TULSI DAS Vs. STATE

JUDGEMENT

(1.) THIS appeal is directed against the judgment dated 13.6.1970 of the Sessions Judge, Udaipur, whereby the appellant has been convicted Under Section 302 I.P.C. and sentenced to life imprisonment for causing the murder of his step -son Radhu Das.

(2.) THE prosecution case is that Geeta (P.W. 6) left her first husband Mangidas and came with Tulsidas accused in 'Nata' She brought Radhudas, her son aged four years, from her first husband Mangidas in the new home. On 22.1.69 Tulsidas went to attend a feast in the village Mavli with his step son Radhu Das and his nephew Bhagga son of Deva. It has not come in evidence whether Tulsidas actually attended the feast or not but he came back to his village Dhana Mandap. His step -son Radhu Das was sick and ultimately died. He was buried in the village in the presence of some villagers of the neighbourhood. While the persons, who attended the burial of Radhudas were sitting near a tank after having taken bath, Dhoola (P.W. 1) came from his field and asked them as to why they were sitting there. He was informed that Radhudas had died. Dhoola stated that Radhudas had not died a natural death and he has been murdered by Tulsidas. This gave rise to suspicion in the minds of the villagers. Some people collected in the village in the night and at the instance of Gulab Singh (P.W. 4), Nawal Singh (P.W. 10) wrote out a report to be lodged at the police station. The report Ex. P/2 was signed by Gulab Singh (P.W. 4), Dhoola (P.W. 1), Devisingh and Bhera Patel. It was stated in that report on behalf of the villagers that Radhudas is reported to have been murdered by Tulsidas on 22 -1 -1969. This report was lodged at the police station Mavli at 10 a.m. on 23.1.69. The police registered a case Under Section 302 and Section 201 I.P.C. against Tulsi Das and the investigations were started. The dead body of Radhu Das was exhumed from the grave and it was sent for post mortem examination. Dr. Chiranjiv Lal Paliwal, Medical Officer, Government Dispensary, Mavli, did the autopsy at 5.40 p.m. on 23.1.1969. The post -mortem report is Ex. P/1. According to the report there were three wounds, two abrasions, two bruises, and three blisters and the nose was found bleeding. According to the opinion of the doctor the cause of death was haemorrhage and shock resulting from multiple injuries. He also opiced that the injuries were caused by blunt object. He could not say, if the blisters were ante -mortem or post -mortem but all the injuries were reported to be simple. After completing the investigation the accused was prosecuted in the court of Munsiff Magistrate, Mavli, who committed the accused to the court of session to be tried Under Sections 302 and 201 I.P.C. The accused denied his guilt. It was pleaded that his step -son fell ill in the mornine of 22.1.69 and he had died a natural death. It was a pleaded by him that Dhoola (P.W. 1) and Gulab Singh (P.W. 4) were on inimical terms with him. At the trial she prosecution examined 15 witnesses, out of whom Dhoola (P.W. 1) and Mangi (P.W. 2) were cited as eye witnesses. The accused Tulsidas has also examined Kesar Singh (D.W. 1), Trilok Singh (D.W. 2) and Vijay Singh (D.W. 3). The learned Judge placed reliance on the drasecution evidence and held Tulsidas responsible for the murder of Radhudas. Accordingly he was convicted Under Section 302 I.P.C. and sentenced to life imprisonment. He was acquitted of the charge Under Section 201 I.P.C.

(3.) FROM this evidence, the witness gives a clear impression that Tulsi Das was going towards the village Mavli to join the feast and while he was going he threw the child Radhu Das twice from human height and then he took him back on his back and continued his journey. From this, the witness states that the accused murdered him, by throwing him on the ground. We are unable to accept this statement as a truthful one. If the accused wanted to kill the child by throwing him down on the ground he would not do it at a place where there were people in the vicinity to see him doing it. That apart, if the accused killed the child in that manner, he would not like to go to join a feast with the dead child. The witness further stated when he asked the accused not to beat the child the accused gave his mind clearly that he wanted to murder him and would bury him in the ground. This is a kind of statement which cannot be believed. No person with any sanity in his brain would say this that he is going to kill the child he was going with, on his way to join a feast. It is difficult to believe that while going to village Mavli he would kill the child on way and take him to the village where he was going to join a feast. We have also noticed the conduct of this witness when he said that inspite of the fact he knew that Tulsidas with intent to murder, threw the child on the ground twice, he kept himself occupied in ploughing the field and did not go to inform the mother of Radhu Das. He could not assign any reason as to why he had not chosen to go to inform the mother of Radhudas or take any step to save the child.