State, by Inspector,
Tamil Nadu Vs. Sait @ Krishnakumar [2008] INSC 1685 (1 October 2008)
Judgment
IN THE SUPREME COURT
OF INDIA CRIMINAL APPELLATE JURISDICTION CRIMINAL APPEAL NO.70 OF 2002 State,
represented by Inspector of Police, Tamilnadu ...Appellant Versus Sait @
Krishnakumar ...Respondent
Dr. ARIJIT PASAYAT,J.
1.
Heard
learned counsel for the parties.
2.
Challenge
in this appeal is to the judgment of a Division Bench of the Madras High Court
directing acquittal of the respondent. The Trial Court, i.e. the Court of
Sessions, Coimbatore had found the respondent guilty of offence punishable
under Section 302 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860 (in short `the IPC'). It is to
be noted that four persons, including the respondent were tried for -2- offences
punishable under Section 302 read with Section 34 IPC, Section 392 IPC and
Section 392 read with Section 397 IPC. The present respondent, i.e. A-1 was
tried for offences punishable under Section 392 read with Section 397 IPC and
A-2 to A-4 were tried for offences punishable under Section 392 IPC. The
learned Sessions Judge found the respondent guilty of offences punishable under
Section 302 as well as for offences punishable under Section 392 read with
Section 397 IPC and sentenced him to undergo imprisonment for life and seven
years rigorous imprisonment for the latter offence. The High Court found the
evidence to be not cogent and credible and directed acquittal.
3.
Prosecution
version primarily rested on the evidence of PWs 1 to 3 and PW-8. The trial
court placed reliance on the evidence of such witnesses and directed
conviction, as recorded above.
4.
The
High Court found that it was an accepted position, as conceded by PWs 1 and 2
that they had seen the photographs and read the names of the accused in the
newspaper prior to the test identification parade. On that -3- ground, the
High Court disbelieved the evidence of PWs 1 and 2. So far as PW-3 is
concerned, the High Court found that his version to have only read the name of
the accused in the newspaper and not to have seen the photographs, was not
believable.
Accordingly, PWs 1 to
3 were disbelieved. The residual question was the reliability of the evidence
tendered by PW-8. Here again, the High Court found that his version lacked
credence. He claimed to be a person who had seen the accused after some time of
the incident with a blood stained knife. But his conduct was found to be
unnatural. If he was the only person to have seen the accused from close
quarters, it was not explained why he did not say so during investigation. Such
a version for the first time in Court has been rightly discarded by the High
Court. Therefore, the High Court directed acquittal, as noted above.
5.
Learned
counsel for the appellant-State submitted that even if there was some scope for
doubting the evidence of PWs 1 and 2, so far as PW-3 and PW-8 are concerned, a
different yardstick had to be applied.
6.
Learned
counsel for the respondent-accused supported the judgment of the High Court.
7.
We
find that so far as PWs 1 to 3 are concerned, the High Court found that they
had occasion to see the photographs and read the name of the accused from the
newspaper prior to the test identification parade. So far as PW-8 is concerned,
the High Court found that his evidence was at variance with that of PWs 1 and 2
and had also lacked reliability.
8.
The
view taken by the High Court after analysing the evidence cannot be said to be
a view which is not possible to be taken.
9.
That
being so, we are not inclined to interfere in this appeal which is, accordingly,
dismissed.
.....................J.
(Dr. ARIJIT PASAYAT)
.....................J.
(Dr. MUKUNDAKAM SHARMA)
New
Delhi,
October
01, 2008.
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