Source: https://advocatetanmoy.com/state-of-kerala-vs-rasheed/
Timestamp: 2019-04-21 20:02:58+00:00

Document:
1. The present Criminal Appeal arises out of Special Leave Petition (Crl.) No. 4652 of 2018 wherein the impugned Order dated January 9, 2018 passed by the High Court of Kerala in Criminal Miscellaneous Case No. 171 of 2018 has been challenged.
2.1. A First Information Report under Section 154 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (“Cr.P.C.”) was registered at the 1 instance of CW 1Narayanan. According to the Original Statement provided by him to the Police, Krishnaprasad, who was the occupant of a flat in the building where CW 1Narayanan was serving as a security guard, had called for an ambulance. Krishnaprasad, along with others, then carried an unconscious person out of the bathroom of the flat to the ambulance. The unconscious person was later identified to be Satheesan, who was declared dead on being taken to the hospital. CW 1Narayanan then made a statement that Krishnaprasad had been staying in the flat for two months, and was a companion of the Respondent-Accused No. 2, Rasheed. It was alleged that the flat had been taken on rent by the Respondent-Accused No. 2.
2.2. On May 24, 2016, the Police filed a Charge Sheet under Section 173 of the Cr.P.C. before the Judicial First Class Magistrate Court II, Thrissur against 8 persons, including the Respondent-Accused No. 2, for the alleged commission of offences under Sections 302, 343, 212, 201, 202, 118 and 109 read with Sections 120B and 34 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860. It was alleged that the deceased Satheesan had disclosed information to his girlfriend, CW 5Ajitha, regarding the activities which had been taking place inside the rented flat, and about the illicit relationship between the Respondent-Accused No. 2 and Accused No. 3Saswathy. On learning about this, the Accused persons had allegedly detained Satheesan, tortured him, and killed him with criminal intention.
2.3. Charges were framed by the Additional Sessions Judge, Thrissur. CWs 1 to 5 were summoned as Prosecution Witnesses on December 16, 2017. On the same day, after the examination-in-chief of CW 1Narayanan was conducted, an Application under Section 231(2) of the Cr.P.C. was filed by the Counsel for the Respondent-Accused No. 2 seeking adjournment of the cross-examination of CW 1Narayanan, as also of CWs 2 to 5, to a date after the examination-in-chief of CWs 2 to 5 was completed. It was stated in the said Application, that the case of the Respondent Accused No. 2 would be adversely affected if the Application was not allowed, since the defence strategy adopted by the Respondent-Accused No. 2 would be revealed to the Prosecution.
2.4. The Application under Section 231(2) of the Cr.P.C. was opposed by the Prosecution which filed a Reply, wherein it was stated that CWs 1 to 5 were not deposing with respect to the same subjectmatter. It was further stated that the deferral of the cross-examination would adversely affect the Prosecution evidence.
2.5. The Additional Sessions Judge vide Order dated December 20, 2017 dismissed the Application filed on behalf of the Respondent Accused No. 2. 3 The Additional Sessions Judge held that Section 231(2) of the Cr.P.C. confers a discretion on the Trial Judge to defer the cross-examination of any witness until any other witness or witnesses have been examined. Section 231(2) of the Cr.P.C. does not confer a right on the accused to seek deferral in a wholesale way on the ground that the defence of the accused would become known to the Prosecution. The deferral of cross-examination , in the present case, would run counter to the general provisions of the Indian Evidence Act, 1872.
The Additional Sessions Judge held that the deferral of cross-examination in this case could give rise to the possibility of loss of memory on the part of the witnesses, who had already been examined-in-chief, which would adversely affect the case of the Prosecution. The Additional Sessions Judge also observed that no specific reason for deferring the cross-examination had been pleaded on behalf of the Respondent Accused No. 2, apart from a general averment that the defence would be disclosed to the Prosecution.
The Additional Sessions Judge was of the view that the Respondent-Accused No. 2 and Accused No. 7 are “highly influential political leaders”, and the possibility of the threats to witnesses after their examination in chief, could not be ruled out. 4 Furthermore, it was observed that CWs 1 to 5 would be deposing on different facts and aspects of the case. The Additional Sessions Judge keeping in view the provisions of Sections 231(2) and 309 of the Cr.P.C. held that deferral of cross-examination is not an ordinary practice in a criminal trial, and dismissed the Application filed on behalf of the Respondent-Accused No. 2.
2.6. Aggrieved by the Order dated December 20, 2017 passed by the Additional Sessions Judge, the Respondent-Accused No. 2 filed Criminal Miscellaneous Case No. 171 of 2018 under Section 482 of the Cr.P.C. before the High Court of Kerala. The High Court reversed the Order of the Additional Sessions Judge by a short unreasoned cryptic Order dated January 1, 2018, and allowed Criminal Miscellaneous Case No. 171 of 2018. It was directed that the cross-examination of CWs 1 to 4 be adjourned till after the examination-in-chief of CW 5.
2.7. Aggrieved by the Order dated January 1, 2018 passed by the High Court, the State of Kerala has filed the present Special Leave Petition (Crl.) No. 4652 of 2018 before this Court.
3. The legal issue which arises for consideration in the present Criminal Appeal is whether the exercise of discretion under Section 231(2) of the Cr.P.C. by the Additional Sessions Judge was valid and legally sustainable.
4. The statutory framework governing the order of production and examination of witnesses is contained inter alia in Sections 135 and 138 of the Indian Evidence Act, 1872. A conjoint reading of Sections 1351 and 1382 would indicate that the usual practice in any trial, be it civil or criminal, is for the examination-in-chief of a witness to be carried out first; followed by his cross-examination (if so desired by the adverse party), and then reexamination (if so desired by the party calling the witness).
(1) On the date so fixed, the Judge shall proceed to take all such evidence as maybe produced in support of the prosecution.
The phraseology of Section 231(2) mirrors Section 242(3)3 of the Cr.P.C. which provides for a similar discretion to a Magistrate in the trial of a Warrant Case under Chapter XIX of the Cr.P.C.
6. Section 242(3) is analogous to Section 251A (7) of the repealed Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898 and is identically worded. Section 251A was inserted vide the Code of Criminal Procedure (Amendment) Act, 1955 (Act No. 26 of 1955) in the erstwhile Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898. The Statement of Objects and Reasons of the Code of Criminal Procedure (Amendment) Act, 1955 suggests inter alia that changes were introduced to simplify the procedure in warrant cases, to ensure speedy disposal of criminal judicial business, to minimise inconvenience caused to witnesses, and to ensure that adjournments are not allowed without the examination of witnesses present in court, except for an unavoidable cause.
The Karnataka High Court in Shamoon Ahmed Sayed & Anr. v. Intelligence Officer4, delivered by Shantanagoudar, J. (as he then was), had observed that Section 231(2) as well as Section 242(3) of the Cr.P.C. must be interpreted in light of the legislative intent behind the enactment of Section 251A of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898.
The party seeking deferral under Section 231(2) of the Cr.P.C. must give sufficient reasons to invoke the exercise of discretion by the Judge, and deferral cannot be asserted as a matter of right. Several High Courts have held that the discretion under Section 231(2) of the Cr.P.C. should be exercised only in “exceptional circumstances”6, or when “a very strong case”7 has been made out. However, while it is for the parties to decide the order of production and examination of witnesses in accordance with the statutory scheme, a Judge has the latitude to exercise discretion under Section 231(2) of the Cr.P.C. if sufficient reasons are made out for deviating from the norm.
Where witnesses were supposed to depose about the same set of facts9.
where no prejudice would have been caused12.
“42…(vi). Since the expectation of law is that the trial, once it commences, would continue from daytoday till it is concluded, it is desirable that, keeping in mind the possible time required for recording of evidence (particularly of the prosecution), a detailed schedule of the dates of hearing on which evidence would be recorded is drawn up immediately after charge is framed – this, taking into account not only the calendar of the court but also the atime required by the prosecution to muster and secure the presence of its witnesses as well as the convenience of the defence counsel. Once such a schedule has been drawn up, all sides would be duty bound to adhere to it scrupulously.
(vii). While drawing up the schedule of dates for recording of the evidence for the prosecution, as indicated above, the presiding judge would take advice from the prosecution as to the order in which it would like to examine its witnesses, clubbing witnesses pertaining to the same facts or events together, for the same set of dates.
(viii). If the defence intends to invoke the jurisdiction of the criminal court to exercise the discretion for deferment of cross-examination of particular witness(es) in terms of Section 231(2), or Section 242(3) Cr. PC, it must inform the presiding judge at the stage of setting the schedule so that the order in which the witnesses are to be called can be appropriately determined, facilitating short deferment for cross-examination (when necessary) so that the recording of evidence continues, from daytoday, unhindered avoiding prolonged adjournments as are often seen to be misused to unduly influence or intimidate the witnesses.
(ix). It is the bounden duty of the presiding judge of the criminal court to take appropriate measures, if the situation so demands, to insulate the witnesses from undue influence or intimidatory tactics or harassment.
10. There cannot be a straitjacket formula providing for the grounds on which judicial discretion under Section 231(2) of the Cr.P.C. can be exercised. The exercise of discretion has to take place on a casetocase basis. The guiding principle for a Judge under Section 231(2) of the Cr.P.C. is to ascertain whether prejudice would be caused to the party seeking deferral, if the application is dismissed.
occurrence of delay in the trial, and the non-availability of witnesses, if deferral is allowed, in view of Section 309(1) of the Cr.P.C.14.
These factors are illustrative for guiding the exercise of discretion by a Judge under Section 231(2) of the Cr.P.C.
ix. in cases where trial courts have granted a request for deferral, necessary steps must be taken to safeguard witnesses from being subjected to undue influence, harassment or intimidation.
13. In the present case, a bald assertion was made by the Counsel for the Respondent-Accused No. 2 that the defence of the Respondent-Accused No. 2 would be prejudiced if the cross-examination of CWs 1 to 5 is not deferred until after the examination-in-chief of CWs 2 to 5. 14 The impugned Order is liable to be set aside since the High Court has given no reasons for reversal of the Order of the Additional Sessions Judge, particularly in light of the possibility of undue influence and intimidation of witness(es) since the Respondent-Accused No. 2 and Accused No. 7 are “highly influential political leaders”.
14. In view of the aforesaid discussion, the present Criminal Appeal is allowed, and the impugned Order dated January 9, 2018 passed by the High Court of Kerala in Criminal Miscellaneous Case No. 171 of 2018 is set aside. The Order dated December 20, 2017 passed by the Additional Sessions Judge dismissing the Application filed on behalf of the Respondent-Accused No. 2 stands restored. The observations made hereinabove will, however, have no bearing on the merits of the case during the course of trial.
4 2009 Cri LJ 1215 : ILR 2008 Karnataka 4378.
6 Sisir Debnath v. State of West Bengal & Anr. [C.R.R. No. 2533 of 2017; decided on August 2, 2017 by the High Court of Calcutta (Appellate Side)]; Shamoon Ahmed Sayed & Anr. v. Intelligence Officer, 2009 Cri LJ 1215 : ILR 2008 Karnataka 4378.
7 Amit Kumar Shaw & Ors. v. State of West Bengal & Anr. [C.R.R. No. 3846 of 2009; decided on June 23, 2010 by the High Court of Calcutta (Appellate Side)].
Jayakar v. The State, by Frazer Town Police, ILR 1996 KARNATAKA 2783 : 1996 (3) Kar LJ 747.
9 R. Selvan v. State [Crl.R.C. (MD) No. 744 of 2016; decided on January 24, 2017 by High Court of Madras, at Madurai] : 2017 (2) Crimes 509 (Mad.).
10 Sisir Debnath v. State of West Bengal & Anr. [C.R.R. No. 2533 of 2017; decided on August 2, 2017 by the High Court of Calcutta (Appellate Side)].
Amit Kumar Shaw & Ors. v. State of West Bengal & Anr. [C.R.R. No. 3846 of 2009; decided on June 23, 2010 by the High Court of Calcutta (Appellate Side)]; Md. Sanjoy & Anr. v. The State of West Bengal, 2000 Cri LJ 608 : 2001 (1) RCR (Criminal) 431.
13 W.P. (Crl.) No. 1350 of 2017 and Crl. M.A. No. 7450 of 2017; decided on July 3, 2017 by the High Court of Delhi : 2017 Cri LJ 3875.
See also Vinod Kumar v. State of Punjab, (2015) 3 SCC 220; and, Lt. Col. S.J. Chaudhary v. State (Delhi Administration), (1984) 1 SCC 722.

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