JAL LAL Vs. DELHI ADIMINISTRATION

JUDGEMENT

(1.) The Additional Sessions Judge, Delhi, convicted the appellant under Section 302 of the Indian Penal Code and sentenced him to undergo imprisonment for life. The Judge also convicted the appellant under Section 324 of the Indian Penal Code, sentenced him to undergo six months rigorous imprisonment and directed that the two sentences would run concurrently. An appeal was filed in the High Court of Punjab. The High Court dismissed the appeal. The appellant has filed this appeal after obtaining special leave.

(2.) The appellant lives at Sat Nagar in Delhi. November 25, 1961 at 1.45 p. m. he entered the house of his neighbour Somawati and stabbed her daughter Leela aged 1 1/2 years with a knife. He inflicted five stab wounds, one on the back trunk, one on the right gluteal region, two on the right thigh and one on the chest. The injury on the back of trunk, proved fatal. Leela died in the hospital at 4. p.m. The appellant then returned to his house and bolted the front door. A crowd collected near the front door and raised an alarm. After some time the appellant went out by the back door and stabbed another neighbour Parabati and then Raghubir who tried to intervene on her behalf. The injuries were simple incised wounds. Raghubir and others tried to apprehend him. He then ran back to his house, bolted the door and started throwing brickbats from the roof. He was later arrested by the police. All these facts are proved by unimpeachable evidence.

(3.) One Dhani Ram was the father of Leela. Dhani Ram, wife Somawati, his daughter Leela and his brother Baburam lived together in the same house. Indra is the appellant's sister. The appellant and his father suspected that Baburam was prone to making illicit approaches to Indra. On this account, the appellant had a long standing grudge against Baburam. This enmity is said to be the motive of the attack by the appellant on Leela, a member of the family of Baburam. The motive for the attack on Parbati is not clear. Raghubir was attacked because he tried to intervene.