DEEDAR SINGH Vs. STATE OF UTTAR PRADESH

JUDGEMENT

(1.) In this appeal by special leave the appellant Deedar Singh challenges his conviction and sentence of imprisonment for life undersection 302, Indian penal code For the murder of one Kashmera Singh. The appellant, along with three others, Dhanna Singh, Jagat Singh and Bhagat Singh was tsed in the court of the Sessions Judge, Bijnor on two counts ' (i) under section 302. read with S. 34, I. P. C. , (ii) Deedar Singh under section 323 and the others under S. 323, read with S. 34, Indian penal code jagat Singh and Bhagat Singh were real brothers, being sons of Charm Singh. The three other co-accused of Deedar Singh are' stated to be the latter's friends and neighbours. On 1/06/1963, at about noon there was a quarrel between Kashmera Singh, deceased, and Smt. Mahendro, daughter of deedar Singh in their village, Jamanwala. The trouble arose out of a dispute in regard to the right of passage from Kashmera Singh's house to the public road through a piece of land stated to be in Deedar Singh's possession. Kashmera Singh claimed the right of way through this passage to which Deedar Singh and his family members objected. During the quarrel on June 1/06/1963, Kashmera Singh is said to have used filthy language towards Smt. Mahendro and abused her. Smt. Mahendro's mother later approached Gurdip Singh (P. W. 3) , brother-in-law of Kashmera Singh and, appraising him of the incident, asked him to restrain Kashmera Singh from behaving in this manner. Gurdip Singh went to Kashmera Singh's house but finding him absent told Kashmera Singh's mother Smt. Bal Kaur to ask her son not to behave in such manner. Jagat Singh and Bhagat Singh were also against Kashmera Singh because of some other dispute with him. According to the prosecution on the night of june I, at about 8 or 9 p. m. when Kashmera Singh was lying on a cot in front of his chhapper the four accused persons went there with the common intention of murdering him. Deedar Singh, Dhanna Singh and Bhagat Singh, accused, were armed with lathis while Jagat Singh was armed with a ballam. They beat Kashmera Singh as a result of which he fell down on the ground. Smt. Bal Kaur, mother of Kashmera Singh, Smt. Amar Kaur, his wife and amrik Singh, a 12 year old son of Kashmera Singh's sister saw the incident and raised an alarm. Smt. Bal Kaur intervening tried to save Kashmera singh but she was also given a beating by Deedar Singh. Gurdip Singh (P. W. 3) and another Gurdip Singh, son of Prem Singh, who was produced as court witness (C. W. 2) and who was in the house of Gurdip Singh (P. W. 3) on hearing the cries also reached the place of occurrence; so also did Ranjeet Singh (P. W. 6) and Ratan Singh (C. W. 3) who were at that time in the house of Har Charan Singh at a distance of about 50 or 60 yards. The Trial court, believing the prosecution version, sentenced all the four accused persons to imprisonment for life under S. 302, read with section 34, Indian penal code Deedar Singh was in addition sentenced to six months' rigorous imprisonment under S. 323, Indian penal code and the other three accused persons were sentenced to similar sentences under S. 323, read with S. 34, 1. P. C. The sentences under the different counts were to run concurrently.

(2.) On appeal, the Allahabad High court, giving benefit of doubt to jagat Singh, Dhanna Singh and Bhagat Singh acquitted them but altered deedar Singh's conviction from S. 302, read with S. 34 to one under S. 302, Indian penal code According to the High court there was greater probability that Deedar Singh alone was responsible for causing all the injuries to Kashmera Singh as deposed by Gurdip Singh, son of Prem Singh (C. W. 2) and Ratan Singh, (C. W. 3). Jagat Singh, Bhagat Singh and Dhanna Singh were also acquitted of the offence under S. 323, read with S. 34, indian penal code The High court, however, said nothing about Deedar Singh's conviction under S. 323, Indian penal code for causing injuries to Smt. Bal Kaur

(3.) In this court Shri Hardev Singh, learned counsel for the appellant, strongly argued that it was not possible on the record to fix the blame for the injuries caused to the deceased solely on the appellant and in the absence of trustworthy evidence showing that Deedar Singh alone was responsible for causing the fatal injuries to the deceased his conviction alone, in face of the acquittal of the other three co-accused persons, is unsustainable in law.