CR.A/101/1999 1/18 JUDGMENT IN THE HIGH COURT OF GUJARAT AT AHMEDABAD CRIMINAL APPEAL No. 101 of 1999 For Approval and Signature: HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE R.P.DHOLAKIA : Sd/- HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE KS JHAVERI : Sd/- ======================================================= 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 ? ======================================================= POONAMBHAI SADABHAI SOLANKI & 1- Appellant(s) Versus STATE OF GUJARAT - Opponent(s) ======================================================= Appearance : MR BACHANI for MR HARIN P RAVAL for Appellant(s) : 1-2. MR HL JANI APP for Opponent(s) : 1, ======================================================= CORAM : HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE R.P.DHOLAKIA and HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE KS JHAVERI CR.A/101/1999 2/18 JUDGMENT Date : 31/01/2008 ORAL JUDGMENT (Per : HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE R.P.DHOLAKIA) 1.0 This appeal under Section 374 of the Code of Criminal Procedure has been preferred by the appellants-accused, who have been charged and tried for the offence punishable under Sections 302 read with Section 34 and 328 of Indian Penal Code in Sessions Case No.204 of 1998 wherein they were convicted to undergo imprisonment for life and fine of Rs.1,000/-, in default, to undergo simple imprisonment for two years for the offence under Section 302 read with Section 34 of the Indian Penal Code by the learned Additional Sessions Judge, Kheda at Nadiad vide judgment and order dated 19.12.1998. However, no separate sentence was imposed for the offence under Section 328 of the Indian Penal Code. 2.0 The case of the prosecution in short is that on 19th April, 1998, when the complainant was at his residence, he received one phone call from the Police personnel of Balsinor Police Station regarding the death of Champaben (the deceased) and also informed that the dead body of the deceased is kept in Balasinor Community Health Centre. CR.A/101/1999 3/18 JUDGMENT 2.1 In pursuance of that, the complainant went to Balasinor Community Health Centre, where he saw that the dead body of his daughter (the deceased) having various external injuries was lying there. 2.2 Hence, he went to Balasinor Police Station and lodged the complaint, which came to be registered as Balasinor Police Station I- C.R.No.39/1998, wherein he has categorically narrated that the deceased married to accused no.1 resident of village Bharwad-na Muvada, Bhathan and the marriage took place 10 years prior to the incident and during wedlock, she delivered two male child. After marriage, whenever the deceased used to come at the residence of the complainant, she complained of ill-treatment, harassment and torture at the hands of accused and also informed her father that she wanted to live separate from her father-in-law and brother-in-law. However, she was persuaded by the family members and sent back to her matrimonial home. However, thereafter three months later on, she again came back her parental home. At that time also, she was persuaded and sent back her matrimonial home. 2.3 It is also narrated in the complaint that the accused have forcibly administered some poisonous substance to the deceased and as a CR.A/101/1999 4/18 JUDGMENT result of that, she succumbed to the same. 2.4 On 19.04.1998, when the P.S.O. was discharging his duty, one person viz., Ajmal Dahya came to Police Station and informed that wife of Poonam Sada viz., Champaben (deceased) has consumed poison and succumbed to the same. In pursuance of that, P.S.O. registered the same as A.D. No.11/1998 and wrote yadi to Raymal Kalabhai. 2.5 Upon receipt of the said yadi, he went to the scene of offence and found one dead body lying into the house having injuries on her hands and right side of abdomen and smell of poison was coming out from her month and same has been identified as Champaben. Hence, he called two panchas and prepared inquest panchnama in the presence of panchas and, thereafter, he filled up Maranottar Form and also made arrangements for sending the dead body for postmortem to Balasinor Community Health Centre. Thereafter, he called two panchas and prepared the panchnama of scene of offence in the presence of panchas and also seized muddamal glass (cup) and other articles from the place of offence and, thereafter, further investigation was entrusted to Police Inspector, Mr.Parmar. He registered the offence under Sections 302, 328 and 114 of the Indian Penal Code and kept CR.A/101/1999 5/18 JUDGMENT with the papers of A.D.No.11/1998 along with the investigation file. Thereafter, he went to the scene of offence and recorded the statements of various witnesses and tried to search the accused. 2.6 On 22.04.1998, the accused were arrested and panchnama to that effect came to be drawn and clothes were also seized under the panchnama. The accused have shown willingness to produce the muddamal article (soyo), by which, they have assaulted the deceased and same has been seized at the instance of accused by way of 27 Panchnama. On receiving the postmortem and FSL reports, same were kept with the investigation file. Upon completion of investigation, charge sheet was submitted against the accused in the Court of Learned Judicial Magistrate, First Class, Balasinor. 3.0 As the offence alleged against the accused was exclusively triable by the Court of Sessions, the Learned Judicial Magistrate, First Class, Balasinor committed the case to the Court of Sessions, Kheda at Nadiad where it was numbered as Sessions Case No.204 of 1998 and transferred to the Court of learned Additional Sessions Judge, Kheda at Nadiad for trial. The learned Additional Sessions Judge framed charge against the accused. The accused pleaded not guilty to the charge and CR.A/101/1999 6/18 JUDGMENT claimed to be tried. 3.1 To prove the case against the accused, the prosecution examined 9 prosecution witnesses and also relied on 11 documentary evidence. 3.2 On submission of closing purshis by the prosecution, Learned Additional Sessions Judge recorded the further statements of the accused under Section 313 of the Code. Thereafter, on hearing the learned counsel appearing for the respective parties, the learned Additional Sessions Judge, Kheda at Nadiad, delivered the impugned judgment, which gave rise to prefer this Criminal Appeal. 4.0 Heard learned Counsel for the appellants, Mr.Bachani for Mr.H.P. Raval and learned APP, Mr.H.L. Jani for the State. 4.1 It has been mainly argued by the learned counsel for the appellants, Mr.Bachhani that here in this case, the present appellants are the husband and the father-in-law of the deceased respectively and at the time of incident, though they were not present at home as they were busy in agriculture work in their field, they have been falsely involved into crime in question by the complainant and his elder daughter and, hence, they are totally innocent. 4.2 It has been argued by him that at the most, CR.A/101/1999 7/18 JUDGMENT it can be said to be a case of suicidal because the glass (cup) seized from the scene of offence does not find any poisonous substance and if the poison would have been administered forcibly to the deceased then, there would be a poisonous substance or the cow dung on a glass as the deceased could have resisted. In this regard, Mr.Bachhani has taken us through the FSL Report and argued that the poison has been administered to her by somebody else. 4.3 It is also argued that except bare allegations, there are no other evidence on record to connect the accused with the crime in question regarding mental and physical cruelty upon the deceased. 4.4 Even, it is not established from the evidence of the complainant as well as the elder sister of the deceased that the span of marriage life is more than 10 years and, therefore, the prosecution will not get any support under the provisions of Section 113(A) of the Indian Evidence Act. 4.5 It has been argued that at the time of incident, the appellant no.2 was aged about 60 years and at present, he is aged about 70 years and there is no direct or indirect evidence to connect him with the crime in question and if at all, any quarrel was CR.A/101/1999 8/18 JUDGMENT there, it was between the appellant no.1 (husband) and the deceased (wife) and, hence, the appellant no.2 is totally innocent and has been falsely implicated into crime in question. 4.6 Mr.Bachhani has urged that as the prosecution has failed to establish its case beyond reasonable doubt and there are no evidence connecting the accused with the crime in question, the present appeal deserves to be allowed and the judgment and order of conviction and sentence as pronounced by the learned Additional Sessions Judge requires to be set aside. 5.0 Mr.H.L. Jani, learned Additional Public Prosecutor, who appears on behalf of the respondent-State has taken us through the oral evidence of the witnesses and the reasoning part of the impugned judgment and order delivered by the learned Additional Sessions Judge and argued that there are sufficient evidence on record to connect the accused with the crime in question. 5.1 In this regard, the learned A.P.P. has placed reliance upon the complaint and oral evidence of complainant and other witnesses. 5.2 It is submitted that the complainant has categorically deposed in his evidence that as the Champaben wanted to reside separately, CR.A/101/1999 9/18 JUDGMENT the appellants did not like it and, hence, they started harassing the deceased. The complainant also deposed that whenever the deceased used to visit her parental home, she complained of ill-treatment at the hands of appellants to him. 5.3 It is submitted that said fact has been narrated by the complainant in the Court in toto and, therefore, it can be said to be a piece of evidence against the appellants. 5.4 It is also submitted that theory of suicidal death is totally ruled out because the injuries received by the deceased are in numbering 5 and out of five, one is on the right side of abdomen part and other injuries received by her while resisting act of the appellants. In this regard, he has taken us through the evidence of P.W.No.2 viz., Dr.Munilal Varmanand Chaudhary at Exh.9 and submitted that this witness has opined that the Injury Nos.1 to 4 are possible when somebody tries to administer the poison forcefully and other side resists the same and same were on the right hand of the deceased and were anti-mortem and after seeing the injury, he has categorically opined that the injuries upon the hands of the deceased are due to violent act and, therefore, possibility of suicide is ruled CR.A/101/1999 10/18 JUDGMENT out and theory of homicidal death is established. 5.5 Even, the conduct of the appellants are also required to be kept in mind at the time of incident and after the incident as if they were in the field, which is very near to the scene of offence and if they came to know that the deceased had consumed poison and succumbed to the same then, it was their duty to come to house and take her to hospital for providing better treatment, but they were not available till 22.04.1998, which shows their guilt and, therefore, it is the strongest evidence, which also support the case of the prosecution. 5.6 Mr.Jani has, therefore, urged that the learned Additional Sessions Judge was perfectly justified in coming to the conclusion that the appellants-accused have committed the crime. Raising the abovesaid contentions, Mr.Jani has urged that the present appeal deserves to be dismissed and the Judgment and Order of sentence is required to be confirmed. 6.0 We have gone through the oral as well as documentary evidence and the reasoned judgment delivered by the Court below shown to us by the learned counsel for the respective parties. CR.A/101/1999 11/18 JUDGMENT 6.1 It is required to be noted that the complainant viz., Galabhai Pujabhai (P.W.No.1-Exh.7), who is father of the deceased deposed in his deposition that the deceased married to accused no.1 and out of their wedlock, she delivered two male child. In paragraph no.2 of his deposition, he deposed that as the deceased wanted to reside separately, the appellants did not like it and, hence, they started mentally and physically harassing her. In paragraph no.3 of his deposition, he deposed that he came to know about the incident on 19.04.1998 when he received one phone call at Milk Mandali Society, wherein he was informed by the Police that your daughter administered poison and succumbed to the same and at present, the dead body was kept in Balasinor Community Health Centre and, therefore, he went to Balasinor Hospital and saw that the dead body of her daughter was laying in dead body room, wherein he found five external marks of injuries on the body of the deceased and out of five, four were on the left and right hand each and one was puncture wound injury at right side of waist. He has also proved the complaint at Exh.8 and also identified the accused before the Court. He has categorically deposed that prior to the date CR.A/101/1999 12/18 JUDGMENT of incident, his daughter-Champaben was at his residence and on the next day, she succumbed to the injuries, therefore, he has filed the complaint. This witness was thoroughly cross-examined by the learned advocate for the accused appearing before the Court below, but he stuck to his version of FIR and he has fairly admitted that nobody from village has informed him that champa has been killed. Except that, nothing contrary has come out from his evidence. 6.2 Second important witness is P.W.No.7 viz., Kaliben Ratansinh at Exh.20, who is elder sister of the deceased. However, she has not supported the say of the prosecution and has been declared hostile. Except that, there are no other witness for the purpose of mental and physical harassment to the deceased. 6.3 Prosecution Witness No.3 viz., Vishabhai Limbabhai, Exh.12 (Panch of inquest panchnama-Exh.13), P.W.No.4 viz., Maganbhai Bhemabhai Solanki (Panch of panchnama of scene of offence), P.W.No.5 viz., Nazimkhan Jafarkhan, Exh.15 (Panch of arrest panchnama of the accused-Exhs.16 & 17), P.W.No.6 viz., Lakhabhai Rupabhai Bharvad, Exh.18 (Panch of scene of offence). It is required to be noted that above referred witnesses i.e. P.W.Nos.3 to 6 all are panch witnesses and they have CR.A/101/1999 13/18 JUDGMENT not supported the say of the prosecution and have been declared hostile. However, the prosecution has able to prove the above referred panchnamas through P.W.No.8 viz., Udesinh Dalabhai Parmar, Exh.21 (Police Inspector) and P.W.No.9 viz., Raymalbhai Kalabhai, Exh.27 (Head Constable). 7.0 As far as homicidal death is concerned, same has been proved by the prosecution by way of P.M.Note at Exh.11 and the oral evidence of Dr.Munilal Varamanand Chaudhary at Exh.9, who has performed the postmortem. The doctor has categorically deposed in his oral evidence that on 19.04.1998 at about 8:30 p.m., he received yadi from Balasinor Police Station for performing postmortem. He has also produced and proved P.M. Note along with maranottar form and copy of inquest panchnama. 7.1 He has further deposed that the name of the victim was Champaben and her aged was 30 years and as it was night time, he performed the postmortem on the next day i.e. on 20.04.1998, which started at 6:30 a.m. and completed at 8:00 a.m. 7.2 It is further deposed by him that the smell of poison was coming from the mouth of the victim and on examination, he found following injuries upon the body of the deceased :- CR.A/101/1999 14/18 JUDGMENT (i) Hand-Rt. There is soratidy over dorsal of Rt.Hand in 2 cm sizi. There is also laceration over Rt.fingers in size of 2 cms x 5 cms. (ii) Two contusions of left hand elbow middle aspect in size 2 cm x 5 cms. (iii)Scratch injuries on left hand dorsal surface. (iv) Round injury in size of 2 cm x 2 cms at right side waist. (v) Two stretches on right hand in the size of 5 cms. 7.3 He also found some substance and, therefore, the viscera was preserved and it was handed over in a sealed condition to the Police for chemical analysis at FSL and caused of death was kept pending and on receiving the FSL Report, it was found to be “Organo Phosphores”. 7.4 He further deposed that the external injuries found upon the body of the deceased can be possible if she would have been forcefully administered poisonous substance and at the time of resistance the same and said injuries can be possible. 7.5 He has also categorically opined that all injuries are anti-mortem and were result of violent act upon her. 7.6 He stuck to his version in his cross- examination and suggestion put to him by the CR.A/101/1999 15/18 JUDGMENT learned counsel for the appellant in the Court below that the effect that if somebody consumes poison then there will be possibility of edema on a body of the concerned persons was denied by him with an explanation that it depends upon the quantity of consumption and may or may not be also. 7.7 He has also admitted that the injuries received by the deceased upon the hands can be possible by way of force and it has been established from the oral evidence of Dr.Chaudhary, P.M.Note-Exh.11 and the FSL Report, Exh.26, wherein FSL Experts have categorically opined that the viscera was present in the body of the deceased and, hence, the prosecution has proved that the poison has been administered forcefully and as a result of that, she succumbed to that. 8.0 Now the question comes as to whether the accused are responsible or not. In this regard, the Court has narrated various circumstances in its judgment. We have gone through the same. Over and above, as discussed above, the possibility of suicide is ruled out as it was a very small populated area, wherein the appellants were staying with the deceased and if somebody else enters into the house and forcefully administers poison to her then, there will be heavy CR.A/101/1999 16/18 JUDGMENT resistance and shouts so that other persons must have known all these. There is no evidence worth the name to that effect and the theory advanced by the learned counsel for the appellants that the possibility of administering the poison by somebody is also required to be ruled out. 8.1 As far as the conduct of the accused are concerned, the say of the accused from the very beginning to the effect that they were at their field and further conduct of the accused is ruled out. Accused suppressed the said fact about the incident, wherein his nearer and dearer has succumbed to unnatural death then certainly they would have reached the scene of offence, but they have decided not to do and even they have not taken the deceased to hospital or gone hospital and not remained present till their arrest and remained absconding upto 22.04.1998 and, therefore, possibility of assault by third party or suicide is ruled out. 8.2 As far as the accused no.1 is concerned, the prosecution has proved the guilt against the accused no.1. As far as accused no.2 is concerned, at the time of incident, he was aged about 60 years and at present, he is aged about 70 years and pending hearing of the Criminal Appeal, he has been released on CR.A/101/1999 17/18 JUDGMENT bail by this Court on 15.04.1999. Even, we have gone through the judgment in detailed delivered by the Court below and found that except being father of appellant no.1, there are no other evidence which connect him with the crime in question and from the evidence of the complainant, we do not get any support. Not only that, it is established from the evidence on record that it was a quarrel between the deceased and her husband (appellant no.1) and the accused no.2 is the father-in-law staying along with his one another son, against whom, complaint has been filed at initial stage, however, chargehseet has been submitted against both these appellants-accused and, therefore, we also find possibility of false involvement of the accused no.2 into the crime in question. Looking to the aforesaid facts and circumstances of the case and keeping in mind the fact that he is aged about 70 years, the benefit of doubt is required to be given to him. 9.0 The appeal is partly allowed. Judgment and Order of conviction and sentence dated 19.12.1998 delivered by the Learned Additional Sessions Judge, Kheda at Nadiad in Sessions Case No.204 of 1998 are confirmed qua appellant-accused no.1 viz., Poonambhai CR.A/101/1999 18/18 JUDGMENT Sadabhai Solanki. However, the said Judgment and Order of conviction and sentence are quashed and set aside qua appellant-accused no.2 viz., Sadabhai Bhaijibhai Solanki and, hence, he is ordered to be set at liberty forthwith, if not required in any other offence. He is on bail and, hence, his bail bond stands cancelled. Sd/- Sd/- (R.P.DHOLAKIA, J.) (K.S.JHAVERI, J.) /patil