence/s. 6. Mr. Kanara, learned advocate appearing for the respondents supported the impugned judgment and order and submitted that the same having been passed in accordance with law does not call for any interference. He submitted that the prosecution has failed to prove the case against the respondents beyond reasonable doubt. 7. At the outset it is required to be noted that the principles which would govern and regulate the hearing of appeal by this Court against an order of acquittal passed by the trial Court have been very succinctly explained by the Apex Court in a catena of decisions. 7. At the outset it is required to be noted that the principles which would govern and regulate the hearing of appeal by this Court against an order of acquittal passed by the trial Court have been very succinctly explained by the Apex Court in a catena of decisions. In the case of M.S. Narayana Menon @ Mani v. State of Kerala & Anr, reported in (2006) 6 SCC, 39, the Apex Court has narrated about the powers of the High Court in appeal against the order of acquittal. In para 54 of the decision, the Apex Court has observed as under: "54. In any event the High Court entertained an appeal treating to be an appeal against acquittal, it was in fact exercising the revisional jurisdiction. Even while exercising an appellate power against a judgment of acquittal, the High Court should have borne in mind the well-settled principles of law that where two view are possible, the appellate court should not interfere with the finding of acquittal recorded by the court below." 7.1 Further, in the case of Chandrappa v. State of Karnataka, reported in (2007) 4 SCC 415 the Apex Court laid down the following principles: "42. From the above decisions, in our considered view, the following general principles regarding powers of the appellate court while dealing with an appeal against an order of acquittal emerge: [1] An appellate court has full power to review, re-appreciate and reconsider the evidence upon which the order of acquittal is founded. [2] The Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 puts no limitation, restriction or condition on exercise of such power and an appellate court on the evidence before it may reach its own conclusion, both on questions of fact and of law. [3] Various expressions, such as, substantial and compelling reasons, good and sufficient grounds, very strong circumstances, distorted conclusions, glaring mistakes, etc. are not intended to curtain extensive powers of an appellate court in an appeal against acquittal. Such phraseologies are more in the nature of flourishes of language to emphasis the reluctance of an appellate court to interfere with acquittal than to curtail the power of the court to review the evidence and to come to its own conclusion. [4] An appellate court, however, must bear in mind that in case of acquittal there is double presumption in favour of the accused. [4] An appellate court, however, must bear in mind that in case of acquittal there is double presumption in favour of the accused. Firstly, the presumption of innocence is available to him under the fundamental principle of criminal jurisprudence that every person shall be presumed to be innocent unless he is proved guilty by a competent court of law. Secondly, the accused having secured his acquittal, the presumption of his innocence is further reinforced, reaffirmed and strengthened by the trial court. [5] If two reasonable conclusions are possible on the basis of the evidence on record, the appellate court should not disturb the finding of acquittal recorded by the trial court." 7.2 Thus, it is a settled principle that while exercising appellate power, even if two reasonable conclusions are possible on the basis of the evidence on record, the appellate court should not disturb the finding of acquittal recorded by the trial court. 7.3 Even in a recent decision of the Apex Court in the case of State of Goa V. Sanjay Thakran & Anr. Reported in (2007) 3 SCC 75, the Court has reiterated the powers of the High Court in such cases. In para 16 of the said decision the Court has observed as under: "16. From the aforesaid decisions, it is apparent that while exercising the powers in appeal against the order of acquittal the Court of appeal would not ordinarily interfere with the order of acquittal unless the approach of the lower Court is vitiated by some manifest illegality and the conclusion arrived at would not be arrived at by any reasonable person and, therefore, the decision is to be characterized as perverse. Merely because two views are possible, the Court of appeal would not take the view which would upset the judgment delivered by the Court below. However, the appellate court has a power to review the evidence if it is of the view that the conclusion arrived at by the Court below is perverse and the Court has committed a manifest error of law and ignored the material evidence on record. However, the appellate court has a power to review the evidence if it is of the view that the conclusion arrived at by the Court below is perverse and the Court has committed a manifest error of law and ignored the material evidence on record. A duty is cast upon the appellate court, in such circumstances, to re-appreciate the evidence to arrive to a just decision on the basis of material placed on record to find out whether any of the accused is connected with the commission of the crime he is charged with." 7.4 Similar principle has been laid down by the Apex Court in the cases of State of Uttar Pradesh v. Ram Veer Singh & Ors, reported in 2007 AIR SCW 5553 and in Girja Prasad (Dead) by LRs v. state of MP, reported in 2007 AIR SCW 5589. Thus, the powers which this Court may exercise against an order of acquittal are well settled. 7.5 In the case of Luna Ram v. Bhupat Singh and Ors., reported in (2009) SCC 749, the Apex Court in paras 10 and 11 has held as under: "10. The High Court has noted that the prosecution version was not clearly believable. Some of the so-called eye witnesses stated that the deceased died because his ankle was twisted by an accused. Others said that he was strangulated. It was the case of the prosecution that the injured witnesses were thrown out of the bus. The doctor who conducted the post-mortem and examined the witnesses had categorically stated that it was not possible that somebody would throw a person out of the bus when it was in a running condition. 11. Considering the parameters of appeal against the judgment of acquittal, we are not inclined to interfere in this appeal. The view of the High Court cannot be termed to be perverse and is a possible view on the evidence." 7.6 Even in a recent decision of the Apex Court in the case of Mookiah and Anr. v. State rep. By the Inspector of Police, Tamil Nadu reported in AIR 2013 SC 321 , the Apex Court in para 4 has held as under: "4. It is not in dispute that the trial Court, on appreciation of oral and documentary evidence led in by the prosecution and defence, acquitted the accused in respect of the charges leveled against them. By the Inspector of Police, Tamil Nadu reported in AIR 2013 SC 321 , the Apex Court in para 4 has held as under: "4. It is not in dispute that the trial Court, on appreciation of oral and documentary evidence led in by the prosecution and defence, acquitted the accused in respect of the charges leveled against them. On appeal by the State, the High Court, by impugned order, reversed the said decision and convicted the accused under Section 302 read with Section 34 of IPC and awarded RI for life. Since counsel for the appellants very much emphasized that the High Court has exceeded its jurisdiction in upsetting the order of acquittal into conviction, let us analyze the scope and power of the High Court in an appeal file d against the order of acquittal. This Court in a series of decisions has repeatedly laid down that as the first appellate court the High Court even while dealing with an appeal against acquittal, was also entitled, and obliged as well, to scan through and if need be re-appreciate the entire evidence, though while choosing to interfere only the court should find an absolute assurance of the guilt on the basis of the evidence on record and not merely because the High Court could take one more possible or a different view only. Except the above, where the matter of the extent and depth of consideration of the appeal is concerned, no distinctions or differences in approach are envisaged in dealing with an appeal as such merely because one was against conviction or the other against an acquittal. [Vide State of Rajasthan v. Sohan Lal and Others, (2004) 5 SCC 573 ]" 7.7 It is also a settled legal position that in acquittal appeal, the appellate court is not required to re-write the judgment or to give fresh reasonings, when the reasons assigned by the Court below are found to be just and proper. [Vide State of Rajasthan v. Sohan Lal and Others, (2004) 5 SCC 573 ]" 7.7 It is also a settled legal position that in acquittal appeal, the appellate court is not required to re-write the judgment or to give fresh reasonings, when the reasons assigned by the Court below are found to be just and proper. Such principle is laid down by the Apex Court in the case of State of Karnataka v. Hemareddy, reported in AIR 1981 SC 1417 wherein it is held as under: "& This court has observed in Girija Nandini Devi V. Bigendra Nandini Chaudhary ( (1967)1 SCR 93 : AIR 1967 SC 1124 ) that it is not the duty of the appellate court when it agrees with the view of the trial court on the evidence to repeat the narration of the evidence or to reiterate the reasons given by the trial court expression of general agreement with the reasons given by the Court the decision of which is under appeal, will ordinarily suffice." 8. Thus, in case the appellate court agrees with the reasons and the opinion given by the lower court, then the discussion of evidence at length is not necessary. 9. We have examined the matter carefully and gone through the evidence on record. We have appreciated, re-appreciated and re-evaluated the evidence on the touchstone of latest decision of the Hon'ble Apex Court. 10. We find that the trial Court while considering the evidence on record, has very elaborately discussed the evidence on record. The trial court has granted benefit of doubt to the accused respondent. It shall not be out of place to mention that some of the witnesses have not supported the case of the prosecution. The trial court has discussed in detail the evidence in para 23 and 25 of the impugned judgment and order as under, and we do not find any reason for interference. : "It states that in addition, it is alleged that Section 304(B) was added. Thus, from the side of the complainant, it is not evident from the fact that death of deceased was a natural. If the deposition of doctor considers, it is not clear that death of the deceased was natural or it might be happened as an accidental one. The trial Court further stated that there is no evidence about the complaint being late. If the deposition of doctor considers, it is not clear that death of the deceased was natural or it might be happened as an accidental one. The trial Court further stated that there is no evidence about the complaint being late. In these circumstances, the side of the complainant failed to prove the case against the accused and issue Nos. 1 and 2 thus negatived. It is further stated that medical evidence does not corroborate the say of the witnesses. The factum of death of deceased being natural or homicidal is not proved beyond reasonable doubt by the accused ". 11. Further, learned APP is not in a position to show any evidence to take a contrary view in the matter or that the approach of the Court below is vitiated by some manifest illegality or that the decision is perverse or that the Court below has ignored the material evidence on record. In above view of the matter, we are of the considered opinion that the Court below was completely justified in passing impugned judgment and order. 12. We are, therefore, of the considered opinion that the findings recorded by the trial Court in acquitting the accused of the charge levelled against them by granting them benefit of doubt are absolutely just and proper and in recording the said findings, no illegality or infirmity has been committed by it. We are in complete agreement with the reasonings given and the findings arrived at by the trial Court. No interference is warranted with the judgment and order of the trial Court. 13. In the result, appeal is hereby dismissed. The judgment and order dated 24.02.2006 passed by the Additional Sessions Judge, Court No. 4, Jamnagar in Sessions Case No. 20 of 2002 is confirmed qua the acquittal of the respondents No. 1, 2 and 4 and appeal is abated qua respondent No. 3. Bail bond, if any, shall stand cancelled. R & P, if lying with this Court, to be sent back forthwith.