{"id":42953,"date":"2008-10-16T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2008-10-15T18:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.legalindia.com\/judgments\/ramcharan-singh-vs-state-of-bihar-on-16-october-2008"},"modified":"2014-02-11T09:39:52","modified_gmt":"2014-02-11T04:09:52","slug":"ramcharan-singh-vs-state-of-bihar-on-16-october-2008","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.legalindia.com\/judgments\/ramcharan-singh-vs-state-of-bihar-on-16-october-2008","title":{"rendered":"Ramcharan Singh vs State Of Bihar on 16 October, 2008"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"docsource_main\">Patna High Court<\/div>\n<div class=\"doc_title\">Ramcharan Singh vs State Of Bihar on 16 October, 2008<\/div>\n<div class=\"doc_author\">Author: Shiva Kirti Singh<\/div>\n<pre>                                                                           1\n\n\n\n\n                 CRIMINAL APPEAL No.510 OF 2002 (D.B.)\n                              - - - -\n               SHAILENDRA SINGH ------------Appellant\n                                 Versus\n                STATE OF BIHAR--------------Respondent<\/pre>\n<p>                                  With<br \/>\n                     CR. APP (DB) No.588 OF 2002\n<\/p>\n<p>              1. KISHUNDEO SINGH\n<\/p>\n<p>              2. RAMDEO SINGH     &#8211; &#8211; &#8211; &#8211; &#8211; &#8211; Appellants<br \/>\n                                        Versus<br \/>\n               STATE OF BIHAR&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;Respondent<br \/>\n                                  With<br \/>\n                     CR. APP (DB) No.642 of 2002<br \/>\n              RAMCHARAN SINGH &#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;-Appellant<br \/>\n                                 Versus<br \/>\n              STATE OF BIHAR&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212; Respondent<\/p>\n<p>           Against the judgment and order dated 7.8.2002<br \/>\n           Passed by Additional Court No.2,( Fast Track)<br \/>\n           Patna, passed in Sessions Trial No.662 Of 1986\/<br \/>\n           260 of 2001 arising out of G.R. Case No. 815 of<br \/>\n           1989,Naubatpur P.S. Case No. 97 of 1984.\n<\/p>\n<p>                                 &#8211; &#8211; &#8211; &#8211;\n<\/p>\n<p>           For the appellants: Sri Rana Prataap Singh, Sr.Adv.<br \/>\n           (in all the appeals) Sri Ajay Kr.Gautam<br \/>\n                                 Sri Aruni Singh<br \/>\n                                 sri Sumant Singh<br \/>\n           For the State     : Sri Ashwini Kr. Sinha,A.P.P.<br \/>\n           ( in all the appeals)<br \/>\n                           P R E S E N T<\/p>\n<p>              THE HON&#8217;BLE MR. JUSTICE SHIVA KIRTI SINGH<br \/>\n              THE HON&#8217;BLE MR. JUSTICE DHARNIDHAR JHA\n<\/p>\n<p>                                &#8211; &#8211; &#8211; &#8211;\n<\/p>\n<p>Dharnidhar Jha,J.-         Appellants Shailendra Singh( appellant in Cr.<\/p>\n<p>                     Appeal No. 510 of 2002), Kishundeo Singh, Ramdeo<\/p>\n<p>                     Singh( appellants      in Cr. Appeal No. 588 of 2002)<\/p>\n<p>                     and Ramcharan Singh(appellant in Cr. Appeal No.<\/p>\n<p>                     642 of 2002)       along   with other persons, namely,<\/p>\n<p>                     Bimal Singh, Dipak Ram and Jogendra Singh were<\/p>\n<p>                     put   on   trial     for   the charges under   Sections<\/p>\n<p>                     148\/302\/149    and 307\/149 of the Indian Penal Code<br \/>\n<span class=\"hidden_text\">                                                                              2<\/span><\/p>\n<p>and     were    found           guilty       of     committing          those<\/p>\n<p>offences       by    the       Presiding         Officer,        Additional<\/p>\n<p>Court No.2(Fast Track Court), Patna, in Sessions<\/p>\n<p>Trial No. 662 of 1986\/260 of 2001                              by judgment<\/p>\n<p>and order of conviction passed on 7.8.2002. The<\/p>\n<p>aforesaid       appellants              were       awarded            rigorous<\/p>\n<p>imprisonment for two years for their individual<\/p>\n<p>convictions          under       Sections          148    and         rigorous<\/p>\n<p>imprisonment for               five years for their individual<\/p>\n<p>convictions under Section 307\/149 of the Indian<\/p>\n<p>Penal      Code.           Appellants              Shailendra            Singh<\/p>\n<p>(appellant          in    Cr.     Appeal         No.     510     of     2002))<\/p>\n<p>Kishundeo Singh and Ramdeo Singh( appellants in<\/p>\n<p>Cr. Appeal No. 588 of 2002) were awarded rigorous<\/p>\n<p>imprisonment for life under Sections 302\/149 of<\/p>\n<p>the   Indian        Penal       Code    and       appellant       Ramcharan<\/p>\n<p>Singh( appellant in Cr. Appeal No. 642 of 2002)<\/p>\n<p>was     found       guilty       of     committing            offence    also<\/p>\n<p>under Section 302 of the Indian Penal Code and<\/p>\n<p>separately           sentenced              to     undergo            rigorous<\/p>\n<p>imprisonment             for     life        for       committing         that<\/p>\n<p>particular          offence.          The    other       three        accused,<\/p>\n<p>Bimal Singh, Dipak Ram and Jogendra singh, were<\/p>\n<p>not found guilty and were acquitted by the same<\/p>\n<p>judgment.       The        above       judgment          and     order     of<\/p>\n<p>conviction          are    being        assailed         by    these     four<br \/>\n<span class=\"hidden_text\">                                                                            3<\/span><\/p>\n<p>      appellants in these three appeals which are being<\/p>\n<p>      disposed of by the present judgment.<\/p>\n<p>          2.           The prosecution case is contained in<\/p>\n<p>the F.I.R.(Ext.4) lodged by P.W.7, Jag Narain Pandit<\/p>\n<p>in which he alleged                that     at about 5.30 A.M. on<\/p>\n<p>26.5.1984 the F.I.R. named accused persons along with<\/p>\n<p>15-20    others       came   out    of     the    house    of     appellant<\/p>\n<p>Ramcharan Singh with country made guns and pistols<\/p>\n<p>and     started dismantling his Marai. They also started<\/p>\n<p>firing shots from their weapons upon which Jagarnath<\/p>\n<p>Pandit,        the    brother      of     the    informant,       who    was<\/p>\n<p>preparing            soil(   informant      is    a     potter)    as   also<\/p>\n<p>Surendra Pandit, who was the nephew of the informant<\/p>\n<p>and was making rope, ran                   into their house.             Ram<\/p>\n<p>Prakash Pandit who was the son of aforesaid Jagarnath<\/p>\n<p>Pandit and who was              cutting tiles was shot at many<\/p>\n<p>times     by appellant Ramcharan Singh which hit him.<\/p>\n<p>Appellants       Shailendra        Singh,        Kishundeo      Singh   and<\/p>\n<p>Ramdeo     Singh        entered     inside        the    house     of    the<\/p>\n<p>informant        Jagarnath        Pandit (not examined) who was<\/p>\n<p>shot at and injured by             appellant Kishundeo Singh who<\/p>\n<p>fell down in the verandah. Phulwa Devi (not examined)<\/p>\n<p>the wife of Devendra Pandit was shot at and injured<\/p>\n<p>by appellant Shailendra Singh by his country made<\/p>\n<p>pistol. Appellant Ramdeo Singh fired from his country<\/p>\n<p>made     gun    at     Devendra     Pandit        (not    examined)      and<br \/>\n<span class=\"hidden_text\">                                                                                  4<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Sushila Devi( P.W. 5)               as also       at Jag Narain Pandit<\/p>\n<p>and they were           badly injured.                Jai Prakash Pandit<\/p>\n<p>(P.W. 1) who was attempting to get out of the Darwaja<\/p>\n<p>was shot at and injured badly by appellant Ramcharan<\/p>\n<p>Singh.     It     is     alleged            that       all        the     accused<\/p>\n<p>accompanying appellant Ramcharan Singh were firing<\/p>\n<p>shots    continuously          as    also       threw    brick          bats   and<\/p>\n<p>lastly,         went    away    with       an    ox    but    the       same   was<\/p>\n<p>resisted by the herdsmen                   and as such the ox                  was<\/p>\n<p>abandoned by the accused persons.\n<\/p>\n<p>          3.      It was stated in the F.I.R. that the<\/p>\n<p>   informant and his family members had erected a<\/p>\n<p>   Marai in front of the Darwaja of the appellants<\/p>\n<p>   and    were     sitting       there      on        cots,   as        such   the<\/p>\n<p>   occurrence.\n<\/p>\n<p>          4.      The case was investigated into and the<\/p>\n<p>   accused       persons,        as    indicated             in     the     first<\/p>\n<p>   paragraph of the judgment, were put on trial for<\/p>\n<p>   the offences as noted above and ultimately the<\/p>\n<p>   trial ended in the acquittal of the three accused<\/p>\n<p>   persons and          conviction of the four appellants for<\/p>\n<p>   the offences with imposition of sentences as noted<\/p>\n<p>   above.\n<\/p>\n<p>          5.      The    defence       of       the    appellants         in   the<\/p>\n<p>   court        below      was        of        complete           denial       of<\/p>\n<p>   participation as also that, in fact,                             the cattle<br \/>\n<span class=\"hidden_text\">                                                                          5<\/span><\/p>\n<p>thieves      had      entered        in     the        house     of    the<\/p>\n<p>prosecution party to               lift the cattle and indeed<\/p>\n<p>the cattle was lifted which was resisted by the<\/p>\n<p>informant      and    his      family          members.    The     cattle<\/p>\n<p>thieves      fired      at     the        informant       and      others<\/p>\n<p>resulting      in     the     death       of     the     deceased      and<\/p>\n<p>injuries      to     different       persons      and     because      the<\/p>\n<p>informant and his family members had land dispute<\/p>\n<p>with the appellant Ramcharan Singh and others, as<\/p>\n<p>such,       he falsely implicated them in the present<\/p>\n<p>case. The defence appears from suggestion given to<\/p>\n<p>P.W. 3 in his cross examination, as appears from<\/p>\n<p>page 18 of the Paper Book and also from page 10 of<\/p>\n<p>P.W. 4, page 18 of P.W. 7(informant). Some of the<\/p>\n<p>appellants,        like,     Shailendra         Singh     and     Ramdeo<\/p>\n<p>Sigh took the plea of alibi by stating in their<\/p>\n<p>respective      statements         under       Section    313     of   the<\/p>\n<p>Code    of   Criminal        Procedure         that    they     were   not<\/p>\n<p>present at the place of occurrence and were at<\/p>\n<p>different      places       when    the     occurrence          allegedly<\/p>\n<p>took place.\n<\/p>\n<p>       6.     The     prosecution          examined       in     all    12<\/p>\n<p>witnesses in support of the charges. P.W. 1 Jai<\/p>\n<p>Prakash Pandit, P.W. 2 Vijay Kumar Pandit, P.W. 5<\/p>\n<p>Sushila Devi claimed being injured in the same<\/p>\n<p>incident. P.W. 2 Vijay Kumar Pandit has not been<br \/>\n<span class=\"hidden_text\">                                                                          6<\/span><\/p>\n<p>named in the          F.I.R. P.W. 3 Surendra Pandit, P.W.<\/p>\n<p>4 Subhash Pandit,            and P.W. 6             Lalti Devi        were<\/p>\n<p>not injured but          supported the allegation in full<\/p>\n<p>or in part as was done by P.W. 8 Nirmala Devi.<\/p>\n<p>P.W. 7 Jagnarain Pandit is the informant of the<\/p>\n<p>case. P.W.9          is Dr. Md.     Afzal who held             the post-<\/p>\n<p>mortem    examination         on   the        dead    body       of   Ram<\/p>\n<p>Prakash Pandit          and had prepared the post-mortem<\/p>\n<p>examination report(Ext.2). P.W. 10 Dr. Parash Nath<\/p>\n<p>Sahay    had    prepared      Exts.      3     to    3\/5   the    injury<\/p>\n<p>reports in respect of the injuries found on the<\/p>\n<p>injured   informant         and    his    family       members     after<\/p>\n<p>examining each of them. P. W. 11 is S.I. Lakshman<\/p>\n<p>Prasad    Singh       who   was    the       Officer-in-charge         of<\/p>\n<p>Naubatpur      Police       Station      and    who     recorded      the<\/p>\n<p>F.I.R.    on    the     statement        of    the    informant       and<\/p>\n<p>handed over the charge of investigation to another<\/p>\n<p>S.I. Ram Naresh Shukla who has not been                        examined.<\/p>\n<p>P.W. 12         Jitendra Sharma is a co-villager and<\/p>\n<p>appears an independent             person who also             came out<\/p>\n<p>in support of the occurrence.\n<\/p>\n<p>    7.         The    defence      has       examined      a   solitary<\/p>\n<p>witness as D.W. 1 Sanjay Kumar and his evidence is<\/p>\n<p>not of much importance and                consequence, inasmuch<\/p>\n<p>as he has simply given the evidence of                           loss of<\/p>\n<p>the attendance Register of appellant Shailendra<br \/>\n<span class=\"hidden_text\">                                                                  7<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Singh which was required to be produced before the<\/p>\n<p>learned trial Judge and stated that the same was<\/p>\n<p>not available         on account of being destroyed in a<\/p>\n<p>fire.\n<\/p>\n<p>     8.     On consideration of the evidence of the<\/p>\n<p>prosecution      and    the   defence,   the   learned       Judge<\/p>\n<p>passed the judgment in question and inflicted the<\/p>\n<p>sentence as indicated          in the earlier part of the<\/p>\n<p>present    judgment       while     acquitting      the      three<\/p>\n<p>accused,    namely,       Bimal     Singh,    Dipak    Ram    and<\/p>\n<p>Jogendra Singh.\n<\/p>\n<p>     9.     Shri Rana Pratap Singh, learned Senior<\/p>\n<p>counsel appearing for the appellants in all the<\/p>\n<p>appeals submitted that the motive as alleged does<\/p>\n<p>not appear substantiated. It was contended further<\/p>\n<p>in this regard that it was so innocuous a motive<\/p>\n<p>as   not   to    be    sufficient    enough    to     impel   the<\/p>\n<p>accused persons to commit the offence as alleged.<\/p>\n<p>It was contended that the P.Ws. appeared faltering<\/p>\n<p>on the most material point and also appeared not<\/p>\n<p>having made statements which they made before the<\/p>\n<p>learned Trial Judge. In this regard, the attention<\/p>\n<p>of the Court was drawn to paragraph 48 of the<\/p>\n<p>judgment    in        which   the    learned     trial       Judge<\/p>\n<p>discussed the contradictions allegedly brought                  on<\/p>\n<p>record by the defence and the effect thereof on<br \/>\n<span class=\"hidden_text\">                                                                           8<\/span><\/p>\n<p>the    ultimate        proof      of     the     charges.        It    was<\/p>\n<p>contended that those were vital contradictions and<\/p>\n<p>they    go to disprove the charges as the witnesses<\/p>\n<p>appeared       not     making         statements     on        the     most<\/p>\n<p>material part of the prosecution story. It was<\/p>\n<p>contended       that     P.W.     1    Jay     Prakash    Pandit        had<\/p>\n<p>completely changed the                manner of occurrence which<\/p>\n<p>was initially stated in the F.I.R. Reference was<\/p>\n<p>made    in    that     behalf     to    the     evidence       of     other<\/p>\n<p>P.Ws., like, P.W. 7 in order to bring                            out the<\/p>\n<p>change in the story. It was contended that above<\/p>\n<p>all the evidence on the manner of occurrence was<\/p>\n<p>not    free    from      doubt    and    that was        the    case     in<\/p>\n<p>respect       of   all    the     witnesses      examined        by     the<\/p>\n<p>prosecution. Learned counsel took us through the<\/p>\n<p>evidence of P.Ws, 1,2 and 7 in the above behalf<\/p>\n<p>and their respective depositions recorded by the<\/p>\n<p>learned trial Judge.\n<\/p>\n<p>       10.     The     further        contention    was        that     the<\/p>\n<p>F.I.R. was lodged on 26.5.1984 and it is indicated<\/p>\n<p>by the document(Ext.4) that it was dispatched to<\/p>\n<p>the Magistrate on the same day, i.e., on 26.5.1984<\/p>\n<p>but it was received by the office of the Chief<\/p>\n<p>Judicial      Magistrate         on    28.5.1984    and,       as     such,<\/p>\n<p>there were         chances       of weaving out the story so<\/p>\n<p>as to implicating the accused persons.<br \/>\n<span class=\"hidden_text\">                                                                    9<\/span><\/p>\n<p>      11.        The     next    contention     was    that      the<\/p>\n<p>story of recovery of the bullock appears absurd.<\/p>\n<p>The contention was that the evidence of P.W. 7,<\/p>\n<p>the informant Jay Narayan Pandit indicates as if<\/p>\n<p>he had not seen anything and, as such, there is<\/p>\n<p>nothing stated by him in his F.I.R. about P.W. 2<\/p>\n<p>Vijay    Kumar    Pandit         being    injured     or     having<\/p>\n<p>received any injury. It was contended in the above<\/p>\n<p>connection that he has stated in his evidence that<\/p>\n<p>when he came back to the Police Station he saw<\/p>\n<p>other injured, like, Devendra Pandit(not examined,<\/p>\n<p>Phulwa      Devi(not    examined),       Jagarnath    Pandit(not<\/p>\n<p>examined) and Sushila Devi(P.W. 5) lying                    injured<\/p>\n<p>but     the F.I.R. contains the story of individual<\/p>\n<p>assault on each of them and that indicates as if<\/p>\n<p>the F.I.R. were a document created subsequent to<\/p>\n<p>the time at which it has been              shown to be lodged.<\/p>\n<p>      12.              Learned           Additional          Public<\/p>\n<p>Prosecutor Shri Ashwini Kumar Sinha, arguing for<\/p>\n<p>the prosecution, supported the findings recorded<\/p>\n<p>by the learned trial Judge and submitted that the<\/p>\n<p>three    witnesses,      namely,     P.Ws.    1,2     and    3   had<\/p>\n<p>injuries on their persons along with other persons<\/p>\n<p>as per the evidence of Dr. Paras Nath Sahay(P.W.<\/p>\n<p>10) and the time of             receiving those injuries by<\/p>\n<p>those witnesses probabilises that they had been<br \/>\n<span class=\"hidden_text\">                                                                10<\/span><\/p>\n<p>injured in the same incident in                 course of the<\/p>\n<p>same transaction and         their presence at the scene<\/p>\n<p>of the occurrence could not be doubted. It was<\/p>\n<p>contended that the evidence was available on the<\/p>\n<p>record indicating reasons for non-examination of<\/p>\n<p>Jagarnath   Pandit     and    that    is   quite      acceptable<\/p>\n<p>under the special facts of the case.\n<\/p>\n<p>     13.          One of the most important aspects<\/p>\n<p>of the case is that the occurrence took place on<\/p>\n<p>26.5.1984 and the charges could be framed by the<\/p>\n<p>trial court on 28.9.1999, i.e., after more than 15<\/p>\n<p>years. On consideration of the evidence of each<\/p>\n<p>witness what one could find is that on the date of<\/p>\n<p>occurrence the witnesses of the case who are the<\/p>\n<p>close relatives of the deceased and also of each<\/p>\n<p>other were of very small age. The age of P.W. 1<\/p>\n<p>has been assessed by the court as 27 years and, as<\/p>\n<p>such, on the date of occurrence P.W. 1 Jay Prakash<\/p>\n<p>Pandit would be aged about 12 years. Likewise,<\/p>\n<p>P.W. 2 Vijay Kumar Pandit was 30 years of age on<\/p>\n<p>the date of his deposition in the case and he<\/p>\n<p>could be aged         about 15 years on the date of<\/p>\n<p>occurrence. Similarly, Surendra Pandit(P.W. 3) was<\/p>\n<p>aged 40 years and was aged about 25 years of age<\/p>\n<p>on the date of the occurrence. Subhash Pandit(P.W.<\/p>\n<p>4)   was    of   35   years   of     age   on   the    date   his<br \/>\n<span class=\"hidden_text\">                                                                        11<\/span><\/p>\n<p>deposition was recorded by the trial court and he<\/p>\n<p>could be around 20 years of age on the date of the<\/p>\n<p>occurrence. Likewise, P.W.5 Sushila Devi and P.W.<\/p>\n<p>6 Lalti Devi were also aged about 26 years and 35<\/p>\n<p>years as per their own statements and could be<\/p>\n<p>aged   11     years      and    20    years    on    the     date    the<\/p>\n<p>occurrence took place. The only senior member of<\/p>\n<p>the family was P.W. 7 Jag Narayan Pandit who was<\/p>\n<p>70 years of age on the date of giving his evidence<\/p>\n<p>in the case and could have been aged about 55<\/p>\n<p>years on the date of the occurrence. Nirmala Devi<\/p>\n<p>( P.W. 8) could be aged about 15 years                         on the<\/p>\n<p>date of the occurrence, her age being 30 years on<\/p>\n<p>the date of recording her evidence. By considering<\/p>\n<p>the    above      dates    as        regards   the     age     of     the<\/p>\n<p>prosecution witnesses one could find that most of<\/p>\n<p>the witnesses were in their tender age on the date<\/p>\n<p>on which the occurrence took place and when they<\/p>\n<p>were deposing, 15 years had already elapsed in<\/p>\n<p>between.         Their depositions could indicate that<\/p>\n<p>most     of      them    were    illiterate          persons        whose<\/p>\n<p>capability        to retain the facts of such horrendous<\/p>\n<p>an incident in which one of their family members<\/p>\n<p>had been killed and most of them had been injured,<\/p>\n<p>would have been very slender. As such, it could<\/p>\n<p>safely      be    said    that        their    capabilities            to<br \/>\n<span class=\"hidden_text\">                                                                     12<\/span><\/p>\n<p>reproduce the facts           which had occurred 15 years<\/p>\n<p>back    could also diminish           over the years.<\/p>\n<p>       14.           What the Court has, under the above<\/p>\n<p>background, to consider is as to whether their<\/p>\n<p>evidences corroborate the material parts of the<\/p>\n<p>occurrence. If the witnesses are coming to depose<\/p>\n<p>after such a long period of time and after about 7<\/p>\n<p>years    of    the    framing    of   the     charges,        it    is<\/p>\n<p>possible      that    their   evidence      may    be   containing<\/p>\n<p>some statements which could be an addition to what<\/p>\n<p>really they could have stated before the I.O. of<\/p>\n<p>the    case.    At    the   same   time,     could      not   it    be<\/p>\n<p>another possibility that they               could have missed<\/p>\n<p>narrating the minor details of the incident with<\/p>\n<p>precision and clarity. In the above background,<\/p>\n<p>the appearance of statements in the prosecution<\/p>\n<p>evidence as contradictions, appears natural and<\/p>\n<p>part of the human frailty. Besides, the I.O. of<\/p>\n<p>the case could not be examined. The witnesses have<\/p>\n<p>stated, as may appear from the evidence of P.W,1,<\/p>\n<p>in paragraph 6,         P.W. 2, in paragraph 1 and P.W.<\/p>\n<p>3, in paragraph 1 that the I.O. of the case was in<\/p>\n<p>collusion      with     the     accused     persons       and      was<\/p>\n<p>distorting the statements of the                  witnesses which<\/p>\n<p>was recorded by him. P.W. 1 has stated in the<\/p>\n<p>above paragraph that the I.O. had received some<br \/>\n<span class=\"hidden_text\">                                                                        13<\/span><\/p>\n<p>bribe from the accused persons for destroying the<\/p>\n<p>case. This is also evident from the evidence of<\/p>\n<p>the above noted witnesses and other witnesses as<\/p>\n<p>well    that      they     had    to    go to       a Magistrate      for<\/p>\n<p>giving their statements under                      Section 164 Cr.P.C.<\/p>\n<p>because        the       I.O.      was       not      conducting      the<\/p>\n<p>investigation fairly and honestly. If the I.O. of<\/p>\n<p>the case was not investigating the case fairly,<\/p>\n<p>properly and honestly then in that situation the<\/p>\n<p>appearance of contradictions in the statements of<\/p>\n<p>the witnesses, in our opinion, do not have                            any<\/p>\n<p>effect       on    the     veracity          of    the    witnesses   as<\/p>\n<p>exhibited by the evidence.\n<\/p>\n<p>       15.           The         learned          trial     Judge     has<\/p>\n<p>discussed the above aspect of the matter, that is,<\/p>\n<p>the appearance of contradictions in the evidence<\/p>\n<p>of the witnesses, in paragraph 48 of the judgment<\/p>\n<p>and has rightly rejected the contention and has<\/p>\n<p>held that it was not of much consequence.<\/p>\n<p>       16.           It may appear from the evidence of<\/p>\n<p>the witnesses, like, P.W. 7 in paragraph 4 that<\/p>\n<p>initially         the    family        was    residing      in   village<\/p>\n<p>Chandaus,         P.S.   Bikram        within      the    District    of<\/p>\n<p>Patna     and        migrated       to       the     present     village<\/p>\n<p>Jagdishpur, when P.W. 7 was aged 13-14 years. It<\/p>\n<p>is stated by P.W. 7 that it was his father who had<br \/>\n<span class=\"hidden_text\">                                                                      14<\/span><\/p>\n<p>first migrated to the place of occurrence Village<\/p>\n<p>Jagdishpur. The witness has further stated in the<\/p>\n<p>same paragraph at pages 35 and 36 of the Paper<\/p>\n<p>Book that he did not hold any                 landed property in<\/p>\n<p>that village and had purchased the homestead land<\/p>\n<p>from one Ram Bihari Sharma and erected a Jhopara<\/p>\n<p>(hut) and subsequently              appears    to have purchased<\/p>\n<p>some    more   part     of    the    property         from     another<\/p>\n<p>person, named, Baidyanath Sigh through a saledeed.<\/p>\n<p>This part of the story is almost admitted. It may<\/p>\n<p>appear from the evidence of the witness (P.W. 7)<\/p>\n<p>in   paragraph      7   that    of    the     informant&#8217;s      caste,<\/p>\n<p>there were only two families, that is,                   P.W. 7 and<\/p>\n<p>his brother Jagarnath Pandit and other residents<\/p>\n<p>of the village were of other castes. The further<\/p>\n<p>story    of    purchase       has    been     stated    by     him   in<\/p>\n<p>paragraph 8 of his evidence. It is indicated by<\/p>\n<p>the evidence on record including                    the evidence of<\/p>\n<p>P.W. 12 that some part of the property had been<\/p>\n<p>purchased      by   accused      Ramcharan       Singh    and    some<\/p>\n<p>part by P.W. 7 and his brother Jagarnath Pandit.<\/p>\n<p>It is indicated further by P.W. 1 and others that<\/p>\n<p>after   purchasing        the   land    they     had    constructed<\/p>\n<p>their residential house, cattle shed and were also<\/p>\n<p>utilizing      it       for     carrying       on      their     caste<\/p>\n<p>profession of pottery. At a particular part of<br \/>\n<span class=\"hidden_text\">                                                               15<\/span><\/p>\n<p>that land they had erected a Jhopari which                   was<\/p>\n<p>being used by the prosecution party as a Baithaka<\/p>\n<p>and they used it as a place of relaxation either<\/p>\n<p>by sitting on cots or sleeping there. The motive<\/p>\n<p>is   that    the    prosecution     witnesses,      who   were<\/p>\n<p>potters, used to sit in the Jhopari which was in<\/p>\n<p>front of the house of the accused persons who are<\/p>\n<p>Bhumihars, ( P.W.7, Paragraph 17) a high caste<\/p>\n<p>people, which used to cause heartburn and envy                in<\/p>\n<p>their minds and they had earlier objected to the<\/p>\n<p>prosecution witnesses about the sitting on cots in<\/p>\n<p>the Jhopari in their presence in front of their<\/p>\n<p>residential house.\n<\/p>\n<p>     17.     We have a society comprised by various<\/p>\n<p>castes which are engaged in different vocations.<\/p>\n<p>In spite of the principle of equality and equal<\/p>\n<p>protection     of   law    enshrined     in   our   system    of<\/p>\n<p>democracy besides a time tasted legal mechanism to<\/p>\n<p>regulate     our    acts   and    behaviour     towards      our<\/p>\n<p>brethren in society, the fact remains that                    we<\/p>\n<p>still are not free from grudges and biases which<\/p>\n<p>we carry in our hearts           as per       our belief and<\/p>\n<p>social     upbringing      for   other   fellow     countrymen<\/p>\n<p>who are lowly placed or are treated as low-caste-<\/p>\n<p>people. It is still a reality that many in the<\/p>\n<p>villages of our       country carry a conceit for them<br \/>\n<span class=\"hidden_text\">                                                           16<\/span><\/p>\n<p>and do not like such persons who belong to the so-<\/p>\n<p>called low castes to enjoy        decent life. This has<\/p>\n<p>been causing some sort of consternation in               the<\/p>\n<p>hearts    of such people, and       further,     they    are<\/p>\n<p>often found indulging in violent acts only because<\/p>\n<p>they     could not accept   the     parity     the    people<\/p>\n<p>belonging to the unprivileged lot draw with other<\/p>\n<p>people who take pride in treating themselves as<\/p>\n<p>privileged persons of so-called high castes. This<\/p>\n<p>is the reason that there are often reports from<\/p>\n<p>any corner of our country of killing of              persons<\/p>\n<p>of the downtrodden class of the society and, as<\/p>\n<p>such, it does not appear unusual that the accused<\/p>\n<p>persons had been nursing a        grudge and dislike      in<\/p>\n<p>their minds and were not accepting that the people<\/p>\n<p>of the exploited and unprivileged lot were sitting<\/p>\n<p>on cots in their Jhopari in front of the house of<\/p>\n<p>the appellants in their sight or         presence. I do<\/p>\n<p>not have any hesitation in accepting the motive. I<\/p>\n<p>find     in the light of the evidence on record of<\/p>\n<p>P.W. 4 para 3, P.W. 7 paras 2 and 17 that the<\/p>\n<p>accused persons were    feeling uneasy and were not<\/p>\n<p>digesting the parity        the prosecution witnesses<\/p>\n<p>were drawing with them by enjoying the           privilege<\/p>\n<p>of sitting on cots and, as such, they had been<br \/>\n<span class=\"hidden_text\">                                                                          17<\/span><\/p>\n<p>impelled by their prejudicial thought to teach the<\/p>\n<p>prosecution party a lesson.\n<\/p>\n<p>    18.                As        regards        the       manner         of<\/p>\n<p>occurrence, some of the witnesses examined in the<\/p>\n<p>case are injured. This appears indicated by the<\/p>\n<p>evidence of P.W. 10 who has stated that he had<\/p>\n<p>examined        six injured persons who were brought<\/p>\n<p>before    him    on     26.5.1984        at     different      hours     of<\/p>\n<p>time. On perusal of the evidence of P.W. 10, it is<\/p>\n<p>found that he had found as many as 10 gun-shot-<\/p>\n<p>injuries on Jagarnath Pandit( not examined), the<\/p>\n<p>father    of     Jay    Prakash        Pandit      P.W.    1    and     the<\/p>\n<p>deceased Ram prakash Pandit and those injuries had<\/p>\n<p>been caused by firearms and were                          dangerous to<\/p>\n<p>life.    P.W.    10     has      not     stated    as     to   when     the<\/p>\n<p>injuries could have been caused but after looking<\/p>\n<p>to Ext. 3 which is the injury report issued by<\/p>\n<p>P.W. 10 in respect of Jagarnath Pandit, it is<\/p>\n<p>indicated that the injuries could be caused in<\/p>\n<p>between    2      to        4    hours     of     his     examination.<\/p>\n<p>Similarly,      P.W.        10   examined       Jay     Prakash    Pandit<\/p>\n<p>(P.W. 1) and found three pellet injuries on his<\/p>\n<p>right    upper    arm,           on      deltoid      region,     and    an<\/p>\n<p>abrasion measuring \u00bd&#8221;X 1\/10&#8243; on his right                           foot.<\/p>\n<p>Injury no. 1           was grievous and 2 was simple in<\/p>\n<p>nature.    The        very       discussion        of     injury      no.1<br \/>\n<span class=\"hidden_text\">                                                                         18<\/span><\/p>\n<p>indicates that on account of being pellet injury<\/p>\n<p>it could have been caused by a firearm and within<\/p>\n<p>2 to 4 hours of examination of P.W. 1. Smt. Phulo<\/p>\n<p>Devi, another injured was examined by P.W. 10 and<\/p>\n<p>he recorded pellet injuries quite good in number<\/p>\n<p>on    her    person     and    those       were    also       caused    by<\/p>\n<p>firearms, as may appear from Ext. 3\/2 within 2 to<\/p>\n<p>4 hours of the examination of the lady. Likewise,<\/p>\n<p>P.W. 2 Vijay Kumar Pandit was examined by P.W. 10<\/p>\n<p>and two pellet wounds on left side and upper part<\/p>\n<p>of    the    chest    were     found       which       were   caused    by<\/p>\n<p>firearms      and it is indicated by Ext. 3\/3 that<\/p>\n<p>those injuries were caused within 6 to 12 hours of<\/p>\n<p>the examination of the witness. P.W. 5 Sushila<\/p>\n<p>Devi had two pellet injuries on her upper calf<\/p>\n<p>caused by firearm and Ext. 3\/4 indicates that it<\/p>\n<p>was    also     caused      within     2    to     4    hours    of    the<\/p>\n<p>examination        of    the     witness.          Another       injured<\/p>\n<p>Devendra Pandit(not examined)had a total number of<\/p>\n<p>four    pellet        injuries       described           under     three<\/p>\n<p>distinct heads by P.W. 10 and those were caused by<\/p>\n<p>firearm, within 2 to 4 hours of his examination.<\/p>\n<p>       19.    The witnesses          who have come forward in<\/p>\n<p>support of the prosecution story have all stated<\/p>\n<p>that    after      having     shot   and     killed       Ram    Prakash<\/p>\n<p>Pandit,      the   accused      persons      caused       injuries      to<br \/>\n<span class=\"hidden_text\">                                                              19<\/span><\/p>\n<p>p.W. 1 Jay Prakash Pandit and P.W. 2,Vijay Kumar<\/p>\n<p>Pandit. Accused persons entered into the house and<\/p>\n<p>fired indiscriminately causing injuries to other<\/p>\n<p>witnesses including the lady-P.Ws.. The injuries,<\/p>\n<p>as indicated above, were found             caused within the<\/p>\n<p>time which probabilities the story as also the<\/p>\n<p>same    being       caused   simultaneously      during     the<\/p>\n<p>course of the incident.           Thus, the presence of<\/p>\n<p>P.Ws. 1, 2 and 5 and others                who were injured<\/p>\n<p>could not be doubted. They were injured. They did<\/p>\n<p>not    have   any   reason   to   falsely     implicate     the<\/p>\n<p>accused persons or to replace the real culprits by<\/p>\n<p>the appellants. The manner of occurrence as stated<\/p>\n<p>by the above witnesses is also consistent. The<\/p>\n<p>witnesses     examined   have     stated    as   to   how   the<\/p>\n<p>accused persons came and killed Ram Prakash Pandit<\/p>\n<p>and caused injuries to them and other persons of<\/p>\n<p>their family. The evidence of P.W. 9 Dr. Afzal who<\/p>\n<p>held    post-mortem examination on the dead body of<\/p>\n<p>Ram Prakash Pandit       indicates that more than one<\/p>\n<p>shot were fired at him and his death was caused on<\/p>\n<p>that account. The witnesses, P.Ws 1 to 4 and 7,<\/p>\n<p>have all stated that appellant Ram Charan fired<\/p>\n<p>one shot followed by another shot, when appellant<\/p>\n<p>Shailendra Singh stated that he was still alive<\/p>\n<p>and thereon appellant Ramcharan Singh fired the<br \/>\n<span class=\"hidden_text\">                                                                  20<\/span><\/p>\n<p>second shot killing the deceased. Likewise, the<\/p>\n<p>injured witnesses who have been examined in the<\/p>\n<p>case, gave a consistent story about the manner                  as<\/p>\n<p>to how they received injuries and at whose hands.<\/p>\n<p>      20.    The non-examination of Jagarnath Pandit,<\/p>\n<p>one of the injured witnesses, was highlighted by<\/p>\n<p>Sri   Singh,   the     learned   senior   Counsel        for   the<\/p>\n<p>appellants. It was contended that, he being the<\/p>\n<p>father of the deceased and injured P.Ws. 1 and 2,<\/p>\n<p>was withheld by the prosecution. It could                 really<\/p>\n<p>be a matter of enquiry for the court as to why the<\/p>\n<p>above named witness was not produced and examined,<\/p>\n<p>when the prosecution story indicated that he was<\/p>\n<p>among the first few persons, who had been                      hit,<\/p>\n<p>and who as per the evidence on acquisition of land<\/p>\n<p>as given by some of them including P.W. 7, could<\/p>\n<p>have been the most material witness. Is there any<\/p>\n<p>explanation      for    non-examination        of    Jagarnath<\/p>\n<p>Pandit?\n<\/p>\n<p>      21.    Though the learned trial Judge has not<\/p>\n<p>placed      reliance    on    the   evidence        of    P.W.12<\/p>\n<p>Jeetendra     Sharma,    as   regards   the    occurrence,       I<\/p>\n<p>feel that his evidence on some aspects of the case<\/p>\n<p>could be utilized as the defence did not challenge<\/p>\n<p>those statements of P.W.12 and, rather, appears<\/p>\n<p>introducing those facts through               cross-examining<br \/>\n<span class=\"hidden_text\">                                                             21<\/span><\/p>\n<p>the witness. P.W. 12 was cross-examined on the<\/p>\n<p>genealogy   of     the   vendor   of   the    land   to    the<\/p>\n<p>informant and Jagarnath Pandit and the acquisition<\/p>\n<p>of the land by the prosecution side. The state of<\/p>\n<p>health of Jagarnath was stated to by P.W. 12 in<\/p>\n<p>his examination-in-chief in paragraph 1. He was<\/p>\n<p>cross-examined     on    this   fact    in    paragraph     8,<\/p>\n<p>wherein the witness was indicating his lack of<\/p>\n<p>knowledge about Jagarnath Pandit being               treated<\/p>\n<p>for    insanity.     The    witness     stated       in    his<\/p>\n<p>examination-in-chief that after the death of his<\/p>\n<p>son, that&#8217;s, the deceased, Jagarnath had become<\/p>\n<p>mentally ill. There was no challenge even by a<\/p>\n<p>suggestion to P.W.12 that his above statement was<\/p>\n<p>false. Thus, it could safely be              held that the<\/p>\n<p>reason for the non-examination of Jagarnath Pandit<\/p>\n<p>may not be false rather the explanation appears<\/p>\n<p>on record for his non-production in court.<\/p>\n<p>      22.     All    the   witnesses    examined      in   the<\/p>\n<p>case by the prosecution are related by blood among<\/p>\n<p>each other as also to the deceased. P.W.7, the<\/p>\n<p>informant of the case, is none else than                   the<\/p>\n<p>uncle of the deceased and father of P.W. 4 Subhash<\/p>\n<p>Pandit. P.W. 6 Lalti Devi is the wife of P.W. 4<\/p>\n<p>Subhash Pandit. P.W. 1 Jai Prakash Pandit, P.W. 2<\/p>\n<p>Vijay Kumar Pandit and P.W. 3 Surendra Pandit are<br \/>\n<span class=\"hidden_text\">                                                                            22<\/span><\/p>\n<p>sons of Jagarnath Pandit and brothers of                          deceased<\/p>\n<p>Ram Prakash Pandit. The lady witnesses are the<\/p>\n<p>wives of the witnesses              who are either the sons or<\/p>\n<p>nephews of            the informant P.W.7 and Jagarnath<\/p>\n<p>Pandit.       Thus,     their       interestedness               could     be<\/p>\n<p>inferred      not     because    they        are    related        to    each<\/p>\n<p>other by blood, but because they had an interest<\/p>\n<p>in the result of the present case also as                                they<\/p>\n<p>could be impelled             by an urge within them to see<\/p>\n<p>that    the    accused        persons         were       convicted        and<\/p>\n<p>sentenced. This situation of interestedness is not<\/p>\n<p>sufficient in itself to reject their evidence in<\/p>\n<p>its    entirety       rather     the        Court    is     required       to<\/p>\n<p>appreciate       their evidence with care and caution<\/p>\n<p>and    to   search      for     some     such       features       in     the<\/p>\n<p>evidence which could stand them out as truthful<\/p>\n<p>witnesses.      There       could      be    many        parameters       for<\/p>\n<p>evaluating      the     value       of      the     evidence       of     the<\/p>\n<p>interested witnesses and holding them truthful or<\/p>\n<p>untruthful.         Being   injured         makes        their    presence<\/p>\n<p>probable;       which       never        makes           them     truthful<\/p>\n<p>witnesses.          Truthfulness            of      evidence        of      a<\/p>\n<p>particular      witness       has    always         to    be     judged   on<\/p>\n<p>other parameters, like, the very facts narrated by<\/p>\n<p>the witness, could render him untruthful or some<\/p>\n<p>other circumstances appearing from his evidence in<br \/>\n<span class=\"hidden_text\">                                                                      23<\/span><\/p>\n<p>that    behalf,     like     implicating    a   man     who    could<\/p>\n<p>never have been implicated under any circumstance<\/p>\n<p>and    that   too      for    a graver     charge.      The    other<\/p>\n<p>circumstances could be that the witness has taken<\/p>\n<p>a complete u-turn to come up with a                     completely<\/p>\n<p>new story which could be different from the                    basic<\/p>\n<p>prosecution     version       or   whose   evidence      does       not<\/p>\n<p>inspire the confidence of the                 Court. A witness<\/p>\n<p>whose presence is doubted by the court, could also<\/p>\n<p>be an untruthful witness. These are some of the<\/p>\n<p>illustrative        circumstances     which     could         not    be<\/p>\n<p>exhaustive.\n<\/p>\n<p>       23.        Keeping      the    above     in      mind        and<\/p>\n<p>reading the evidence with care and caution, what<\/p>\n<p>has struck me the most to hold the witnesses as<\/p>\n<p>truthful was that the witnesses have not claimed<\/p>\n<p>themselves to be the witnesses to the                    whole of<\/p>\n<p>the occurrence. If one could carefully consider<\/p>\n<p>the evidence of P.Ws. 1, 2 ,3 and 4 and others<\/p>\n<p>except P.W. 7, what one may find could                    be that<\/p>\n<p>they did not appear to claim that                they had seen<\/p>\n<p>the entire occurrence. This could not come out<\/p>\n<p>clearly unless one is very much alert in reading<\/p>\n<p>the evidence. One could find that they had claimed<\/p>\n<p>themselves to be the witnesses to the occurrence<\/p>\n<p>which had taken place outside the lady section of<br \/>\n<span class=\"hidden_text\">                                                                   24<\/span><\/p>\n<p>the house and at the darwaja and its sahan where<\/p>\n<p>the deceased was cutting tiles or P.W. 3 Surendra<\/p>\n<p>Pandit was making rope or any third man, like,<\/p>\n<p>Jagarnath Pandit(not examined) was preparing                   soil<\/p>\n<p>for making the tiles.              They have honestly stated<\/p>\n<p>that after having shot and killed the deceased Ram<\/p>\n<p>Prakash Pandit and having injured Surendra Pandit<\/p>\n<p>and Jagarnath Pandit,            the accused persons entered<\/p>\n<p>inside the lady          section of the house and injured<\/p>\n<p>the    lady      witnesses    and    Jagarnath       Pandit(     not<\/p>\n<p>examined)           as    also      Devendra    Pandit.        These<\/p>\n<p>witnesses        have    consistently       narrated     the   same<\/p>\n<p>sequence except for the minor aberrations here and<\/p>\n<p>there, like, P.W. 1 having introduced the fact<\/p>\n<p>that he was hit and injured by Shailendra Singh,<\/p>\n<p>whereas, in the F.I.R. the informant                  stated that<\/p>\n<p>it    was   accused      Ramcharan    who    had     injured    him.<\/p>\n<p>Similarly, at page 33 of the Paper Book, P.W. 7<\/p>\n<p>has introduced a story              of P.W. 2 being fired at<\/p>\n<p>and injured outside the house whereas P.W. 2 Vijay<\/p>\n<p>Kumar Pandit claimed that he was injured when he<\/p>\n<p>was    inside      the    house.     These     are    very     minor<\/p>\n<p>omissions or aberrations. As             already pointed out<\/p>\n<p>earlier     in    the    present    judgment,      the   witnesses<\/p>\n<p>were narrating the incident after 15                 years of the<\/p>\n<p>occurrence and, as such, they might be faltering<br \/>\n<span class=\"hidden_text\">                                                                      25<\/span><\/p>\n<p>on the details of such an incident                   where as many<\/p>\n<p>as six persons were injured and the seventh was<\/p>\n<p>killed.    The    incident,      as     it    occurred,       and   the<\/p>\n<p>manner in which the witnesses were being targeted<\/p>\n<p>by a group of armed persons must have made them to<\/p>\n<p>run for their lives. The honesty of the witnesses<\/p>\n<p>could further be gathered from one evidence of<\/p>\n<p>Lalti    Devi    who      stated      that when       she     saw   her<\/p>\n<p>family    members      being     shot    at    and    hit     she   was<\/p>\n<p>frightened and         closeted herself inside the room<\/p>\n<p>and when the        firing had died down, she came out<\/p>\n<p>of the room and found her family members lying<\/p>\n<p>injured.        Similarly,       P.W.8        Nirmala        Devi   in<\/p>\n<p>paragraph 4 of her cross examination has stated<\/p>\n<p>that while she was returning after attending to<\/p>\n<p>the call of nature and             was in a Gali just near<\/p>\n<p>the outer section of her house,                      she heard the<\/p>\n<p>sounds     of    firing    and     found      that     the    injured<\/p>\n<p>persons were writhing in              pain. These features in<\/p>\n<p>the evidence of the witnesses make them reliable<\/p>\n<p>inasmuch as if they were to create any story, they<\/p>\n<p>could have created it by stating that some of them<\/p>\n<p>were inside the house and               saw the occurrence and<\/p>\n<p>could very well have stated that he or she was hit<\/p>\n<p>inside it. But they have not                 brought in any such<\/p>\n<p>improvement which could be unnatural.                   They appear<br \/>\n<span class=\"hidden_text\">                                                                             26<\/span><\/p>\n<p>coming        with     clear     facts     which         describes         the<\/p>\n<p>occurrence       as    seen     individually            by    them.       They<\/p>\n<p>might be appearing to the learned defence counsel<\/p>\n<p>faltering on some material points, but I find them<\/p>\n<p>trustworthy           witnesses         and        their           evidence<\/p>\n<p>acceptable.          The    above     discussions            of    evidence<\/p>\n<p>takes care of the contention that the witnesses<\/p>\n<p>were making contradictory statements on the manner<\/p>\n<p>of occurrence. I have pointed out                            a couple of<\/p>\n<p>aberrations in the evidence of P.Ws. 1 and 7 and<\/p>\n<p>having gone through the evidence of the witnesses,<\/p>\n<p>I find       a consistency and a              ring of truth in it<\/p>\n<p>and their evidence inspiring confidence.<\/p>\n<p>       24.            The contention was that the                    F.I.R.<\/p>\n<p>was lodged on 26.5.1984 and the Chief Judicial<\/p>\n<p>Magistrate       received       the    copy        of    the       same     on<\/p>\n<p>28.5.1984 and, as such, there was                       every chance of<\/p>\n<p>weaving out a false story so as to implicating the<\/p>\n<p>innocent persons. There does not appear any reason<\/p>\n<p>to     accept        the     contention        inasmuch             as     the<\/p>\n<p>background       of    the     witnesses      is    such          that   they<\/p>\n<p>could not have influenced things in their favour.<\/p>\n<p>They    are   poor         potters   who   are      generally            found<\/p>\n<p>belonging       to    the     lowest   level       of        the   society,<\/p>\n<p>economically. They were share-croppers, having no<\/p>\n<p>landed properties of their own(P.W.3, paragraph<br \/>\n<span class=\"hidden_text\">                                                                        27<\/span><\/p>\n<p>3).    They        live their lives everywhere in this<\/p>\n<p>State     by       creating       pots      and    selling    them    all<\/p>\n<p>around.       They       are   the    congenial       lot,   peacefully<\/p>\n<p>pursuing their vocation. The witnesses have stated<\/p>\n<p>as to how the investigating Officer of the case<\/p>\n<p>was distorting facts by not recording them truly<\/p>\n<p>and was creating records so as to                        destroying the<\/p>\n<p>case.     I have discussed it in the earlier part of<\/p>\n<p>the judgment. The accused persons, I find, are<\/p>\n<p>wealthy persons having                licensed arms and belonged<\/p>\n<p>to a community( as per P.W. 7 Paragraph 17) which<\/p>\n<p>is known for its might. It                   still continues to be<\/p>\n<p>some     part       of     our     social        realities    that    the<\/p>\n<p>wealthy,       the       mighty      and    the     influential       are<\/p>\n<p>getting        investigation               and     even      prosecution<\/p>\n<p>influenced for their benefit. The Investigating<\/p>\n<p>Officer was not                  produced         and the Officer who<\/p>\n<p>was examined             in the case was not cross-examined<\/p>\n<p>on the reasons as to why the F.I.R. was received<\/p>\n<p>late     by     the       Chief      Judicial        Magistrate.      The<\/p>\n<p>Investigating Officer could                       have been the real<\/p>\n<p>person to explain                the delay. It could not be on<\/p>\n<p>account       of    the    witnesses        or     the    informant   who<\/p>\n<p>could not be accountable for dispatch or receipt<\/p>\n<p>of the     copy of the F.I.R. It could be the Police<\/p>\n<p>Officer, like the Officer-in-charge of the police<br \/>\n<span class=\"hidden_text\">                                                                          28<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Station or the Investigating officer who could be<\/p>\n<p>accountable for it and if the I.O. of the case or<\/p>\n<p>the Officer-in-charge of the Police Station were<\/p>\n<p>acting under the influence of the accused persons,<\/p>\n<p>as     appears the case from the evidence of the<\/p>\n<p>witnesses, then the accused persons                       could not be<\/p>\n<p>allowed to derive            advantage out of such lapses.<\/p>\n<p>       25.            The contention was that the story of<\/p>\n<p>taking away an ox and its recovery was absurd. The<\/p>\n<p>evidence       on     record    indicates      that        it     was   the<\/p>\n<p>villagers       who    protested       to    the    accused       persons<\/p>\n<p>that     having       caused    the     murder       of     his    family<\/p>\n<p>member,        they could not be as cruel as to moving<\/p>\n<p>the    property        of    the    informant        as     well(P.W.4,<\/p>\n<p>Paragraph-1). The manner in which the house of the<\/p>\n<p>informant was           ransacked and a               member of his<\/p>\n<p>family       was killed        and many injured, there could<\/p>\n<p>not be any absurdity merely because the recovery<\/p>\n<p>memo     was     not        prepared    by     the        Investigating<\/p>\n<p>Officer.       Besides,       the   defence        also    appears      not<\/p>\n<p>denying that the ox was attempted to be taken<\/p>\n<p>away; what they say is that the act was done by<\/p>\n<p>some thieves in the night and when the informant<\/p>\n<p>and his family members resisted them the firing<\/p>\n<p>was done and while Ram Prakash was killed, others<\/p>\n<p>were    injured.       The     defence      version        appears      not<br \/>\n<span class=\"hidden_text\">                                                               29<\/span><\/p>\n<p>acceptable       and probable because, the Doctors who<\/p>\n<p>either    held     the    post-mortem     examination         or<\/p>\n<p>examined the injured have given the time of death<\/p>\n<p>or injuries and that overrules the               time suggested<\/p>\n<p>by the defence to P.W. 7 in Paragraph 18.<\/p>\n<p>    26.          Shri Singh, learned Senior             counsel<\/p>\n<p>for the appellants, was arguing that if at all the<\/p>\n<p>accused persons had any grievance or dislike for<\/p>\n<p>the informant and his family members for erecting<\/p>\n<p>the Jhopari and         sitting there on cots, they could<\/p>\n<p>have very well objected to the very erection of<\/p>\n<p>the jhopari on the day it was            done.     Why after so<\/p>\n<p>many years the accused persons could                  vandalize<\/p>\n<p>it. It could be very difficult for the Court to<\/p>\n<p>answer the argument of the learned Senior counsel<\/p>\n<p>merely    for    the    reason,   that   it   could    be   very<\/p>\n<p>difficult for anyone to say          as to what was moving<\/p>\n<p>in others       minds    and hearts.      An accused could<\/p>\n<p>better know as to why they did not do any act on a<\/p>\n<p>particular day or prior to the day, they really<\/p>\n<p>did it. The reasons for doing or not doing the<\/p>\n<p>act, as complained of, could best be known to the<\/p>\n<p>accused persons because this could be relatable to<\/p>\n<p>their    mental state.\n<\/p>\n<p>    27.           On consideration of the evidence on<\/p>\n<p>record, I       find    that the judgment and order of<br \/>\n<span class=\"hidden_text\">                                                                               30<\/span><\/p>\n<p>              conviction were properly passed under the evidence<\/p>\n<p>              on     the    record.       There     does   not    appear    any<\/p>\n<p>              illegality         in   appreciation    of   the   evidence   and<\/p>\n<p>              arriving at the findings. The conviction appears<\/p>\n<p>              properly      recorded.       The     sentences    also   appear<\/p>\n<p>              proper.\n<\/p>\n<p>                           28.        In the result, the three appeals<\/p>\n<p>               are    found to be of no merit and the same are<\/p>\n<p>               dismissed. Appellants Kishundeo Singh, Ramdeo<\/p>\n<p>               Singh and Shailendra Singh are on bail. They<\/p>\n<p>               shall surrender to their bonds in the court<\/p>\n<p>               below, as their bonds are cancelled, to serve<\/p>\n<p>               out    their      sentence    with    appellant    Ramcharan<\/p>\n<p>               Singh who is           already in custody.<\/p>\n<pre>\n\n\n\n                                         ( Dharnidhar Jha,J.)\n\nShiva Kirti Singh J.-      I agree.\n\n\n\n                                        (Shiva Kirti Singh, J.)\n\nPatna High Court,\nThe 16   October,2008\nKanth\/ A.F.R.\n <\/pre>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Patna High Court Ramcharan Singh vs State Of Bihar on 16 October, 2008 Author: Shiva Kirti Singh 1 CRIMINAL APPEAL No.510 OF 2002 (D.B.) &#8211; &#8211; &#8211; &#8211; SHAILENDRA SINGH &#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;Appellant Versus STATE OF BIHAR&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8211;Respondent With CR. APP (DB) No.588 OF 2002 1. KISHUNDEO SINGH 2. RAMDEO SINGH &#8211; &#8211; &#8211; &#8211; &#8211; &#8211; Appellants [&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":[8,26],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-42953","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-high-court","category-patna-high-court"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.6 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Ramcharan Singh vs State Of Bihar on 16 October, 2008 - 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\/ramcharan-singh-vs-state-of-bihar-on-16-october-2008\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Ramcharan Singh vs State Of Bihar on 16 October, 2008 - Free Judgements of Supreme Court &amp; 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