IN THE HEGH com'? 012* KARNATAKA
AT BANGALORE}
BATED 'I'HiS THE 1%' DAY 09' JUNE ' F.
PRESENTMW
THE HON'BLE3 MRS..JUS'I'iC.;E} MaN;;m.;§a CHE:L_{:;Lr§§
3?'.3'333.._ 2
THE H0N=BLB MRJUSTIC-E A;AL4.= G"0_w::>A
CRL. APPEAL :39. _453of»2002 -- I
BETWEEN: V ~ " *
STATE BY 'V
CHANNAGIRIPQLIfL;'3_ '
DAvANAGE22EDis5i1f;»-_% _ """"...APPELLANT
(By Sri. P. M ;=;a:;;,, é§iP?}""""
AND: M % '
1);vz0i§A1%£s'M'E:9 VS1'&A's::j;3_
3/ 0 ABDUL; :s;AMME_m::AB__"_.'%V
AGED 28 YEARS;
NU G<3;HA1,L: WLLAGE
- Ac;~iA;$;'r€A{.:;;R:__TALU§<' H ---------- ~ "
X2} MGH'aMNIED: JARIF
Sf OJSRE ~2s.13;){5§.;g' EEAMEEDSAB
AGEU31 YE;A$?$',
NUG{'.,~;£HA,LLI_ VILLAGE?
cHAz~:§es;§;;R1'TALuK
- ":33 M.::;BAMMEa SHAKER
' ":3;_'C:_A:~3~9UL HAM'EEz::sAB
. A(3.e3:3 33 YEARS,
'€:1v:§L ENGINEER,
_ 'vv3:w;fr:VE PLACE: NUGG}¥§ALLi,
PRESENTLY RES§DING AT
D.NO.52; 1, 3RD CRQSS,
ANJANAPPA GARDENS,
NEW LAYOUT,
MYSOR3 ROAD
BANGALORE" 18.
4} SMT.NO{3RJAN
W/O SR1 ABDUL HAMMEDSAB
AGED 51 YEARS, _
NUGGIHALLI VILLAGE ' __ '- V V _ "
CHANNAGIRI TALUK
(By Sn'. A. N. Radhakrisf1i:a,Adx?o<:é'£e§ V
Crifippsal is flied undar SeCii03;:.._3'?'${1}_'_. 8:. (3) Cr.P.C.
by the State P.P.;.for V*St$.fc 'praying «that this Horfhie
Court may be pltmscd. to §gra.nVt:.isavé"vt<§~.fi1c agapcal against
the juc1gement r1at»j:é(i' _3O."3..1.12{)€)T{__péassetimby the Addi. S.J.,
(Fast Track;-' fQcau'1"i;3'..__ r;ayarxag.arei",., s,c:.No.352/ 2900,
acquitting this ;:i;:sp0I1d.efit':~.wa<5¢usi:d for the ofibnce
puz1ishab1c:'m1_c§ttr Sé§:i~;o:1--36.3, 35!3'E(i1d 3'?'6 IPC3.
This 53.9631 for hearing this day, MANJULA
CHELI_V.me.}AJ a'¢é11--.:¢zsed"t1:u%~; following:
JUl}GMENT
.' iiis filed cI1a11¢::ngin.g the ozticr sf acquittal £11
_ ($11 the fik: <)fF'ast '3"rac1«: Cami, Eavanagere,
' 'fig. Ifi brief, tha €38.85 of thé prosecutien is as unécr:
-.3J_ Deceased Bharathi, when she was a miner, was mken
" -. « by accused no, 1 t0 Bafigaiom to his brothcfis house with the
assurance of marrying her and committcté rape oI11 _ii1s;r.
Subsequently', a Paxlcitaayat was heid in the vfllage 'E1:_%"
marriad her accarding to Mushlm customs.
accused persons subjected her to:v.Jfi?¥"£i'e'it§; 7anci:i --1;flti1Vfe§1;éV1y
killed her on 30.9.1999 at abgaut 'V
pillow on her face and th€:rea,ftr:i':?.:§ct he} to
screen away the crime cmnmitttd'"b3' _:t.*3ۤi;2_.._
b) '}['h-:: charges leyeiied were ibr the
ofieaces punisL;s:t§:¢.w?':;:;cis;r "37*6§498-A, 302 read
with Seciiola .3?-a.nfii:1f:,;2{)1';.I&L'E'.C.«'1'i:<: {::ase was committed to
SessionS'v--._{3G1§.ri' eifsnibttfi £vex'e exciusivtiy triable by
that ccurt. _Wéi53. as accusefi persons pieadtité
not to the V'<§1:r;2::'_g_§:_:§¢3..*:v ';.P18 anci 3} material asbjects. Portions of the
Qf PW}, PW2, P313, PW6, PW11 and PW2?' came
E: marked as Exs.D3. to D6.
d) The learned trial judge theugh was convinced of the:
homicidal death of the deceased, proceeded to ac(_1u4i::t-..'_:t'1:c
accused based on the fact that the pmsacution _
to estabijsh which of the accusezi was 1\3s;3a*»:;;is--i§§lt:: «§21c_: u
incident in quezstion. The main: Ieaéson :.forfjvCu:fiin'g'~.tbvV Vs.»:n__1<:}9;V T .«
conclusion was the sfate111€:nt_[a3f_ PWI' if
the decaased and aiso her that
people after much 'the cofifififs of the
complaint and they were the members
of the family ofthéfgécuséfid to .. h «V
8} Agg:iéiz¢d" of acquittal, pmsccution
has Come: this
" 2,.;?~;om wéié fiiade out
by the: groaecution, the saméfifiéis simiiarly
the afiences pugaiétfiable ¥¥1nc1_e§f..':Sec{i<§'::sV Vane} 1375, 1.13.63.
ailcgcd ' Qfiérzces punishable under
Sections C3Q2'*and fead with Section 34 against
other _»:=2(j:c11s<§§ V pers.i311$'- not established, theréforfi,
,ta~-- «giijéécution failed to establiah all the
'«::_harg_é':3. l'7€:*§§iiIé€i..T_£ag.;::insi the accused.
'E'fhé ';:;+'$i:::zi that wcsuld 3..'{'iS€ fcrr G121" consideratioza is:
Whather €136 mafxriai avaiiabia on recorci wanants
'~if;?§I°fi2:£";&n{:$ with the j1;&gms11t and order of acquittal?
6. PW} azgci PW? are parents of damaged Bharathi @
V.V;'$§}&sha. Accmrding ':9 them, A»- lpersuaded fier 1:0 accompany
him to Bangalom and because of commitial of rape on her,
they had to agree for the marriage; even afier mamiéigc,
accused $ubj€:<:ted her to £1}-treatment and ¥.1i§'im:.?its'~:1"}_,;'.:f__.'k::t"L'.7f,VVA'
put an and to her life by murdering her. pW3~1§afic§axs:;'u:;"¢gs'
for EXP} 1, Sfiizliffi of mcliminafing li1113.d1;<V:t't:z4:;1:.V'V":2:1 'rlgéadw E3? {lie
deceased. PW5--Raveesh3;~ .§peaks"' ' 'p'éi1';(:.'hay£;it "i3eit;g heid
prior to the marriage of and so far
as harassment V' the case of
'aha px~<3S:ec11_tic$iAV1LT'L'v.i?V\1§{:6 is't,Ei::..._;"1r:igh¥3our of the accused; he
Spfiéi-{RS pieads ignoralscc regarding ill-
treatm;::::d:._ "Dr."G.jE3.§%t;i1 issued Ex.P8~post mermm
';%epg§«t."'Pi§2'3~irai§ééh, hrsaé master issued EX.P€«), birth
"t h"s?. _é;i€<:*€:ase.d. PW9 is the assistant engincar
Whé »r:ijie1&*V.tif}é:'..--si;:etch as per Ex.?1(}. PW10 is the G116 whe
'<::QnductCci_ i=;rzquest as per EJXP4 and rscoztied statemanis of
and kin, PW}: talks at" handing aver two shits to
but the same are net produced. F'w}2--~AI11am,1}}a speaks
.0f the 10% affair between. A--~1 and the deceased, panchayat
and brings back unsekd items in the evening. Acoordiz:_;_g to
him, A-1 used ts assist his father in the §3usi;1;:;2=.s ;-««_¢_é)z:;v
1.
10.1999, a Friday, he took the articles of A»« V.
viliagcrs; A~1 and_A~–4 did not attenci Q13 she1i<':iy "' 2
were there. PW19 speaks about
dated 11.2.1999 between the d.eCe_g§se(i a:j1€:I AV–~1.:
Chidazlandayya who speaks of gf$i1;;,'J_VV:::51i;s':ra3«y f;v:2*ith A~
1, information in this by 'PWi2v%AA12$lding cf
panchayat wherein A–I _V_x§3'aQ:;3_ deceased
Bharathi anci ;~'iii%3; f3na1;Iiage;V aiéc:(:) zfiiI1g_…iio him, in the
marziagtf "property was agreed to
be given 1&5: ::1ocumex1t was given to her
and a gtgpy E4:;{¢a$_xé:ii§iv_%:}ié.bLVfather Gf A– 1; abeuf: 7*'-8 monihs
2i1_f1e:r~:r?e§i3i'?:,e1fA..iAV:si3;f:A. ""§"W21 is the photographer who took
dead body at the time of inquest. i3'Wi22'~
hflzicih' watch ovsr the dead body and took it far
Pgst he prodmcefl pfirsonai baiengixxgs {if the
.§%§{~:$.S.4§:&ci, "i,e, Fv'E.Os.i29 {£3 31 beibre the poiictat PW23 is
cozxstabie who was posted. on éuty after
' §; VVa. ;3frf:1"eh::t11di11g A~1 1163.1' Bhadravati bus stazid and produced
him before C.§3.I. PW24 talks of apprehending othcir accpsed
on 1.12.1999 and the report is at Ex.P1:'§. PW25 is
who mgistcrad Crime No.234/99 based on the .
PW1 and sent FIR to the court. PW26 is the 1 u " 'V
tht': spot after receiving yhone meisasagea th€3.. 1,iI1i1.*2iiu;"a:3;;VTA«
de:afl1 of a woman and he is tl15-,_.one i?:f1 1C- senf¢"'}V:i*§£ 1A_v
police station far registering héi spot
mahazar as per Ex.P5 1 tov SA. HVIVDWQ7 is
another 1.0. whe aisca mcorded
vcluntary State;11€.tr«2§ _' of lg he conducted
recove1'y: V.;§er 35 under which M.G.2fi was
recovsrrsdb PW2'? filed charge sheet after
complcting i::{{fcs:figat}i0::.§'- PW28 is the constable whey cazficzd
' V' 'E.x.P';'.,.. {0 'Lbs pg-iice staitibn.
Patii says the faflawing irxjuxies wait
V VV _ fo1;1:€i"*anv=t:f1é's:i;éa£i hfldyz
.. wounds 01: the chest, abdczmcn, both
V' 'hthighs and bath fags, bet}: mms, were
pmsent;
Ali the bmn wounds were white in coisur,
:30 red fine demalztation S8511, skin on the
If}
xvotinds was burnt. Skin and face and back
biackened. .
Mi the burn Wounds were pos£–mort:c:m in
nature. ‘
Accczrding to him, éeath was due as 3 ‘fi:=§1;lt of
sufibcation and it must have happefiéd «te::r ‘V
the past mortcm; he has opi11ed’tI:>1.é1t.if”a on
the mouth and both noségzfls, .a'”pé§t’s§$i:__Wafi£d”di¢§g;1ue to
suffocation, and that a piilcw’ cause such
suffocation; accorglwmg te:’hiIi1,’~§3:1,r1’1$’–x57e1*ezgzdst mortem and
there m?g.$”1;<H) {If and wounds were white
in colauifi. Es «a parse}; digs due to $1:1<::ac::k
suddsnlfg evefii hefofiiz or immechiatelgg after catching
* fixe, v1i:i}.i:'i:r§f;..x§;r<.;1,1l»:i ;1é3}t'b'c*'i€d line 33}; the 0fb’:.1:£’::s being white in coirzmr. Accoxding
‘ Ito the: sifiejt Vmahazar, the dead hardy was found cm the
‘1..1:;i{}éf3i_3fS ifing on its back,
The fméings dtiring iaqusst proceedings go :9 Show
t.11a*£. the sntim aieflzea were burnt 311$ back portion {3f the
ELI
dead body was not burnt; tongua was protruding bet.r.r«=.–*_c<:':I'1
the teeth. Though the opinion ofthe doctor is that ,
due to asphyxia as a result of sui:I'o=:*ation,–A"""i13 V'
t:xamiz1atio11 he says if someone diesd-ue_t0 s.§1oc }§ 'b%:f<):i::.
SpIEa(iS over the "body, there Wiii not lbs
iherefom, the evidence of this gt}
he is not defmite whet.her'_bu1"ns'i1;;dic§§te«':.fi¢yH%i1'e post
mertem in nature. He i1va1:3: é';}sQ".V_1;:(12.;;;"on What basis
he opmes that death \&7£{S:_€ii1§.':_'f;:(Z3 does not say
whether of used on the
mouth gzressing her face.
But the ‘hot accidental burns and it
hé1Pii>€1T’~*3d in 4f’:’4l’1@.. f”2I*s’£.’;”£1o» 0r the house, There is no defmite
‘V V’ cvidéfizée i..A’t;¥1at {he’V was tZ)fht”LI’WiS€2 than homicidal.
‘9.__’ 1V’Ahe p.¢5x§§..V;q:i1estion is, whethar the accused persons haé.
;<:_QHl1110I:': figientian to kill {ieceaseci Bharathi, in omier to
';§:.{{"iAf;a;C;';{"' 7316* provisian of Sacfion .302 read with Sectican 34,
in order to ascertain this, it has 13:) be seen if the
'V.;§'1v;<'3's€cz,z'£:io11 has established that Awl murdered the dmeased
by smothezing with a pillow and other accused assisted;
in making the cvidance disappear.
:0. Apparentiy, death has occurred in u
heme: offlae deceaged and it was Within .’
accusefi as to how it 0CC1EII’6d5.–!}1}§;E€ c14c&§a€i” £:ody
the 1st floor lying on the cvidérgcagéf; d;)ct0r
defmitely does not rule part of
the deceased becauae accQ:1f;<ii'IA1'Vg'i€js' not be any
red line d<:marc;3ti:;:n;;1 1'§11 dies suddenly
due to shack' fat. in tha present
case, ap a1'"i: -item" t':§c t§s3¢E:s;SE;¢:1,' severai other persons were
also living the zftiatiifizeziial home. Merely because it was
V 331 imgérécaste iixarriagc, it does not mean accused were
filmqfiiztg to (19 away with hat fife. As a matter of
fag.-,3;-['§:.[Aisv4§£h§ of prosecufion. that fir} {wk her away
_ pziorfio the and they were iiving in his bmthefa
"–..Vfio}.:$¢. '}E'}2ié would 03113.2' go is Show that apart: from Ari, his
was also supporting their marriage. It is fitifili franc:
~.Vf_:£1(§'§€Vi{i€flC€ that name of the famfiy members of deceased
:~ Bharat11i ware: mftrested in the said maniagag thczir
13
aflegaiiexz is that there was persistent demand for dowryand
they were troubling the deceased on one pmmxi or
According to them, she was confinmi in a V.
allowing her to talk to anyone. ‘¥’hereVf»g1t,
Chjts through the Winciow in the
according to the {)F0S6C1}t1’OI1,V.’W{3’rfi handed 0’:€’1 ‘faI:ifi:fly
members cf the deceased and the to;
know about it, they c1ose{:1 ‘§1:_1e u?i’11d§>xx~:.;3fii§11A,3panelsAAai1d nails.
She was aiiewed to go is aempk: \>\?31:é: 1’3;– :’g}:1’r.=;~ met her kith
an km, she }1a1j1ci:L?§ifl%3veI:=__c1:;§iL’a§~’:to”.ti:i€,*:£11V.._f{ffiot1gi1 such chits
were gitsén ttfi ” E33? 2f:f;§.’t 11{3£v, ‘~$CCQII:3.iI1g to him, none of these
chits are ‘attained not part of the prosecution
reccsrcis _V
‘A ‘ V. 3, other hand, the evidence Wouid go to show
wlzamver share: A-1 would have got,
_W3.S tea the name 9f the decaassed pfiar ‘£0 f:]:1&
§.a”:.t1?i age.V’V–“i5’11is Wouié 013.13? gas to Show that war: some
_;.:§17r;Vpér:fijg was kept in her name.
iii
12, Then coming to the lodging of comp1ai11t,g i}1c
incident Gccuned duzéng the intervenizlg night of ‘
and 1.10.1999, am} the compiaint was 10dga€iHq19£-iiifi.
at 11.15 a.1:1:1. Thus, theme: is a de1ay”6f35« k_::iV5gVi:ArV1g
the complaint from the time of dsgciirfrcznce; PW} Vi:13;$ ”
categorically admitted that by vpum. “on
came to know about thev iqcide:Li”afi§i~ visitiixg tfic spot,
the: complaint was lodged: from
her community vjfJ:3;.’}:£fl§3 V__t11e’ /fifimpiaint. Even
then, it is is not pmperly
2 other hand, defence
brought 511:1 ‘r>5=:cf tZ1é”a,c%:,:s.%i to jail Elven PWf;~Su€iha, elder sister of the
V’ iieééasgé Eas stated 30 in 116:’ statement before the Tahgfidar
Ex.D6. Acmniing is 133;”, she wanted the famiiy 91″
“AB§iu1 I-Iamecisab to 136 completely wiped ofil Aicmg with
…..
‘J:
her parsnts she also W311: and lodgttd the compiaint that the
entire: famfiy of the accused should be behind hars_ …
family members of the cieceased had vefigeance of _
nature, no Wonder that aven innacent ;3e0p1e_–am u
in the comxxxission of the crime. All this:méaf£ur§a1.’x=§%€>t11:}Vr::;¢f3,l§:
establish the contention Qf tl1eV.defenct§”t.I1’a?. the,
and others were an aiong \;é;:2g:é:af1ce:’:against
the accused anci have leiiged a R x
13. There is (mm more faéfi the court to
accept the saié; ‘t’:Qf_1″:enf:i0ng t’;.’1&(%i””«i;i{:f;e;:;:§.ée. Acocxrding to
PW22–hétad in Watch the dead. body at
12.00 micifiigilt 011′-1′.1.G. V .P’\.V1~mother aémits that she
went :5; i;H¢: h£).£1se 0f”tIi1c:V’ accused cm that night and by that
Vvfgagt off, $55 remained in the house tifl cvenjgmg
in the village prepared EXP} and she
321% pig: hm’? Acetroréing to PW29, Gus 9f the wimasses is
‘~ _ th¢ spat” and alga ts ihe marriage, PW? Went is the
jlifiatieun on the very same night 3322 came back aftar
the cornpiaint. From this admission, it confirms
ifthc-rs was one mom sempiaint othaz’ than EXP: which is not
before us. If the police haci came to kuow of the ” 3
admitted by W22 during the early hours of 1. 151999″ M
the Tahsilciar was also at the spatiofi
complaint ought to have been fi1ecb§j1’m:’–m_T ‘aftrzrn
incident. Thcrefcarcz, the V” was in
concluding that E§x.P1 is. not the
investigafing agency }1::i\,_ lodgaci
prier to Ex.P1 ~therei’df£:’, Sis not able to
exylam the d¢}..a:;,:.’ ~ ”
“14 ‘b§ve that when they came
out craf Cal} an {E6 irztervcning
night of 30.§;~3 $399 b’Z(;}..”~*’}{999 heard cxzies from £1116 heuse
§:sf aqcsfised; both é§f’«t}:1sf::1:: did not pay attention, thinking it
K_w3.§;”::xpi$r;j_ cinema on ‘RV. The ieamled trial judge
féuléfi-.VVfiiét ‘ii}’1é1§: is impmvgmeni in the versian sf tlm
.witnesLEse$’– A011′ “c0m§ar:i’ng their evidence with Sscticn. 161
‘A4 “s.§.at<3[3;;€;ni§. if the wands did flat attract their attentian
-s¥e:1iVQ’u:;iy, éeflniteiy We cannot placa much reliance cm a
. _ ‘ ‘s,-ingie CiI’C”i.”£I}3.St8flCfi.
IS. In the Eight cf the above sexieus deficiencies in _r;1::c
cast: of the prosecution, the so-calletii recoveries wiii ::1§}u’;= }fiavE: A’
much xeievance. There is diifercilce of apizxion’: ‘
recovery of M.O.26~»pi11ow used for s_1_11.o.t};1_eI’i11_g”iIi&*:i1ve::§éa$¢d.’_
Prosecution mainly reliiss on circuinstatztial1evidgi1cé,. [E::7s.ii./_:
none of the cixtumstances :_e.3.1;§1b]iVé§i:u?£1. VHo1?§ééi*:;;s./
S1lSpiC.’i£3I1 based on such eviéiezgcfilg itfiwfll not
take tht: place of proof: ma} _Ӥz.1dge: was
justified in not accept1ngAV:}:_1§*:’ <::aL.fi”e:1ccs_” }fji%;1:;1 -i’s}1é§<)1eiLuiidéii' 302 read with
Sztctien A. 3 E . R V
16:'-Tiianv<':o§:§ifig. f1:x.. ..'0:ff'ence under Section 498A,
I.P.C., fzxcepét-. t}1e_'}:;if'i; kin of the deceased, 13.0
mdegiéiadgni ..witneés"*–has supporteci 131$ prosecution case.
..E'vr:i:'1" chrits indicating ill-£:*ea'£:111ent to the
deéeaééd ait' :1:E3£: '%1anfis of the accuseé am fiat befare us.
'.?W6~é§:1..éz:g;fiiz-fainiamce, sxpressefi his igxzoranczit abcuit the
'fiieésaagzd icseing i}i~tmated1 by me accused. Similar is the
~.""§i"§7"}::§."'i:€.3%E'fi¢At{f cf PW 1.4. Thaugh PWs– 14 and 13 am neighbours,
* evidczzce dees not indicate that accused had Silbjfifiifid
E8'
the cieceaseci tn crutrlty, either physical er ment_aL.'4'
whole, though at some point of time some ha:?¢1s§sni::1{i f'<:5r
dowry was tried to be made out by' f}:é'E, V’
abseuce 0:’ prosecution estai§»ii5;;L;’fii’*1g t£1eV..¢Zna1}g_€ ‘”<iIo"§v1-y
demand', we are unable, 3:0 u;1ci'cL'#§§VLf2z;fii(lL,_.as ' id "i}1e' type 0f
crucify alleged against thé' ma} court;
was justificd in pumlshablcsz under nrfiz 1?'. punishable under
Sectionérgéé .tt;»€* evidence on xtxzord goes is
show théf; had raachad the age cf
ciisc1’efgicu::,_ velu11fi;éiri1y’ezccen1pa:1i6d the accused to
fifiyed in filti’ house of A-3. There: is
Show ciectaased ever protested thif act Gf
A4 sjp*e:fiiéVI%ér retaining is: their viiiage from Bangaiare,
._ she :vas.’p;f?Essu:izing her garents far her marriage with A—1.
. iiheugh they apposzzfi the marriage, £116}? get her
Véfifixafiied to 5&1 in accordance with Musiim customs ami her
flame was aiso changed. As on the date of Pr: taking her
away to Bangaiere, she was just some months 1953 theija 18
years. Therefore, the trial court was justified i11_’v»s{a”_;:?’;i»n-g
neither tht: offence of kidnap nor rape on the deceéééd V.
1 was established.
18. Coming to wrtmgful COI1f1;[::1f3II1¢I1,fA,::vV:1£:’7’€5’1’1{:1.\7V'{E A’
discussed above that the pmsaeafion i§ia4_.$’L*1iserz:tb9}§g* to
estabiish that she was confmf-§iv..:._xf:0 gs. her
communication was only wa3} §’f Vfiirgugh the
window Of the Lrzatzimoniaflfl :v;}i§*sr to her kith
and kin through A L V
19. we are of fim
opinion that tl%;fi’r§;a§{iI1iIig triai judg does not
Cail for a1A;t}«’_v méiihftmaé’; A :%.c{§t;1″dingl}g the appeal is
‘
Sd/’*
REESE
§§,;’§
Eigfifig
