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Judgment
REPORTABLE
This appeal is directed against the
judgment dated 13.4.2007 passed by Additional
Sessions Judge (Fast Track) No.2 Pali in Sessions Case
No.58/2006 - State Vs. Atul and another whereby both
the accused-appellants have been convicted and
sentenced to life imprisonment with a fine of Rs.1000/-
and in default to undergo one years rigorous
imprisonment under Section 302 / 34 of I.P.C.
The first information report Ex.12 which
has been lodged on 22.09.2006 under Section 302 / 34
I.P.C. at Police Station, Industrial Area, Pali reads as
under:-
"VERNACULAR MATTER OMITTED"
Heard the arguments advanced by both
the sides, learned counsel for the appellant has urged
that the impugned judgment is erroneous because the
learned trial court has not appreciated the evidence
properly and nothing incriminatory has emerged from
the evidence of the prosecution and there are serious
contradictions in the prosecution case but without any
positive, ocular evidence and despite there being weak
circumstantial evidence, learned trial court has held the
accused-appellants guilty, so the appeal may be
allowed and both the accused-appellant persons be
acquitted.
Per contra, learned Public Prosecutor
has contended that nothing abnormal has occurred in
the prosecution evidence and the learned trial court has
correctly appreciated the evidence, there was enmity
between deceased and the accused, so accused
persons persuaded deceased as if, they were on
compromise to go together and further killed him.
Prosecution has adduced reliable evidence against both
the accused-appellants, so there is no infirmity in the
findings of learned trial court and appeal does not bear
any force, so it be dismissed.
Heard both the sides and examined the
record of the learned trial Court as well as perused the
impugned judgment.
Ex.P.12-FIR has been lodged by Vijendra
Singh, brother of the deceased in which both the
accused are explicitly named and according to the
version, raised in the FIR context of immediate enmity
has also been divulged with specific contention that the
accused persons, under pretext of a compromise,
persuaded deceased to go with them from where he did
not return and subsequent killed, his body was found
in a secluded area in a ditch. Ex.P.32 FIR Kalta is a
replica.
Appraisal and appreciation of the
evidence available on the record is positive in nature
and entire evidence if clubbed and read together, gives
a clinching and reliable evidence against both the
appellant -accused persons.
The prosecution evidence of the witnesses
examined, indicates as beneath:-
PW.6 Vijendra, the complainant, while
examined, has said that deceased Pappu Singh was his
younger brother and he knows both the accused Atul
and Kallan, present in the Court. Pappu Singh had
earlier taken dyeing contract in the factory and they
were engaged together under that contract along with
Atul and Kallan, after DCM, dyeing job was done in
Agarwal Factory for about 20 days and its Thekedar
was Pappu Singh. Atul and Kallan were also worked in
Agarwal Factory along with. He has further said that
labour of muslim community used to come late there
and were habitual of coming under drunken position,
they used to come late at 12 to 1 and fashioned to
claim whole wages. He along with other labours
complained this to the thekedar by saying that they
were doing more work, despite, being paid similar
wages vis a vis accused persons and so on this count,
Pappu Singh admonished the accused persons not to
come after drinking liquor at proper time and because
of this a scuffle resulted amongst them, first in the
DCM factory, further in Agarwal Factory on 20/09/2006
and he was present in the factory at that time. He has
also said that he, Seepu, Bengali and Sanjay interfered
and separated them from scuffle. He has further said
that then the accused had threatened Pappu Singh to
eliminate him. On next day of 21, accused came at
about half past two under influence of liquor in
Agarwal Factory and purposely reconciled with Pappu
Singh and helped in the work performance an
important fact has also narrated by this witness that at
about 4 to 5 in the evening, both came and took away
Pappu Singh towards Kirana Store. Later, he Tularam,
Sanjay went to the shop of Kirana Store to buy ration,
wherefrom Atul took a cigarette packet subsequently
Atul, Kallan and Pappu Singh went away towards I.T.I
forest but he came back after purchasing ration and
slept after meal.
It has further stated by this witness that
by 22 date, Pappu Singh did not return, so he made
telephones in the morning at 8 to 9 a.m. to his
relatives to Jodhpur, then it was informed that Pappu
Singh did not visit there, which raised a suspicion, so
Seepu, Bengali, Tula Ram went to search Pappu Singh,
who was searched at several places by four to five,
when they approached near forest, then they found
dead body of Pappu Singh, lying in a ditch. The ''corpse''
was having sharp weapon injuries and blood was
oozing, two pieces of belt were there and trouser of
Pappu Singh was lying there apart from his body, three
buttons and four to five stones tainted with blood were
lying there. A sky colour footwear (Chappal) was also
lying there with a blood spot and a pouch of Miraj was
also lying there. It has further said by this witness that
they brought out the body from the ditch and went to
DCM Factory to inform Mangilal and went to Police
Station, where they lodged FIR, which is Ex.P.12 which
bears his signatures from A to B. Police got his
signatures after registering the FIR. Police had
''witnessed'' the spot and prepared Ex.P.4. Seizure of
two pieces of belt, chappal, three buttons of bushirt,
baalpent and three pieces of blood stained stones, open
pouch of Miraj Jarda were made by police vide Ex.P.5,
which contains his signatures. He has further ratified
Ex.P.6, 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11 and has accepted his
signatures over these documents, in his cross-
examination, he has said that Pappu Singh was
working in Pali for three to four years, whereas, he was
there for about last three months. Pappu Singh was
bachelor seldom, out of fun and to enjoy, he used
liquor. He was of about 28 to 29 years old. He has
further said that he used to remit earning money to his
home and was not a lascivious person and used to visit
his home on festivals. He has also said that Harpeet,
Seepu, Sanjay, Umesh, Tula Ram and Govind Singh
were of his Village, having some relationship. He has
further said that when he joined DCM factory, then
there was Pappu Singh''s theka. Factory owner was
Kailash of Jodhpur. He has also said that under contract
of Pappu Singh, 10 to 11 people used to work. He was
a dyeing-thekedar and DCM Factory was having 18
tables, whereas Agarwal Factory was having 12 tables.
He has also said that he did not work with accused
persons on a single table, but worked along-with them
and the wages were payable according to the job, he
has further said that in DCM Factory, they and accused
persons used to prepare their meals separately and
their attendance was being recorded, so the dates
were known. He has further said that Ex.P.12 was
dictated by Umesh in thana, who was with them in
searching and detecting the body. He has reiterated
that on date 21, Pappu Singh had worked in Agarwal
Factory and Bengali, Seepu, Sanju, Tularam and
Harpeet were also there, as workers on that day, when
at two to half past two, Atul and Kallan came there
drunken. On 21/09/2006, while Pappu Singh was
taken away by them purposely, he was washing his legs
and hands at, tanki near tables. He has further said
that on 21/09/2006, it did not rain but on 22/09/2006,
when they were recovering the body, then thin showers
had fallen, he has also said that the body was found in
the area, where people used to go for defecation,
shops, stadium or factory were not there. The ditch in
which the body was lying was three to four feet deep.
PW.3 Tula Ram has also said that
Mahendra Singh @ Pappu Singh was known to him and
he knows both the accused Atul and Kallan, present in
the Court, who used to work with him in the factory.
Pappu Singh @ Mahendra Singh was having contract of
dyeing and Pappu Singh had engaged them all in the
factory. On 21/09/2006, at about 7 in the evening,
when both these accused went away with Pappu Singh,
then he bathed and prepared meal, later both these
accused and Pappu Singh did not return, he has also
said that a scuffle had occurred between Pappu Singh
and accused persons about ten days prior to the
incident, both the accused persons were late
comers in the factory, so Pappu Singh asked them
not to be late so, the scuffle had taken, before
him, he has further said that he too had searched
Pappu Singh and his body was found, his body was
recovered from a ditch which is situated behind the
DCM factory. He has further said that Pappu Singh''s
face was damaged and deceased was taken away by
both the accused persons, who caused the fatal
injuries. He has further said that Pappu Singh had
denied both the accused persons from job engagement,
but later the relations reconciled, in cross-examination,
he has further said that it is correct that both the
accused persons used to come late in drunken position
and Pappu Singh had asked them not to be late, he has
further said that he knows both the accused persons
because they worked with him, though they were not
worked on a same table in the factory and on
21.09.2006 he was working in Agarwal Factory, he has
said that it is correct that about 20 days earlier he was
engaged in Agarwal Factory, after leaving DCM factory.
He has also said that Pappu Singh had taken contract of
dyeing only and he was doing dyeing job there. He has
also said that on 21/09/2006, Pappu Singh had worked
with him. He has further said that on 22/09/2006, he
had come to take ration and none informed him about
the dead body, but he had himself searched it and seen
the body in a trench on 22/09/2006 at 8 p.m, When
the body was seen, some dark had fallen and the
period was of full moon. He has also said that on
22/09/2006, slight showers had taken place, but
showers were not intense, he has also said that
trouser was not there on the body of Pappu Singh and
it was lying apart. He has also said that three to four
persons, brought out the body from the ditch, which
was about 2 km away from Agarwal Factory and there
is a distance of one and half km between DCM factory
and Agarwal Factory. He has also said that after ousting
the body from ditch, they went to factory to inform
Mangilal. He has also said that Pappu Singh was
brotherly to him, though this witness has been declared
hostile because of non-corroboration of certain aspects
of police statements, but the entire narration does not
disclose any discrepancy or frailty, apart from Vijendra,
this witness has also corroborated this aspect in his
evidence that deceased was taken away by both the
accused persons from where he did not return and on
next date, on search, his dead body was found with
injuries. It has also been stated by both these
witnesses that a scuffle had taken place between the
deceased and both the accused persons and both the
accused persons were late comers in the factory, often
under drunken position but claiming full wages.
PW.4 Sanjay has also corroborated
same kind of narration in his statements and he too has
said that on 21/09/2006 at about half past two in the
day, both accused were present in the Court, came in
Agarwal Factory and worked there and at about 4 p.m.,
they took away Matendra Singh, who is also known as
Pappu Singh and both used to work with Pappu Singh,
both the accused persons took away Pappu Singh
outside by saying for a round. On that night, he went to
the ration shop then he, Sanju and Tularam saw from
the shop that both the accused persons Atul and Kallan,
took away thekedar Pappu Singh towards station, then
he went to own home and slept after meals and worked
next day upto four to five then he, Vijendra and Seepu
went together to search Thekedar Pappu Singh, whose
body was found in the ditch, which was brought of the
ditch by them after coming back to factory, it was
informed to Mangilal, and the report was lodged. He
too has confirmed Ex.P.4 to 11 and has accepted his
signatures on these documents, he has also narrated
an important aspect that both these accused persons
used to come late in the factory in drunken state and
used to hurl abuses to the thekedar. A scuffle had also
taken place with Thekedar, at that time, he was there
in the factory, in his cross-examination, he has said
that deceased Matendra Singh was not his real brother
but belongs to his Village and family, he too has said
that 10 to 12 persons used to work with Pappu Singh,
who was a dyeing-work thekedar. He has said that he
had worked with both the accused persons on same
table and factory, where 12 tables were there and he
knows all who work there, he has also said that Atul
and Kallan had twice taken liquor before him. He has
also said that on the date of twenty first, work had
taken place in the factory. He has further said that he
had gone to shop with Tullaram and Seepu and had
seen all the three going together, while coming back
from the shop,he has also said that he had witnessed
accused persons and deceased going together from a
distance of about 20 feet. He has also said that in the
night of twenty first, Pappu Singh did not return to
factory and on the date of twenty second he, Tularam,
Harpreet , Vijendra and Umesh worked in the factory.
PW. 5 Umesh has also said that he
knows Pappu Singh @ Matendra Singh and accused
persons Atul and Kallan and all were working under
Pappu Singh''s "Theka", he has said that both the
accused persons, present in the Court used to come
late in the factory, under intoxication and worked under
Pappu Singh''s contractship, he has also said that Atul
and Kallan were habitual to come late and used to
claim full wages, which was complained to Pappu Singh
that he was working more, whereas wages were being
distributed similar, so Pappu Singh had asked both the
accused persons Atul and Kallan to come in time and
to obtain equal wage, else it will not do, so Pappu Singh
once ousted them, when they did not yield, so they
were nurturing animosity. He has further said that on
20.09.2006 both accused came under drunken position
and scuffled with Pappu Singh then Bengali, Seepu and
vijendra spared them, both the accused gave
abuses to Pappu Singh and threatened Pappu
Singh to be killed. He has further said that on
21.09.2006 at about two to half past two both came in
the Agrawal factory and helped Pappu Singh after
finishing job, they persuaded Pappu Singh to go
alongwith them, to have a round. He has also said that
at that time, he was in factory and seen them taking
away deceased Pappu Singh, after that he, Harpreet,
Vijendra, Seepu and Bengali went to fetch ration and
they also witnessed accused Atul and Kallan taking
away, Pappu Singh from a distance of 40 to 50 meters,
going towards DCM factory in isolated side after that
pappu Singh was not found live, then they came in
Agrawal Factory and took meal, waited for Pappu Singh
but he did not return, so after taking meal they slept,
on the date of 22, Pappu Singh did not return, so
Vijendra and others went to search him after finishing
their work, they also searched Pappu Singh and his
body was found in secluded area in a ditch.
PW-7 Shipu Singh is also a witness,
who has worked with the accused persons and
deceased and is a witness of "witnessing" scuffle and
subsequently observing them, going together and he
has also said that he knows both the accused and
deceased Pappu Singh. Pappu Singh was having
contact of dyeing and accused worked under him
earlier, later scuffle happened with Pappu Singh and
accused persons, because accused persons were
habitual of drinking and reporting late. So, thekedar
had asked them not to drink and not to come beyond
time. He has further said that on the date of 21
accused persons came, in agarwal factory. Pappu
Singh was working in Agarwal Factory, for previous
twenty days and accused were working under him on
the date of 21 at about half past two in the day,
accused persons came in Agarwal Factory and worked
with Pappu Singh and ate with him, then the accused
persons went towards Ration shop with Pappu Singh,
but Pappu Singh did not come back and his body was
found next day evening at 7 to 7:30 PM. He has also
said that a dispute had earlier happened between
Pappu Singh and accused persons, which took place 22
to 24 days before the incident and he had acted to
spare them out of the scuffle. He has also said that he
had been to the spot, where the body of Pappu Singh
was found. He has also said that Pappu Singh went
outside the factory, then he Vijayender gone to take
ration from the shop and he has accepted his signature
on Ex.P.9. He has also accepted to work with the
accused persons on the same table. He has further
said that scuffle had occurred in DCM Factory. He has
also said that he had seen Pappu Singh paying money
to the accused persons, some day two hundred were
paid and another day four hundred and whatever they
demanded it was paid by Pappu Singh to them, he has
further said that accused persons often demanded
money from Pappu Singh after disputing with Pappu
Singh. He has also said that he had worked on the
date on 21 upto 5 PM and had gone to trace Pappu
Singh on that date of 22.
Hardeep PW-8 is also a labour, who
too has said that he worked under Pappu Singh and
knows Pappu Singh, as well as, accused persons very
well. He has also said that the accused persons made
a scuffle in DCM factory, as well as, in Agarwal Factory
and accused were habitual drinkers and late comers,
which was objected to by Pappu Singh. He has also
said that at the time of scuffle, he was present and
spared them from fighting and has said that Harpeet
was also played a role in sparing them from scuffle. He
has further said that on the date of 21, accused
persons had come in the factory at half past 2 and
after working with Pappu Singh, ate there and went
with Pappu Singh at about 4 from factory. Later Pappu
Singh never came to factory and on the date of 22, his
dead body was found. He has further said that when
accused persons took away Pappu Singh, then he was
in factory and he had seen them going together. He
has also said that he had gone to search Papu Singh
and his body was found, in cross-examination, he has
also said that it was apprised him that Pappu Singh''s
body was lying but he too had gone to search him and
found his body there.
PW-2 Rameshwar Singh has become
hostile but this shop keeper-witness has admitted that
he was having a shop there of Kirana and Pappu Singh
used to buy kirana from his shop and his paying khata
was maintained with there. He has also said that on
22.9.2006 in the evening, he had heard that Pappu
Singh was murdered and his dead body was found in
the forest area, so evidence of this witness establishes
that he was running a Kirana shop there and the labour
of that area, specially Pappu Singh, was a regular
ration purchaser from his shop, though this witness has
also declared hostile but enough relevant has been
uttered by this witness.
PW-9 Babu Lal, recovery witness of
Exp.P.13, P.14, P.15 and P.16 has admitted, his
signatures on recovery related documents and has also
said that signatures were done by him with freewill
without any pressure, likewise another witness PW-16
Karan Singh has also become hostile but he has
admitted his signatures on exhibit P.25, P.26, P.27 and
this much has also been said by this witness, that he
had never signed any paper without reading or having
been read over to him, prior to this and has admitted
his signatures on the documents and has accepted to
sign the same under trusting police.
Mool Singh PW-15 has also accepted
his signatures on Ex.25, 26 and 27 and has also said
that trusting police he has signed the papers.
Dr. S.C. Jain PW-17 a Doctor
conducting autopsy on the body of the deceased, has
said that on 23.9.2006, he was posted at Bangar
Hospital, Pali, where he had conducted post mortem on
the body of Matender Singh S/o Ram Prasad and he
has enumerated 14 injuries on the body with subscale
hemotoma in occipital region of right side and fracture
of six ribs and accepted his report and signature on
Ex.P.28. He has said that cause of death was head
injury associated with injury to left lung and at the time
of post mortem duration of death was 1 to 3 days. On
perusal of Ex.28 similar kind of cause of death, noting
is there with details of injuries.
PW 19 Raju Singh is a Constable, who
deposited articles on 22.9.2006 in police station, while
having charge of Malkhana and this witness has
asserted that further on 23.9.2006 one sealed cloth
bag was also deposited by Puran Singh, S.H.O., likewise
on 6.10.2006, one white cloth bag containing iron
sariya was deposited and on 12.10.2006, two sealed
bags were also deposited by Puran Singh and on
17.10.2006 12 packets were given to Constable Sohan
Lal vide road No.79 for depositing in the FSL through
S.P. Saheb, he has also said that on 18.10.2006,
Constable Sohan Lal brought back the sealed items
with an objection, so the articles were redeposited in
thana and on 19.10.2006 vide road No.81/06 same
were given to Constable for depositing in the FSL and
on 20.10.2006 he submitted receipt No.325/06
pertaining depositing the same in FSL, which was
consigned by him to S.H.O. He has also said that
original Malkhana Register Ex.P.31 and its certified copy
is Ex.P.31A.
PW-14 Sohan Lal, Constable
depositing the articles in F.S.L. has also said that he
had obtained 12 sealed packets for depositing in FSL
and for getting removal of objections, redeposited them
in thana and on next day after obtaining the same and
went to S.P. office, where the packets were given to
Constable Kishan Lal, after forwarding letter the same
were deposited in F.S.L., Jodhpur by obtaining receipt
dated 20.10.2006. He has also said that during the
course of his custody, the samples remained well
secured and sealed and has said that forwarding letter
is Ex.P.21 and P.22 which bears his signatures and and
receipt is Ex.23 and FSL objection is Ex.24.
PW-18 Constable Kishan Lal has also
said that on 19.10.2006, he was LHC in SP Office, Pali
in FSL section where 12 sealed packets were with
papers were brought by Constable Shyamlal, which
after removal of objections were brought vide Ex.29
after preparing forwarding letter, he gave them to
Sohan Lal and forwarding letter in Exhibit 30.
PW-11 Richhpal Singh, Supervisor of
DCM Factory has turned hostile but he has said that
Pappu Singh alias Matender Singh was known to him
and he has also accepted having sold his mobile phone
to Pappu Singh and has said that a telephone call was
given to him at Jodhpur relating to information of
murder of Pappu Singh, who was engaged in dye job
work in factory and this phone was made by Mangi Lal
Singhvi, who works in the factory.
PW-13 Bahadur Das, A.S.I. has said
that on 17.10.2006 he was posted in the S.P. office
F.S.L. in Branch as ASI, on that day Constable Sohan
Lal brought sealed packet relating to case No.189/2006
and he prepared a forwarding letter and on
18.10.2006, the packets came back with objection and
Shyamlal went back to police thana after informing him
and Ex.P.21 is the forwarding letter.
PW-12 Amrit Lal is a Constable and
witness of Exp.P.19 and P.20 arrest memos, this
witness has also accepted his signatures on these
documents.
PW-20 Puran Singh is Investigating
Officer and he has said that Gajender Singh had given
him Ex.P.12 Tehriri FIR 22.9.2006, which was endorsed
by him and on the basis of Ex.12, FIR No.189 dated
22.9.2006 under Section 302 / 34 I.P.C. was registered,
he has confirmed Ex.4 and recovery of Article vide Ex.5
and sealing them vide Ex.P.6. All the exhibits relating
to investigating Ex.7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 19, 20 have been
ratified by this witness and he has also said that vide
Ex.P.33 information under Section 27 an Iron axel was
recovered on the instance of accused Atul vide Exhibit
P.13 and its spot map was prepared which is Ex.P.15.,
likewise on the information and at the instance of
another accused Kallan recovery of blood spotted stone
vide Ex.P.14 andP.34 was made and its spot map is
stated to be Ex.P.14 and P.16, likewise on the
information of Atul vide Ex.35 his blood tainted cloths
have also said to have been recovered vide Ex.P.26
and P.27, pant and shirt of accused Kallan have also
stated to have been recovered on his instance vide
Ex.P.36 through Ex.P.25 and Ex.P.327, he has also
confirmed Ex.P.37 and P.38 and Ex.P.17 and Ex. P.39
during the course of testimony, the articles have also
been ratified and narrated accordingly by this witness
vide Articles one to twelve he has also asserted FSL
report being Ex.40 and submission of charge-sheet
against the accused persons, the Investigation Officer
has also asserted that he had found, in his
investigation, that three days before the incident an
event of scuffle had occurred between the deceased
and accused persons Atul and Kallan, he also said that
place of recovery was open spot but it was an area of
dense bushes, away from public movements.
Scrutiny and perusal of Ex.40 FSL
report establishes that all the three stone pieces,
bushirt, banyan and underwear, iron axel another
stone piece, both the shirts have been found
stained with human blood of same "O" group and
Ex.41 suggests matching of the buttons
recovered, which are also indicative of giving
positively and substantially to the prosecution
story.
All the prosecution witnesses have
candidly said that both the accused persons were
habitual drunkard and late-comers and were
engaged under the contract of deceased. It has
also come in the evidence of all the "labour"-
witnesses that their late coming and drinking
habit was objected to by the co-workers and
deceased contractor Pappu Singh as well, which
resulted in a physical scuffle amongst them and
several witness-co-workers intermeddled in
sparing them from scuffle, witnesses have also
narrated this significant fact that both the
accused persons had made a verbal ultimatum of
eliminating to the deceased and after some
interval of time, the accused persons falsely
behaved in such away pretendly that as they had
come to the terms with deceased so worked with
him and subsequently persuaded him to go
alongwith them, which was witnessed by several
co-workers and it has also come in the evidence
of the prosecution that later, when they were on
the ration buying, "witnessed", both the accused
persons, going with the deceased towards
secluded area from where the deceased Pappu
Singh never came back and on search next day
was found dead in isolated spot and his body was
found in to a ditch and nearby blood stained
stone, chapals were also detected and on the
instance of the accused persons, blood tainted
stones and iron axel and blood tainted cloths of
the accused persons were recovered and on their
examination, all the seizures were found tainted
with human "O" group blood.
Some of the prosecution witnesses have
also asserted some showers had occurred, so,
narration of defence witness disclosing that some
shower had fallen, does not mar or weakens the
testimony of the prosecution, rather it gives a touch of
truth to the testimony of the prosecution, both the
accused persons have only stated in their statements
under Section 313 of Cr.P.C. that they were unknown
with the deceased and never worked with him, which
too is not enough to dispel material evidence of several
witnesses of the prosecution, both the accused persons
are resident of Village Naglaganj, District Firojabad,
P.S. Jasrama, UP and were arrested in industrial area
Pali, their apparels have also been found blood tainted
with "O" blood group, which have been recovered on
their instance, likewise, the stone pieces and iron axel,
which were objects of causing assault, have also been
found tainted with "O" group blood and all these have
recovered on the instance/s of both the accused
persons, both the accused persons were last seen
together with the deceased person Pappu Singh
to whom they took along from factory towards
secluded area in which direction, later Pappu
Singh was found murdered.
In the matters relating to circumstantial
evidence Hon''ble Supreme Court while deciding
Sharad Birdhichand Sarda vs. State of
Maharashtra, AIR 1984 Supreme Court 1622 has
laid down the conditions of circumstantial evidence on
which conviction could be made in view of Section 3 of
Evidence Act which postulates as under :-
"The following conditions must be fulfilled before a case against an accused based on circumstantial evidence can be said to be fully established: (i) the circumstances from which the conclusion of guilt is to be drawn should be fully established. The circumstances concerned ''must or should'' and not ''may be'' established.
(ii) The facts so established should be consistent only with the hypothesis of the guilt of the accused, that is to say, they should not be explainable on any other hypothesis except that the accused is guilty,
(iii) the circumstances should be of a conclusive nature and tendency.
(iv) they should exclude every possible hypothesis except the one to be proved, and
(v) there must be a chain of evidence so complete as not to leave any reasonable ground for the conclusion consistent with the innocence of the accused and must show that in all human probability the act must have been done by the accused."
And in Bodhraj @ Bodha And Ors. vs.
State of Jammu & Kashmir,(2002) 8 SCC 45,
wherein the Hon''ble Supreme Court quoted
number of judgments and held as under:-
"10. It has been consistently laid down by this Court that where a case rests squarely on circumstantial evidence, the inference of guilt can be justified only when all the incriminating facts and circumstances are found to be incompatible with the innocence of the accused or the guilt of any other person. ( See Hukam Singh v. State of Rajasthan (1977) 2 SCC 99, Eradu v. State of Hyderabad AIR 1956 SC 316, Earabhadrappa v. State of Karnataka (1983) 2 SCC 330, State of U.P. v. Sukhbasi (1985) Suppl. SCC 79, Balwinder Singh v. State of Punjab (1987) 1 SCC 1 and Ashok Kumar Chatterjee v. State of M.P ., 1989 Suppl. (1) SCC 560). The circumstances from which an inference as to the guilt of the accused is drawn have to be proved beyond reasonable doubt and have to be shown to be closely connected with the principal fact sought to be inferred from those circumstances. In Bhagat Ram v. State of Punjab AIR 1954 SC 621 it was laid down that where the case depends upon the conclusion drawn from circumstances the cumulative effect of the circumstances must be such as to negative the innocence of the accused and bring home the offences beyond any reasonable doubt.
And the Hon''ble Apex Court in C. Chenga
Reddy v. State of A.P . (1996) 10 SCC 193, wherein
it has been observed thus: (SCC pp. 206-07, para 21)
"21. In a case based on circumstantial evidence, the settled law is that the circumstances from which the conclusion of guilt is drawn should be fully proved and such circumstances must be conclusive in nature. Moreover, all the circumstances should be complete and there should be no gap left in the chain of evidence. Further, the
proved circumstances must be consistent only with the hypothesis of the guilt of the accused and totally inconsistent with his innocence," like wise
In Trimukh Maroti Kirkan vs. State of
Maharashtra, (2006) 10 SCC 681, the Hon''ble
Supreme Court held as under:
"12. In the case in hand there is no eyewitness of the occurrence and the case of the prosecution rests on circumstantial evidence. The normal principle in a case based on circumstantial evidence is that the circumstances from which an inference of guilt is sought to be drawn must be cogently and firmly established; that those circumstances should be of a definite tendency unerringly pointing towards the guilt of the accused; that the circumstances taken cumulatively should form a chain so complete that there is no escape from the conclusion that within all human probability the crime was committed by the accused and they should be incapable of explanation on any hypothesis other than that of the guilt of the accused and inconsistent with their innocence."
And the similar principles were
reiterated in Sunil Clifford Daniel vs. State of Punjab,
(2012) 11 SCC 205, Sampath Kumar vs. Inspector of
Police, Krishnagiri (2012) 4 SCC 124 and Mohd. Arif @
Ashfaq vs. State (NCT of Delhi ), (2011) 13 SCC 621
and a number of other decisions.
The aforesaid scrutiny of the evidence is
enough to connect the accused persons with the crime
so, we feel no reason to interfere with the findings of
learned trial court, since the prosecution has
successfully proved its case beyond the rhymes of
reasonable doubt against both the accused persons
with reliable evidence.
Resultantly, the appeal lacks merit and
deserves to be dismissed, as such, the findings of the
trial court are confirmed and appeal is dismissed.