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2020 DIGILAW 1377 (ALL)

Anoop v. State of U. P.

2020-11-25

AJIT SINGH

body2020
JUDGMENT : This criminal appeal has been filed against a judgement dated 27.11.2017 passed by the Addl. District and Sessions Judge Xth Kanpur Nagar in S.T. No. 519 of 2012, arising out of Case Crime no. 228 of 2012, under Sections 304B, 498A, 201 I.P.C. and Section 3/4 Dowry Prohibition Act, P.S. Barra, district Kanpur Nagar, whereby learned Judge convicted and sentenced the appellant to 12 years rigorous imprisonment under Section 304B I.PC., two years imprisonment under Section 498A with fine of Rs. 5000/-and in default of payment of fine two months additional simple imprisonment, two years imprisonment under Section 201 I.P.C. with fine of Rs. 2000/and in default of payment of fine one month simple imprisonment, two year imprisonment under Section 4 Dowry Prohibition Act with fine of Rs. 2000/-and in default of payment of fine one month simple imprisonment. 2. The prosecution story in brief is that Marriage between the deceased and the appellant was solemnized six years ago. General allegations have been made against the appellant and his other family members that they were demanding Rs. 1,00,000/(Rs. One lac) as additional dowry from the deceased and her father and due to non fulfillment of the aforesaid demand of dowry, the deceased was being maltreated and tortured by them. On 12.01.2012 the accused-appellant along with his other family members assaulted the deceased and she sustained injuries on her head. On information, father of the deceased reached at her house and after seeing her condition, he along with her daughter reached at police station Barra. The injured was taken to hospital to get her medically examined on 13.1.2012 and thereafter, this FIR was lodged. After lodging of the FIR the matter was compromised and the daughter of the complainant came back to her matrimonial home. On 24.2.2012, in the evening, father of the deceased received information that her daughter is missing. Upon which the father of the deceased reached her house and inquired about her and started searching her whereabouts but her whereabouts was not known. The father of the deceased raised suspicion that due to non fulfillment of the additional demand of dowry her husband and inlaws after committing her murder had hidden her dead body somewhere. 3. At the very outset, learned counsel for the appellant, on instructions, stated that he does not propose to challenge the impugned judgement and order on its merits. The father of the deceased raised suspicion that due to non fulfillment of the additional demand of dowry her husband and inlaws after committing her murder had hidden her dead body somewhere. 3. At the very outset, learned counsel for the appellant, on instructions, stated that he does not propose to challenge the impugned judgement and order on its merits. He, however, prayed for modification of the order of the sentence for the period already undergone by the appellant. 4. In furtherance to his submission, the learned counsel for the accused-appellant submits that the accused appellant had been in jail during trial and after conviction he is in jail. As such, the accused has already served out more than eight and half years of the sentence. Further submission is that it was the first offence of the accused and after conviction the accused had not indulged in any other criminal activity. He next submits that although the trial court has convicted the present accused on the basis of mere conjuncture while the appellant is absolutely innocent and has been falsely implicated in this case with the ulterior intention of harassing him. Further submission is that there is no bread earner in the family of the appellant. He also submits that on the question of legality of sentence he is not this appeal and only pressing on the quantum of sentence and he has prayed for taking lenient view considering the age of the accused and his age related ailments. 5. Learned A.G.A. has vehemently opposed the submission made by learned counsel for the appellant. He has however, submits that if slight reduction in sentence is made, he has no objection. 6. I have perused the entire material available on record and the evidence as well as judgment of the trial court. The learned counsel for the accused-appellant does not want to press the appeal on its merit and requests to take a lenient view of the matter. 7. In Mohd. Giasuddin Vs. State of AP, AIR 1977 SC 1926 , explaining rehabilitary & reformative aspects in sentencing it has been observed by the Supreme Court: "Crime is a pathological aberration. The criminal can ordinarily be redeemed and the state has to rehabilitate rather than avenge. The sub-culture that leads to ante-social behaviour has to be countered not by undue cruelty but by reculturization. The criminal can ordinarily be redeemed and the state has to rehabilitate rather than avenge. The sub-culture that leads to ante-social behaviour has to be countered not by undue cruelty but by reculturization. Therefore, the focus of interest in penology in the individual and the goal is salvaging him for the society. The infliction of harsh and savage punishment is thus a relic of past and regressive times. The human today vies sentencing as a process of reshaping a person who has deteriorated into criminality and the modern community has a primary stake in the rehabilitation of the offender as a means of a social defence. Hence a therapeutic, rather than an 'in terrorem' outlook should prevail in our criminal courts, since brutal incarceration of the person merely produces laceration of his mind. If you are to punish a man retributively, you must injure him. If you are to reform him, you must improve him and, men are not improved by injuries." 8. In Sham Sunder vs. Puran, (1990) 4 SCC 731 , where the high court reduced the sentence for the offence under section 304 part I into undergone, the supreme court opined that the sentence needs to be enhanced being inadequate. It was held: "The court in fixing the punishment for any particular crime should take into consideration the nature of offence, the circumstances in which it was committed, the degree of deliberation shown by the offender. The measure of punishment should be proportionate to the gravity of offence." 9. In State of MP vs Najab Khan, (2013) 9 SCC 509 , the high court, while upholding conviction, reduced the sentence of 3 years by already undergone which was only 15 days. The supreme court restored the sentence awarded by the trial court. Referring the judgments in Jameel vs. State of UP (2010) 12 SCC 532 , Guru Basavraj vs. State of Karnatak, (2012) 8 SCC 734 , the court observed as follows: "In operating the sentencing system, law should adopt the corrective machinery or the deterrence based on factual matrix. The facts and given circumstances in each case, the nature of the crime, the manner in which it was planned and committed, the motive for commission of the crime, the conduct of the accused, the nature of weapons used and all other attending circumstances are relevant facts which would enter into the area of consideration. The facts and given circumstances in each case, the nature of the crime, the manner in which it was planned and committed, the motive for commission of the crime, the conduct of the accused, the nature of weapons used and all other attending circumstances are relevant facts which would enter into the area of consideration. We also reiterate that undue sympathy to impose inadequate sentence would do more harm to the justice dispensation system to undermine the public confidence in the efficacy of law. It is the duty of court to award proper sentence having regard to the nature of offence and the manner in which it was executed or committed. The courts must not only keep in view the rights of victim of the crime but also the society at large while considering the imposition of appropriate punishment." 10. Earlier, "Proper Sentence" was explained in Deo Narain Mandal Vs. State of UP (2004) 7 SCC 257 by observing that Sentence should not be either excessively harsh or ridiculously low. While determining the quantum of sentence, the court should bear in mind the principle of proportionately. Sentence should be based on facts of a given case. Gravity of offence, manner of commission of crime, age and sex of accused should be taken into account. Discretion of Court in awarding sentence cannot be exercised arbitrarily or whimsically. 11. In subsequent decisions, the supreme court has laid emphasis on proportional sentencing by affirming the doctrine of proportionality. In Shyam Narain vs State (NCT of delhi), (2013) 7 SCC 77 , it was pointed out that sentencing for any offence has a social goal. Sentence is to be imposed with regard being had to the nature of the offence and the manner in which the offence has been committed. The fundamental purpose of imposition of sentence is based on the principle that the accused must realize that the crime committed by him has not only created a dent in the life of the victim but also a concavity in the social fabric. The purpose of just punishment is that the society may not suffer again by such crime. The principle of proportionality between the crime committed and the penalty imposed are to be kept in mind. The impact on the society as a whole has to be seen. The purpose of just punishment is that the society may not suffer again by such crime. The principle of proportionality between the crime committed and the penalty imposed are to be kept in mind. The impact on the society as a whole has to be seen. Similar view has been expressed in Sumer Singh vs. Surajbhan Singh, (2014) 7 SCC 323 , State of Punjab vs Bawa Singh, (2015) 3 SCC 441 , and Raj Bala vs. State of Haryana, (2016) 1 SCC 463 . 12. In Kokaiyabai Yadav vs State of Chhattisgarh (2017) 13 SCC 449 , it has been observed that reforming criminals who understand their wrongdoing, are able to comprehend their acts, have grown and nartured into citizens with a desire to live a fruitful life in the outside world, have the capacity of humanising the world. 13. In Ravada Sasikala vs. State of A.P. AIR 2017 SC 1166 , the Supreme Court referred the judgments in Jameel vs. State of UP (2010) 12 SCC 532 , Guru Basavraj vs. State of Karnatak, (2012) 8 SCC 734 , Sumer Singh vs. Surajbhan Singh, (2014) 7 SCC 323 , State of Punjab vs. Bawa Singh, (2015) 3 SCC 441 , and Raj Bala vs. State of Haryana, (2016) 1 SCC 463 and has reiterated that, in operating the sentencing system, law should adopt corrective machinery or deterrence based on factual matrix. Facts and given circumstances in each case, nature of crime, manner in which it was planned and committed, motive for commission of crime, conduct of accused, nature of weapons used and all other attending circumstances are relevant facts which would enter into area of consideration. Further, undue sympathy in sentencing would do more harm to justice dispensations and would undermine the public confidence in the efficacy of law. It is the duty of every court to award proper sentence having regard to nature of offence and manner of its commission. The supreme court further said that courts must not only keep in view the right of victim of crime but also society at large. While considering imposition of appropriate punishment, the impact of crime on the society as a whole and rule of law needs to be balanced. The judicial trend in the country has been towards striking a balance between reform and punishment. While considering imposition of appropriate punishment, the impact of crime on the society as a whole and rule of law needs to be balanced. The judicial trend in the country has been towards striking a balance between reform and punishment. The protection of society and stamping out criminal proclivity must be the object of law which can be achieved by imposing appropriate sentence on criminals and wrongdoers. Law, as a tool to maintain order and peace, should effectively meet challenges confronting the society, as society could not long endure and develop under serious threats of crime and disharmony. It is therefore, necessary to avoid undue leniency in imposition of sentence. Thus, the criminal justice jurisprudence adopted in the country is not retributive but reformative and corrective. At the same time, undue harshness should also be avoided keeping in view the reformative approach underlying in our criminal justice system. 14. Keeping in view the facts and circumstances of the case and also keeping in view criminal jurisprudence in our country which is reformative and corrective and not retributive. This Court considers that no accused person is incapable of being reformed and therefore, all measures should be applied to give them an opportunity of reformation in order to bring them in the social stream. 15. Since the learned counsel for appellant has not pressed the appeal on merits, however, this Court after perusal of the entire evidence on record and judgment of the learned Trial Court considers that the appeal is devoid of merit and is liable to be dismissed. Hence, the conviction of the appellant is upheld. 16. So far as the quantum of sentence is concerned, this Court considers that the highest sentence awarded in this case was of five years and the Trial Court has directed that the sentence shall run one after another. This Court considers that the ends of justice would be met if the accused is sentenced with the period already undergone by him. In regard to the fine imposed upon the appellant by the learned Trial Court, this Court finds that the same is adequate and it is not required to be disturbed. It is directed to be deposited by the appellant. 17. Accordingly, the conviction is upheld. The appeal is partly allowed with the modification of the sentence by the period already undergone and served out by the appellant. It is directed to be deposited by the appellant. 17. Accordingly, the conviction is upheld. The appeal is partly allowed with the modification of the sentence by the period already undergone and served out by the appellant. The appellant be released from the jail on deposit of the fine imposed by the Trial Court. 18. Office is directed to transmit the lower court record along with a copy of this judgment to the learned court below for information and necessary compliance as warranted. 19. The party shall file computer generated copy of such order downloaded from the official website of High Court Allahabad, self attested by the learned counsel for the applicant alongwith a self attested identity proof of the said persons (preferably Aadhar Card) mentioning the mobile numbers to which the said Aadhar Card is linked before the concerned Court/Authority/Official. 20. The concerned Court/Authority/Official shall verify the authenticity of such computerized copy of the order from the official website of High Court Allahabad and shall make a declaration of such verification in writing.