Summarize the following court judgment. iminal Appeal No. 12 of 1972. From the Judgment and Order dated the 1st May	 1971 of the Madhya Pradesh High Court in Crl. Appeal No. 653 of 1970. 2 470SCI/75 520 R. K. Bhatt for the appellant. Ram Punjwani	 H. section Parihar and 1. N. Shroff	 for the respondent. The	 Judgment of the Court was delivered by BEG	 J. The sole appellant Ram Kumar Pandey	 aged 45 years	 was tried together with Suresh Kumar aged 20. years	 and Mulkraj	 aged 45 years	 and Ramesh Kumar	 aged 17 years	 on two charges framed against him. These were : "Firstly; That you on or about the 23rd day of March 1970 at Raipur	 did an act	 to wit	 hit Uttam Singh with a knife with such intention or. knowledge and under such circumstances	 that if by that act	 you had caused the death of Uttam Singh you would have been guilty of murder and that you caused grievous hurt to Uttam Singh by the said act and that you thereby committed an offence	 punishable under Section 307 I.P.C. and; Secondly : That at the said time and place	 you or some other persons did commit murder by intentionally or knowingly causing the death of Harbinger Singh and the said act was done in furtherance of the common intention of all and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 302 read with Section 34 of the Indian Penal Code and within the cognizance of the Court of Sessions. " Suresh Kumar	 Mulkraj and Ramesh Kumar	 were accused of 	offences punishable under Sections 307/114 and Section 302 read with Section 34 and 114 Indian Penal Code. The Sessions ' Judge of Raipur	 who had tried the case	 found Suresh Kumar guilty of the murder by stabbing of Harbinder Singh	 aged about 16 years	 and sentenced him to life imprisonment. He convicted the appellant under Section 324 I.P.C. only for the injury inflicted on Uttam Singh and sentenced him to one year 's rigorous imprisonment	 but acquitted him of other charges. He also acquitted the accused Ramesh and Mulkraj of all charges leveled against him. The State of Madhya Pradesh appealed against the acquittal of the appellant Ram Kumar Pandey of the charge under Section 302/34 I.P.C.	 and of Mulkraj and Ramesh Kumar of all charges. Suresh Kumar	 the son of Mulkraj appealed against his conviction under Section 302 simplicitor	 but this appeal was dismissed by the High Court which maintained his life imprisonment. The High Court also allowed the States appeal against the acquittal of Ram Kumar Pandey for injuries caused to Harbinder Singh	 and	 convicting him under Section 302/34 I.P.C.	 it sentenced him to life imprisonment. It convicted Mulkraj of an offence punishable only under Section 323 I.P.C. and sentenced him to a fine of Rs. 200/ 	 and	 in default of payment of fine	 to rigorous imprisonment for two months. It	 upheld the acquittal of Ramesh Kumar Ahuja of all charges. This appeal has come up before us after a certificate granted by the High Court under Article 134(1) (c) of the Constitution	 but the 521 certificate says that the appellant is entitled to it under the 	 strictly speaking	 no certificate of the High Court is required for such an appeal where an acquittal has been converted into a conviction finder Section 302/34 I.P.C.	 and a sentence of life imprisonment imposed upon an accused person. Thus appeal	 in such a case	 lies as a matter of right to this Court under the Act of 1970. The only question before us now is whether the appellant	 who had not appealed at all to the High Court against his conviction under Section 324 I.P.C.	 which stands	 was rightly convicted by the High Court under Section 302/34	 I.P.C.	 after setting aside his acquittal for the graver offence for injuries resulting in the death of Harbinder Singh. The well settled rule of practice in a case of an appeal against an acquittal is that the appellate Court should not interfere with the acquittal merely because it can take one of the two reasonably possible views which favours conviction. But	 if the view of the Trial Court is not reasonably sustainable	 on the evidence on record	 the appellate Court will interfere with an acquittal. If the Appellate Court sets aside an acquittal and convicts	 we have to be satisfied	 after examining the prosecution and defence cases	 and the crucial points emerging for decision from the facts of the case	 that the view taken by the Trial Court	 on evidence on record	 is at least as acceptable as the one taken by the High Court	 before we could interfere with the High Court 's judgment. The prosecution case	 as set out in the First Information Report was ; Uttam Singh	 PW 1	 residing at Ganj Parao	 on the first floor went home at about 3.30 p.m. on 23 3 1970 and was preparing to have a bath when Suresh Ahuja came down from an upper storey of the house and complained that Uttam Singh had been quarreling with members of his family. Uttam Singh requested him to take his seat and promised to look into the matter. This angered Suresh Ahuja. Thereafter	 his	 elder brother arrived and started quarreling with Uttam Singh 's daughter. At this stage	 the landlord Mulkraj Ahuja	 accompanied by the appellant Ram Kumar Pandey	 who lives with his family in a side room on the ground floor	 entered and immediately gave him a blow on his eye 	brow. Uttam Singh fell down. As Uttam Singh got up	 the appellant struck him with a knife from behind. Mukhraj asked Pandey to run down stairs. Both the accused tried to run away. Uttam Singh tried to catch them but failed. Uttam Singh when asked his son Harbinder Singh to make a telephone call. At this point	 Suresh	 son of Mulkraj	 stabbed Harbinder Singh who fell down in the lane. Uttam Singh saw Harbinder Singh lying near the house of Saudager Shah with an injury on his chest which was bleeding profusely. Harbinder Singh was carried to a hospital on a cart and Gurcharan Singh telephoned the police. Joginder Singh also came while the injuries were being inflicted. Uttam Singh 's daughters Amarit Kaur and Taranjit Kaur saw Uttam Singh wrapping a chadar an the wound of Harbinder Singh. Raj Jaggi had seen Harbinder 522 Singh falling down. The motive for this incident was that Mulkraj Ahuja	 the landlord	 wanted his house vacated by Uttam Singh. Harbinder Singh had died while being taken to hospital. The above mentioned First information Report was lodged at Police Station Ganj on 23 3 1970 at 9.15 p.m. The time of this incident is stated to be 5 p.m. The only person mentioned as an eye witness to the murder of Harbinder Singh is Joginder Singh. The two daughters Taranjit Kaur	 PW 2	 and Amarjit Kaur	 PW 6	 are mentioned in the F.I.R. only as persons who saw the wrapping of the chadar on the wound of Harbinder Singh	 What is most significant is that it is nowhere mentioned in the F.I.R. that the appellant had stabbed Harbinder Singh at all. It seems inconceivable that by 9.15 p.m. it would not be known to Uttam Singh	 the father of Harbinder Singh	 that the appellant had inflicted one of the two stab wounds on the body of Harbinder Singh. No doubt	 an F.I.R. is a previous statement which can	 strictly speaking	 be only used to corroborate or contradict the maker of it. But	 in this case	 it had been made by the father of the murdered boy to whom all the important facts of the occurrence	 so far as they were	 known up to 9.15 p.m. on 23 3 1970	 were bound to have been communicated. If his daughters had seen the appellant inflicting a blow ' on Harbinder Singh	 the father would certainly have mentioned it in the F.I.R. We think that or missions of such important facts	 affecting the probabilities of the case	 are relevant under Section 11 of the Evidence Act in judging the veracity of the prosecution case. Even Joginder Singh	 PW 8	 was not an eye witness of the	 occurrence. He merely proves an alleged dying declaration. He stated that Harbinder Singh (described by his pet name as "Pappi") rushed out of his house by opening its door	 and held his hand on his chest with blood flowing down from it. He deposed that	 when he asked Pappi what had happened	 Pappi had stated that Suresh and Pandey had injured him. It is clear from the F.I.R. that Joginder Singh had met Uttam Singh before the F.I.R. was made. Uttam Singh did not mention there that any dying declaration indicating that the appellant had also injured Harbinder Singh. was made by Harbinder Singh. The omission to mention any injury inflicted on Harbinder Singh by the appellant in the F.I.R. seems very significant in the circumstances of this case. Indeed	 according to the version in the F.I.R.	 Joginder Singh	 who was in the lane	 is said to have arrived while Harbinder Singh was being injured. Therefore	 if this was correct	 the two injuries on Harbinder Singh must also have been inflicted in the lane outside. Satwant Kaur	 PW 7	 the wife of Uttam Singh	 who claimed to have been an eye witness of the whole occurrence	 was also not mentioned in the F.I.R. Suresh had	 according to her	 stabbed Harbinder Singh on the right side of the chest at the door of the kitchen	 and thereafter	 Pandey was said to have attacked him. 523 Again	 we find that Taranjit Kaur	 PW 2	 and Amarjit Kaur	 PW 6	 daughters of Uttam Singh	 have figured as eye witnesses of the whole occurrence including the stabbing of Harbinder Singh by the appellant. As already indicated	 they are not mentioned in the F.I.R. as eye witnesses of the murder. This is also very significant in the present case. They have been mentioned only as witnesses of wrapping a chadar on the wound of Harbinder Singh who was then said to be lying in the lane after the occurrence. In order to explain how Harbinder Singh	 said to have been attacked near the kitchen of Uttam Singh on the first floor	 was found lying in the lane in a pool of blood	 the persecution version is that	 after the attack with knives by Suresh and the appellant	 Harbinder Singh ran and rushed down the steps into the lane. It was pointed out that	 in view of the nature of two injuries sustained	 by Harbinder Singh and the medical evidence about them	 it was not possible for Harbinder Singh either to have rushed down	 or	 in any case	 to have made a dying declaration. The injuries on Harbinder Singh found by Dr. section C. Vishnoi were as follows : "(i) An incised wound on the left side of the chest placed anteriorly and measuring 1 1/2" x 1" x 1 1/2" deep. In the fifth intercostal space closed to the lateral border of the left side of the sternum. It had clean cut and blood stains margins. (ii) An incised wound on the right side of back in the 8th intercostal space 2" below the inferior angle of scapula. It had measured 1" x 1" x 1". It had clean cut and bloodstains margins. There was found difficulty in probing through this wound". The Doctor said about the first injury "This injury had entered the cavity of the right ventrical. It was a very serious injury. Right ventrical is an important part of the heart. Generally such an injury would result in an instantaneous death. Injury to the right ventrical and the paricardium had resulted in profused hemorrhage". He also said : Injury to the lobe of the right lung and the pleura as found in this case will result in shock. Ordinarily such a injury would immediately be fatal". The main points for decision which emerged from the evidence in the case were: 1. Where was Harbinder Singh stabbed? 2. Who could have been the witness of the stabbing? 3. Could the alleged eye witnesses be believed? 4. Could the dying declaration	 said to have been made	 to 524 Joginder Singh	 be made the sole basis of the conviction of the appellant under section 302/34 IPC if the evidence 	of alleged eye witnesses was to be discarded? As regards the place where the stabbing ' took place	 the High Court had itself felt highly dissatisfied with the manner in which the case was investigated. The site plans do not show any place where the blood was found. if blood marks had been shown and blood had been taken from spots where it had fallen	 it would have afforded very valuable evidence on the question whether any stabbing of Harbinder Singh did take place at door of the kitchen and whether he ran after that. The site plans did not show even where the kitchen was. Therefore	 we cannot know	 by looking at these	 whether the three ladies	 who are alleged to be eye witnesses at the trial	 could have seen the occurrence in the room in which Uttam Singh was injured as well as at the door of the kitchen. Taking all the relevant evidence on this point into account	 it is far 'more likely that	 as the Sessions ' Judge had guessed	 the deceased had been stabbed by Suresh twice in the lane	 probably once from the front and again while he fell or was trying to run away. He could not have moved far from the scene where he was stabbed. The High Court 's reasons to dislodge this inference are insufficient. As regards the second and third points	 we are unable to give credence to the version of the three alleged eye witnesses as they were not mentioned as eye witnesses in the F.I.R. made in the circumstances indicated above. Lastly	 the alleged dying declaration is also not mentioned in the F.I.R. On the other hand	 the F.I.R.	 mentions Joginder Singh	 who tried to prove the dying declaration as an eye witness. It may be pointed out that the charge against the appellant for offences under Section 302/34 I.P.C. is also defective inasmuch as it shows that either the appellant "or some other person" committed the murder. It does not show how or even mention that the appellant acted in concert with anyone else. However	 no grievance has been made of any defect in the charge or any prejudice to the appellant from it. We therefore	 ignore it. It may also be mentioned that the High Court had itself recorded the following finding: "All the eye witnesses have admitted that the four accused did not come together ;it the same time in the room where the incident happened. Suresh Kumar came in that room first	 Ramesh Kumar then entered the room and some time after they were followed by Mulkraj and Ram Kumar Pandey. There is nothing to show that there was a preconcert between the four accused to commit any particular offence in the room. It appears that the whole incident took an ugly and unexpected turn and the most unfortunate result 525 was that Harbinder Singh was killed. We are of the view that the trial Court was right in reaching the conclusion that Ram Kumar Pandey and Suresh Kumar were individually responsible for their acts". It is difficult	 after this finding to follow the reasoning of the High Court in coming to the conclusion that the appellant was guilty of an offence punishable under Section 302/34 I.P.C. Consequently	 we allow this appeal and set aside the conviction and sentence of the appellant under Section 302/34 I.P.C. If the appellant has already served the sentence awarded under Section 324 I.P.C.	 as is stated on his behalf	 he will be released forthwith. V.M.K. Appeal allowed.

The appellant was charged with two offences	 (i) under section 307 I.P.C. with respect to one person	 and (ii) under section 302/34	 I.P.C. for having	 along with other accused	 caused the death of another. The trial court convicted him under s.324 I.P.C. on the first charge and acquitted him of the other charge. The appeal by the State against the acquittal on the second charge was allowed by the High Court and the appellant was convicted under s.302/34 I.P.C. and sentenced to life imprisonment. Allowing the appeal to this Court	 HELD : (1) In the case of an appeal against an acquittal the appellate court should not interfere with the acquittal merely because it can take one of the two reasonably possible views which favours conviction. But if the view of the trial court is not reasonably sustainable	 on the evidence on record. the appellate court will interfere with the acquittal. If the High Court sets aside an acquittal and convicts	 this Court has to be satisfied	 after examining the prosecution and defence cases	 and the crucial points emerging for decision from the facts of the case	 that the view taken by the trial court	 on the evidence on record	 is atleast as acceptable as the one taken by the High Court	 before this Court could interfere with the decision of the High Court. [521D] (a) The First Information Report is a previous statement which	 strictly speaking	 can be only used to corroborate or contradict the maker of it. In the present case	 the F.I.R. was made by the father of the deceased to whom all the important facts of the occurrence were bound to have been communicated. But	 though the F.I.R. was given about 4 hours after the incident	 it was not mentioned therein that the appellant had stabbed the deceased. The omission of such an important fact affecting the probabilities of the case is relevant under s.11 of the Evidence Act in judging the veracity of the prosecution case. [522D] (b) The evidence	 shows that the deceased was stabbed by one or the other accused; that the place of occurrence had been shifted by the witnesses for the prosecution; that the version of the alleged eye witnesses is not credible; and that the alleged dying declaration is unreliable. [524B D] (2) The High Court	 having found that the appellant and the other accused were individually responsible for their acts	 erred in finding the appellants guilty on the basis of common intention	 of an offense under section 302/34 I.P.C. [524FG] (3) An appeal to this Court by the accused	 in a case where his acquittal had been converted into a conviction and the sentence of life imprisonment was imposed upon him	 lies as a matter of right under the 	 and no certificate of the High Court is necessary. [521A]