IN THE HIGH COURT OF GUJARAT AT AHMEDABAD CRIMINAL APPEAL No 920 of 2002 For Approval and Signature: Hon'ble MR.JUSTICE J.R.VORA ============================================================ 1. Whether Reporters of Local Papers may be allowed : YES to see the judgements? 2. To be referred to the Reporter or not? : YES 3. Whether Their Lordships wish to see the fair copy : NO of the judgement? 4. Whether this case involves a substantial question : NO of law as to the interpretation of the Constitution of India, 1950 of any Order made thereunder? 5. Whether it is to be circulated to the concerned : NO Magistrate/Magistrates,Judge/Judges,Tribunal/Tribunals? -------------------------------------------------------------- MULTAN HALEKHAN MEV Versus STATE OF GUJARAT -------------------------------------------------------------- Appearance: 1. Criminal Appeal No. 920 of 2002 MR PM THAKKAR, LD.SENIOR COUNSEL WITH MR.HRIDAY BUCH for Petitioner No. 1-6 MR SUDHANSU S.PATEL, LD.APP for Respondent No. 1 -------------------------------------------------------------- CORAM : MR.JUSTICE J.R.VORA Date of decision: 07/08/2003 ORAL JUDGEMENT 1. This appeal is filed by the present appellants original accused No. 1 to 6 of Sessions Case No.67 of 2001 and Sessions Case No.105 of 2001 of the court of learned Additional Sessions Judge (Fast Track), Rajkot against the judgment and order recorded on 7th September, 2002, convicting the present appellants for the charges levelled against them under Sections 325, 342, 395, 397, 427 of the Indian Penal Code and Section 25(1)(a) of the Arms Act, 1959, and sentencing each of them for the imprisonment of three years for the offence proved against each of them for the Arms Act and fine of Rs.500/- in default to undergo three months imprisonment, for the charges levelled against each of the appellant under Sections 395, 397 each of the appellant was sentenced to imprisonment of seven years and fine of Rs.5,000/-, in default to undergo simple imprisonment of one year. However no separate sentence was awarded for the charges under secs.325 and 342 of the IPC while each of the appellant was sentenced to undergo R.I. of one year and fine of Rs.500/- for the charges proved against them under Sec.427 of IPC. There were in all eight accused and learned Additional Sessions Judge acquitted accused No.7 Mahejrakha Fulkha Mev and accused No.8 Mohmed Umar Chavkha Mev for the charges levelled against them. 2. As revealed from the record the facts leading to the filing of this appeal are as under: 2.1 Kanjibhai Nanjibhai Rathod P.W.4 Exh.26 at the relevant time i.e. on 3rd July, 2000, aged about 75 years was working as a watchman on duty 24 hours in United Paper Industries situated at Village Navagam, Near Old Highway in the District of Rajkot. On 3rd July, 2000, as discovered by Kishorbhai Kanjibhai Rathod P.W.1 son of P.W.4 Kanjibhai, as per normal routine, since Kishorbhai Kanjibhai Rathod P.W.1 was having a cabin for tea near United Paper Industries, and as usual, on 3rd July, 2000, at about 7.00 in the morning when he went to the cabin of his father in the premises of United Paper Industries, his father was not found in his cabin and the other watchman named as Jadav informed Kishorbhai Kanjibhai P.W.1 that the father of Kishorbhai was not in cabin and one rifle was found in his cabin. Thereafter, P.W. 1 Kishorbhai Kanjibhai straightway went to his residence and informed his wife and his brother and social worker Babubhai Dabhi. Babubhai Dabhi from his residence informed the police that the father of P.W.1 was not found in his cabin and a rifle was found lying. Kishorbhai thereafter returned to United Paper Industries where near this industry one godown rented to M.R.F.Tyre Company was situated. Vinodbhai peon of the godown informed P.W.1 that shutters of the godown of M.R.F.Tyre Company was found broken open. Therefore P.W.1 Kishorbhai and Vinodbhai again went to the village Navagam and through STD PCO informed to the Manager of M.R.F.Tyre Company Shri V.Ramkrishnan Venkatraman Aiyer P.W.6 who visited the godown. At that time, the police also reached at the spot, and on searching the godown, it was found by one of the police man from the window of the godown that Kanjibhai father of Kishorbhai was lying in the godown. He was carried out of the godown and after comforting him he was asked about what had happened. He was not in a condition to speak and therefore by gesture he attempted to explain that at previous night on that day some two unknown persons came with rifles which were kept in cabin of Kanjibhai and Kanjibhai was carried in godown and was beaten by fist on his chest and on sides. Thereafter the godown of M.R.F.Tyre Company was opened through the shutters which were broken and P.W.4 Ramkrishnan Aiyer found that in all 160 tyres of 1000 x 20 size and 900 x 20 size in all 15 tyres amounting to about Rs.17.50 lakhs were stolen from the godown, and according to P.W.4 Ramkrishnan Aiyer, the goods of tyres was in such volume as could be carried by two trucks only and therefore on the spot a complaint at 9.45 hours on 3rd July, 2000, was recorded by Police Inspector, Rajkot City Police Station of informant Kishorbhai Kanjibhai Rathod. Thereafter the investigation was started and was entrusted P.W.15 Chandubhai Shanabhai Baranda, Police Inspector, Special Squad, Rajkot City. He recorded the statements of the witnesses, and during investigation, it was found by him that one witness Ramesh Mohan had seen two accused out of eight accused because they stopped at his hotel on that day for taking tea. It was also found by investigating agency that the present six appellants were arrested by Kama Police Station of Bharatpur District, Rajasthan State, because they were found having a truck loaded with the M.R.F. Tyres and one Maruti Van. Therefore the present appellants were arrested on 14th October, 2000, from Rajasthan in this crime registered. The original accused No.7 and 8 to whom Ramesh Mohan was in position to identify were arrested, thereafter on 20nd April, 2001, vide panchnama. It was also revealed during investigation that some of the tyres robbed from the godown of M.R.F.Tyre Company at Navagam were found by Hathin Police Station Officer at Haryana. Therefore, PSI Bakul Vitthalbhai Jani was sent to Hathin Police Station and vide Hathin Police Station Crime Register No.183/2000 under Sec.412 and 413 of the IPC the said Officer had seized 78 tyres which were considered to be the muddamal of this case. Bakulbhai Vitthalbhai Jani, PSI has been examined as a prosecution witness No.14. After investigation was over, a chargesheet came to be filed against the accused. The first charge-sheet came to be filed against present six appellants and the case was committed to the Court of Sessions and was registered as Sessions Case No.67/2001. While accused No.7 and 8 who were arrested in 2001 as aforesaid, a supplementary chargesheet was submitted by the police against them and their case was also committed to the court of sessions and it was registered as Sessions Case No.105/2001. The learned Sessions Judge by order dated 14th September, 2001, directed to consolidate both the sessions cases and evidence be recorded as such since both the cases had arisen from the same crime register i.e. Rajkot Taluka Police Station Crime Register No.478/2000. 2.2 The learned Sessions Judge, Rajkot, framed the charge vide Exh.1 against all the eight accused for the above said offences on 16th August, 2001. Each of the accused pleaded not guilty and therefore prosecution was called upon to produce the evidence. After recording of the evidence and taking into consideration of all the documentary evidence produced by the prosecution and recording the statement of the accused under sec.313 and after having heard the learned advocates for the defence and learned APP for the prosecution, the learned trial Judge came to the conclusion that the present appellants i.e. original accused No.1 to 6 were found guilty and were convicted as aforesaid, while accused No.7 and 8 were acquitted as aforesaid. 2.3 Being aggrieved by judgment of conviction recorded by the learned Additional Sessions Judge (Fast Track), Rajkot, this appeal is preferred by the appellants original accused No.1 to 6. 3. Learned Senior Counsel Mr.P.M.Thakkar for the appellants and learned APP Mr.Sudhansu Patel for the respondent State were heard in detail. 4. Before reappreciating the evidence of the prosecution during trial and appreciating the contention raised by both the sides, the evidence produced by the prosecution in the trial is required to be perused carefully. 5. Kishorbhai Kanjibhai P.W.1 Exh.10 is a witness who informed the police and FIR came to be registered on his complaint. In his evidence he supports to the prosecution case to the extent that his father was found from the godown and was attempted to convey through gestures that some persons came in the night hours with the rifles and had beaten him. To this extent the witness supported the complaint. So far as the fact of robbery of tyres from the M.R.F. Tyre Company godown is concerned, this witness stated his ignorance in the evidence. Learned APP sought permission to confront the witness with his complaint. So the witness has not supported the fact that a dacoity was committed in M.R.F. godown and about more than 100 tyres were taken away by dacoits. His complaint is placed on record at Exh.21. 5.1 P.W.2 Subhaschandra Babulal is examined at Exh.22 as panch of panchnama of scene of offence. The said panchnama is placed at Exh.23. According to panchnama at Exh.23 which was executed on 14.30 hours on 3rd July, 2000, by the investigating officer prosecution proposes the case that the complainant Kishorbhai Kanjibhai Rathod had shown the godown shutters which were broken and P.W. 4 Manager of godown Mr.Ramkrishnan Aiyer stated that out of this godown in all 175 M.R.F. tyres costing for about Rs.17.50 lakhs were stolen. The panchas were this P.W.2 Subhashchandra Babulal and one Chetan Suresh Nandani. P.W.2 Subhashchandra Babulal supported the prosecution case and the panchnama at Exh.23. 5.2 The prosecution also proposes the case that on 23rd April, 2001, accused No.7 on his own volition in the presence of panchas had shown the scene of offence at village Navagam at M.R.F.Tyre Company godown and police drawn panchnama at Exh.25. 5.3 P.W.3 Hanif Ajijbhai Exh.24 is one of the panch of that panchnama who has not supported the prosecution case or panchnama Exh.25. However, since accused No.7 and 8 are acquitted, the appreciation of this evidence is beyond the scope of this appeal as no acquittal appeal is filed by the State against them. 5.4 Kanjibhai Nanjibhai was the only person available at the scene of crime at the time of commission of crime, is examined as prosecution witness No.4 at Exh.26. He stated that on the day of the incident at about after 24.00 hours the electricity in his cabin was shut-off and in the darkness two persons came near him and was caught hold from his throat, his mouth was gagged, hands were tied from behind and was beaten. Thereafter according to the witness he was carried and dumped in the godown and was taken out by the police in the next morning. In his deposition he categorically denied the examination-in-chief that he could not identify the persons who had beaten him and that this persons were carrying arms like rifle. Though he supported the case of the prosecution that from the godown of M.R.F.Company about 170 tyres were stolen at night. He was taken to hospital for the treatment. The important aspect is that when accused were shown to him during deposition he stated that he was not able to say whether on the day of the incident those very persons (accused) came to his cabin and had beaten him. 5.5 P.W.5 Dhirubhai Jasingbhai Exh.27 was a watchman in one firm near United Paper Industries. His evidence is not useful to the prosecution to the extent that according to him he had no personal knowledge about the incident and in the morning he came to known that the dacoity was committed in respect of M.R.F. Tyres Company godown. 5.6 At Exh.28 the prosecution has produced arrest panchnama of the present appellants who were arrested on about 15th October, 2000, in this crime and were taken into custody by Rajkot Police Station through transfer warrant to Palwal Court at Haryana State. This panchnama Exh.28 is admitted by the defence and is placed on record for consideration. This panchnama Exh.28 was drawn by the investigating agency in the presence of two panchas on 15th October, 2000, at 23.00 hours to 23.50 hours at Rajkot. 5.7 Likewise at Exh.29 arrest panchnama of original accused No.7 and 8 (acquitted accused) dated 28th April, 2001, is placed on record. 5.8 The Manager of Godown of M.R.F.Company situated at Navagam, Old Highway, Rajkot, Mr.Ramkrishnan V.Aiyer is examined by the prosecution as P.W.6 at Exh.32. According to him, the incident took place at late night of 2nd July, 2000, and on very early morning of 3rd July, 2000. He was informed in the morning of 3rd July, 2000, by Vinodbhai who was serving as peon of said godown. He visited the godown immediately. The police was informed and he found that the shutters of main godown were broken half and there were wheal marks of tyres on the road. In the cabin of watchman one rifle was lying. In the presence of police it was found that in all 176 tyres were missing and were taken away by dacoits. Kishorbhai according to him gave FIR to the police. He supported the fact that watchman Kanjibhai P.W.3 was found in godown in injured condition. He stated in the deposition that according to his knowledge 90 tyres out of 176 tyres were seized by the officers of Kama Police Station of Bharatpur District at Rajasthan, while 78 tyres were seized by officer of Hathin Police Station at Haryana. He stated that according to his knowledge those tyres were in the custody of Bharatpur as well as Faridabad Police and remaining 8 tyres were not traced out. So far as his evidence is concerned in cross examination it was found that the police had taken specimen finger prints from the godown and he stated that he had not seen the tyres seized by Rajasthan and Haryana Police. In his cross-examination he also stated that each tyre contains serial number and the size. 5.9 The prosecution proposed the case that original accused No.7 and 8 who are acquitted by the learned trial Judge were identified by a witness Ramesh Mohan at Rajkot because witness Ramesh Mohan owns a hotel on the highway and this two accused No.7 and 8 had stopped at his hotel for taking tea. On arresting accused No.7 and 8 the investigating agency had arranged an identification parade and in the said identification parade accused No.7 and 8 were identified by witness Ramesh Mohan and, therefore, the prosecution examined P.W.7 Dipak Mahipatbhai Shukla at Exh.38, Executive Magistrate who conducted the said identification parade on 23rd April, 2001, panchnama prepared by him in the presence of panchas is produced by the prosecution at Exh.36. The panch of said panchnama Altaf Kadri is examined as prosecution witness No.8 and he has not supported the prosecution case. The other panch of the said panchnama Exh.36 Kamlesh Jayantilal Manek is examined by the prosecution witness No.9 who has also not supported the prosecution case. Anyhow this evidence of identification parade in respect of witness Ramesh Mohan is not required to be appreciated in this appeal because the same is beyond the scope of appeal as the evidence pertains to accused No.7 and 8 and they are acquitted by the learned trial Judge and no acquittal appeal is filed by the State against them. 5.10 The prosecution proposed the case that the present six appellants were found in possession of the stolen tyres with a truck and maruti van in Rajasthan in the district of Bharatpur within the limits of Kama Police Station. The officers of the Kama Police Station arrested the accused present appellants and seized the truck, tyres and maruti van and, therefore, the prosecution examined Jagdish Amarchand Yadav at Exh.40 as P.W.10. He happened to be a Constable of Kama Police Station, Rajasthan State, and the incident he narrated took place on 9th July, 2000. According to witness Jagdish Amarchand Yadav, PSI Manoj Gupta was in charge of Kama Police Station, and at about 0030 hours, they were on patrolling and they received an information that one truck bearing No.HR-38-A-5411 and Maruti Van bearing No.HR-28-8284 were boarded by some gundas and they had driven towards Johera road. On receiving information they moved in a jeep towards the said road. On the said road near jain petrol pump they found a truck and maruti van, bearing above said registration number parked near the petrol pump. According to witness, when they saw the police, the gundas started fleeing away leaving the truck and maruti van, they were cordoned and the gundas opened fire upon them. Ultimately all the six persons were arrested by them. In the court room in his evidence witness Jagdish Amarchand Yadav identified the present appellants to be the said five gundas. One of then according to him had absconded and weapons like 12 bore rifles were seized from them. On searching the truck they found 90 tyres of M.R.F.Company with tubes. Nothing was found from the maruti van. A panchnama was prepared, number of tyres were mentioned in the panchnama and FIR was registered against appellants No.1 to 5. The copy of the said FIR was produced by the witness but the same was not exhibited. 5.11 In support of P.W. 10 Jagdish Amarchand Yadav, the prosecution also examined another constable of Rajasthan Police named as Udhamsing Bhagvansing as P.W.11 at Exh.41. He stated that about 9th July, 2000, he was serving as Police Constable at Kama Police Station and PSI Manoj Gupta was in charge of the said Police Station, who had given FIR against the present appellants No.1 to 5 for the charges under sec.307 of the IPC which was registered by him. He also produced on record the xerox copy of the said FIR but the same was not taken on record. It appears that this witness Udhamsing also one of the personnel of police party which found maruti van and a truck with tyres at jain petrol pump. He identified the appellants No.1 to 6 in the court and stated that the accused were fleeing away in maruti van and fired upon the police. The evidence of P.W.10 and P.W.11 will be discussed later on. 5.12 Chandrakantbhai Hirjibhai Gajjar was serving as Police Inspector, Rajkot Taluka Police Station, is examined as prosecution witness No.12 at Exh.43. According to him, he was informed by PSO Mehmudbhai Gulabbhai that godown of M.R.F.Company situated at village Navagam, Taluka Anandpar appeared to have been raided by dacoits and the watchman was missing so he immediately reached at the godown. He found out P.W.4 Kanjibhai from the godown and found out from the Manager Ramkrishnan Aiyer that dacoity is committed in respect of about 170 tyres of M.R.F.Company. He recorded the FIR which is at Exh.23 as given by P.W.1 Kishorbhai and injured Kanjibhai was sent to the hospital. Thereafter from the orders of the Commissioner the case was entrusted to DCB Police Inspector. The Station Diary Entry of Rajkot Taluka Police Station by which the crime came to be registered is at Exh.44. 5.13 Witness Amaji Khodaji Rathod at the relevant time was serving as Constable of Aslali Police Station at Ahmedabad is examined by the prosecution witness as P.W.13 Exh.46. He produced on record certain xerox copies of the FIR registered against the present appellants for the charges under Secs.395 and 397 of the IPC. The prosecution proposed that the appellants were inter state gang of the dacoits against whom many offences of dacoity and robbery were registered at various places. 5.14 Bakulbhai Vitthalbhai Jani serving as PSI, DCB Branch, Rajkot, is examined at P.W.14 at Exh.50. According to him, on 11th July, 2000, P.I. Mr.Baranda directed him to visit Bharatpur District at Rajasthan and Haryana, because according to information to Mr.Baranda, the tyres robbed from M.R.F. company godown, Navagam at Rajkot were seized by police of Haryana. Accordingly, this witness visited Hathin Police Station and he found that vide Crime Register No.183/2000 under sec.412 and 413 of IPC Hathin Police Station had seized 78 tyres which according to witness were the tyres stolen in this case. From Palval Court an order was sought to hand over those tyres to Rajkot Police as muddamal but infact the tyres were kept at Hathin Police Station. 5.15 As last witness, investigating officer Chandubhai Shanabhai Baranda is examined by the prosecution as P.W.15 at Exh.51. According to him, the investigation was handed over to him on 4th July, 2000, and present six appellants were arrested from Bharatpur District, Rajasthan. The other two accused, accused No.7 and 8 were arrested from Ahmedabad. He submitted chargesheet against eight accused. According to him, he tallied from the main office of the M.R.F.Company that the tyres seized by Kama Police Station and Hathin Police Station were the tyres stolen from the godown of M.R.F.Company at Navagam and the subject matter of this crime. 6. From the above evidence the learned trial Judge after appreciating the evidence of P.W.10 Exh.41 Jagdish Yadav, P.W.11 Exh.42 Udhamsing Bhagwansing and P.W.15 Chandubhai Baranda at Exh.51 came to the conclusion that the prosecution proved that the tyres stolen from M.R.F. Company godown were found from the present appellants i.e. accused No.1 to 6 while witness Ramesh Mohan who identified accused No.7 and 8 was not examined by the prosecution, the learned trial Judge acquitted the accused No.7 and 8 and convicted the present appellants as aforesaid. The learned trial Judge also considered the evidence of P.W.4 Kanji Nanji, P.W.6 Ramkrishnan V.Aiyer and P.W.1 Kishor Kanji, the complainant to ascertain the fact that the dacoity was committed in the godown of M.R.F.Company at Navagam and 170 tyres were taken away by the accused. 7. Learned Senior Counsel Mr.P.M.Thakkar for the appellants urged that this is a case of no evidence firstly, because the complainant i.e. informer did not support the prosecution case and informer Kishorbhai Kanjibhai P.W.1 stated very categorically that he did not know about the commission of the crime. It was also urged that the evidence of injured Kanjibhai P.W.4 is not useful to the prosecution to convict the accused because in his evidence he also categorically stated that he was not in position to identify the accused at the time of commission of the crime. While prosecution witness Ramkrishnan Aiyer, Manager of M.R.F.Company stated to the extent only that from his godown the tyres were missing but this is not the evidence according to learned counsel to connect the accused with the crime. It was contended that the tyres alleged to have been seized by Kama Police Station and Hathin Police Station were not proved to be the tyres stolen in this case. Drawing the attention of this Court on depositions of P.W. 10, P.W.11 and P.W.15 it was urged that no reliance can be placed on this evidence to connect the accused with the crime on the fact that allegedly some tyres came to be seized by the police that too from the custody of the appellants. The main witness like watchman Jadav Bapa as per prosecution story and Ramesh Mohan have not been examined. Even otherwise according to learned counsel this is a case of circumstantial evidence and the prosecution has failed to establish the chain through conclusive links and therefore he urged to allow the appeal and acquit the accused. 8. On the other hand, learned APP Mr.Sudhansu Patel vehemently countenance the order of conviction impugned in this appeal. It was contended that though there is no direct evidence of commission of crime because there were no eye-witnesses