RAJAN S/O RAPPAN Vs. STATE OF KERALA

JUDGEMENT

(1.) The revision petitioner herein challenges the conviction and sentence against him under Section 324 I.P.C in C.C 199/1999 of the Judicial First Class Magistrate Court, Ranny. He faced prosecution in the court below on the allegation that at about 6.45 p.m on 24.12.1998, on the public road in front of the shop of one Monichan at Punjabmukku, he assaulted the de facto complainant Reji and inflicted injuries on his body with a chopper. The Police registered the crime on the complaint of the said Reji and submitted final report in court after investigation.

(2.) The accused appeared before the learned Magistrate and pleaded not guilty to the charge framed against him. The prosecution examined six witnesses and proved Exts.P1 to P5 documents in the trial court. The accused denied the incriminating circumstances and projected a defence that the complainant sustained injuries in a scuffle, but he did not adduce any evidence in defence.

(3.) On an appreciation of the evidence, the trial court found the accused guilty. On conviction, he was sentenced to undergo rigorous imprisonment for two years under Section 324 I.P.C. Aggrieved by the judgment of conviction dated 11.1.2001, the accused approached the Court of Session, Pathanamthitta with Crl.A 18/2001. In appeal, the learned Additional Sessions Judge, Pathanamthitta confirmed the conviction, but modified and reduced the sentence to rigorous imprisonment for six months.