Research › Search › Judgment

Uttarakhand High Court · body

2021 DIGILAW 51 (UTT)

Krishna Pal v. State Of Uttarakhand

2021-01-14

LOK PAL SINGH

body2021
JUDGMENT Lok Pal Singh, J. - This criminal revision is directed against the judgment and order dated 08.08.2012 passed by the learned Judicial Magistrate, Rudrapur, District Udham Singh Nagar in Criminal Case No.450 of 2011 "State Vs. Krishnapal Sharma & others", whereby the revisionists have been convicted under Section 326 of IPC, and has been sentenced to undergo three years of rigorous imprisonment with a fine of Rs.3,000/- (Rupees Three Thousand Only) under the aforesaid section, with default stipulation. Against the order dated 08.08.2012, the revisionists/accused filed an appeal before the Sessions Judge, Udham Singh Nagar in Criminal Appeal No.181 of 2012, which too has been dismissed vide order dated 13.12.2012. Hence, the present criminal revision before this Court. 2. Prosecution story in brief is that according to appellant/complainant Hardari Lal S/o Sohan Lal, R/o Ward No.4, Nayi Basti, Rudrapur, District Udham Singh Nagar got lodged an FIR on 18.06.2009, at Police Station Kotwali, Rudrapur, District Udham Singh Nagar, stating therein that he is a labourer and maintaining his family by doing labour work. The incident is of 18.06.2009 at about 06:30 that his neighbours, namely, Krishnapal and Pushpendra came to his shop and ordered "Pakori" (eatable). The wife of the complainant has given "Pakori" to the accused/revisionists amounting to Rs.5/-. Both while eating "pakori" used abusive words have said that she is selling "Kachi Pakori". The wife of the complainant told both of them not to eat "kachi Pakori" and don't pay for it. Due to only this reason, both the accused/revisionist harassed the wife of the complainant and poured the oil, in which "pakori" are making and the wife of the complainant is severely injured. By now she is in Government Hospital and her treatment is going on. Her condition is serious. This incident was seen by Lakhwinder Singh, Prempal and others. The accused/revisionists have given a warning that today she escaped but in future they will kill her and her husband. Thereafter, the first information report was lodged under Sections 504, 506 and 326 of IPC against the accused persons. After investigation, the Investigating Officer submitted the charge-sheet against the accused/revisionists under Sections 326, 504 and 506 of IPC before the court concerned. 3. Thereafter, the first information report was lodged under Sections 504, 506 and 326 of IPC against the accused persons. After investigation, the Investigating Officer submitted the charge-sheet against the accused/revisionists under Sections 326, 504 and 506 of IPC before the court concerned. 3. On denial of guilt, the prosecution got examined as many as seven witnesses i.e. PW-1 Seema Rastogi, PW2 Hardwari Lal, PW-3 Doctor S.A Abbas, PW-4 Prem Chand, PW-5 Lakhwinder Singh, PW-6 SI Jairam and PW7 S.I. Hem Chandra. Thereafter the statement of the accused/revisionist was recorded under Section 313 of CrPC, in which he denied the guilt. 4. The trial court after hearing the parties and on perusal of evidence, vide impugned judgment and order, convicted the accused/revisionists under Section 326 of IPC and sentenced for rigorous imprisonment of three years with a fine of Rs.3,000/- (Rupees Three Thousand Only). The revisionists/accused were acquitted by the trial Court for the offences punishable under Sections 504 and 506 of IPC. Feeling aggrieved, accused/revisionists have preferred the appeal before the Sessions Judge, Udham Singh Nagar, which too has been dismissed. 5. It is an admitted case of the prosecution that there was some enmity between the parties. The perusal of the injury upon the victim itself leads to the conclusion that such injury might she received while picking "kadai" with hot cooking oil. The nature of the injury sustained by the injured would depict that it might be possible that it has come while picking the "kadai", which felt on the body of injured i.e. on the lower part of the stomach. As per the prosecution story allegations have been made that the revisionists poured heated oil upon the victim/injured, but no specific role has been assigned to the revisionists. 6. On perusal of the statements of the prosecution witnesses, it depicts that though they tried to prove the prosecution case, but they utterly failed to remain constant during cross-examination and there are contradictions in their cross-examination. 7. On the perusal of the material available on record, this Court is of the firm view that the prosecution utterly failed to prove its case beyond reasonable doubt. Under the facts and circumstances of the case, false implications of the revisionists cannot be ruled out. A person can tell lie but the circumstances cannot. 7. On the perusal of the material available on record, this Court is of the firm view that the prosecution utterly failed to prove its case beyond reasonable doubt. Under the facts and circumstances of the case, false implications of the revisionists cannot be ruled out. A person can tell lie but the circumstances cannot. In case, the revisionists could have poured heated oil upon the injured, then they could have poured either on the head or on the face of the injured. Thus, this Court has no doubt in its mind that this might be a case of accident and the revisionists have been falsely implicated due to the enmity between the complainant and the revisionists. 8. Though this Court could slow in re-appreciating the evidence in exercise of revisional jurisdiction, but this Court in its revisional jurisdiction can very much competent to re-appreciate the evidence for proper adjudication of the case when this Court finds perversity in the findings recorded by court below, and having considered all the facts and the evidence brought on record, this Court is of the view that the prosecution failed to prove its case beyond reasonable doubt against the revisionists for convicting them under Section 326 of IPC. 9. In view of this Court, the courts below have committed gross illegality in convicting the revisionist under Section 326 of IPC. It is relevant to note here that two persons have been implicated in the case and no specific role has been assigned to them. Therefore, the revisionists are entitled to get the benefit of doubt. 10. Consequently, the criminal revision is allowed. The impugned judgment and orders dated 08.08.2012 and 13.12.2012 passed by the courts below are hereby set aside. 11. Let a copy of this judgment be sent to Court concerned for onward compliance. 12. Lower court record, be also sent back, to the court concerned.