Arulvelu
& ANR. Vs. State Rep by Public Prosecutor & ANR. [2009] INSC 1627 (7
October 2009)
Judgment
IN THE
SUPREME COURT OF INDIA CIVIL APPELLATE JURISDICTION CRIMINAL APPEAL NOS.
1233-1234 OF 2002 Arulvelu & Another .. Appellants Versus State represented
by the Public Prosecutor & Another .. Respondents
Dalveer
Bhandari, J.
1.
These appeals are directed against the judgment of the High Court
of Madras dated 12.3.2002 in Criminal Appeal No. 315 of 1992 and Criminal R.C.
No. 691 of 1991 respectively.
2.
In the instant case, the High Court has reversed the judgment of
acquittal passed by the II Additional Assistant Sessions Judge, Periyar
District in Sessions Case No. 45 of 1999 and convicted the accused persons.
3.
Brief facts which are necessary to dispose of the matter are
recapitulated as under:
This
appeal is filed by Arulvelu, A-1 and Krishnasamy, A-2 (father of A-1).
Appellant Arulvelu has been convicted under section 304-B of the Indian Penal
Code (for short `IPC') and sentenced to seven years rigorous imprisonment and
he has been further convicted under section 498-A IPC and sentenced to rigorous
imprisonment for a period of two years and to pay a fine of Rs.1,000/-, in
default to suffer three months rigorous imprisonment. Appellant accused no.2
has been imposed sentence of fine of Rs.1,000/- under section 498-A of IPC, in
default to suffer simple imprisonment for a period of three months.
4.
Before the marriage of Arulvelu with Mangayarkarasi (since
deceased), an agreement was entered into to the effect that towards the
consideration of the marriage, deceased's father P.W.1 would give gold
ornaments of the weight of 50 sovereigns along with other articles and a car to
Arulvelu.
5.
The father of the deceased could give ornaments of the weight of
only 30 sovereigns of gold and also could not give the car as undertaken.
Instead of giving the remaining ornaments of 20 sovereigns and a car, P.W.1 in
all gave only Rs.5,000/- in small installments. This was the main cause of
annoyance of Arulvelu and his family members with the deceased. It is the case
of the prosecution that accused nos. 1 to 3 had been torturing the deceased
Mangayarkarasi by demanding a car and money.
6.
A baby boy was born to Arulvelu and the deceased Mangayarkarasi.
Arulvelu told his wife that he would take back her along with the newly born
child only if ornaments of the weight of 5 sovereigns and a cash amount of
Rs.5,000/- were given to him. The father of the deceased had given ornaments of
the weight of 4 sovereigns and a cash of Rs.5,000/- to the first accused. The
first accused had taken back the deceased and the child only after receiving
the aforementioned articles from P.W.1.
7.
The first accused had demanded the balance ornament of the weight
of one sovereign when the second child was 4 born. The father of the deceased
gave ornament of the weight of one sovereign.
8.
The first accused had sent the deceased Mangayarkarasi many times
to her father for getting money for doing business. According to the
prosecution, since the car was not given to the first accused, he had beaten
and tortured the deceased asking her to get the car from P.W.1.
Mangayarkarasi
ultimately became disgusted with her life and at 11.30 a.m. on 15.3.1989, she
committed suicide by hanging herself.
9.
The prosecution, in order to prove its case, had examined 20
witnesses. K. Ramalingam P.W.1 is the father of the deceased. D. Latha P.W.4 is
the sister of the deceased. S.T.P. Muthusamy Mudaliar P.W.5 is the neighbour.
Thirumathi N. Yasodha P.W.2 is the tenant of P.W.1and P.W.3 A. Periasamy is the
person who had arranged the marriage of the first accused and the deceased.
V.P.
Subramaniam P.W.6 is a close relative of the deceased.
N.Manickam
P.W.8 is a member of the Panchayat. S.A. 5 Periasamy P.W.9 is another Sambandhi
of P.W.1 who later on turned hostile.
10.
The fact that the deceased had committed suicide by hanging
herself is undisputed. The question which arises for our adjudication is
whether the appellant is guilty for compelling the deceased to commit suicide.
According to the prosecution she was forced to commit suicide because of
consistent demands of dowry made by the first accused.
According
to P.W.1 the father of the deceased, his daughter committed suicide because he
could not give gold and a car as agreed before her marriage. The accused
persons started torturing and harassing the deceased which ultimately led to
suicide.
11.
The trial court in its lengthy and comprehensive judgment has dealt
with the prosecution evidence and also all the 33 material exhibits. According
to the learned trial Judge, the evidence of P.W.1 that he agreed to give
balance ornaments was not corroborated by P.W.3. According to the trial court,
P.W.1 had admitted that for the first time, he told the court that accused no.
2 demanded 40 sovereigns and 6 the same was not stated either before the police
officers or during Revenue Divisional Officer's enquiry. According to the trial
Judge, P.Ws. 15, 17 and 20 would depose that P.W.1 has not told about the
demand of ornaments during his cross-examination. The trial court further held
that P.W.1 had admitted that he did not tell about the demand of 40 sovereigns
of gold by accused no. 2 during the course of investigation, it is his case
that an agreement was reached at 35 sovereigns. This has been corroborated by
P.W.3 also.
P.W.15,
the Revenue Division Officer who conducted the enquiry and who also held the
inquest came to the conclusion that the death was due to cruelty meted out to
the deceased by way of demand of dowry. He has stated in the cross examination
that during enquiry P.W.1 did not tell him that first accused demanded 5
sovereigns as a condition to take his wife and the child after delivery.
P.W.15
further stated that during enquiry P.W.1 did not tell him that the first
accused demanded Rs.10,000/- for his business. During cross-examination on the
side of the accused, P.W.15 had admitted as follows:
"P.W.1
stated that in his evidence that A2 demanded 50 sovereign of gold before
marriage, 7 but he accepted to put only 30 sovereign of gold and remaining 20
sovereign will be given later and if the business goes well then he will get a
car. But he never stated in his evidence that A2 demanded 40 sovereign of gold
and P.W.1 refused and then accepted to give later."
12.
The trial judge, while discussing the evidence of P.W.15, found
that there was no demand of bridal gifts before the marriage. The trial judge
disbelieved the version of P.W.3 holding that he is not related to P.W.1 and he
pleaded ignorance about the date and month of meeting of P.W.1 and accused no.
2. The trial judge also disbelieved the testimony of P.W.1 regarding giving of
4 sovereigns and Rs.5,000/- to the first accused after the birth of the first
child and another sovereign of jewel at the time of birth of the second child
for the reason that those facts were not spoken to during investigation. This
part of the prosecution case is disbelieved. The trial judge has clearly held that
P.W.1 deposed for the first time in the court with regard to demand of a car.
He did not mention this fact in the first information report.
13.
Ex. P.8 is the suicide note of the deceased which reads as under:
8
"Nobody is responsible for my death. Children should be handed over to
mother's house."
In the
suicidal note, the deceased had not implicated any accused. This factor has
also weighed heavily with the trial court in acquitting all the accused. The
argument on behalf of the accused was that the accused no. 1 had suspected the
character of his mother-in-law and other members of his in- law's family, so he
did not want the deceased to visit her parents' house and to resolve the
dispute Panchayat was held and, as per the version of P.W.1, according to the
decision of Panchayat, P.W.1 should not go to the house of the accused and the
deceased and accused nos. 1 to 3 also should not go to the house of P.W.1. As
per the version of the accused, the decision of the Panchayat not permitting
the deceased to go to her parents perhaps led to suicide.
The trial
court after carefully examining the entire evidence acquitted the accused.
14.
According to the High Court, if she (the deceased) had no problem
in her marital house and she was living peacefully with her husband and
in-laws, what was the necessity for her to commit suicide? Why should she write
9 in her suicide note to leave her children in her mother's house? According to
the High Court, unless an intolerable harassment was meted out to her, there was
absolutely no necessity for her to write like this that the children be handed
over to her mother's house. Therefore, the High Court held that, in all
probabilities, there was demand of dowry and the deceased was harassed by the
first accused and therefore, she committed suicide.
15.
The High Court set aside the judgment of the trial court on the
count that the trial court gave undue emphasis on the minor inconsistencies and
contradictions. The High Court discarded the version of the trial court
regarding P.W.1's deposition for the first time in court regarding demand of
car which he did not mention in the first information report (FIR).
16.
The High Court observed that the FIR cannot be an encyclopedia to
contain all the details of history of the case.
This
approach of the High Court does not seem to be correct.
The FIR
should at least mention a broad story of the 10 prosecution and not mentioning
of material and vital facts may affect the credibility of the FIR.
17.
The trial court doubted the veracity of the statement of P.W.1
because it did not find any corroboration of the statement of P.W.1 with the
statement of P.W.3 regarding agreeing to give the balance gold sovereigns. The
High Court without any basis discarded the judgment of the trial court.
18.
The trial judge observed that the testimony of P.W.1 is not
credible because he for the first time in the court had stated that accused no.
2 had demanded 40 sovereigns. This was not stated either before the police
officer or during Revenue Divisional Officers' enquiry.
19.
The trial court disbelieved the version of P.W.1 regarding giving
4 sovereigns and Rs.5,000/- to the first accused after the birth of the first
child and another sovereign of jewel at the time of birth of the second child
for the reason that those facts were not spoken to during the investigation.
The High Court held this part of the prosecution case unbelievable, but the
fact remains that the 11 demand of dowry was proved beyond doubt through the
evidence of P.Ws. 1 and 3. This approach of the High Court is not correct.
20.
The High Court ought to have considered the entire evidence in a
proper perspective. Unless comprehensive view of the entire evidence is taken
in the proper perspective, a correct conclusion may not be possible. In this
case, there has been acquittal by the trial court and, while reversing the
order of acquittal, the High Court ought to have carefully considered the
following circumstances:
(1) In
the suicide note Ex. P-8, the deceased has not implicated any of the accused.
This is indeed a very significant and vital factor which ought to have received
proper attention by the High Court.
(2) There
is no credible evidence to suggest that soon before the death, the deceased has
been subjected to cruelty or harassment by the accused in connection with any
demand of dowry which led to a serious act of committing suicide.
(3) The
High Court failed to consider that the marriage took place in the year 1983 and
the deceased committed suicide in the year 1989 i.e. after more than six years
of the marriage. There are two small children out of the wedlock. It is quite
improbable that ordinarily there would be consistent demands of dowry after six
years. The fact of consistent demands is not established from clear evidence of
the prosecution.
(4) The
distance between the matrimonial home and the parental home of the deceased is
merely one kilometer.
There are
many houses around the house of the accused. It is submitted that there was
neither a whisper nor any complaint was filed by P.W.1 before the deceased
committed suicide.
(5) It
appears from the statement under section 313 IPC that A-1 wanted his wife
(deceased) to keep some distance from her parental home. It transpired in the
meeting of the Panchayat that to settle the dispute between the husband and
wife and to reduce the affinity of the wife (deceased) towards her parental
home (One kilometer away from the parental home), 13 the Panchayat took the
decision that both the families should not visit each other. The impact of the
decision of Panchayat on the deceased was not properly appreciated by the High
Court.
(6) S.A.
Periyasamy P.W.9 has not supported the case of the prosecution. He has stated
that "we told Ramalingam that he and his wife should not go to Arulvelu"s
house often". He has also admitted that A-1 and Magaiyarkarsi (deceased)
were living happily.
(7)
Ramalingam P.W.1 has stated that he consoled and advised his daughter to be
bold as they would not come to see her as per the dictum of the Panchayat and
wisely handle the situation at her matrimonial house.
In fact
the suggestion of defence is that the Panchayat was convened as there was a
serious apprehension about the character of the mother of the deceased and her
family. That is why in the Panchayat no discussion about dowry demand was
whispered. Moreover, if the first appellant did not like his deceased wife, he
would not be keen on keeping her with him.
(8) It
appears that the Panchayat's decision caused serious depression to the
deceased. It is submitted that the deceased's strong affinity towards her
parents and her inability to cope up with the situation coupled with her
sickness, she was driven to such a situation to commit suicide.
(9) R.
Murugesan P.W.15, the RDO who prepared the inquest report has also stated about
the panchayat's decision and has opined that "the reason for her death may
be the control exerted on her that she should not go to her mother's
house".
(10) The
trial court has observed that when the accused were questioned under section
313 Cr.P.C., they filed a written statement jointly. In that written statement
it has been explained that - "Due to mental agony, incurable stomach-ache,
pain over the body and the control by the first accused that she should not go
to the house of her parents, Mangayarkarasi had committed suicide".
Further that "Arulvelu, without marrying for the second time for several
years looked after the children with lot of love and affection so that 15 the
children may not feel the absence of their mother.
The
family of accused is a joint family. In that family, accused nos. 1 to 3 and
Vijayakumar, another son of accused nos. 2 and 3 and his wife Padma are living
jointly."
(11) The
trial court noticed serious contradictions and inconsistencies in the evidence
of P.W.1 and those became relevant particularly when the High Court was dealing
with the order of acquittal.
(12)
There are material contradictions in the statements of P.W.1 and P.W.3. P.W.1
says after the birth of first child there was demand. Whereas P.W.3 says after
6-7 months of the marriage there was demand. Further P.W.1 says that 20 days
before the occurrence A-2 and A-3 said that customary gifts were not good. Whereas
P.W.3 says that after 6-7 months of 1st incident deceased was told that the
articles were not good.
P.W.1
says 30 sovereigns. However, P.W.3 says 35 sovereigns. P.W.1 has stated that he
said to A-2 that he could give 20 sovereign later on. However, P.W.3 does not
corroborate the same. Though P.W.3 has 16 stated that A-2 demanded car during
the marriage negotiation, however, P.W.3 has not corroborated the evidence of
P.W.1 with regard to the demand of car.
It is
submitted that none of the investigating officers have supported P.W.1 with
regard to the demand of jewels, car, cash and/or with regard to harassment to
the deceased due to non fulfillment of the above said items.
(13) A.
Periyasamy P.W.3 has not been examined by the DSP Sivanandam, RDO, Karuppusamy
and others.
Only CB
CID Velu examined him. CB CID, Velu has stated that P.W.3 told him that the (a)
P.W.1 is not his relative (b) not a family friend (c) accused is also not
related (d) that he did not go for condolence when Mangai died (e) he does not
know about Seer Varisai (f) he does not know about the dates on which he
arranged the talks. However during his deposition he has admitted that he knows
Palaniappan, the brother of Rukmani (P.W.1's wife) and he is his relative.
P.W.20 has admitted that P.W.3 has said that Ramlingam (P.W.1) is his family
friend. For the above said reasons 17 the evidence was of P.W.3 was not relied
upon the trial court. It is submitted that the High Court has not considered
these aspects.
(14) D.
Latha P.W.4 stated that she was present during the talks when the demand during
the marriage negotiation took place. However, P.W.3 says during talks except
P.W.1 and A-2 nobody was present.
Further
none of the witnesses including P.W.1 has said that P.W.4 was present during
the talks.
K.
Sivanandhan, Deputy Superintendent of Police P.W.17 has stated that P.W.4 has
not stated that failure to buy a car became a problem. She has not stated about
the demand of 50 sovereigns and a car.
Therefore
the trial court has disbelieved the presence of P.W.4 during the talks.
D. Latha
P.W.4 has not given in her evidence that she had known personally that little
by little 20 sovereign were given. The trial court has held that P.W.4 does not
speak anything about the timings of the torture like four weeks, 20 days or 8
days before the death.
18 (15)
S.T.P. Muthusamy Mudaliar P.W.5's testimony does not inspire confidence. He
says that during the verbal argument between A-1 and Rukmani Amma, A-1 asked
about car. However, Yasodha P.W.2 did not say the same. Further, Rukmani Amma
was not examined. It is submitted that the trial court has discussed the
contradictions between P.W.2, P.W.1 and P.W.5 and about utterance with regard
to car in the quarrel and therefore the trial court has not relied on P.W.5. It
is submitted that apart from Rukminiammal, Shaktivel (P.W.1's son) and
Planniappan was also not examined by the prosecution.
(16) S.A.
Periyasamy P.W.9 (Sambandhi of P.W.1) has not supported the case of
prosecution. He says that he advised Ramlingam that they should not go to A-1's
house often. During his cross-examination he has stated that "I understood
that Arulvelu and Mangaiyarkarasi were living a happy matrimonial life.
There is
a Car in my son Sivakumar's name TNC-4128.
Its RC
was in the name of Ramalingam S/o Palaniappa Mudhaliar."
(17) The
Assistant Judicial Magistrate PW 11 has stated that crime number of Exhibit A-1
has been manipulated. Further, P.W.13 has stated that "Ramalingam has
given only one complaint on that day. Exhibit A13 is the first original copy.
Exhibit A18 is the original of another set of copies taken. The person who has
written Exhibit 13 has not written Exhibit A18". The trial court has also
discussed the discrepancy with regard to Exh. A-13 and Exh.A-18.
(18) R.
Murugesan P.W.15, RDO who prepared the inquest report has admitted that Yashoda
(P.W.2) was examined on 30.03.89. He also stated that nearly 1000 houses would
be there. It was crowded area with many houses. However, no neighbour was
examined as a witness. Further, P.W.17 has admitted that A-1 said to him that
he (A-1) brought the doctor. However, P.W.15 did not believe the same. It is
submitted that P.W.15 has not given any cogent reason for disbelieving the
same. It is submitted that the conduct of P.W.15 (the RDO) was adversely
commented by the trial court.
20 (19)
R.Murugesan P.W.15 has stated that Rukmaniammal said that on 18.3.89
Mangayarkarsi came to the house as she was ill. She asked as to why did she
(Rukmaniammal) made controversy in a house where the death had taken place. She
has also stated that on 21.3.89 she had sent medicine and tablets to
Mangayarkarasi's husband's house through a car. It is submitted that R.
Murugesan P.W.15 has admitted that Ramlingam (P.W.1) has not stated that A-1
had told him that he was going to get into another marriage. Further, he
(P.W.1) did not say about demand of 5 sovereigns, Rs.10,000/- and that dowry
was not enough. He (P.W.1) has also not stated before P.W.15 that Mangayarkarsi
came to his house 8 days before and told that she could live only if he buys a
car. Further, P.W.1 had also not stated before him that on Tuesday their
daughter's parents in law asked them to buy a car. P.W.15 has further admitted
that Yashoda (P.W.2) had stated that A-1 came to Rukmanniammal and told that
`because of you, A am very ashamed'. P.W.15 has also stated that P.W.1 had 21
not told him that before marriage there was any discussion about dowry on
presence of some persons.
Further
that none of the witnesses has stated that they discussed about jewels and car
before the marriage.
(20) The
Panchayat's decision coupled with the condition of illness could have driven
the deceased to commit suicide. This possibility cannot be ruled out. P.W.15
has also stated that on 22.3.89 a panchayat was convened to decide on the issue
of dispute between both the families. In that Panchayat it has been decided
that they should not visit each other’s house and Mangaiyarkarasi has to be
advised accordingly.
(21) The
High Court has made erroneous observation that:
"It
is not the panchayat decision that the deceased should not visit her parents.
The only thing is P.W.1 should not go to the house of the accused".
As per
the case of prosecution and as per the evidence it is crystal clear that the
Panchayat's decision was that `both the familier should not visit each other'.
22 The
High Court failed to appreciate that the prosecution has failed to prove that
with all certainty, the dowry demand was the only cause for the deceased to
commit suicide. The High Court has simply presumed with the following words:
"The immediate temptation for her to commit suicide appears to be the
demand of a car and subsequent quarrel of the first accused with the mother of
the deceased. She has died in her in-law's house. Why should she commit suicide
if she was happily living with the first accused?"
21.
These are some of the material and vital aspects which clearly
demonstrate that the trial court has carefully analyzed the entire evidence on
record and the view taken by the trial court is certainly a possible or
plausible view.
22.
In our considered opinion, the approach of the High Court in the
impugned judgment is not in consonance with the settled principles of criminal
jurisprudence. The High Court while reversing the judgment of the trial court
observed that "in all probabilities, I am inclined to hold that there was
demand of dowry and the deceased was harassed by the first accused and 23
therefore, she committed suicide." In criminal cases the conviction can be
sustained only when there is clear evidence beyond reasonable doubt. The
accused cannot be convicted on the ground that in all probabilities the accused
may have committed the crime. The approach of the High Court is wholly
fallacious and unsustainable in law.
23.
The real question which falls for our consideration is whether the
view which has been taken by the trial court was a possible or a plausible
view.
24.
We have carefully perused the judgment of the trial court and the
impugned judgment of the High Court. The trial court very minutely examined the
entire evidence and all documents and exhibits on record. The trial court's
analysis of evidence also seems to be correct. The trial court has not deviated
from the normal norms or methods of evaluation of the evidence.
By no
stretch of imagination, we can hold that the judgment of the trial court is
based on no evidence or evidence which is thoroughly unreliable and no
reasonable person would act upon it and consequently the judgment of the trial
court is perverse.
25.
We also fail to arrive at the conclusion that the discussion and
appreciation of the evidence of the trial court is so outrageously defies logic
as to suffer from the vice of irrationality incurring the blame of being
perverse and the findings rendered by the trial court are against the weight of
evidence. The law is well settled that, in an appeal against acquittal, unless
the judgment of the trial court is perverse, the Appellate Court would not be
justified in substituting its own view and reverse the judgment of acquittal.
26.
The expression `perverse' has been dealt with in number of cases.
In Gaya Din (Dead) through LRs. & Others v. Hanuman Prasad (Dead) through
LRs. & Others (2001) 1 SCC 501 this Court observed that the expression
`perverse' means that the findings of the subordinate authority are not
supported by the evidence brought on record or they are against the law or suffer
from the vice of procedural irregularity.
27.
In Parry's (Calcutta ) Employees' Union v. Parry & Co. Ltd.
& Others AIR 1966 Cal. 31, the Court observed that 25 `perverse finding'
means a finding which is not only against the weight of evidence but is altogether
against the evidence itself.
28.
In Triveni Rubber & Plastics v. Collector of Central Excise,
Cochin AIR 1994 SC 1341, the Court observed that this is not a case where it
can be said that the findings of the authorities are based on no evidence or that
they are so perverse that no reasonable person would have arrived at those
findings.
29.
In M. S. Narayanagouda v. Girijamma & Another AIR 1977 Kar.
58, the Court observed that any order made in conscious violation of pleading
and law is a perverse order.
30.
In Moffett v. Gough, 1 L.R. 1r. 371, the Court observed that a
perverse verdict may probably be defined as one that is not only against the
weight of evidence but is altogether against the evidence.
31.
In Godfrey v. Godfrey 106 NW 814, the Court defined `perverse' as
turned the wrong way, not right; distorted from the right; turned away or
deviating from what is right, proper, correct etc.
32.
The expression "perverse" has been defined by various
dictionaries in the following manner:
1. Oxford
Advanced Learner's Dictionary of Current English Sixth Edition PERVERSE:
Showing deliberate determination to behave in a way that most people think is
wrong, unacceptable or unreasonable.
2.
Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English - International Edition PERVERSE:
Deliberately departing from what is normal and reasonable.
3. The
New Oxford Dictionary of English - 1998 Edition PERVERSE: Law (of a verdict)
against the weight of evidence or the direction of the judge on a point of law.
4. New
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language (Deluxe Encyclopedic Edition)
PERVERSE: Purposely deviating from accepted or expected behavior or opinion;
wicked or wayward; stubborn; cross or petulant.
5.
Stroud's Judicial Dictionary of Words & Phrases, Fourth Edition PERVERSE: A
perverse verdict may probably be defined as one that is not only against the
weight of evidence but is altogether against the evidence.
33.
In Shailendra Pratap & Another v. State of U.P. (2003) 1 SCC
761, the Court observed thus:
"We are
of the opinion that the trial court was quite justified in acquitting the
appellants of the charges as the view taken by it was reasonable one and the
order of acquittal cannot be said to be perverse. It is well settled that
appellate court 27 would not be justified in interfering with the order of
acquittal unless the same is found to be perverse. In the present case, the
High Court has committed an error in interfering with the order of acquittal of
the appellants recorded by the trial court as the same did not suffer from the
vice of perversity."
34.
In Kuldeep Singh v. The Commissioner of Police & Others (1999)
2 SCC 10, the Court while dealing with the scope of Articles 32 and 226 of the
Constitution observed as under:
"9.
Normally the High Court and this Court would not interfere with the findings of
fact recorded at the domestic enquiry but if the finding of "guilt"
is based on no evidence, it would be a perverse finding and would be amenable
to judicial scrutiny.
10. A
broad distinction has, therefore, to be maintained between the decisions which
are perverse and those which are not. If a decision is arrived at on no
evidence or evidence which is thoroughly unreliable and no reasonable person
would act upon it, the order would be perverse.
But if
there is some evidence on record which is acceptable and which could be relied
upon, howsoever compendious it may be, the conclusions would not be treated as
perverse and the findings would not be interfered with."
35.
The meaning of `perverse' has been examined in H. B. Gandhi,
Excise and Taxation Officer-cum- Assessing Authority, Karnal & Others v.
Gopi Nath & Sons & Others 1992 Supp (2) SCC 312, this Court observed as
under:
28
"7. In the present case, the stage at and the points on which the
challenge to the assessment in judicial review was raised and entertained was
not appropriate. In our opinion, the High Court was in error in constituting
itself into a court of appeal against the assessment. While it was open to the
respondent to have raised and for the High Court to have considered whether the
denial of relief under the proviso to Section 39(5) was proper or not, it was
not open to the High Court re-appreciate the primary or perceptive facts which
were otherwise within the domain of the fact-finding authority under the
statute. The question whether the transactions were or were not sales exigible
to sales tax constituted an exercise in recording secondary or inferential facts
based on primary facts found by the statutory authorities. But what was
assailed in review was, in substance, the correctness - as distinguished from
the legal permissibility - of the primary or perceptive facts themselves. It
is, no doubt, true that if a finding of fact is arrived at by ignoring or
excluding relevant material or by taking into consideration irrelevant material
or if the finding so outrageously defies logic as to suffer from the vice of
irrationality incurring the blame of being perverse, then, the finding is
rendered infirm in law."
36.
The legal position seems to be well settled and consistent at
least since 1934 when the Privy Council decided the case of Sheo Swarup &
Others v. King Emperor AIR 1934 PC 227 in which the Court (per Lord Russell)
observed as under:
"..the
High Court should and will always give proper weight and consideration to such
matters as (1) the views of the trial Judge as to the credibility of the
witnesses, (2) the presumption of innocence in favour of the accused, a
presumption certainly 29 not weakened by the fact that he has been acquitted at
his trial, (3) the right of the accused to the benefit of any doubt, and (4)
the slowness of an appellate Court in disturbing a finding of fact arrived at
by a Judge who had the advantage of seeing the witnesses.."
The
aforesaid decision was followed in subsequent judgments of this Court. [See:
Surajpal Singh & Others v. The State, AIR 1952 SC 52; Tulsiram Kanu v. The
State, AIR 1954 SC 1, Atley v. State of Uttar Pradesh AIR 1955 SC 807; Balbir
Singh v. State of Punjab AIR 1957 SC 216; M.G. Agarwal v. State of Maharashtra
AIR 1963 SC 200; Khedu Mohton & Others v. State of Bihar, (1970) 2 SCC 450;
Bishan Singh & Others v. The State of Punjab (1974) 3 SCC 288; K. Gopal Reddy
v. State of Andhra Pradesh (1979) 1 SCC 355; Tota Singh & Another v. State
of Punjab (1987) 2 SCC 529;
Sambasivan
& Others v. State of Kerala (1998) 5 SCC 412;
Bhagwan
Singh & Others v. State of M.P. (2002) 4 SCC 85;
Harijana
Thirupala & Others v. Public Prosecutor, High Court of A.P., Hyderabad
(2002) 6 SCC 470; State of Rajasthan v. Raja Ram (2003) 8 SCC 180; Budh Singh
& Others v. State of UP (2006) 9 SCC 731; Kalyan Singh v. State of MP
(2006) 13 SCC 303; Kallu alias Masih & Others 30 v. State of MP (2006) 10
SCC 313; and State of Goa v. Sanjay Thakran & Another, (2007) 3 SCC 755]
37.
In Shambhoo Missir & Another v. State of Bihar (1990) 4 SCC
17, this Court observed thus:
"We
are of the view that the High Court has interfered with the order of acquittal
passed by the trial court not only for no substantial reasons but also by
ignoring material infirmities in the prosecution case. Hence, we allow the
appeals and set aside the order of the High Court convicting and sentencing the
accused in both the appeals."
38.
In Chandrappa & Others v. State of Karnataka (2007) 4 SCC 415,
this Court reiterated the legal position as under:
"(1)
An appellate court has full power to review, reappreciate and reconsider the
evidence upon which the order of acquittal is founded.
(2) The
Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 puts no limitation, restriction or condition
on exercise of such power and an appellate court on the evidence before it may
reach its own conclusion, both on questions of fact and of law.
(3) Various
expressions, such as, "substantial and compelling reasons",
"good and sufficient grounds", "very strong circumstances",
"distorted conclusions", "glaring mistakes", etc. are not
intended to curtail extensive powers of an appellate court in an appeal against
acquittal. Such phraseologies are more in the nature of "flourishes of
language" to emphasise the reluctance of an appellate court to interfere
with acquittal than to curtail the power of the court to review the evidence
and to come to its own conclusion.
(4) An
appellate court, however, must bear in mind that in case of acquittal, there is
double presumption in favour of the accused. Firstly, the presumption of
innocence is available to him under the fundamental principle of criminal
jurisprudence that every person shall be presumed to be innocent unless he is
proved guilty by a competent court of law. Secondly, the accused having secured
his acquittal, the presumption of his innocence is further reinforced,
reaffirmed and strengthened by the trial court.
(5) If
two reasonable conclusions are possible on the basis of the evidence on record,
the appellate court should not disturb the finding of acquittal recorded by the
trial court."
39.
In Ghurey Lal v. State of Uttar Pradesh (2008) 10 SCC 450, a two
Judge Bench of this Court of which one of us (Bhandari, J.) was a member had an
occasion to deal with most of the cases referred in this judgment. This Court
provided guidelines for the Appellate Court in dealing with the cases in which
the trial courts have acquitted the accused. The following principles emerge
from the cases above:
1. The
accused is presumed to be innocent until proven guilty. The accused possessed
this presumption when he was before the trial court.
The trial
court's acquittal bolsters the presumption that he is innocent.
2. The
power of reviewing evidence is wide and the appellate court can re-appreciate
the entire 32 evidence on record. It can review the trial court's conclusion
with respect to both facts and law, but the Appellate Court must give due
weight and consideration to the decision of the trial court.
3. The
appellate court should always keep in mind that the trial court had the
distinct advantage of watching the demeanour of the witnesses. The trial court
is in a better position to evaluate the credibility of the witnesses.
4. The
appellate court may only overrule or otherwise disturb the trial court's
acquittal if it has "very substantial and compelling reasons" for
doing so.
5. If two
reasonable or possible views can be reached - one that leads to acquittal, the
other to conviction - the High Court’s/appellate courts must rule in favour of
the accused.
40.
This Court in a recently delivered judgment State of Rajasthan v.
Naresh @ Ram Naresh 2009 (11) SCALE 699 again examined judgments of this Court
and laid down that "An order of acquittal should not be lightly interfered
with even if the court believes that there is some evidence pointing out the
finger towards the accused. This Court has dealt with the scope of interference
with an order of acquittal in a number of cases."
41.
Careful scrutiny of all these judgments lead to the definite
conclusion that the appellate court should be very slow in 33 setting aside a
judgment of acquittal particularly in a case where two views are possible. The
trial court judgment cannot be set aside because the appellate court's view is
more probable. The appellate court would not be justified in setting aside the
trial court judgment unless it arrives at a clear finding on marshalling the
entire evidence on record that the judgment of the trial court is either
perverse or wholly unsustainable in law.
42.
In State of Uttar Pradesh v. Banne Alias Baijnath and Ors. (2009)
4 SCC 271, a two-Judge Bench of this court of which one of us (Bhandari, J.)
was a member had an occasion to deal with this controversy in detail has laid
down some of the circumstances in which this court would be justified in
interfering with the judgment of the High Court. The circumstances discussed in
the judgment are illustrative not exhaustive.
i) The
High Court's decision is based on totally erroneous view of law by ignoring the
settled legal position;
ii) The
High Court's conclusions are contrary to evidence and documents on record;
iii) The
entire approach of the High Court in dealing with the evidence was patently
illegal leading to grave miscarriage of justice;
iv) The
High Court's judgment is manifestly unjust and unreasonable based on erroneous
law and facts on the record of the case;
v) This
Court must always give proper weight and consideration to the findings of the
High Court;
vi) This
Court would be extremely reluctant in interfering with a case when both the
Sessions Court and the High Court have recorded an order of acquittal.
43.
The appellate courts must keep in view these aforementioned
observations in dealing with the appeals where the trial court has acquitted
the accused.
44.
In Dhanapal v. State by Public Prosecutor, Madras (Criminal Appeal
No.987 of 2002 decided on September 1, 2009), this Court again examined the
aforementioned decisions and analyzed the principles emerging out of the said
decisions, it seems to us that despite series of judgments, the High Court has
not clearly appreciated the legal position. Unquestionably, the Appellate Court
has power to review and re-appreciate the entire evidence on record. The
appellate court would be justified in reversing the judgment of acquittal only
if there are 35 substantial and compelling reasons and when the judgment of the
trial court is found to be perverse judgment. Interfering in a routine manner
where other view is possible is contrary to the settled legal position
crystallized by aforementioned judgments of this Court. The accused is presumed
to be innocent until proven guilty. The accused possessed this presumption when
he was before the trial court. The trial court's acquittal bolsters the
presumption that he is innocent. This fundamental principle must be kept in
view while dealing with the judgments of acquittal passed by the trial court.
45.
We have re-examined the entire case because of the conflicting
judgments of the Trial Court and the High Court.
On
careful marshalling of the entire evidence and the documents on record, we
arrive at the conclusion that the view taken by the trial court is a possible
and plausible view. The judgment of the trial court cannot be termed as
perverse. The High Court ought not to have substituted the same by its own
possible view. The impugned judgment of the High Court cannot stand the
scrutiny of the well settled legal position which has been crystallized for
more than 80 years since the case of Sheo Swarup. In the facts and
circumstances of this 36 case, we are constrained to set aside the impugned judgment
of the High Court.
46.
Consequently, these appeals filed by the appellants are allowed.
The impugned judgment of the High Court set aside and that of the trial court
is restored.
..............................J. (Dalveer Bhandari)
..............................J. (Dr. B.S. Chauhan)
New Delhi;
October 7, 2009.
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