{"id":146466,"date":"2010-12-07T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2010-12-06T18:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.legalindia.com\/judgments\/shri-wilfred-rozario-fernandes-vs-the-state-of-maharashtra-on-7-december-2010"},"modified":"2017-07-14T21:08:53","modified_gmt":"2017-07-14T15:38:53","slug":"shri-wilfred-rozario-fernandes-vs-the-state-of-maharashtra-on-7-december-2010","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.legalindia.com\/judgments\/shri-wilfred-rozario-fernandes-vs-the-state-of-maharashtra-on-7-december-2010","title":{"rendered":"Shri Wilfred Rozario Fernandes vs The State Of Maharashtra on 7 December, 2010"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"docsource_main\">Bombay High Court<\/div>\n<div class=\"doc_title\">Shri Wilfred Rozario Fernandes vs The State Of Maharashtra on 7 December, 2010<\/div>\n<div class=\"doc_bench\">Bench: A.M. Khanwilkar, A.P. Bhangale<\/div>\n<pre>                                         1                         apeal 1345.02.sxw\n\n\n\n\n           IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY\n\n\n\n\n                                                                               \n               CRIMINAL APPELLATE JURISDICTION\n\n\n\n\n                                                       \n                       Criminal Appeal No. 1345 of 2002\n\n\n    Shri Wilfred Rozario Fernandes\n\n\n\n\n                                                      \n    Aged - Adult,\n    R\/o. c\/o. Maria D'Souza, Room No.2,\n    Tank Pakhadi, Sahar Village,\n    Mumbai - 99.\n    (At present lodged in Yerwada Central Prison,\n\n\n\n\n                                            \n    Pune)                                                    ..Appellant\n                              ig                        (original Accused)\n\n          v\/s.\n                            \n    The State of Maharashtra                                 ..Respondent\n                                                        (original Complainant)\n         \n\n\n    Mr. N.N. Gavankar i\/b. Mr. Arfan Sait - advocate for the petitioner.\n    Mr. J.P. Yagnik - APP for the State.\n      \n\n\n\n\n\n                                   CORAM:- A.M.KHANWILKAR &amp;\n                                           A.P. BHANGALE, JJ\n\n             JUDGMENT RESERVED ON :   DECEMBER 01, 2010.\n             JUDGMENT PRONOUNCED ON : DECEMBER 07, 2010.\n\n\n\n\n\n    JUDGMENT (PER A.P. BHANGALE, J)\n<\/pre>\n<p>          The Appeal is directed against the Judgment and order dated 21st<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"hidden_text\">                                                       ::: Downloaded on &#8211; 09\/06\/2013 16:40:37 :::<\/span><br \/>\n                                           2                          apeal 1345.02.sxw<\/p>\n<p>    October, 2002 passed by Additional sessions Judge, Greater Bombay in<\/p>\n<p>    Sessions Case No.12 of 1998 whereby the Appellant was convicted of the<\/p>\n<p>    offence punishable under section 302 of the Indian Penal Code and was<\/p>\n<p>    sentenced to suffer rigorous imprisonment for life and to pay fine in the<\/p>\n<p>    sum of Rs 1000\/- in default to undergo further imprisonment of three<\/p>\n<p>    months.\n<\/p>\n<p>    2.    Briefly stated facts of the prosecution case are as under :-\n<\/p>\n<p>          On 05th October, 1997 Police had received intimation that a dead<\/p>\n<p>    body of an unidentified male with throat injuries is lying in Talav Pakhadi<\/p>\n<p>    Maidan, Sahar Village, Andheri (East). Police proceeded to the spot to<\/p>\n<p>    ascertain identity of the person. Information gave rise to C.R. No. 959 of<\/p>\n<p>    1997 under section 302 of the Indian Penal Code. Inquest (Exh. 7) was<\/p>\n<p>    held on 6th October, 1997. Pair of slippers, blood smeared chopper, blood<\/p>\n<p>    sample from the wounds of the dead body were seized under the<\/p>\n<p>    Panchnama. The dead body was referred for the postmortem examination.\n<\/p>\n<p>    Dr. M.P. Sangle performed autopsy over the dead body identified                     by<\/p>\n<p>    Harisingh Bhajansingh Bogati as that of his son Sachin Harisingh Bogati.\n<\/p>\n<p>    The dead body was handed over to said Harisingh for last rites. During the<\/p>\n<p>    course of investigation it was revealed that deceased Sachin and the accused<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"hidden_text\">                                                         ::: Downloaded on &#8211; 09\/06\/2013 16:40:37 :::<\/span><br \/>\n                                           3                         apeal 1345.02.sxw<\/p>\n<p>    were friends and were last seen together in the late night of 5th October,<\/p>\n<p>    1997. On enquiry from the sister of the accused it was revealed that the<\/p>\n<p>    accused left for Goa on the morning of 6th October, 1997. Police proceeded<\/p>\n<p>    to Goa to trace the accused but could not trace him. The accused chose to<\/p>\n<p>    surrender at Sahar Police Station through his Advocate Mr. Savant. PSI<\/p>\n<p>    Sarode (PW-19) arrested the Accused. During the interrogation it was<\/p>\n<p>    revealed that the Accused had visited Belgaum and stayed at Lodge. Police<\/p>\n<p>    along with the Accused had visited Shivbhavan Lodge at Belgaum and a<\/p>\n<p>    blood stained Shirt (Art. 3) was discovered under Panchnama pursuant to<\/p>\n<p>    disclosure statement made by the Accused recorded under the Panchnama<\/p>\n<p>    (Exhibit 40 and 40A). Statement of the Manager of the Lodge was also<\/p>\n<p>    recorded. Documents were collected as evidence regarding stay of the<\/p>\n<p>    Accused at the Lodge. Chopper (Art. 1) was seized from the spot of offence<\/p>\n<p>    under Panchnama. Similar Choppers were seized from the house of Maria<\/p>\n<p>    (Sister of the Accused) under the Panchnama (Exh. 12). On 12th October,<\/p>\n<p>    1997 the Accused had led panchas and police to the spot of offence<\/p>\n<p>    (Panchnama Exh. 18 and 18 A). Clothes of the accused as well as clothes of<\/p>\n<p>    the deceased were seized under the Panchanma (Exh. 22). The muddemal<\/p>\n<p>    articles were sent to C.A. under letter dated 7th October, 1997, 20th October,<\/p>\n<p>    1997 for the chemical analysis. C.A. reports were received (Exh. 62 and<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"hidden_text\">                                                        ::: Downloaded on &#8211; 09\/06\/2013 16:40:37 :::<\/span><br \/>\n                                          4                           apeal 1345.02.sxw<\/p>\n<p>    Exh. 63 collectively).   Upon completion of the investigation, on 26th<\/p>\n<p>    December, 1997 the chargesheet was submitted before the Learned<\/p>\n<p>    Metropolitan Magistrate, 22nd Court who committed the case to the court of<\/p>\n<p>    Sessions by order dated 22nd December, 1997. Charge was framed at Exh.\n<\/p>\n<p>    1.   The Appellant pleaded not guilty and claimed trial.            His plea was<\/p>\n<p>    recorded at Exh. 2.\n<\/p>\n<p>    3.    At trial Prosecution examined 24 witnesses to prove its case and<\/p>\n<p>    closed its evidence. No defence evidence was led .\n<\/p>\n<p>    4.    Learned Counsel for the Appellant submitted that the Prosecution had<\/p>\n<p>    failed to complete the chain of circumstances as to bring home guilt to the<\/p>\n<p>    Appellant. Reliance is placed upon the ruling in <a href=\"\/doc\/1522913\/\">Aloke Nath Dutta vs<\/p>\n<p>    State of West Bengal<\/a>      (2007) 12 SCC 230. It is contended that the<\/p>\n<p>    Investigating Officer was under obligation to obtain signature of the<\/p>\n<p>    Appellant below the alleged disclosure statement purportedly made by the<\/p>\n<p>    Appellant but no signature was obtained, therefore, the evidence as to<\/p>\n<p>    discovery of blood stained weapon ought to have been excluded by the Trial<\/p>\n<p>    Court. Learned Counsel relied upon       the ruling in <a href=\"\/doc\/1246936\/\">Haribhau Ganpati<\/p>\n<p>    Bhalerao vs. State of Maharashtra<\/a> 2002 ALL M.R. (cri.) 305 the<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"hidden_text\">                                                         ::: Downloaded on &#8211; 09\/06\/2013 16:40:37 :::<\/span><br \/>\n                                          5                        apeal 1345.02.sxw<\/p>\n<p>    Bombay High Court had taken the view making reference to the ruling in<\/p>\n<p>    <a href=\"\/doc\/1383673\/\">Jackaran Singh vs. State of Punjab AIR<\/a> 1995 SC 2345 that when<\/p>\n<p>    recovery memo did not contain signature of the accused or his thumb<\/p>\n<p>    impression, it detracts materially from the value to be attached to the<\/p>\n<p>    recovery. The Division Bench of this court concluded that the piece of<\/p>\n<p>    evidence can not be relied upon to sustain the conviction. Learned Counsel<\/p>\n<p>    further submitted that regarding evidence as to discovery of the blood<\/p>\n<p>    stained shirt from Belgaum, the evidentiary value is lost as both the<\/p>\n<p>    incriminatory part as well as discovery has been exhibited together.\n<\/p>\n<p>    Therefore, there was every chance that the trial judge to get influenced by<\/p>\n<p>    the incriminatory portion of the disclosure statement. Reliance is sought to<\/p>\n<p>    be placed upon Aloke Nath Dutta&#8217;s case (2007)12 SCC 230 .\n<\/p>\n<p>    5.    Learned A.P.P. for the State submitted that the chain of circumstances<\/p>\n<p>    in this case was so complete so as not to leave any doubt about the<\/p>\n<p>    complicity of the accused in this case. Regarding submission advanced by<\/p>\n<p>    the defence that signature of the accused was not obtained below the<\/p>\n<p>    disclosure statement   and therefore disclosure was not admissible against<\/p>\n<p>    the accused ,he made reference to the ruling in <a href=\"\/doc\/41408\/\">State of Rajasthan vs. Teja<\/p>\n<p>    Ram &amp; others<\/a> 1999 SCC(cri) 436 in Para 30             after the Apex court<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"hidden_text\">                                                      ::: Downloaded on &#8211; 09\/06\/2013 16:40:37 :::<\/span><br \/>\n                                            6                         apeal 1345.02.sxw<\/p>\n<p>    examined legal position and observed thus:-\n<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>                   &#8220;30. The resultant position is that the Investigating<\/p>\n<p>                   Officer is not obliged to obtain the signature of an<br \/>\n                   accused in any statement attributed to him while<br \/>\n                   preparing seizure memo for the recovery of any article<br \/>\n                   covered by Section 27 of the Evidence Act. But; if any<\/p>\n<p>                   signature has been obtained by an investigating officer,<br \/>\n                   there is nothing wrong or illegal about it. Hence, we<br \/>\n                   cannot find any force in the contention of the learned<br \/>\n                   Counsel for the accused that the signatures of the accused<br \/>\n                   in Ex.P 3 and P 4 seizure memo would vitiate the<\/p>\n<p>                   evidence regarding recovery of the axes.&#8221;\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>    The Apex Court had restored the conviction and sentence recorded by the<\/p>\n<p>    Trial Court.\n<\/p>\n<p>    6.     In the instant case there was no evidence of any eye witness to<\/p>\n<p>    disclose the     actual incident of Murder.      The prosecution has placed<\/p>\n<p>    reliance only upon circumstantial and documentary evidence to prove its<\/p>\n<p>    case. A chain of circumstances which are revealed in the evidence led by<\/p>\n<p>    the prosecution appeared thus;-\n<\/p>\n<p>          PW-1 Suresh, a police constable of Sahar Police Station, who was<\/p>\n<p>    informed by a social worker Ms. Tawade (PW-2) about the dead body lying<\/p>\n<p>    in Talav Pakhadi ground, reported the fact that it was a dead body of a<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"hidden_text\">                                                         ::: Downloaded on &#8211; 09\/06\/2013 16:40:37 :::<\/span><br \/>\n                                         7                         apeal 1345.02.sxw<\/p>\n<p>    male, aged about 20-25 with injuries on its neck, a blood stained chopper<\/p>\n<p>    (Art. 1) was also located near the dead body. FIR (Exh. 4 was lodged on 6th<\/p>\n<p>    October, 1997. The social worker Ms. Meena Tawade(PW-2) confirmed<\/p>\n<p>    the fact that she came to know about the fact from one Shiv Bahadur and<\/p>\n<p>    Abhay Bhosale who had gone towards Talav to answer Nature&#8217;s call. PW-3<\/p>\n<p>    Abdul Gani acted as Panch witness at the time of inquest Panchnama (Exh.\n<\/p>\n<p>    7) drawn about the dead body lying and observations made about the<\/p>\n<p>    injuries and blood stained Chopper lying near the dead body.                  Shri<\/p>\n<p>    Harisingh Bogati (PW-4) &#8211; father of the deceased Sachin Bogati was<\/p>\n<p>    examined to prove the fact that on Sunday, 5th October, 1997 Sachin had<\/p>\n<p>    gone for Garba at about 9.30 p.m., and did not return. Later when police<\/p>\n<p>    took him to J.J. Hospital, the dead body of Sachin was identified by him.\n<\/p>\n<p>    He had claimed      the dead body of his son       for last rites after the<\/p>\n<p>    postmortem examination was over. PW-5 Amarnath was examined to<\/p>\n<p>    prove that clothes of the deceased (Art. no. 2 collectively) were seized<\/p>\n<p>    under Panchnama. PW-6 gave evidence about the chopper ( Art. 1) that it<\/p>\n<p>    was like   that of another Chopper seized from Maria (Sister of the<\/p>\n<p>    Appellant) under Panchnama (Exh.12). The chopper (Art. 1) was found<\/p>\n<p>    stained with human blood of &#8216;B&#8217; group which is blood group of the<\/p>\n<p>    deceased (Sachin) on blade and handle. We can summarize as well discuss<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"hidden_text\">                                                      ::: Downloaded on &#8211; 09\/06\/2013 16:40:37 :::<\/span><br \/>\n                                          8                         apeal 1345.02.sxw<\/p>\n<p>    the circumstances disclosed in the evidence as follows:\n<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>         (a)The    Appellant-accused and the victim Sachin were last seen<\/p>\n<p>         together in close proximity of time, prior to the incident of murder.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>         The Appellant Wilfred, victim Sachin and Siraj (PW-7) were residents<\/p>\n<p>         of the same locality and were friends. Siraj knew Sachin Bogati as<\/p>\n<p>         well as the Appellant- accused Wilfred. He gave evidence that both of<\/p>\n<p>         them were friends and they used to be fighting between them. They<\/p>\n<p>         used to go out for movies, they used to quarrel over money and then<\/p>\n<p>         compromise also. On 4th October, 1997 they had attended &#8216;Garba&#8217;<\/p>\n<p>         dance. Due to some talk between them over money, Sachin had<\/p>\n<p>         slapped the Accused Wilfred at about 8.00 to 8.30 p.m. On the next<\/p>\n<p>         day on 5th October, 1997, at evening when Siraj was talking with<\/p>\n<p>         Sachin at Sahar, the accused Wilfred had joined them. They had talk<\/p>\n<p>         and some &#8220;Masti,&#8221; (friendly physical aggression of give and take),<\/p>\n<p>         they had enjoyed beer which was brought by accused. There was talk<\/p>\n<p>         over money between Sachin and the accused Wilfred as Sachin was<\/p>\n<p>         demanding money from Wilfred, who did not pay anything. Sachin<\/p>\n<p>         had slapped Wilfred. Therafter they went to watch Garba which had<\/p>\n<p>         continued up to 00.30 hours. After watching Garba PW-7 returned to<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"hidden_text\">                                                       ::: Downloaded on &#8211; 09\/06\/2013 16:40:37 :::<\/span><br \/>\n                                     9                         apeal 1345.02.sxw<\/p>\n<p>    his home while Sachin and Wilfred were last seen going away<\/p>\n<p>    together. Sachin was not seen thereafter. PW-7 identified clothes (Art.\n<\/p>\n<p>    2 colly.) of the deceased Sachin as well as the clothes of the accused<\/p>\n<p>    (Art. 3 colly.) seen by him when they were last seen together as<\/p>\n<p>    deposed by him in the course of his evidence. So far as the &#8216;last seen&#8217;<\/p>\n<p>    aspect is concerned it is necessary to take note of two decisions of the<\/p>\n<p>    Apex court. <a href=\"\/doc\/1789800\/\">In State of U.P. v. Satish<\/a> [2005 (3) SCC 114] it was<\/p>\n<p>    observed thus:\n<\/p>\n<p>    &#8220;22. The last seen theory comes into play where the time-gap between<br \/>\n    the point of time when the accused and the deceased were seen last<br \/>\n    alive and when the deceased is found dead is so small that possibility<br \/>\n    of any person other than the accused being the author of the crime<br \/>\n    becomes impossible. It would be difficult in some cases to positively<\/p>\n<p>    establish that the deceased was last seen with the accused when there<br \/>\n    is a long gap and possibility of other persons coming in between<\/p>\n<p>    exists. In the absence of any other positive evidence to conclude that<br \/>\n    the accused and the deceased were last seen together, it would be<br \/>\n    hazardous to come to a conclusion of guilt in those cases. In this case<\/p>\n<p>    there is positive evidence that the deceased and the accused were seen<br \/>\n    together by witnesses PWs. 3 and 5, in addition to the<br \/>\n    evidence of PW-2.&#8221;\n<\/p>\n<p>            In Ramreddy Rajesh Khanna Reddy v. State of A.P. [2006<\/p>\n<p>    (10) SCC 172] it was observed thus:\n<\/p>\n<p>    &#8220;27. The last-seen theory, furthermore, comes into play where the time<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"hidden_text\">                                                  ::: Downloaded on &#8211; 09\/06\/2013 16:40:37 :::<\/span><br \/>\n                                   10                        apeal 1345.02.sxw<\/p>\n<p>    gap between the point of time when the accused and the deceased<br \/>\n    were last seen alive and the deceased is found dead is so small that<br \/>\n    possibility of any person other than the accused being the author of<\/p>\n<p>    the crime becomes impossible. Even in such a case the courts should<br \/>\n    look for some corroboration&#8221;.\n<\/p>\n<p>    (See also Bodhraj v. State of J&amp;K (2002(8)SCC 45).)&#8221;\n<\/p>\n<p>    (b) The next circumstance relied upon to corroborate the prosecution<\/p>\n<p>    case is that, the Appellant-accused Wilfred was unemployed and<\/p>\n<p>    resided with his sister Maria(PW-11) and his brother-in-law (PW-10).\n<\/p>\n<p>    (c) Another important circumstance is that there used to be quarrels<\/p>\n<p>    between the Accused Wilfred and the victim Sachin and prior to the<\/p>\n<p>    incident there was   one such quarrel in which the Accused was<\/p>\n<p>    slapped by the victim Sachin. That itself was sufficient to have<\/p>\n<p>    generated the stew in the mind of the Appellant Wilfred to settle the<\/p>\n<p>    score with Sachin.\n<\/p>\n<p>    (d) The Accused and the victim were last seen together at midnight<\/p>\n<p>    between 5th October, 1997 and 6th October, 1997 by their common<\/p>\n<p>    friend Siraj (PW-7). In the case in hand, PW-7 Siraj deposed that he<\/p>\n<p>    was common friend of Appellant Wilfred and the deceased Sachin.\n<\/p>\n<p>    According to Siraj he had last seen the deceased Sachin and the<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"hidden_text\">                                                ::: Downloaded on &#8211; 09\/06\/2013 16:40:37 :::<\/span><br \/>\n                                    11                        apeal 1345.02.sxw<\/p>\n<p>    Appellant Wilfred when they were together. Wilfred and Sachin<\/p>\n<p>    went away together at about 00.30 hours during the intervening night<\/p>\n<p>    between 5th October, 1997 and 6th October, 1997 while he left their<\/p>\n<p>    company and returned home. It appears further in evidence of the<\/p>\n<p>    prosecution that the Appellant left Mumbai for Goa in the early<\/p>\n<p>    morning of 6th October, 1997 and then to Belgaum. PW -10 Lynden is<\/p>\n<p>    brother-in- law of the Appellant Wilfred (Sister&#8217;s Husband).\n<\/p>\n<p>    According to Lynden, the Appellant resided with him and was not<\/p>\n<p>    doing any work in the year 1997. On the night of the incident Wilfred<\/p>\n<p>    came late at night and left early in the morning for Goa.                This<\/p>\n<p>    evidence was unchallenged as witness was not cross examined by the<\/p>\n<p>    defence. Furthermore, there was no explanation from the Appellant in<\/p>\n<p>    his statement recorded under section 313 of the Cr. P. C. as to why the<\/p>\n<p>    Appellant went to Goa so abruptly that too without informing any one<\/p>\n<p>    and then stayed at lodge in Belgaum and why a blood stained shirt<\/p>\n<p>    was discovered at his instance. It appears from the evidence of PW-17<\/p>\n<p>    Shri Uday who is conducting a &#8216;Subhash General Stores&#8221; at tank<\/p>\n<p>    Pakhadi that on 5th October, 1997 during Navratri days he had seen<\/p>\n<p>    Sachin when he came to buy coffee bite chocolates, bidi, matchstick,<\/p>\n<p>    cigarettes and after about half an hour later he had also seen Wilfred<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"hidden_text\">                                                 ::: Downloaded on &#8211; 09\/06\/2013 16:40:37 :::<\/span><br \/>\n                                    12                        apeal 1345.02.sxw<\/p>\n<p>    who came to buy food articles-snacks described as &#8216;Chakli&#8217; and<\/p>\n<p>    &#8216;Masala seng&#8217;. This evidence also remained unchallenged in cross-\n<\/p>\n<p>    examination.\n<\/p>\n<p>    (e) The circumstance that the Accused absconded to Goa and<\/p>\n<p>    thereafter stayed at Shivbhavan Lodge at Belgaum              going away<\/p>\n<p>    immediately at early morning after the incident was nothing but to<\/p>\n<p>    hoodwink the investigating agency until wisdom dawned upon him to<\/p>\n<p>    surrender at Sahar Police station on 10th October, 1997 along with the<\/p>\n<p>    letter dated 10th October, 1997 (Exh. 35) from his Advocate Mr.<\/p>\n<p>    Savant. According to PSI Chandrakant Sarode (PW-19) the Appellant<\/p>\n<p>    was wanted accused in C.R. no 959 of 1997. Clothes of the accused<\/p>\n<p>    except his shirt worn at the time of incident,namely trouser, banian,<\/p>\n<p>    jangya (underwear), articles 3 and 4 collectively were seized under the<\/p>\n<p>    Panchnama (Exh. 29) when the accused was arrested.\n<\/p>\n<p>    (f) A blood stained shirt was discovered at the instance of the accused<\/p>\n<p>    pursuant to his disclosure statement. PW-21 Arun Gholse, who acted<\/p>\n<p>    as panch on 14th October, 1997 during the Panchnama (Exh. 40 and 40<\/p>\n<p>    A) deposed as to disclosure made by the accused which led to<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"hidden_text\">                                                 ::: Downloaded on &#8211; 09\/06\/2013 16:40:37 :::<\/span><br \/>\n                                    13                       apeal 1345.02.sxw<\/p>\n<p>    discovery of a blood stained shirt from Shivbhavan lodge at Belgaum.\n<\/p>\n<p>    PW-21 also identified the Shirt from the clothes (Art.3 collectively<\/p>\n<p>    before the Court). The evidence of the panch witness remained<\/p>\n<p>    unshaken in his cross examination. PW- 22 Manager of Shivbhavan<\/p>\n<p>    Lodge, Belgaum, gave evidence that Appellant Wilfred had came on<\/p>\n<p>    7th October, 1997 to the Lodge and stayed in room no. 33, second<\/p>\n<p>    floor and gave purpose of his visit as business and gave his address<\/p>\n<p>    as Church Pakhadi Road no. 2 at Bombay-400 099. Accordingly an<\/p>\n<p>    entry was made in the register.(Exh. 43\/43A). He checked out of the<\/p>\n<p>    Hotel on 8th October, 1997 at 12.30 p.m.<\/p>\n<p>    (g) Spot of the offence was pointed out by the Appellant under<\/p>\n<p>    disclosure Panchnama dated 12th October, 1997 (Exh. 18 and 18 A)<\/p>\n<p>    (h) PW 20 Dr. M.P. Sangle deposed            about the postmortem<\/p>\n<p>    examination in which he observed ante-mortem injuries described as<\/p>\n<p>    i) Incised wound transversely placed on right neck starting 3 cm away<\/p>\n<p>    from chin @ body of mandible 18cm x 8 cm x vertebra deep (C-2 &#8211;\n<\/p>\n<p>    C-3) C-2 vertebra shown incised wound. ii) Incised wound<\/p>\n<p>    transversely placed size 10 cm x 2 cm x bone deep on the neck of the<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"hidden_text\">                                                ::: Downloaded on &#8211; 09\/06\/2013 16:40:37 :::<\/span><br \/>\n                                          14                        apeal 1345.02.sxw<\/p>\n<p>         level of Adam&#8217;s apple . The doctor deposed that he had observed<\/p>\n<p>         corresponding internal injuries. The death was unnatural due to cut<\/p>\n<p>         throat injury. The doctor also opined that aforesaid injuries were<\/p>\n<p>         necessarily fatal as they were deep reaching up to vertebra, could be<\/p>\n<p>         caused with a sharp edged weapon such as a Chopper (Art -1) shown<\/p>\n<p>         to him. In cross examination Dr Sangle stated that it was very unlikely<\/p>\n<p>         that victim can run away in such type of injuries.\n<\/p>\n<p>         (i) Furthermore, the Appellant has failed to offer any explanation for<\/p>\n<p>         his abscondance to Goa and then to Shivbhavan lodge in Belgaum.\n<\/p>\n<p>         There is no explanation about the seizure of blood stained shirt<\/p>\n<p>         discovered at his instance, under panchanama.\n<\/p>\n<p>    7.    <a href=\"\/doc\/845834\/\">In Trimukh Maroti Kirkan vs. State of Maharashtra<\/a> 2006 (10)<\/p>\n<p>    SCC 681 it has been held:\n<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>               &#8220;The normal principle in a case based on circumstantial<br \/>\n               evidence is that the circumstances from which an<br \/>\n               inference of guilt is sought to be drawn must be cogently<\/p>\n<p>               and firmly established; that those circumstances should<br \/>\n               be of a definite tendency unerringly pointing towards the<br \/>\n               guilt of the accused; that the circumstances taken<br \/>\n               cumulatively should form a chain so complete that there<br \/>\n               is no escape from the conclusion that within all human<br \/>\n               probability the crime was committed by the accused and<br \/>\n               they should be incapable of explanation on any<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"hidden_text\">                                                       ::: Downloaded on &#8211; 09\/06\/2013 16:40:37 :::<\/span><br \/>\n                                           15                        apeal 1345.02.sxw<\/p>\n<p>                hypothesis other than that of the guilt of the accused and<br \/>\n                inconsistent with their innocence.&#8221;\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>    The Apex court further observed that:-\n<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>                &#8220;If an offence takes place inside the privacy of a house<br \/>\n                and in such circumstances, where the assailants have all<br \/>\n                the opportunity to plan and commit the offence at the<\/p>\n<p>                time and in circumstances of their choice, it will be<br \/>\n                extremely difficult for the prosecution to lead evidence to<br \/>\n                establish the guilt of the accused if the strict principle of<br \/>\n                circumstantial evidence, as noticed above, is insisted<br \/>\n                upon by the courts. A judge does not preside over a<\/p>\n<p>                criminal trial merely to see that no innocent man is<br \/>\n                punished. A judge also presides to see that a guilty man<\/p>\n<p>                does not escape. Both are public duties. The law does not<br \/>\n                enjoin a duty on the prosecution to lead evidence of such<\/p>\n<p>                character which is almost impossible to be led or at any<br \/>\n                rate extremely difficult to be led. The duty on the<br \/>\n                prosecution is to lead such evidence which it is capable<br \/>\n                of leading, having regard to the facts and circumstances<br \/>\n                of the case. Here it is necessary to keep in mind Section<\/p>\n<p>                106 of the Evidence Act which says that when any fact is<br \/>\n                especially within the knowledge of any person, the<\/p>\n<p>                burden of proving that fact is upon him.&#8221;\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>    In Trimukh&#8217;s case(Supra), the Appellant husband was charged with Section<\/p>\n<p>    302 and Section 498A of the IPC. The deceased was his wife. The Supreme<\/p>\n<p>    Court reiterated the principle as to proof of the        prosecution case by<\/p>\n<p>    circumstantial evidence and further observed as follows:\n<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>                &#8220;In a case based on circumstantial evidence where no<br \/>\n                eye-witness account is available, there is another<br \/>\n                principle of law which must be kept in mind. The<br \/>\n                principle is that when an incriminating circumstance is<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"hidden_text\">                                                        ::: Downloaded on &#8211; 09\/06\/2013 16:40:37 :::<\/span><br \/>\n                                          16                        apeal 1345.02.sxw<\/p>\n<p>                put to the accused and the said accused either offers no<br \/>\n                explanation or explanation which is found to be untrue,<br \/>\n                then the same becomes an additional link in the chain of<\/p>\n<p>                circumstances to make it complete. This view has been<br \/>\n                taken in a catena of decisions of this Court.&#8221;\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>    The above observations by the Apex court in the judgment indicate that<\/p>\n<p>    false explanation can form as an added link in the chain of circumstances to<\/p>\n<p>    make it complete connecting the accused to the crime.\n<\/p>\n<p>    8.    All the circumstances established in this case taken together were<\/p>\n<p>    clear pointers towards the guilt of the Appellant for homicidal death of<\/p>\n<p>    Sachin and penal liability of the Appellant for it. False answers given by<\/p>\n<p>    the Accused as against chain of tell a tale circumstances established by the<\/p>\n<p>    prosecution, in his statement recorded under section 313 of the Cr. P. code<\/p>\n<p>    furnished additional link against the Accused. The incriminating<\/p>\n<p>    circumstance relating to blood stains found on his shirt of the same group of<\/p>\n<p>    blood which belonged to the deceased Sachin was a fact within the special<\/p>\n<p>    knowledge of the Appellant. He could, not therefore, keep silent and say<\/p>\n<p>    that the obligation to prove his guilt rested entirely on the prosecution to<\/p>\n<p>    prove its case. The principle is well settled. The provisions of Section 106<\/p>\n<p>    of the Evidence Act itself are unambiguous and categorical in laying down<\/p>\n<p>    the proposition that when any fact is especially within the knowledge of a<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"hidden_text\">                                                       ::: Downloaded on &#8211; 09\/06\/2013 16:40:37 :::<\/span><br \/>\n                                           17                        apeal 1345.02.sxw<\/p>\n<p>    person, the burden of proving that fact is upon him. Thus, if a person is last<\/p>\n<p>    seen with the deceased, he must offer an explanation as to how and when he<\/p>\n<p>    parted company the deceased. He must furnish an explanation when blood<\/p>\n<p>    is detected on his clothes, which must appear to the Court as probable and<\/p>\n<p>    satisfactory. It the accused adduced a reasonable explanation, he must be<\/p>\n<p>    held to have discharged his burden. If he fails to offer an explanation in<\/p>\n<p>    respect of facts by keeping mum when questioned regarding fact within his<\/p>\n<p>    special knowledge, he fails to discharge the burden cast upon him by<\/p>\n<p>    Section 106 of the Evidence Act. Thus in a case resting on circumstantial<\/p>\n<p>    evidence if the accused fails to offer a reasonable explanation in discharge<\/p>\n<p>    of the burden placed on him, that itself furnishes an additional link in the<\/p>\n<p>    chain of circumstances proved against him. Section 106 does not shift the<\/p>\n<p>    burden of proof in a criminal trial, which is always upon the prosecution but<\/p>\n<p>    it lays down the rule of appreciation of evidence to the effect that when an<\/p>\n<p>    accused does not throw any light upon facts which are especially within his<\/p>\n<p>    knowledge and explanation if given could not support any theory or<\/p>\n<p>    hypothesis compatible with his innocence, the Court can consider his failure<\/p>\n<p>    to adduce any reasonable explanation, as an additional link which can<\/p>\n<p>    complete the chain.\n<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"hidden_text\">                                                        ::: Downloaded on &#8211; 09\/06\/2013 16:40:37 :::<\/span><\/p>\n<p>                                          18                        apeal 1345.02.sxw<\/p>\n<p>    9.     The trial court gave cogent reasons to record findings as to guilt of<\/p>\n<p>    the Appellant Wilfred for murder of Sachin(victim ) in this case. For reasons<\/p>\n<p>    stated above we do not find any infirmity in the conclusion of guilt arrived<\/p>\n<p>    at by the learned Additional sessions Judge, Greater Bombay. Thus, we do<\/p>\n<p>    not find any convincing ground to interfere with the findings of fact by the<\/p>\n<p>    trial court below. The Appeal lacks merit and is hereby dismissed.\n<\/p>\n<pre>         (A.P.BHANGALE, J)                      (A.M.KHANWILKAR, J)\n                            \n           \n        \n\n\n\n\n\n\n<span class=\"hidden_text\">                                                       ::: Downloaded on - 09\/06\/2013 16:40:37 :::<\/span>\n <\/pre>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Bombay High Court Shri Wilfred Rozario Fernandes vs The State Of Maharashtra on 7 December, 2010 Bench: A.M. Khanwilkar, A.P. Bhangale 1 apeal 1345.02.sxw IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY CRIMINAL APPELLATE JURISDICTION Criminal Appeal No. 1345 of 2002 Shri Wilfred Rozario Fernandes Aged &#8211; Adult, R\/o. c\/o. Maria D&#8217;Souza, Room No.2, Tank [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[11,8],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-146466","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-bombay-high-court","category-high-court"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.3 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Shri Wilfred Rozario Fernandes vs The State Of Maharashtra on 7 December, 2010 - Free Judgements of Supreme Court &amp; High Court | Legal India<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.legalindia.com\/judgments\/shri-wilfred-rozario-fernandes-vs-the-state-of-maharashtra-on-7-december-2010\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Shri Wilfred Rozario Fernandes vs The State Of Maharashtra on 7 December, 2010 - Free Judgements of Supreme Court &amp; 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