Summarize the following court judgment. iminal Appeal No. 17 of 1971. Appeal by special leave from the Judgment and Order dated the June 1	 1970 of the Allahabad High Court in Criminal Appeal No. 1931 of 1969 and Referred No. 182 of 1969. D. P. Uniyal and O. P. Rana	 for the Appellant. 59 A. section R. Chari	 section K. Mehta	 K. L. Mehta and K. R. Nagaraja	 for the Respondent. The Judgment of the Court was delivered by Khanna	 J. Samman Dass alias Samman Lal	 aged 19 years	 was convicted by Sessions Judge	 Faizabad under section 302 I.P.C. for causing the death of his wife Putlibai by throttling her and was sentenced to death. On appeal as well as in the reference made to it for the confirmation of the death sentence	 the Allahabad High Court set aside the conviction of the accused and acquitted him. The State of Uttar Pradesh has filed this appeal by special leave against the above judgment of the High Court. The accused was married to Putlibai	 who was near about of the same	 age as the accused	 on May 14	 1968. Putlibai was the daughter of Gurmukh Das (PW 8) of Azamgarh	 while the accused is the son of Shobhamal of Faizabad. The accused lived with his parents in quarter No. 1831 in Ram Nagar Colony of Faizabad. More than 300 familities of Sindhis live in this locality. The non Sindhis occupy only a couple of houses. There are a number of blocks of buildings in the colony. Each of those blocks consists of ten quarters. Apart from the accused and his parents	 his uncle Parumal and the wife of Parumal	 who is sister of the mother of the accused	 also lives in his quarter. The accused had been engaged to Putlibai about a year before the marriage. According to the prosecution case	 about 5 or 6 months after the engagement the accused went to the house of Gurmukh Das in Azamgarh to see Putlibai. After having a look at Putlibai the accused came to Faizabad and stated that he would not marry Putlibai as she was not of fair complexion. When Gurmukh Das (PW) 8 learnt that the accused had refused to marry his daughter	 he convened a panchayat. The father of the accused then became agreeable to marry the accused with Putlibai. The marriage accordingly took place on May 14	 1969. After the marriage Putlibai came to Faizabad and lived with the accused in his parents ' quarter for about two and a half months. Gurmukh Das	 father of Putlibai	 it is stated	 then came and took her to his house. Putlibai after that came to the house of her husband on October 15	 1968. The death anniversary of Sain Kanwar Ram	 a Sindhi saint	 was celebrated by the Sindhis in Ram Nagar Colony of Faizabad on the night between 17th and 18th October	 1968. The singing of the devotional songs continued up to 10 a.m. on October 18 in an open maidan in the Ram Nagar Colony. The said maidan is at about a distance of 90 paces from the quarter of the accused. 60 Most of the Sindhis of Ram Nagar Colony attended the celebrations. The Prasad was distributed at about 10 a.m. on the close of the celebrations. The case of the prosecution is that Bhagwan Das (PW 1) who is brother of maternal grandfather of Putlibai	 after taking Prasad took a riksha and started going to his grocery shop in Mohalla Chowk	 Faizabad. When Bhagwan Das passed in from of the quarter of the accused	 he heard shrieks. Bhagwan Das then shouted as to what the shrieks were about. Bhagwan Das also went to the front door of the quarter of the accused and knocked there. On hearing the shouts of Bhagwan Das	 Choith Ram (PW 2)	 Ayal Das alias Ailmal (PW 6)	 Shobhraj (PW 7) and one Kirpal Das also joined Bhagwan. Bhagwan Das. Choith Ram	 Ayal Das and Shobhraj all live in that locality. Choith Ram and Shobhraj were passing through the lane at that time after taking Prasad. Ayal Das	 who 'too had taken Prasad	 was taking water at a place about 40/50 paces away from the quarter of the accused when Ayal Das heard shouts. The front door of the quarter of the accused was found bolted from inside and there was no response to the knocking at the door. Bhagwan Das and others who had joined him then went to the back door of the quarter of the accused and knocked at the back door. The back door which opens in a very narrow lane was also found bolted from inside. There was no response even to the knocking at the back door. Bhagwan Das and his companions then thought of going again to the front door of the quarter. When Bhagwan Das and his companions reached near a well at a distance of 10 paces from the back door of the house of the accused	 they heard the noise of someone jumping. They then looked back and saw the accused who jumped over the back wall of his quarter. The accused wanted to run away but Bhagwan Das and his four companions caught hold of the accused and did not allow him to escape in spite of his entreaties. The accused appeared worried at that time and there was redness in his eyes. At the asking of Bhagwan Das	 it is alleged	 Choith Ram PW went inside the quarter of the accused by scaling over the wall which is about 7 feet high. Choith Ram then opened the back door. Bhagwan Das along with the companions went inside the quarter of the accused and found Putlibai lying dead on a cot in one of the rooms of the quarter. The door of this room was slightly open. No one else was present in the quarter at that time. Just then there was a knock at the front door of the quarter. It was opened by Choith Ram. The mother of the accused who had also gone to take Prasad then came inside the quarter. On seeing the dead body of the deceased	 the mother of the accused started crying. Shobhamal	 the father of the accused	 whose shop 61 is situated in Sabzi Mandi	 came after about one and a half hour. On the arrival of Shobhanial	 Bhagwan Das told him everything. Shobhamal then wanted to lift the dead body of Putlibai for consigning it in the river but he was told by Choith Ram and others that they would not allow the dead body to be removed till the arrival of the parents of Putlibai. Bhagwan Das	 in the meanwhile	 directed one Govardhan Das	 brother of Choith Ram	 to go in a taxi to Azamgarh and bring the parents of Putlibai. At about 3 p.m. it is stated	 Shobhamal	 father of the accused	 stated that there was no idea in keeping the dead body for a long time and that if Bhagwan Das and others had any suspicion	 a doctor could be sent for. Bhagwan Das and his companions then told Shobhanial to call the doctor. Shobhamal thereupon deputed one Bhagumal to call a doctor. Bhagumal then went and contacted Dr. Hansraj Singhal (PW 4) at the latter 's residence It about 4 p.m. Dr. Singhal	 it is alleged	 then went to his clinic and from there took his diagonistic bag and thereafter came to the quarter of the accused. The doctor found the dead body of Putlibai lying on a cot. The colour of her face was blue. The face was swollen and the eyes were slightly open. Pupils were dilated and nonreacting to light. The mouth was slightly open and there were finger marks on the left and right side of her neck. There were also marks of some abrasions on both the elbows besides a contusion on the right palm. As Dr. Singhal was concerned only with the question as to whether the death of the deceased was normal or was the result of some foul play	 he did not make a more detailed examination of the dead body. Dr. Singhal came to the conclusion that the death of Putlibai was not natural but was due to throttling. The doctor told this thing to Bhagumal. The doctor added that the police should be informed and that otherwise he would himself inform the police on reaching his clinic. After saying this the doctor left the quarter. After the doctor gone for a distance of about two furlongs he thought of inquiring the name of the deceased	 her husband and the particulars of the address. He consequently returned to the quarter of the accused and after getting the necessary information	 went to his clinic. Before reaching the clinic	 the doctor also telephoned to the police station about the death of Putlibai from a shop near his clinic. In the meanwhile	 immediately after Dr. Singbal had left the quarter of the accused	 Bhagwan Das PW got a report written by Dayal Das (PW 10). The report was then signed by Bhagwan Das and was taken to police station kotwali at a distance of about two miles from the place of occurrence. The report was handed over at the police station at 5 p.m. Mohd. Amin (PW 9)	 62 head clerk in the police station	 then prepared a formal F.I.R. on the basis of the report of Bhagwan Das. A copy of the first information report was sent to Sub Inspector Ram Gulam Chaudhari who was present in station Fatehganj. The Sub Inspector then went to the quarter of the accused and reached there at about 6 p.m. The Sub Inspector took the accused	 who had been secured at the spot	 in his custody. The dead body of the deceased was found by the Sub Inspector lying on a cot. After preparing the necessary documents	 the Sub Inspector sent the dead body to the mortuary. Post mortem examination on the dead body of Putlibai was performed by Dr. Vijay Pal (PW 3) at 11.45 a.m. on October 19	 1968. In the opinion of Dr. Vijay Pal the death of Putlibai deceased was due to asphyxia caused by throttling. After necessary investigations	 a challan was put in against the accused. In his statement under section 342 Code of Criminal Proce dure before the committing magistrate the accused denied the prosecution allegations and stated that on the day of occurrence	 he had gone to his father 's shop at 9 a.m. He was called from that shop at 9 30 a.m. after being told that the condition of his wife was serious. The accused then wanted to call a doctor but the doctor was not available. According to the accused he was falsely involved in this case at the instance of Bliagwan Das and Perumal who did not want that he should mart)( Putlibai. In his statement under section 342 of the Code of Criminal Procedure in the court of Sessions	 the accused admitted that he had been married to Putlibai deceased on May 14	 1968 and that they had been living together in the quarter of the accused along with the parents of the accused as welt as his uncle and aunt. The accused further admitted that he had been engaged to Putlibai before his marriage but denied that he had refused to marry her. The allegation about the gathering of a panchayat too was denied by the accused. The accused admitted that Putlibai came to the quarter of the accused on October 15	 1968. The fact that there was a celebration by the Sindhis living in the locality of the death anniversary of Sain Kanwar Rain on the night between 17th and 18th October 1968 was also admitted by the accused	 but according to him	 the Prasad was distributed at 6 or 7 a.m. The prosecution allegations about the hearing. of shircks from his quarter as well as about his jumping over the back wall was denied by the accused. The accused likewise denied the allegation that he was secured by Bhagwan Das and others. The accused added that Bhagwan Das	 Choith Ram and father of Cloitli Ram	 were inimical to him because they did not want Putlibai to marry the accused. 63 According to the accused	 on the day of occurrence he had gone to his father 's shop at about 9 a.m. Thereafter he came to the place of occurrence at about 11 or 11.30 a.m. on being told that the condition of his wife was serious. In defence five witnesses were examined on behalf of the accused. The purport of the defence evidence was that on the day of occurrence at 10.30 or 11 a.m. the aunt of the accused called Tikam Das (DW 2)	 who is the cousin of the mother of the accused and lives in the neighbourhood	 and told him to go to the shop of the father of the accused and inform him about the serious condition of Putlibai deceased. Tikam Das then went to the shop of the father of the accused and met the accused and his father there and conveyed the message to them. Evidence was also led to show that the accused called two doctors and sent a telegram about the death of the deceased to his sister 's husband. The learned Sessions Judge on consideration of the evidence found that the following facts had been proved by the prosecution "1. The accused was the only person in the quarter and	 therefore	 with	 the deceased immediately before	 at the time of and immediately after her murder. Instead of getting out of the quarter in the usual way	 he scaled the rear wall and jumped into the back lane immediately after the murder of the deceased. 3.When he was caught as soon as lie jumped	 he was nonplused	 his eyes were red shot and he begged to be	 let off which exhibited his guilty consciences" Reference was further made to the fact that the accused had failed to explain as to why he had jumped from the back wall of his quarter and had tried to run away. It was also pointed out that the accused had made false denials and put forth false plea of alibi. The above circumstances	 in the opinion of the Sessions Judge	 were consistent only with the guilt of the accused. The defence evidence produced by the accused was found to be not worthy of credence and was rejected. In the result the accused was convicted for the murder of Putlibai and was sentenced to death. When the matter came up before the High Court	 the learned Judges held that the prosecution had successfully established that the accused had a motive for the murder of Putlibai. In the opinion of the learned Judges	 the circumstances in which the death of Putlibai had occurred must have created a strong suspicion against the accused. He was consequently involved in this case. 64 The learned Judges seem to have taken the view that the first information report was not lodged at the time when it purports to have been made. It was also observed that the only witness who appeared to be independent was PW Shobharaj. His statement was found to be not true because the witness had given the distance 	of his quarter from that of the accused as 50 paces	 while	 according to another witness	 the distance was 150 paces. In the result. the conviction of the accused was set aside and he was acquitted. We have heard Mr. Unyal on behalf of the appellant and Mr. Chari on. behalf of the accused respondent	 and are of the opinion that the High Court set aside the conviction of the accused on grounds which are wholly untenable. There can be no manner of doubt that Putlibai deceased was throttled to death. The evidence of Dr. Vijay Pal (PW 7)	 who performed post mortem examination on the dead body of Putlibai deceased shows that he found the following ante mortem injuries on the dead body of the deceased Putlibai : "Finger marks were present in front of the neck. These marks looked like brownish and dry. On the left side of the neck	 in front	 upper and outer part	 thumb mark was present which measured 1" x 1/2 " and the upper part of which was 1/2 " below the mandible. On the right side of the neck	 in front upper and outer part of 4 finger marks were present in oblique directions downwards and outwards one below the other measuring 1" x 1/2"	 3/4"x 1/2""	 1/2 x 1/2" and 1/4" x 1/4"; the upper most mark was 1/2 " below the mandible. " Besides the above injuries	 there was a contusion on the right thinner eminence and two abrasions on the elbows. Extravascular blood was present in the subcutaneous tissues of the neck under the finger marks in the adjacent muscles of the neck. There was fracture of the corner of the hyoid bone. The larynx	 the trachea	 the lungs	 the liver	 the gall bladder	 the spleen and the kidneys were congested. Dr. Vijay Pal accordingly came to the conclusion that the death was due to asphyxia caused by throttling. The doctor added that the time of the death of the deceased could be about 10.30 a.m. on October 18	 1968. According to the prosecution case	 the death of Putlibai deceased was caused by the accused	 while the accused has denied this allegation. The Sessions Judge accepted the prosecution evidence in this respect	 but the same was found by the High Court to be not such as could warrant a conviction of the accused. In order to prove the case against the accused	 the prosecution examined Bhagwan Das (PW 1)	 Choith Ram (PW 2)	 65 Ayal Das (PW 6) and Shobhraj (PW 7). According to Bhagwan Das PW	 he heard shrieks when he passed in front of the quarter of the accused at about 10.30 a.m. on the day of occurrence. The witness then shouted as to what the matter was about and was immediately joined by the other three witnesses and Kirpal Das. The witness then knocked at the front door as well as at the back door of the quarter of the accused but got no response. Just then	 the witness and his companions saw the accused jumping over the rear wall of his quarter in the back lane. The accused was then secured and was not allowed to escape in spite of his entreaties. Choith Ram PW then entered the quarter by scaling over the back wall and opened the door. When Bhagwan Das and his companions went inside	 they found Putlibai lying dead on the cot. Bhagwan Das also deposed about the report lodged by him with the police after Dr. Singhal had declared that Putlibai had been throttled to death. The above evidence of Bhagwan Das is corroborated by the evidence of Choith Ram (PW 2)	 Ayal Das (PW 6) and Shobhraj (PW 7). The evidence of the above mentioned four witnesses was found by the learned Sessions Judge to be convincing and reliable. After having been taken through that evidence	 we see no cogent ground to take a view different from that of the Sessions Judge. It is no doubt true that Bhagwan Das PW is the brother of Bangamal	 maternal grandfather of Putlibai	 deceased and that sister of Choith Ram PW is married to Bangamal. It is also true that Ayal Dass PW is a cousin of Gurumukh Das	 father of Putlibai. The relationship of the above mentioned three witnesses to Putlibai deceased would	 in our opinion	 be not a sufficient ground for discrediting their testimony. It is well known that the close relatives of a murdered person are most reluctant to spare the real assailant ' and falsely involve another person in place of the assailant. Had Putlibai been killed by some other person	 the natural conduct of the above mentioned three witnesses	 who were related to Putlibai on her parents ' side	 would have been to offer sympathy to Samman Dass accused and help him in the apprehension of the real culprit	 rather than to falsely involve him in the murder of his wife. There is no cogent evidence on the record to show that any of the above mentioned three witnesses had any animus against the accused. The accused	 no doubt	 took the plea that the above mentioned witnesses were against his marriage with Putlibai	 but that suggestion has been denied by these witnesses. Apart from the evidence of the aforesaid three witnesses	 we have the evidence of Shobhraj PW. Shobhraj is a wholly dis interested witness	 and we see no cogent ground whatsoever as to why his evidence be not accepted. The fact that according to 66 Shobbraj his quarter was at a distance of about 50 paces from the quarter of the accused	 while according to Bhagwan Das PW the quarter of Shobhraj is at a distance of 150 paces from that of the accused	 would not go to show that Shobhraj is not	 as held by the High Court	 a truthful witness. The difference in the estimate of the distance of the quarter of the accused from that of Shobhraj is not of great significance because nothing hinges on that distance. According to Shobhraj	 he arrived at the scene of occurrence not from his quarter but from the place where the celebrations of Sain Kanwar Ram were being held. The afore said place is at a distance of less than 100 paces from the quarter of the accused. The view of the High Court that the first information report was not lodged at the police station at the time	 viz.	 5 p.m.	 at which it purports to have been lodged is based upon mere conjecture. According to Bhagwan Das PW	 immediately after Dr. Singhal had declared at about 4.30 p.m. that Putlibai had been throttled to death	 he (Bhagwan Das) got written report from Dayal Das (PW 10) and signed it. The report was then sent to the police station. The evidence of Bhagwan Das in this respect is corroborated by Dayal Das PW. We have then the evidence of Mohd. Amin (PW 9). Mohd. Amin was head clerk in police station Kotwali in those days. According to Mohd. Amin	 the report was handed over to him at the police station at 5 p.m. on October 18	 1968. The witness then prepared the formal first information report. An entry was also made in the general diary of police station at that time. The witness further sent special report regarding this case at 5.20 p.m. on that very day. Nothing was brought out in cross examination to shake the evidence of Mohd. Amin. Apart from the fact that no reason has been shown as to why the evidence of Bhagwan Das and Mohd. Amin be not accepted regarding the time at which the first information report was lodged at the police station	 we find that there was not even a remote suggestion in the cross examination of Mohd. Amin that the formal first information report was not prepared at the police station at the time	 viz	 p.m.	 at which it purports to have been prepa red. In the absence of any material pointing to the inference that the formal first information report was not prepared at 5 p.m.	 the High Court	 in our view acted erroneously in holding	 on the basis of a pure surmise	 that the first information report had not been lodged at the police station at 5 p.m. We are also not impressed by the argument that the police acted on the telephonic intimation received from Dr. Singhal According to Dr. Singhal	 he sent the telephonic intimation after 5 p.m.	 while the report of Bhagwan Das had been lodged at the police station at 5 p.m. Dr. Singhal 's evidence shows that after 67 examining the dead body of Putlibai at about 4.30 p.m.	 he proceeded in a riksha to his clinic. After he had gone for a distance of two furlongs	 he thought of getting details about the name of the deceased	 her husband 's name and address. He accordingly returned to the quarter of the accused and got the necessary particulars. After that	 he again proceeded towards his clinic	 but his riksha was held up at the railway level crossing because the gate at the crossing remained closed for 10 minutes. In the cir cumstances	 we find no reason to reject the prosecution evidence that the police acted upon the report lodged by Bhagwan Das PW. Coming to the question as to whether there was a delay in lodging the report	 we find that the evidence on record shows that after Putlibai had been found dead	 the father of the accused showed inclination to consign her dead body to the river. Bhagwan Das then insisted that the dead body of Putlibai should not be disposed of till the arrival of her parents. The father of the accused thereupon agreed to send for a doctor. Dr. Singhal was accordingly called and he stated	 after examining the dead body	 that the deceased had been throttled to death. Immediately thereafter	 Bhagwan Das got the report written from Dayal Das and lodged it at the police station. In our opinion	 there was no inordinate delay in lodging the	 report. It is obvious that Bhagwan Das did not lodge the report till such time as he was certain that the death of Putlibai deceased was not natural but was due to violence. The present was not a case wherein the deceased had been killed by some sharp edged weapon or a fire arm	 or wherein the deceased had been killed by sharp edged weapon or a fire arm	 or wherein the body of the deceased had been found lying in a pool of blood. In such a case	 there can be no doubt about the death being not natural. In cases. however	 of death caused by poisoning or throttling	 a layman cannot be very sure of the cause of death	 and we find nothing improbable in the conduct of Bbagwan Das PW in not lodging the report till he learnt from Dr. Singhal that death of the deceased was due to throttling. Bhagwan Das	 Choith Ram	 Ayal Das and Shobhraj PWs reside in the locality wherein the occurrence took place. The fact that no one from the quarters adjoining	 that of the accused has been examined by the prosecution would not	 in our opinion	 introduce an infirmity in the prosecution case. The evidence Bhagwan Das shows that the adjoining quarters were closed at the time of the occurrence	 as most of the people in the locality had gone to attend the celebrations of Sain Kanwar Ram. Argument was advanced by Mr. Chari that it would not be a natural act of the accused to have made the murderous assault on his wife at about 10.30 a.m. when the people were moving in the lane in front of his quarter. In this respect we 68 find that the accused chose the moment when no one else was present in the house. The fact that no one was present there to witness the actual murder of the deceased might well have been considered by the accused to be an opportune time. Different individuals act differently in a given situation	 and we find nothing improbable in the act of the accused in committing the murder 	of his wife at about 10.30 a.m. on the day of occurrence. It has also been submitted by Mr. Chari that there was no sufficient motive for the accused to murder his wife. In this respect we find that the evidence of Choith Ram (PW 2) shows that the accused has told him that he did not like Putlibai. We have then the evidence of Bhagwan Das PW as well as that of Gurmukh Das PW	 father of Putlibai	 that when it was learnt that the accused was reluctant to marry Putlibai	 Gurmukh Das convened a panchayat. The accused was thereafter married to Putlibai. The evidence on record thus	 reveals that the accused was forced to mary Putlibai in spite of his dislike	 because of the convening of the panchayat. It cannot	 in the circumstances	 be said that the accused had no motive to cause the death of his wife. The learned judges of The High Court too took the view that the accused had a motive to cause the death of the deceased. In any case	 motive is not very material when the other evidence clearly points to the guilt of the accused. Reference has also been made by Mr. Chari to the fact that there is no evidence about the existence of any injury on the person of the accused. It is urged that the deceased	 while being throttled	 must have offered resistance	 and thus. there would have been an injury on the person of the accused because of that resistance. We are not impressed by this argument because resistance by the deceased resulting in injuries to the assailant is not a necessary feature of every act of throttling. Different victims can act differently and it would depend upon a variety of circumstances as to whether they were or not in a position to offer resistance. The absence of injuries on the person of the accused would not go to show that he was not the person who had throttled the deceased to death. So far as the defence evidence is concerned	 the same was disbelieved by the Sessions Judge. The defence evidence was also not relied upon by the High Court ostensibly because no effort was made to rely upon that evidence. Likewise	 no effort has been made in this Court to rely upon the defence evidence. There is no eyewitness of the actual occurrence	 but on the material on record	 we find that the following circumstances have been proved against the accused. 69 (1) The accused was alone with the deceased in his quarter at about 10.30 a.m. on the day of occurrence. (2) Shrieks were heard at that time from inside the quarter of the accused. (3) Both the front and the back doors of the quarter of the accused were found to be bolted from inside. Those doors were not opened inspite of shouting and knocking. (4) The accused soon thereafter jumped over the rear wall into the back lane. He wanted to run away but was secured by Bhagwan Das and other witnesses. This accused appeared to be upset at that time and	 in sipte of his entreaties	 he was not allowed to go away. (5) Immediately thereafter	 Bhagwan Das and other witnesses went inside the quarter and found Putlibai	 wife of the accused	 lying dead on a cot. (6) According to medical evidence	 the deceased had been throttled to death at about 10.30 a.m. on that day. (7) The accused had an animus against Putlibai because he was forced to marry her in spite of the fact that he did not like her. All the above circumstances	 in our opinion	 clearly point to the conclusion that the accused was the murderer of Putlibai. The above circumstances are inconsistent with his innocence. Mr. Chari has referred to the case of the State of Madras vs A. Vaidvanatha Iyer (1) wherein this Court held that the words used in article 136 of the Constitution show that	 in criminal matters	 no distinction can be made as a matter of construction between a judgment of conviction and one of acquittal. This Court	 it was further observed	 would not readily interfere with the findings of fact given by the High Court	 but if the High Court acts perversely or otherwise improperly	 interference will be called for. In our opinion	 the accused respondent can derive not much assistance from the above authority because the High Court in the present case reversed the finding of conviction on grounds which were wholly untenable. The view taken by the High Court is clearly unreasonable and is not warranted by the material on record. The fact that the High Court	 in a reference under section 374 of the Code of Criminal Procedure	 has to appraise the evidence for itself and has to arrive at its own independent conclusion would not prevent this Court from interfering with the order of the High Court if the High Court reverses the judgment of the trial court on grounds which are manifestly fallacious and untenable. (1) ; 7 0 This Court in an appeal under article 136 of the Constitution does not normally reappraise the evidence and interfere with the assessment of that evidence by the High Court. Where	 however	 this Court finds that grave injustice has been done by the High Court in interfering with the decision of the trial court on grounds which are plainly untenable and the view taken by the High Court in interfering with the decision of the trial court on this Court would not stay its hand. There are	 however	 certain cardinal rules which have always to be kept in view in appeals against acquittal. Firstly	 there is a presumption of innocence in favour of the accused which has to be kept in mind	 especially when the accused has been acquitted by the court below; secondly	 if two views of the matter are possible	 a view favourable to the accused should be taken; thirdly	 in case of acquittal by the trial judge	 the appellate court should take into account the fact that the trial judge had the advantage of looking at the demeanor of witnesses; and fourthly	 the accused is entitled to the benefit of doubt. The doubt should	 however	 be reasonable and as observed recently by this Court	 the doubt should be such which rational thinking men will reasonably	 honestly and conscientiously entertain and not the doubt of a timid mind which fights shy though unwittingly it may be or is afraid of the logical consequences	 if that benefit was not given. To put it differently	 it is "not the doubt of a vacillating mind that has not 	the moral courage to decide but shelters itself in a vain and idle scepticism" (see Himachal Pradesh Administration vs Shri Om Parkash	 Cr. Appeal 67 of 1969 decided on December 7	 1971). We	 therefore	 accept the appeal	 set aside the judgment of the High Court and convict the accused respondent under section 302 I.P.C. As regards the sentence	 we find that the occurrence took place more than three years ago. The accused was aged about 19 years at the time of the trial. Looking to all *he circumstances	 we are of the opinion that we need not award the extreme penalty in this case. We accordingly sentence the accused to undergo imprisonment for life. K.B.N. Appeal allowed.

The fact that the High Court	 in a reference under section 374 of the Code of Criminal Procedure	 has to appraise the evidence for itself and has to arrive at its own independent conclusion would not prevent this Court from interfering with the order of the High Court if the High Court reverses the judgment of the trial court on grounds which are manifestly fallacious and untenable. This Court in an appeal under article 136 of the Constitution does not normally reappraise the evidence and interfere with the assessment of that evidence by the High Court. Where	 however	 this Court finds that grave injustice has been done by the High Court in interfering with the decision of the trial court on grounds which are plainly untenable and the view taken by the High Court is clearly unreasonable on the evidence on record this Court would not stay its hand. There are	 however	 certain cardinal rules which have always to be kept in view in appeals against acquittal. Firstly	 there is a presumption of innocence in favour of the accused which has to be kept in mind especially when the accused has been acquitted by the Court below 	 Secondly	 if two views of the matter are possible a view favourable to the accused should be taken; thirdly	 in case of acquittal by the trial judge the appellate court should take into account the fact that the trial judge had the advantage of looking at the demeanour of witnesses; and fourthly	 the accused is entitled to the benefit of doubt. The doubt should	 however	 be reasonable and should be such as a rational thinking man will reasonably	 honestly and conscientiously entertain and not the doubt of a timid mind which fights shy though unwittingly it may be or is afraid of the logical consequences	 if that benefit was not	 given. To put it differently	 it is "not the doubt of a vacillating mind that has not the moral courage to decide but shelters itself in a vain and idle scepticism		. [69H 70E] Himachal Pradesh Administration vs Shri Om Prakash	 Cr. Appeal No. 67 of 1969 decided on December 7	 1971	 referred to.