ANJANI CHAUDHARY Vs. STATE OF BIHAR

JUDGEMENT

(1.) These appeals by way of special leave arise out of the following facts :

(2.) The prosecution, in support of its case, examined inter alia:

(3.) The Trial Court held that the evidence of PW-14 could not be believed as her presence had not been noted in the FIR. The court then went into the eye-witness account of Satyadeo Chaudhary PW-1 and observed that though he belonged to a village at a distance of about eight miles from the place of incident, his presence was proved on record as the wife of the deceased was his sister and on the day in question he had been present to participate in a religious ceremony in her house. The court also found that as the statement of this witness had been recorded by the police at about 5:00 p.m. that is within half an hour of the recording of the F.I.R, his presence was proved on record for this additional reason. Likewise, the Trial court examined the evidence of PW-2 Ram Pukar Chaudhary, the brother of deceased, who deposed that as his mother had gifted her share of the land in favour of his wife, the other members of the family were annoyed on that account. He further stated that Bhimsen Chaudhary had been armed with a farsa, Kinkin Chaudhary with a Bhala and Anjani Chaudhary with a lathi and they had inflicted injuries to the deceased with their weapons. The court also found that the ocular evidence was corroborated by the medical evidence as there were thirteen (13) injuries on the deceased, out of which twelve (12) injuries were incised and injury No.5 was a penetrating wound which could have been caused by a Bhala. It was, however, noted that there was no injury with a lathi on the deceased. The court further observed that there was absolutely no delay in the lodging of the FIR. The Trial Court accordingly convicted all the accused under Section 302 of the Indian Penal Code and awarded a sentence of rigorous imprisonment for life and a fine of Rs.15,000/- with a default sentence as well.