CR.A/1144/2006 1/14 JUDGMENT IN THE HIGH COURT OF GUJARAT AT AHMEDABAD CRIMINAL APPEAL No. 1144 of 2006 For Approval and Signature: HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE A.L.DAVE AND HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE J.C.UPADHYAYA ========================================================= 1 Whether Reporters of Local Papers may be allowed to see the judgment ? 2 To be referred to the Reporter or not ? 3 Whether their Lordships wish to see the fair copy of the judgment ? 4 Whether this case involves a substantial question of law as to the interpretation of the constitution of India, 1950 or any order made thereunder ? 5 Whether it is to be circulated to the civil judge ? ========================================================= MUSHTAQ @ KANIO AHMED SHAIKH - Appellant(s) Versus STATE OF GUJARAT - Opponent(s) ========================================================= Appearance : MR HN JHALA for Appellant(s):1,MR PRITESH L PARIKH for Appellant(s):1, MR UR BHATT, APP for Opponent(s) : 1, ========================================================= CORAM : HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE A.L.DAVE and HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE J.C.UPADHYAYA Date : 16/12/2008 ORAL JUDGMENT CR.A/1144/2006 2/14 JUDGMENT (Per : HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE J.C.UPADHYAYA) 1. The appellant who was original accused in Sessions Case No.284 of 2003 by preferring this appeal has challenged his conviction for the offences punishable under Sections 143, 147, 148 and 307 of the Indian Penal Code ('IPC', for short) and Section 135 of the Bombay Police Act and Section 25(1)(b)(a) of the Arms Act recorded by learned Additional Sessions Judge, Court No.7, Ahmedabad on dated 28.03.2006 in the aforesaid sessions case. The appellant – accused was sentenced to undergo imprisonment for 6 months and fine of Rs.500/-, in default of payment of fine S.I for 2 months for the offence punishable under Section 143 of the IPC and S.I for 18 months and fine of Rs.1000/-, in default of payment of fine S.I for 3 months for the offence punishable under Section 147 of the IPC, S.I for 3 years and fine of Rs.1000/-, in default of payment of fine S.I for 6 months for the offence punishable under Section 148 of the IPC and R.I for 10 years and fine of Rs.5000/- and in default of payment of fine S.I for 1 year for the offence punishable under Section 307 of the IPC, S.I for 1 month and fine of Rs.500/-, in default of payment of fine S.I for 15 days for the offence punishable under Section 135 of the Bombay Police Act and R.I for 2 years and fine of Rs.3000/-, in default of payment of fine S.I for 3 months for the offence punishable under Section 25(1) (b)(a) of the Arms Act. CR.A/1144/2006 3/14 JUDGMENT 2. The prosecution case in nutshell is as under:- 2.1 On dated 12.4.2002, at about 17.00 hrs to 19.00 hrs., about 2500 to 3000 persons of both the communities – Hindu and Muslim, gathered near and around the area of Dani Limda, Samiana Apartment, Prabhunagar, Dhruvnagar, N.V.Patel High School and area surrounding to the high school and formed unlawful assembly. They were pelting stones on each other and also threw acid bottles, burning rags and thereby caused severe damage to private and public properties. These mobs also attacked police officers and police staff. That the common object of this unlawful assembly was to commit illegal act or to commit an act by illegal means. In pursuance of this common object, with the help of firearm, one Piyushkumar Muljibhai Soni was killed due to the alleged firing by the appellant-accused, and others like Hetalben Babubhai Parmar, Ravindra Kabarbhai, Bhavesh Babubhai Parmar etc. were severely injured by this illegal act of unruly mob. The first information report in this regard has been filed by PSI Mr.Barad and the offence was registered. The police commenced the investigation, statements of material witnesses were recorded, weapons including the country-made tamancha were recovered by drawing panchnamas in presence of panchas. Weapons including the tamancha were sent to FSL for expert's opinion. After receiving the report and opinion of FSL, charge-sheet came to be filed in the Court of learned Metropolitan CR.A/1144/2006 4/14 JUDGMENT Magistrate, initially against 33 accused persons, and subsequently after the arrest of the appellant – accused, supplementary charge-sheet came to be filed in the Court of learned Metropolitan Magistrate against the appellant – accused. As the offence was exclusively triable by the Court of sessions, the learned Magistrate committed the cases to the Court of sessions. 2.2 The case against the accused persons came to be registered as Sessions Case No.283 of 2003 and the case against the appellant – accused came to be registered as Sessions Case No.284 of 2003. 2.3 Learned trial Judge framed charge against the appellant – accused at Exh.1 for the offences punishable under Sections 143, 147, 148, 149, 302, 336, 337, 332 of the IPC and for the offence punishable under Section 25(1)(b)(a) of the Arms Act and for the offence punishable under Section 5 of the Explosive Substances Act. The appellant – accused did not plead guilty and claimed to be tried. The learned trial Judge recorded consolidated evidence of witnesses in connection with Sessions Case No.283 of 2003 and Sessions Case No.284 of 2003. The prosecution also produced relevant documentary evidence. After the completion of the evidence adduced by the prosecution, the learned trial Judge recorded further statement of the appellant – accused and the other co-accused persons under Section 313 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, to which the CR.A/1144/2006 5/14 JUDGMENT appellant – accused generally denied all the allegations levelled against him by the prosecution. 2.4 After appreciating the evidence on record and after considering the arguments advanced on behalf of both the sides, the learned trial Judge delivered the impugned common judgment in Sessions Case No.283 of 2003 and Sessions Case No.284 of 2003 on dated 28.03.2006. So far as the appellant – accused is concerned, the learned trial Judge was pleased to acquit him for the offences punishable under Sections 302, 336, 337 and 332 r/w.Section 149 of the IPC and also was pleased to acquit the appellant – accused for the offences punishable under Section 5 of the Explosive Substances Act. However, as stated above, the appellant – accused came to be convicted for the offences punishable under Sections 143, 147, 148, 307 of the IPC and Section 25(1)(b)(a) of the Arms Act and Section 135 of the Bombay Police Act and awarded the sentence as hereinabove referred in this judgment. Hence, being aggrieved and dissatisfied with the order of conviction recorded by the learned trial Judge, the appellant – accused preferred this appeal challenging the same in this appeal. 3. Learned advocate Mr.H.N.Jhala for the appellant – accused submitted that the impugned judgment and order rendered by the learned trial Judge is contrary to law and evidence on record. That as a matter of fact, all the private witnesses, including injured Ravindra did not support the case CR.A/1144/2006 6/14 JUDGMENT of the prosecution and they turned hostile. That even considering the testimonies of police witness, no cogent, convincing and truthful evidence can be said to have been adduced by the prosecution. That in the impugned judgment, attaching much weight to the testimony of first informant PSI Barad, Exh.106, the learned trial Judge observed that the prosecution successfully proved its case. That the learned trial Judge appreciated the testimony of first informant PSI Barad, as if he was the eye-witness to the entire incident. That the learned trial Judge committed serious mistake in treating the first informant PSI Mr.Barad as the eye-witness. That in fact, considering the testimony of PSI Mr.Barad, nowhere it transpires that he had seen the appellant – accused firing the tamancha and killing the deceased Piyushbhai and causing injury to injured Ravindra. That as a matter of fact, through the evidence of expert witnesses, it has come on record that the so- called tamancha, which was subsequently recovered by the police, was not at all in a working condition. That it has come in evidence that the effective range of the tamancha was 60 ft. to 70 ft., whereas the deceased and injured Ravindra were on the terrace of 2nd Floor of the house and the distance between the place where the deceased and the injured were standing was approximately 1000 ft. to 1200 ft. That the expert witnesses, though clearly admitted such situation in their testimonies, yet, the learned trial Judge erred in arriving at the conclusion that the prosecution proved the involvement of the CR.A/1144/2006 7/14 JUDGMENT appellant–accused in this crime and that the firearm injuries to the witnesses were caused by the tamancha. That as a matter of fact, 33 co-accused persons came to be arrested from the place of incident itself, whereas the appellant – accused came to be arrested subsequently. He was not arrested from the place of incident along with tamancha. 3.1. Learned advocate Mr.Jhala submitted that on one hand, the learned trial Judge observed in the impugned judgment that the accused by firing tamancha caused death of Piyushkumar and caused injury to Ravindra, but, the appellant-accused came to be acquitted from the charge of offence of murder punishable under Section 302 of the IPC. It is submitted that no charge was framed for the offence of attempt to cause murder punishable under Section 307 or for the offence punishable under Section 135 of the Bombay Police Act. 3.2 It is further submitted that perusing the entire judgment delivered by the learned trial Judge, it clearly transpires that only on the basis of presumptions and assumptions, the appellant – accused came to be convicted. That the presumption and assumption or even strong suspicion shall not take place of evidence. Therefore, it is submitted that the appeal be allowed and the impugned judgment and the order recording the conviction of the appellant – accused be set-aside and the appellant – accused be acquitted. CR.A/1144/2006 8/14 JUDGMENT 4. Learned APP Mr.Bhatt vehemently opposed this appeal and submitted that though the private witnesses, including injured Ravindra did not support the prosecution case and turned hostile, but, the evidence adduced by the police witnesses is cogent and convincing, and through their evidence, the prosecution successfully proved its case beyond any reasonable doubt against the appellant – accused. That the appellant – accused was named in the FIR itself. Though it is true that he was not arrested from the place of incident, but the learned trial Judge has recorded in the impugned judgment that he was absconding, and therefore, he could be arrested immediately. That in presence of panchas, the appellant – accused discovered the tamancha. It is submitted that by adducing evidence of expert witnesses, the prosecution proved beyond reasonable doubt that the deceased and the injured sustained injury by the pallets fired from the tamancha discovered at the instance of the appellant – accused. Therefore, it is submitted that the appeal be dismissed. 5. We have given our thoughtful considerations to the records and proceedings of the trial Court with reference to the submissions made on behalf of both the sides. Before the evidence adduced by the prosecution in this case is re-appreciated and re- assessed, it would be necessary to consider that the appellant-accused was charged with serious offence of CR.A/1144/2006 9/14 JUDGMENT murder punishable under Section 302 of the IPC and for the offence punishable under Section 5 of the Explosive Substances Act. The learned trial Judge in the impugned judgment, while appreciating the evidence on record, arrived at the conclusion that only a very strong possibility remains of involvement of the appellant – accused in killing Piyushbhai, and acquitted the appellant – accused from the charge of offence of murder and convicted him holding that it was an attempt to murder attracting Section 307 of the IPC. There is no dispute that the State did not prefer any appeal challenging the acquittal of the appellant – accused for the offence punishable under Section 302 of the IPC and other serious offences for which the learned trial Judge recorded the acquittal of the appellant – accused. 6. The prosecution in all examined 22 witnesses, but, out of them all the private witnesses examined by the prosecution, including the injured Ravindra, Exh.97, turned hostile. The case of the prosecution is that at the time when deceased Piyushbhai sustained firearm injuries, at that time, Ravindra was just near deceased Piyushbhai on the terrace of the 2nd floor of the house of Mahendra Parmar. Even all the panch witnesses did not support the contents of respective panchnamas and turned hostile. The prosecution case is that on dated 21.12.2002, after about 8 months from the date of the incident, the appellant – accused in presence of panch Harishbhai Amrutlal and second panch Mohammed CR.A/1144/2006 10/14 JUDGMENT Yasin discovered the tamancha. Considering the deposition of panch Harishbhai Amrutlal, Exh.95, he did not support the content of the discovery panchnama and turned hostile. He denied the suggestion that in his presence and in presence of second panch Mohammed Yasin, the appellant – accused discovered tamancha and the panchnama was drawn regarding the discovery. The prosecution did not examine the second panch Mohammed Yasin. The prosecution examined investigating police officer PI Mr.Jha at Exh.123. According to his deposition, in presence of those two panchas, the accused discovered the tamancha. Considering his deposition regarding the discovery, he only stated that in the preliminary panchnama as well as in the later part of the panchnama, signatures of the panchas were obtained and the panchas signed in his presence and the learned trial Judge exhibited the panchnama at Exh.124. Nowhere PI Mr.Jha in his testimony narrated the contents of the panchnama and what was the voluntary statement regarding the discovery of the appellant – accused and how the tamancha came to be discovered. In other words, even through the deposition of investigating police officer Mr.Jha, the content of panchnama, Exh.124 regarding the discovery of tamancha at the instance of appellant – accused, cannot be said to have been duly proved. Under such circumstances, the prosecution cannot be said to have proved beyond any reasonable doubt the nexus between the appellant – accused and the firearm. CR.A/1144/2006 11/14 JUDGMENT 6.1. Witness Manubhai Parmar examined at Exh.99, who happened to be owner of the house, did not support the case of the prosecution and turned hostile. As stated earlier, as per the prosecution case, both deceased Piyushbhai and injured Ravindra were on the 2nd floor terrace of the house of this witness Manubhai, at the time when both deceased and the injured sustained firearm injuries. Considering the deposition of witness Manubhai, Exh.99, he stated that injured Ravindra is his nephew and Piyushbhai was friend of Ravindra. He denied the suggestion that upon inquiry, he came to know from his nephew Ravindra that it was the accused who fired the tamancha and thereby deceased and Ravindra sustained bodily injuries. The prosecution examined Ravindrabhai Dabhani at Exh.97. Witness Ravindra deposed that at the time of the incident, he himself and his friend Piyushbhai were on the terrace of the house of his maternal uncle Manubhai and at that time, firing took place, but, from which place the firing took place, he does not know. That he himself and Piyushbhai sustained injuries by the pallets. This witness did not support the prosecution case and was declared hostile. He denied the suggestion that he had seen the appellant – accused firing tamancha and the deceased and he himself sustained the injuries. Thus, the injured eye-witness himself did not support the case of the prosecution. 6.2 First informant PSI Barad is examined at CR.A/1144/2006 12/14 JUDGMENT Exh.106. In connection with this incident, he lodged the FIR, Exh.107. However, considering his entire deposition, it nowhere transpires that he had seen the accused firing the tamancha and causing injuries to the deceased and witness Ravindra. However, in his deposition he said that the private firing was made by the accused. He nowhere stated that he had actually seen the accused doing the firing. In his cross-examination, he stated that when he came to know about the firing, he was approximately half a kilometer away from the place of incident. It is pertinent to note that according to his testimony, 33 co-accused persons came to be rounded-up from the place of incident itself. The appellant – accused was not arrested from the site. If at all PSI Barad had seen the appellant – accused firing the tamancha and causing fatal injury to Piyushbhai and serious injury to Ravindra, PSI Barad and other police officers would have arrested the appellant – accused there and there. Under such circumstances, not only the sole eye-witness Ravindra examined at Exh.97 regarding the injury sustained by himself and his friend Piyushbhai, did not support the case of the prosecution, but, even considering the deposition of PSI Barad, Exh.106, it does not appear that he had actually seen the appellant – accused firing the tamancha. 6.3 Prosecution examined Scientific Officer, FSL Mr.Mayankkumar Jani at Exh.130. He had examined the tamancha. In paragraph 7 of his deposition, he CR.A/1144/2006 13/14 JUDGMENT admitted that the firearm was such, which can fire at a time only one cartridge and for second fire, a fresh cartridge was required to be inserted in the firearm. He categorically admitted that it was a country-made firearm and that its effective range was 60 ft. to 70 ft. Considering the evidence on record, and especially considering the panchnama of scene of offence and even considering the impugned judgment rendered by the learned trial Judge, it is apparently clear that the firing took place from the area called Dhruvnagar and the injured and the deceased were on the terrace of the house of Manubhai in Annapurna Society and the distance between the two was approximately 600 ft. to 700 ft. The expert opinion does not support the theory that the tamancha has effective firing range of 600 ft. to 700 ft. As stated above, even the very recovery of the tamancha at the instance of the accused is not established and considering the expert opinion, the tamancha has no effective firing range to cause any fatal injury to the object, which is at the distance of 600 ft. to 700 ft. away from the firing place. 6.4 It is pertinent to note that the prosecution examined Executive Magistrate Mr.Patel at Exh.132. According to the prosecution case, this witness had prepared sketch of the scene of offence and in paragraph 3 of his testimony, he stated that the distance between Ektanagar to the house of Manubhai is about 3500 ft. to 4000 ft. He stated that from Dhruvnagar to the house of Manubhai, the distance may CR.A/1144/2006 14/14 JUDGMENT be 500 ft. to 700 ft. Thus, considering the evidence adduced by the prosecution itself, the prosecution failed to establish through expert opinion that the deceased and the injured were within the effective firing range of the tamancha. 7. For the foregoing reasons, we are of the considered opinion that the learned trial Judge erred in recording the conviction of the appellant – accused by virtue of the impugned judgment challenged in this appeal. In the result, the appellant deserves to be allowed. 8. For the foregoing reasons, the appeal is allowed and the conviction of the appellant – accused recorded by the learned trial Judge on dated 28.3.2006 in Sessions Case No.284 of 2003 for the commission of the offences punishable under Sections 143, 147, 148, 307 of the IPC and Section 135 of the Bombay Police Act and Section 25(1)(b)(a) of the Arms Act is set-aside. Fine if paid, be refunded to the appellant – accused. The appellant – accused be released from the jail forthwith, if no longer required in any other case. (A.L.DAVE, J.) (J.C.UPADHYAYA, J.) (binoy)