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S.C.No. 354/2017
IN THE COURT OF II ADDL. ASST. SESSIONS JUDGE, WARANGAL
Friday, this the 28th day of December, 2018
Present: Sri V. Satyanarayana, II Addl. Asst. Sessions Judge, Warangal.
Sessions Case No.354/2017
(P.R.C.No. 17/2017 on the file of Addl. JFCM, Parkal )
1. Name and description : The State of T.S through of the Complainant. SHO of P.S, Bhupalpally
2. Name and description :
Kunarapu Rayamallu, S/o. Odelu, Age: 40 years, Occ: Coolie, R/o. Gorlaveedu Village.
3. Offences with which charged : u/s. 307 of IPC.
4. Plea of the accused: Pleaded not guilty.
5. Finding of the Judge: Accused is found not guilty for the offence U/sec. 307 of IPC but the accused found guilty for the offence punishable U/Sec. 324 IPC
6. Sentence or Order : Convicted
In the result: : the accused is found not guilty for the offence U/sec.
307 of IPC and he is acquitted U/sec. 235 (1) Cr.P.C. However, the accused
is found guilty for the offence punishable U/sec. 324 of IPC and he is
convicted U/sec. 222(2) Cr.P.C and sentenced to suffer Rigorous
Imprisonment for a period of TWO YEARSand to pay fine of Rs.
1,000/ (Rupees One Thousand only) and in default of payment of fine amount of Rs. 1,000/, the accused shall undergo Simple Imprisonment for a period of ONE MONTH for the offence U/sec. 324 of IPC. The remand period already undergone by the accused from 30.6.2017 to till date shall be given set off U/sec. 428 of Cr.P.C. The certified copy of the judgment is ordered to be given to the accused on free of cost and he is 2
S.C.No. 354/2017 also appraised of his right to prefer appeal against this judgment within limitation period before the Hon'ble Appellate Court. The accused is also appraised about taking Legal Aid Counsel in preferring appeal.
7. Prosecution conducted by : Sri Vasanth, Addl. Public Prosecutor.
8. Accused defended by: J. Meghnath
This case is coming before me for final hearing in the presence of Addl. Public Prosecutorfor the State/Complainant and of Sri J. Meghnath, Counsel for the Accused and upon hearing both sides and perusing the material on record and having stood over for consideration till this day, the Court delivered the following:
J U D G M E N T
The SubInspector of Police, Bhupalpally Police Station filed a charge sheet against the accused for the offence punishable under section 307 of the Indian Penal Code.
2. The case of the prosecution in brief is as follows:
PW1 is the complainant and injured lodged complaint with police,
Bhupalpally stating that his son namely Kunarapu Rayamallu released from jail 1 1/2 year back who is undergone imprisonment on the murder of his wife. On 26.6.2017 evening at about 0600 hours, the accused with an intention to kill PW1, armed with a stick and beat on his head as he blocked with his left hand as he got injuries to his left hand with right thigh. Due to hue and cries made by PW1, his daughter rushed to the spot, meanwhile, the accused fled away from the scene. Thereafter, PW1 went to the hospital for treatment. Therefore, PW1 lodged complaint against the accused for taking necessary action. Hence the charge.
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S.C.No. 354/2017
3. After taking cognizance of the case by the learned
Addl. JMFC, Parkal, for the offence u/s. 307 IPC vide P.R.C.No. 17/2017 and after compliance of Section 207 to 209 Cr.P.C., the case was committed to the
Court of Sessions, numbered as S.C. No. 354/17 and made over to this
Court as per the proceedings of the Hon’ble Prl. District and Sessions Judge,
Warangal.
4. After hearing the Addl.P.P., and the accused, charge under sections 307 of IPC has been framed against the accused read over and explained to him in Telugu language, for which, he pleaded not guilty and claimed to be tried.
5. Then, the schedule for commencement of trial had been issued, witnesses Pws.1 to PW.5 were examined and Ex.P1 to P6, MO1 and Ex.D1 were marked as indicated in the appendix of evidence.
6.The accused is examined u/s. 313 Cr.P.C by explaining the incriminating circumstances appearing against him in the evidence of the prosecution witnesses. He denied the same and reported no defence.
7. Heard arguments on both sides.
8. Now the point for determination is:
“Whether the prosecution has proved the guilt of the accused for the offence u/s. 307 of IPC beyond all reasonable doubt?”
POINT :
9. It is the case of the prosecution that on 12.7.2008 in the morning hours at 10.00 a.m., the accused picked up quarrel with her mother and killed her by beating with the pestle on her head, for which a case in
Cr.No. 129/2008 for the offence U/Sec.302 of IPC was registered against 4
S.C.No. 354/2017 him. After trial, the accused has been convicted and sentenced to suffer imprisonment for life. After releasing from the jail, the accused came to the house and lived for few days. The daughter of the complainant has been residing with him, as there were disputes with her husband. Upon which, the accused quarreled with his sister about her family issue with an intention, where she got the property share of the house and the accused also quarreled with his father/complainant. On 26.6.2017 at 6.00 p.m., the accused came to the house of the complainant arming with stick and beat on his head, which was resisted by the complainant with his left hand. On raising hues and cries, the daughter of the complainant came there and on seeing her, the accused fled away. Thereafter, the injured was shifted to the hospital for medical treatment.
10.In order to prove its case, the prosecution examined and relied upon the oral evidence of Pws 1 to 5 and documentary evidence under Ex.
P1 to P6 and also got marked MO1 stick. On behalf of the accused, none were examined but got marked Ex. D1. PW1 is the eye witness to the incident. PW2 is the panch witness for crime detail form.PW3 is the daughter of the complainant. PW4 is the medical officer who treated the injured and issued wound certificate. PW5 is the investigation officer in this case.
11.Admittedly, PW1 has not supported the case of the prosecution.
According to PW2, who is one of the panch witness for crime details from deposed that on one day in the month of June, 2017, police called him to the house of the complainant and prepared crime details from under Ex. P2 in his presence and in the presence of one devi by incorporating the 5
S.C.No. 354/2017 particulars of the scene of offence and recovered one stick and they attested the panchanama. PW3 who is the daughter of the complainant and sister of the accused deposed that the accused attacked on her father with stick at 6.00 p.m and caused injury on his left hand. She further deposed that the accused also beat her father Odelu on his thighs due to grudges and tht she along with LW4 S.Veeraiah and others witnessed the incident and thereafter the accused fled away from the house. In cross examination of the PW3, the counsel for the accused got marked Ex.D1 to the effect that by the time she and others went to the scene of offence place, the accused fled away, which do not effects the core case of the prosecution.
12.The Medical Officer who treated the injured/complainant is examined as PW4.She deposed that on 27.6.2017 at 10.30 a.m., the complainant and his daughter approached their hospital for taking treatment. Accordingly, she examined the complainant/injured and found contusion over left side metatarsal joint and abrasion over left side, which are grievous in nature. Accordingly, she issued the wound certificate under
Ex. P3. The investigation officer is eamined as PW5 and he deposed about the manner of investigation done by him that on 28.6.2017 on receipt of complaint from LW1/Odelu, he registered a case in Cr.No.181/2017,
U/Sec.307 of IPC and issued FIR under Ex. P4.Ex. P5 is the complaint.
Thereafter, he examined and recorded the statement of the complainant and later visited the scene of offence and conducted panchanama before the mediators and also examined and recorded the statements of the other witnesses. He referred the injured to the hospital for medical treatment. On 30.6.2017, he arrested the accused and produced before the court and after 6
S.C.No. 354/2017 completion of investigation, he filed charge sheet.
13.In order to appreciate the legal conundrum which has been presented by the facts of this case, the provisions of Section 307 IPC, are that whoever does any act with such intention or knowledge and under such circumstances that, if he by that act caused death, he would be guilty of murder, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which amy extend to ten years, and shall also be liable to fine; and if hurt is caused to any person by such act, the offender shall be liable either to imprisonment for life, or to such punishment as is hereinbefore mentioned.
To justify a conviction under this section it is not essential that bodily injury capable of causing death should have been inflicted. Although the nature of injury actually caused may often give considerable assistance in coming to a finding as to the intention of the accused, such intention may also be deduced from other circumstances, and may even, in some cases, be ascertained without any reference at all to actual wounds. The section makes a distinction between an act of the accused and its result, if any. Such an act may not be attended by any result so far as the person assaulted is concerned, but still there may be cases in which the culprit would be liable under this section. It is not necessary that the injury actually caused to the victim of the assault should be sufficient under ordinary circumstances to cause the death of the person assaulted. What the court has to see is whether the act, irrespective of its result, was done with the intention or knowledge and under circumstances mentioned in this section. An attempt in order to be criminal need not be the penultimate act. It is sufficient in law, if there is present an intent coupled with some overt act in execution thereof.
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S.C.No. 354/2017 Whether there was intention to kill or knowledge that death will be caused is a question of fact and would depend on the facts of given case. The circumstances that the injury inflicted by the accused was simple or minor will not by itself rule out application of section 307 IPC. The determinative question is intention or knowledge, as the case may be, and not nature of the injury. In the instant case, it is the case of the prosecution that the accused attacked on the complainant with stick causing injuries on his left hand and right thigh. However, the complainant could not be examined by the prosecution before this court, as he died subsequently. The police have filed death certificate of the complainant before this court, basing on which his evidence was closed. The only evidence available on record in support of the case of the prosecution is that of the PW3, who is none other than the daughter of the complainant and also sister of the accused. PW3 is the prime witness in this case as she eye witnessed the incident and upon seeing her, the accused fled away. PW3 in her evidence deposed that the accused attacked on her father with stick at 6.00 p.m., and caused injury on his left hand. She further deposed that the accused also beat her father Odelu on his thighs due to grudges and that she along with LW4 S. Veeraiah and others witnessed the incident and thereafter the accused fled away from the house.
The above evidence of PW3 though reliable to some extent of attacking the complainant by the accused with a stick. Ex.D1 which is got marked by the learned counsel for the accused reveals that by the time, PW3 and other went to the complainant, the accused fled away and whereas PW3 in her evidence deposed that she along with others were present and witnessed the incident. In this regard, the evidence of PW3 is not much inspiring 8
S.C.No. 354/2017 confidence of this court as to presence of PW3 and others at the scene of offence or they came subsequently. No doubt, from the oral evidence of PW3 coupled with the medical evidence of PW4 establishes the injuries on the deceased complainant.
14.A close perusal of the section clarifies that no attract an offence
U/Sec. 307 of IPC, the court is expected to carefully examine whether the act irrespective of its result was done with an intention or knowledge and under the circumstances mentioned in the section. It should be further verified whether the intention or knowledge of the accused must be such as is necessary to constitute the murder. If these ingredients are not established the offence of attempt to murder is not made out. The intention is to be gathered from various circumstances and not merely form the consequence that ensures. The prosecution should place and prove all the facts and circumstances as mentioned in section 300 of IPC. Unless it can be said that the intention or knowledge of the accused was to cause such a bodily injury as would come within the scope of section 300 of IPC, the accused cannot be found guilty U/sec. 307 of IPC when there is attempt to cause injury. It must be proved that if the act complained of would have culminated in the death of the victim, the offence would have come within the ingredients as envisaged in section 300 of IPC. Mere beating the complainant with a stick does not raise an inference of attempt to murder. The mens rea required under law has to exist and there must also to exist an effective act to achieve the end of killing. Further, the attempt must be doing everything by the accused within his power to achieve the final result. But the final result is not alludes because something beyond his control intervened. To determine 9
S.C.No. 354/2017 whether an act falls within the ambit of section 307 IPC three conditions are essential are to be examined: viz (I) nature of the act done, (ii) the intention or knowledge of the act, and (iii) the circumstance under which the act is done. To support conviction U/sec. 307 of IPC, it must be proved that the acts intended would cause death and also that the act is, one which is capable of causing death in the ordinary course but death did not eventually ensue for some reason or other. While dealing with this nature of offence, this court has to keep two more points in its mind. One in relation tot he intention which preceded to the act and another the actual consequence which follows from the act. To prove all the above, the burden is indisputably on the prosecution who affirms the same and the burden must be fully discharged and it should be beyond all reasonable doubt.
15.In order to satisfy on the above referred requirements of law, it is necessary to notice the factual matrix in the case.It shall be significant for me to go through the evidence both oral and documentary and the final findings of the impugned judgment. On perusal of the charge sheet contents, the complainant was accompanied with his daughter PW3 which fact is not deposed either by PW3 or by the investigation officer PW5. The complaint and 161 Cr.P..C statement of the complainant namely Odelu is got marked through the investigation officer in terms of section 32 of Indian evidence
Act, as Exs. P5 and P6, since the complainant was died.PW3 simply deposed that in order to sent their father out from the house and due to grudges, the accused attacked on the complainant. The said fact is nowhere deposed by
PW3 in her 161 Cr.P.C statement. Thus, viewed from any angle, the evidence of PW3 is not supporting the case of the prosecution, except the attack made 10
S.C.No. 354/2017 by the accused on her father with a stick. Admittedly, PW1 eye witness has not supported the case of the prosecution and there is no other independent and corroborating piece of evidence to strengthen the case of the prosecution. Thus, the sole testimony of PW3 which is suffering with irregularities and lacunas is no way helpful to the case of the prosecution.
PW3 at least not deposed in her evidence that in order to grab the property from his father, the accused attacked on the complainant, as mentioned in the complaint. Therefore, this court holds that on the facts and circumstances of the case, the act of the accused is not attracting the offene
U/sec. 307 of IPC.
16.However, the evidence of PW3 has clearly established that her deceased father/complaint had sustained injury on his left hand and thighs and the accused beat him with a stick. The medical evidence is corroborating this fact. Admittedly, the deceased complainant sustained contusion measuring about 4 ½ cms over left side metatarsal joint and abrasion measuring 728 cms over left side and they are grievous injuries. If the evidence of PW3 is accepted, the accused used stick, which is a dangerous weapon. The main contention raised by the learned counsel for the accused to disbelieve the evidence of PW3 is that the complainant is not examined
before this court and thereby the contents of complaint itself are not proved
and the injured/victim is the main witness in this case, as such, in the absence of his evidence, the prosecution failed to prove the case against the accused beyond all reasonable doubt. Admittedly, the complainant is died and thereby the prosecution could not examine him before this court, however, the prosecution examined the daughter of the complainant as PW3.
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S.C.No. 354/2017 The investigation officer also deposed as PW5 about the manner of investigation done by him nad through him the complaint and 161 Cr.P.C statement of the deceased complainant were marked as per section 32 of
Indian Evidence Act and the same can be relied and taken in to consideration. However, the minor inconsistencies in the evidence of PW3 may not embarrass a truthful witness, but may cause an untruthful witness to prevaricate, and may lead to the ultimate break down of the whole of his evidence and in the present case it has to be remembered that the accused contention was that the prosecution witness were false witnesses. Even if the evidence of PW3 is to be kept aside, even then this court has the evidence of
Pws 4 and 5, who are the medical officer and the investigation officer, who firmly deposed about giving treatment to the injured and issuance of the wound certificate opining the nature of injuries as grievous in nature. Thus the record discloses that the deceased complainant/injured/victim was admitted in the hospital and got treatment. Therefore, one important circumstance about the occurrence of incident and injury was established through the evidence of Pws 3 to 5. In view of clear and cogent evidence of
Pws 3 to 5 and the medical evidence, this court is of the opinion that the act attributed to the accused is clearly attracting the provisions of Sec. 324 of
IPC. Though no specific charge is framed, this court is having ample powers to convict the accused for the proved offence U/Sec. 324 of IPC in terms of section 222(2) Cr.P.C. Admittedly, the offence U/s. 324 of IPC is minor offence to that of the section 307 of IPC.
17.In view of the aforesaid discussion, this court is of the opinion that the prosecution has failed to prove the guilt of the accused for the 12
S.C.No. 354/2017 offenece U/Sec. 307 of IPC, but proved its case for the offence U/Sec. 324 of
IPC. Accordingly, the point is answered.
18. In the result, this court found that the accused is found not guilty for the offence U/Sec. 307 of IPC and he is acquitted U/sec. 235 (1)
Cr.PC. However, the accused is found guilty for the offence U/sec. 324 of IPC and he is convicted U/sec. 222(2) of Cr.P.C.
19.The accused is heard about quantum of sentence to be imposed upon him, and he prayed mercy of this court stating that he was falsely implicated in this case and that he has been languishing in jail since one year. On perusal of the case records, the accused had previous criminal background and he was also convicted and sentenced for life imprisonment in connection with murder of his own mother. Hence, this court is not inclined to invoke the provisions of P.O Act against the accused, as the offences are proved against the accused in respect of causing grievous injury to his father. There are no mitigating circumstances to consider the request of the accused and to extend benefit under P.O Act and hence no lenient view can be taken in the facts and circumstances of the case.
IN THE RESULT, this court found that the accused is found not guilty for the offence U/sec. 307 of IPC and he is acquitted U/sec. 235 (1) Cr.P.C.
However, the accused is found guilty for the offence U/sec. 324 of IPC and he is convicted U/sec. 222(2) Cr.P.C and sentenced to suffer Rigorous
Imprisonment for a period of TWO YEARS and to pay fine of Rs. 1,000/ (Rupees One Thousand only) and in default of payment of fine amount of
Rs. 1,000/, the accused shall undergo Simple Imprisonment for a period of
ONE MONTH for the offence U/sec. 324 of IPC. The remand period already 13
S.C.No. 354/2017 undergone by the accused from 30.6.2017 to till date shall be given set off
U/sec. 428 of Cr.P.C. The certified copy of the judgment is ordered to be given to the accused on free of cost and he is also appraised of his right to prefer appeal against this judgment within limitation period before the
Hon'ble Appellate Court. The accused is also appraised about taking Legal
Aid Counsel in preferring appeal.
(Typed to my dictation, corrected and pronounced by me in the Open Court on this the 28th day of December, 2018)
Sd/
II ADDL. ASST. SESSIONS JUDGE,
WARANGAL.
APPENDIX OF EVIDENCE
WITNESSES EXAMINED
For Prosecution: For Defence PW1 – K. Raghu None PW2 – Mote Ramesh PW3 – D. Komala PW4 – Dr. G. Sujatha PW5 – K. Venkat Rao
EXHIBITS MARKED
For Prosecution
Ex.P1: u/s. 161 Cr.P.C Statement of P.W.1 Ex.P2: Crime Detail Form Ex.P3: Wound Certificate of LW1 Ex.P4: First Information Report Ex.P5: Complaint by PW1 Ex.P6: Statement of PW1
MATERIAL OBJECTS MARKED
MO1: Stick
For Defence: Ex.D1: 161 Cr.P.C statement of PW3 Sd/
II ADDL. ASST. SESSIONS JUDGE,
WARANGAL.