CHAND SINGH Vs. STATE OF PUNJAB

JUDGEMENT

(1.) Chand Singh's house in Rauni, Police Station Sadar, Patiala was the scene of the murder of Shamsher Singh (45), a taxi driver of Khalsa Mohalla, Dhobi Ghat, Patiala. Shamsher Singh received a gun shot wound on the right side of his head and died after five days in Dayanand Medical College, Ludhiana.

(2.) The shooting occurred on March 29, 1997 at about 8.00 p.m. Earlier Shamsher Singh and his brother-in-law Akhtiar Singh of Passi road, Patiala were present at the Sheranwala Gate taxi stand in Patiala where Shamsher Singh's Maruti van PB-11E-0777 was parked. The van was occasionally hired by Chand Singh appellant. Chand Singh came to taxi stand at 6.00 p.m. with one Harbans Singh, Range Forest Officer, Nabha and another person. Chand Singh hired Shamsher Singh's van and they set out for Rauni. Akhtiar Singh also accompanied them. On the way Chand Singh bought a bottle of whisky from a shop near Railway Level Crossing 22. The group reached Chand Singh's house at 7.00 p.m. and gathered in Chand Singh's baithak. Chand Singh, Harbans Singh and their third companion began to drink but neither Akhtiar Singh nor Shamsher Singh joined them.

(3.) At 8.00 p.m. Shamsher Singh asked Chand Singh that he should return the money which Chand Singh owed him. On hearing this Chand Singh became furious and felt insulted as money had been demanded from him in the presence of his friends. He went to the next room and brought out his licensed DBBL gun. He fired shot at Shamsher Singh who was sitting on the sofa in the baithak. The shot hit Shamsher Singh on the head in the temporal region. Blood began to ooze from the injury. Akhtiar Singh, felt scared and escaped from Chand Singh's house, through the fields towards Patiala. On the way near Century Enclave on Nabha-Patiala road, Akhtiar Singh met ASI Balbir Singh of P. S. Sadar, Patiala and gave the information. Akhtiar Singh's statement was concluded at 11.45 p.m. Thereafter FIR was registered at Police Station Sadar, Patiala at 00.15 a.m. on March 30,1997 under Section 307, I.P.C.