MANU/SC/0395/2022

True Court CopyTM English

IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA

Criminal Appeal No. 436 of 2022

Decided On: 01.04.2022

Appellants: The State of Uttar Pradesh Vs. Respondent: Subhash

Hon'ble Judges/Coram:
M.R. Shah and B.V. Nagarathna

JUDGMENT

M.R. Shah, J.

1. Feeling aggrieved and dissatisfied with the impugned judgment and order passed by the High Court of Judicature at Allahabad in Criminal Appeal No. 1462 of 1985 by which the High Court has allowed the said appeal preferred by the Respondent - original Accused and has acquitted the Respondent for the offences Under Section 302 and 148 of Indian Penal Code (IPC), the State of Uttar Pradesh has preferred the present appeal.

2. The facts leading to the present appeal in nutshell are as under:

2.1. One Hari Singh (PW-5) lodged the F.I.R. on 04.12.1980 at 05.15 PM at P.S. Firozabad (South) District, Agra, against the Respondent herein - Subhash @ Pappu, Pramod, Munna Lal and three unknown boys. It was alleged in the F.I.R. that on 04.12.1980 at 2:00 PM, Subhash @ Pappu, Pramod and Munna Lal along with three unknown persons came to the shop of one Hari Om situated in Gallamandi Firozabad, armed with sticks, hockey stick and knife. They demanded to provide them sugar and kerosene oil without having any ration card but Bangali (the deceased) present at the shop in the capacity of a servant. refused to provide them those articles, then one of the persons gave him a knife blow and some other a hockey stick blow. Therefore, it was alleged that the named Accused persons and other three unknown persons have committed the offence Under Sections 147, 148, 323, 324 Indian Penal Code. Bengali, the victim made his dying declaration on 05.12.1980 at 11:40 AM before Additional City Magistrate Agra at S.N. Hospital Agra, where the victim Bengali was taking treatment. That the injured Bengali died on 04.01.1981.

2.2. After the conclusion of the investigation, the Investigating Officer filed the charge sheet against all the Accused persons on 25.01.1981 for the aforesaid offences. However, Subhash @ Pappu and other co-Accused named in the F.I.R. were shown absconding. The Accused Subhash @ Pappu thereafter surrendered before the Court on 06.02.1981. As the case was exclusively triable by the Court of Sessions, the case was committed to the court of IVth Additional Sessions Judge, Agra, which was numbered as Sessions Case No. 361 of 1982. All the Accused came to be tried by the Sessions Court for the aforesaid offences. Accused Subhash @ Pappu was charged for the offences Under Section 148 and Section 302 of Indian Penal Code. The other co-Accused Pramod and Munna Lal were charges for the offences Under Sections 147, 149 and 302 Indian Penal Code. As all the Accused denied having committed any offence and denied the charges, they were put to trial. To bring home the charges, the prosecution examined in all 10 witnesses as under: