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Judgment:
G.S. Singhvi, J.
1This appeal is directed against the
judgment dated 27.10.1999 of the learned Single Judge of Rajasthan High
Court whereby he allowed the appeal preferred by respondent Jaggu Ram
and acquitted him of the charge under Section 304-B and 201 Indian Penal
Code.
The facts necessary for deciding
the appeal are as under:
On 30th March, 1993 one Suresh Khateek informed Atma Ram (PW-1) that his
daughter Shanti @ Gokul had died at her in-laws place. Upon this Atma
Ram lodged First Information Report at Police Station Srimadhopur
stating therein that his daughter Shanti @ Gokul was married to Jeevan
Ram, son of Jagdish Balai (Jaggu Ram), resident of Nathusar about
eighteen months ago;
that he gave dowry according to his
capacity; that immediately after the marriage, Jaggu Ram, his son Jeevan
Ram and wife Nathi started harassing Shanti in connection with dowry;
that after three days of marriage they left Radio, Press etc. and
demanded watch and jewellery; that they with a view to save his daughter
from harassment, he gave silver ornaments viz. Paizeb (anklet), Tagadi,
Locket and Ear-rings apart from cash of Rs. 10,000/- to her in-laws, but
this did not satisfy them and after three months, they again started
harassing her and left her at village Abhawas, where she stayed at his
house for 8 months; that a meeting was held at village Abhawas which was
attended by 22-25 people including Jaggu Ram (the respondent herein),
Rameshwar Mali, Chhitar Kheteek and Bhagega Balai of village Nathusar.
In that meeting Jaggu Ram assured that he will keep Gokul without
creating any problem; that thereafter he went to Nathusar six to seven
times to bring her daughter to Abhawas but her husband and in-laws did
not send her and demanded colour television.
They also threatened that if
additional dowry is not brought, then his daughter will be finished. He
told the villagers about the demand made by Jaggu Ram and his family and
the threat given by them. Upon this, the villagers sent a message to
Jaggu Ram that it was not proper. Jaggu Ram and his family members got
annoyed by this development and they killed his daughter by burning with
kerosene and cremated her body at 5.00 a.m. on 30.3.1993. Thereupon, the
police registered Criminal Case No.48/93 under Sections 498A, 304-B and
201 of the IPC. During the investigation, the police recorded the
statements of Atma Ram and other persons under Section 161 Cr.P.C.,
collected the hospital record and arrested the appellant, his wife Nathi
and son Jeevan Ram. A lathi was recovered at the instance of Jeevan Ram.
After completing the investigating, the police filed challan against all
the accused in the court of Addl. Chief Judicial Magistrate,
Shrimadhopur, who committed them to the Sessions Court for trial.
The prosecution examined PW-1
Atmaram, PW-2 Kaluram, PW-3 Babulal, PW-4 Doctor Vijay Kumar, PW-5 Kamal
Surana, PW-6 Shankar Lal, PW-7 Kanaram, PW-8 Gopiram, PW-9 Mewaram,
PW-10 Rameshwar, PW-11 Banwari Lal, PW-12 Ram Kishore, PW-13 Chhitar,
PW-14 Maliram, PW-15 Saidduram, PW-16 Suresh, PW-17 Shrawan Singh, PW-18
Jamal, PW-19 Ramdhan, PW-20 Doctor Shyam Lal Khuteta and PW-21 Om
Prakash Godara and also produced documents marked Exhibit P1-Indoor
Ticket deceased Gokul, Exhibit P3A to P5A Recovered blood stained
clothes, Exhibit P6-Recovered bones and ash and Exhibit P7- Original
report, PW 8- First Information Report, Exhibit P9-Statement of
Rameshwar given to the Police, Exhibit P10- Site map of the spot,
Exhibit P11-Statement of Chhitar given to the Police, Exhibit P12-
Recovered Lathi, Exhibit P13-Recovery site map, Exhibit P14-Staement of
Suresh given to the Police, Exhibit P15-Receipt of FSL, Exhibit P16 and
Exhibit P17-Statement of Jamal to the Police, Exhibit P18-Photo copy of
Register of Store, Exhibit P19-Injury report of Gokul Devi, Exhibit
P20-Arrest Jeevanram, Exhibit P21-Arrest Jagguram, Exhibit P22- Arrest
Nathi Devi and Exhibit P24-Information.
The accused were examined under
Section 313 Cr.P.C. In his statement, Jeevan Ram gave out that he had
gone out of village on 29.3.1993 to appear in an examination and that he
had been falsely implicated. He denied the allegation of demand of
dowry. He gave out that the deceased was suffering from fits and she
died due to injuries caused when she collided with the door (chaukhat)
of the house. The other accused denied the charges levelled against
them. The defence produced the documents marked Exhibit D1-Statement of
Shankar Lal given to the Police, Exhibit D2-Statement of Gopiram given
to the Police, Exhibit D3-Statement of Mevaram given to the Police,
Exhibit D4-Statement of Atmaram given to the Police, Exhibit
D5-Statement of Ram Kishore to the Police, Exhibit D6-Programme of
examination of Secondary School, Exhibit D7-Admission Certificate for
the examination, Exhibit D8 and Exhibit D9-Entrance Card of examination.
The Learned Additional Sessions
Judge, Neem Ka Thana (hereinafter referred to as the Trial Judge ),
framed the following points for determination:
1. Whether Shrimati Gokul died due to the injuries on her body?
2. Whether Shrimati Gokul died within 7 years of her marriage?
3. Whether Shrimati Gokul was subjected to cruelty and harassment by her
husband, mother-in-law and father-in-law immediately after the marriage
and till her death in connection with the demand of dowry?
4. Whether the accused destroyed the evidence relating to the death of
Shrimati Gokul by cremating her without informing her family members and
the police and without getting the postmortem conducted?
The learned Trial Judge analysed the
facts, evaluated the prosecution and defence evidence and concluded that
the prosecution has succeeded in proving the charge of demand of dowry
by the accused and that they were guilty of torturing and treating her
with cruelty immediately after marriage till her death. The learned
Trial Judge further held that Shanti @ Gokul died due to head injuries
within seven years of her marriage. He then held that the defence has
failed to explain the cause of death of Shanti @ Gokul. He rejected the
defence theory that the deceased was suffering from epilepsy and she
died due to injuries suffered because during the bout of fits, her head
collided against the door of the house. Accordingly, he convicted the
respondent and his wife Shrimati Nathi under Section 304-B and sentenced
them to seven years rigorous imprisonment. He also convicted them under
Section 498A and sentenced to one year s rigorous imprisonment and
imposed a fine of Rs.500/- with a direction that if they fail to deposit
the amount of fine, the accused shall undergo further imprisonment of
three months. The respondent and his wife were also convicted under
Section 201, IPC and sentenced to one year rigorous imprisonment with a
fine of Rs.500/- and in default to undergo simple imprisonment of three
months.
The learned Trial Judge directed
that all the sentences shall run concurrently. He, however, accepted the
defence version that Jeevan Ram was not in the village at the time of
death of Shanti and acquitted him. On appeal, the learned Single Judge
of the High Court confirmed the finding that the respondent and his wife
Nathi were guilty of demanding dowry but acquitted them of the charge
under Section 304-B IPC on the premise that Jeevan Ram had been
acquitted and the State had not preferred appeal against his acquittal.
However, he upheld their conviction under Section 498A and confirmed the
sentence of one year s rigorous imprisonment with fine of 500/- and to
undergo further imprisonment of three months in the case of default.
We have heard Shri Naveen Kumar
Singh, learned advocate appearing for the appellant-State of Rajasthan
and scrutinized the entire record.
At the outset we consider it proper
to mention that with a view to curb the growing menace of dowry deaths,
the Parliament amended the Indian Penal Code and the Evidence Act and
inserted Section 304-B and 113-B respectively in the two statutes. This
was done keeping in view the recommendations made by the Law Commission
of India in its 21st Report. Section 304-B (1) IPC lays down that where
the death of a woman is caused by burns or bodily injury or occurs
otherwise than under normal circumstances within seven years of her
marriage and it is shown that soon before her death she was subjected to
cruelty or harassment by her husband or any relative of her husband for,
or in connection with, any demand for dowry, such death shall be called
dowry death , and such husband or relative shall be deemed to have
caused her death. Explanation appearing below sub-section (1) of Section
304-B declares that for the purpose of this sub-section, dowry shall
have the same meaning as in Section 2 of the Dowry Prohibition Act,
1961. Sub-section (2) of Section 304-B prescribes the minimum punishment
for dowry death as seven years which can be extended up to imprisonment
for life. The ingredients necessary for the application of Section 304-B
IPC are :
1. that the death of a woman has
been caused by burns or bodily injury or occurs otherwise than under
normal circumstances,
2. that such death has been caused or has occurred within seven years of
her marriage and,
3. that soon before her death the woman was subjected to cruelty or
harassment by her husband or any relative of her husband in connection
with any demand for dowry.
Section 113-B of the Evidence Act
lays down that if soon before her death a woman is subjected to cruelty
or harassment for, or in connection with any demand for dowry by the
person who is accused of causing her death then the court shall presume
that such person has caused the dowry death. The presumption under
Section 113-B is a presumption of law and once the prosecution
establishes the essentials ingredients mentioned therein it becomes the
duty of the court to raise a presumption that the accused caused the
dowry death.
A conjoint reading of Section 304-B
IPC and Section 113-B Evidence Act shows that in order to prove the
charge of dowry death, prosecution has to establish that the victim died
within 7 years of marriage and she was subjected to cruelty or
harassment soon before her death and such cruelty or harassment was for
dowry. The expression soon before her death has not been defined in
either of the statutes. Therefore, in each case the court has to analyse
the facts and circumstances leading to the death of the victim and
decide whether there is any proximate connection between the demand of
dowry, the act of cruelty or harassment and the death State of A.P.
v. Raj Gopal Asawa & Anr. [2004 (4) SCC 470], Arun Garg v. State
of Punjab & Anr. [2004 (8) SCC 251], Kaliyaperumal & Anr. v.
State of Tamil Nadu [2004 (9) SCC 157], Kamesh Panjiyar @ Kamlesh
Panjiyar v. State of Bihar [2005 (2) SCC 388], Ram Badan Sharma
v. State of Bihar [2006 (10) SCC 115].
In the light of the above, we shall
now consider whether the prosecution succeeded in establishing the
existence of the ingredients of Section 304-B IPC and the High Court
committed an error by acquitting the respondent only on the ground that
Jeevan Ram had been acquitted by the trial court and the State did not
ppeal against his acquittal.
In order to prove that Shanti @
Gokul died as a result of injuries inflicted on her body, the
prosecution examined PW-1 Atma Ram who largely reiterated the story set
out in the first information report. He also explained the apparent
discrepancy in the First Information Report and medical report regarding
the cause of the death by stating that he mentioned about the burning of
his daughter because she had earlier told about such threat held out by
her in-laws, but on reaching the spot, he came to know that she died due
to injuries on her head. In cross-examination he gave details of dowry
items. He categorically denied that his daughter was mentally ill and
that he and the accused had taken her out to Dr. Shiv Gautam, a
Psychiatrist at Jaipur. He also denied that he had kept the daughter
with him for her treatment or that the story of Panchayat was
fabricated.
The prosecution also examined PW-6
Shankar Lal PW-7 Kana Ram and PW -12 Ram Kishore, who supported the
statement of Atma Ram. In their corss-examination each of these
witnesses denied the suggestion that the deceased was suffering from
epilepsy and she used to get fits. PW-4 Dr. Vijay Kumar gave out that
Gokul Devi was admitted in the hospital with head injuries. He was told
by the relatives of the injured that the injuries were caused due to
fall. They also told that she was an old patient of epilepsy. According
to Dr. Vijay Kumar, Shanti remained in the hospital till 4 o clock and
in the evening her relatives took her by saying that they will be going
to Jaipur. PW-20 Dr. Shayam Lal Khuteta supported the version of Dr.
Vijay Kumar that Shrimati Shanti had two injuries on her head. He gave
out that first injury 3 = x = was a bone deep crushed wound on the right
side of the temple and the second was punctured wound of = cm. deep in
the bone from which the fresh blood was oozing. According to Dr. Shyam
Lal Khuteta injury No. 1 was inflicted by heavy weapon and injury no. 2
was inflicted by blunt weapon. The learned Trial Judge relied on the
statements of these witnesses in conjunction with the medical reports
and concluded that Shanti @ Gokul died as a result of the injuries
sustained by her on her head. He then considered the defence plea that
Gokul was suffering from epilepsy and she sustained head injuries by
colliding with the frame of the door during the bout of fits.
This plea of the defence was based
on the statement of Jeevan Ram that he used to take Shanti to the
doctors for treatment and on one occasion he had taken her to Dr. Shiv
Gautam, a mental doctor at Jaipur as also the statements of PW-10
Rameshwar Mali, PW-13 Chittar, PW-14 Maliram, PW-16 Suresh, who were
declared hostile, that Gokul was suffering from Epilepsy. In their
cross-examination, these witnesses generally stated that Shanti @ Gokul
suffered from fits and Jeevan Ram used to take her to Jaipur for
treatment. In his cross-examination, PW20- Dr. Shyam Lal Khuteta also
stated that long time ago, the deceased had come to him for her
treatment of Epilepsy. The learned Trial Judge observed that the story
of Gokul suffering from Epilepsy and her having suffered injuries on the
head due to fall and consequential striking against the door frame was
concocted and was not acceptable because no evidence was produced
regarding her treatment for Epilepsy and held that in the absence of any
cogent explanation, it was reasonable to infer that the injuries on the
head of the deceased were caused by her in-laws. In this regard the
learned trial judge also referred to the factum of recovery of lathi at
the instance of Jeevan Ram.
The High Court overturned this
finding by observing that the prosecution has failed to prove the
allegation that the deceased was burnt to death. The learned Single
Judge took note of the so-called discrepancy in the First Information
Report and the statement of PW1-Atma Ram and held that injuries on the
head of Gokul were caused due to her having collided with door frame
during bout of fits. For this purpose, he relied on the statements of
PW10-Rameshwar , PW13-Chhiter, PW16-Suresh and PW20-Dr. Shyam Lal
Khuteta. The learned Single Judge also opined that in view of the
acquittal of Jeevan Ram, the other accused cannot be convicted for
offence under Section 304B IPC.
On the third point framed by him,
the learned Trial Judge relied on the testimony of PW-1 Atma Ram (father
of the deceased), PW-6 Shankar Lal and PW-12 Ram Kishore (brothers of
the deceased), PW-5 Kamal Surana, who was in-charge of Mahila Jagran,
Shrimadhopur, PW-7 Kanaram, PW-8 Gopiram and PW-9 Mewaram who had
participated in the Panchayat and held that the detailed narration given
by the father and the brothers of the deceased about cruel treatment and
harassment meted out to the Gokul was amply supported by the contents of
First Information Report, the Panchayat held at village Abhawas to
discuss the issue relating to dowry and the statement of PW-5 Kamal
Surana in whose presence the dowry case of Gokul @ Shanti, daughter of
Atma Ram, was discussed. The learned Trial Judge held that the evidence
produced by the prosecution was sufficient to show that Gokul was
subjected to harassment and torture and was being treated with cruelty
immediately after the marriage till her death because she did not bring
sufficient dowry. The High Court reversed this finding only on the
premise that the Panchayat was convened two and half months before the
death of Gokul and nothing had been brought on record to prove that
during that period she was subjected to cruel treatment. The learned
Single Judge heavily relied on some discrepancies and omissions in the
FIR and held that the prosecution has not been able to prove that Shanti
@ Gokul was subjected to cruelty or harassment soon before her death.
On point no. 4, the learned Trial
Judge relied on the statements of PW-1 Atma Ram, PW-6 Shankar Lal, PW-7
Kanaram, PW-8 Gopiram, PW-9 Mewaram, PW-12 Ram Kishore, all of whom
stated that Shrimati Gokul was cremated before they reached Nathusar.
The learned Trial Judge noted that the defence has not produced any
evidence to show that the in-laws of the deceased had informed the
police about the death or that the postmortem was got conducted. They
also did not inform the parents of the deceased. In the opinion of the
Trial Judge, all this was sufficient to prove the charge of destroying
evidence. Learned Single Judge of the High Court did not at all discuss
this issue.
In our considered view, the High
Court committed serious illegality by acquitting the respondent of the
charge under Sections 304-B and 201, IPC on the premise that Jeevan Ram
had been acquitted. It is true that the learned trial judge accepted the
defence version that Jeevan Ram was not present in the village Nathusar
at the time when Shanti @ Gokul suffered injuries on her heard and
acquitted by giving benefit of doubt and the State did not challenge the
same by filing appeal but that by itself did not justify a conclusion
that the prosecution had failed to prove the charge under Sections 304-B
& 201 IPC against the remaining accused. A critical analysis of the
facts and evidence brought on record shows that the prosecution had
succeeded in proving that Shanti @ Gokul died within one and a half
years of her marriage. In their statements, PW1-Atma Ram, PW6-ShankarLal
and PW12-Ram Kishore (father and brothers of the deceased) categorically
stated that the deceased was subjected to harassment and cruelty by her
husband-Jeevan Ram, father-in-law-Jaggu Ram, mother-in-law, Nathi Devi,
immediately after marriage on the ground that she did not bring
sufficient dowry. When the deceased visited her parent s house, she made
a complaint about the harassment. Thereupon, Atma Ram gave Silver
jewellery and Rupees ten thousand cash. Even this also did not satisfy
the accused who continued to harass her. After sometime, the deceased
was left at her father s place. She stayed there for eight months.
About two and a half months before
the death, a meeting was convened in the village, which was attended by
20-25 persons, including PW1-Atma Ram, PW6- Shankar Lal, PW12-Ram
Kishore, PW7-Kana Ram, PW8-Gopi Ram, PW9-Mewaram(ex-Sarpanch of Gram
Panchayat), Jaggu Ram and four others of village Nathusar also attended
the Panchayat. PW7-Kana Ram, PW8-Gopi Ram, PW9-Mewa Ram were independent
witnesses. They confirmed that a meeting was held in village Abhawas to
discuss the issue of dowry and reiterated what PW1-Atma Ram had told
them about the demand of dowry. They were cross-examined at length but
the defence could not shake their testimony. Rather, they reiterated the
factum of holding the meeting of Panchayat at Amawas wherein the issue
of dowry was generally discussed. PW5-Kamal Surana, In-charge, Women
Development Agency, Data Ramgarh, is also an independent witness. She
gave details of the discussion made in the meeting held on 11.8.1992
where the case of dowry of Shanti @ Gokul, daughter of Atma Ram was
considered. According to Kamal Surana, Shanti was very scared and was
not able to say anything but her father gave the details of harassment.
PW5 also stated that she had gone to the in-laws whereupon, the
respondent is said to have objected to her intervention. She also
produced a diary maintained by her in which the factum of her meeting at
Amawas and Nathusar were recorded.
If the prosecution evidence is
considered in the backdrop of the fact that the defence failed to
produce any evidence to controvert the facts relating to the demand of
dowry, it must be held that the deceased was subjected to cruelty and
harassment in connection with dowry immediately after her marriage and
such harassment continued till her death and the learned trial judge
rightly held the charge under Section 304-B IPC as proved, against the
accused. The learned Single Judge of the High Court gave undue weightage
to the minor discrepancies in the first information report and the
statement of PW 1 Atma Ram and some alleged omission in the first
information report and acquitted the accused ignoring the most important
factor that the deceased suffered injuries in a dwelling unit belonging
to her in-laws and in their presence, that she died due to those
injuries and that the defence failed to offer any satisfactory
explanation for the injuries on the head of the deceased. The defence
did introduce the story of the deceased suffering with epilepsy and her
being treated for the same, but no documentary evidence was produced to
show that she was ever treated for epilepsy. In their cross-examination,
the father and brothers of the deceased and the other prosecution
witnesses categorically denied that the deceased was suffering from
epilepsy and she used to have bouts of fits. Atma Ram also denied the
suggestion that she and the accused had taken Shanti @ Gokul for
treatment to a Psychiatrist at Jaipur. Some of the Prosecution witnesses
who were declared hostile, did try to support the theory that the
deceased used to have fits, but their statements can be of no help to
the accused because no documentary evidence in the form of prescriptions
of doctors or the bills of the treatment and purchase of medicines were
produced to prove that the deceased was suffering from epilepsy and used
to have fits. The statement of Dr. Shyam Lal Khuteta is also of no help
to the accused because he too did not produce record relating to the
treatment allegedly given to the deceased for epilepsy long time ago.
The conduct of the accused and his
family members in not informing the parents of the deceased about the
injuries caused on her head and consequential death and the fact that
the cremation of the dead body was conducted in the wee hours of
30.3.1993 without informing the parents or giving an intimation to the
Police so as to enable it to get the post-mortem of the dead body
conducted go a long way to show that the accused had deliberately
concocted the story that Shanti @ Gokul was suffering from epilepsy and
she suffered injuries on her head by colliding against the door bar
during the bout of fits. The disposal of dead body in a hush-hush manner
clearly establish that the accused had done so with the sole object of
concealing the real cause of the death of Shanti @ Gokul.
In our considered view, this was a
fit case for invoking Section 106 of the Evidence Act, which lays down
that when any fact is especially within the knowledge of the any person,
the burden of proving that fact is upon him. In Ram Gulam Chaudhary
vs. State of Bihar [2001 (8) SCC 311] this Court considered the
applicability of Section 106 of the Evidence Act in a case somewhat
similar to the present one. This Court noted that the accused after
brutally assaulting a boy carried him away and thereafter the boy was
not seen alive nor his body was found. The accused, however, offered no
explanation as to what they did after they took away the boy. It was
held that for the absence of any explanation from the side of the
accused about the boy, there was every justification for drawing an
inference that they had murdered the boy. It was further observed that
even though Section 106 of the Evidence Act may not be intended to
relieve the prosecution of its burden to prove the guilt of the accused
beyond reasonable doubt, but the section would apply to cases like the
present, where the prosecution has succeeded in proving facts from which
a reasonable inference can be drawn regarding death. The accused by
virtue of their special knowledge must offer an explanation which might
lead the court to draw a different inference.
In Trimukh Maroti Kirkan vs.
State of Maharashtra [2006 (1) SCC 681], a two judge-bench of which
one of us (G.P.Mathur,J.) was a member, considered the applicability of
Section 106 of the Evidence Act and observed:
The demand for dowry or money from
the parents of the bride has shown a phenomenal increase in the last few
years. Cases are frequently coming before the courts, where the husband
or in-laws have gone to the extent of killing the bride if the demand is
not met. These crimes are generally committed in complete secrecy inside
the house and it becomes very difficult for the prosecution to lead
evidence. No member of the family, even if he is a witness of the crime,
would come forward to depose against another family member.
The neighbours, whose evidence may
be of some assistance, are generally reluctant to depose in court as
they want to keep aloof and do not want to antagonise a neighbourhood
family. The parents or other family members of the bride being away from
the scene of commission of crime are not in a position to give direct
evidence which may inculpate the real accused except regarding the
demand of money or dowry and harassment caused to the bride. But, it
does not mean that a crime committed in secrecy or inside the houses
should go unpunished. If an offence takes place inside the privacy of a
house and in such circumstances where the assailants have all the
opportunity to plan and commit the offence at the time and in
circumstances of their choice, it will be extremely difficult for the
prosecution to lead evidence to establish the guilt of the accused if
the strict principle of circumstantial evidence, as noticed above, is
insisted upon by the courts. A judge does not preside over a criminal
trial merely to see that no innocent man is punished.
A judge also presides to see that a
guilty man does not escape. Both are public duties. (See Stirland v.
Director of Public Prosecutions [1944 AC 315] quoted with approval
by Arijit Pasayat, J. in State of Punjab v. Karnail Singh [2003
(11) SCC 271]. The law does not enjoin a duty on the prosecution to lead
evidence of such character which is almost impossible to be led or at
any rate extremely difficult to be led. The duty on the prosecution is
to lead such evidence which it is capable of leading, having regard to
the facts and circumstances of the case. Here it is necessary to keep in
mind Section 106 of the Evidence Act which says that when any fact is
especially within the knowledge of any person, the burden of proving
that fact is upon him. Illustration (b) appended to this section throws
some light on the content and scope of this provision and it reads:
(b) A is charged with travelling on a railway without ticket. The burden
of proving that he had a ticket is on him.
Where an offence like murder is
committed in secrecy inside a house, the initial burden to establish the
case would undoubtedly be upon the prosecution, but the nature and
amount of evidence to be led by it to establish the charge cannot be of
the same degree as is required in other cases of circumstantial
evidence. The burden would be of a comparatively lighter character. In
view of Section 106 of the Evidence Act there will be a corresponding
burden on the inmates of the house to give a cogent explanation as to
how the crime was committed. The inmates of the house cannot get away by
simply keeping quiet and offering no explanation on the supposed premise
that the burden to establish its case lies entirely upon the prosecution
and there is no duty at all on an accused to offer any explanation.
Similar view has been expressed in
State of Punjab vs. Karnail Singh [2003 (11) SCC 271], State
of Rajasthan vs. Kashi Ram [2006 (12) SCC 254], Raj Kumar Prasad
Tamakar vs. State of Bihar [2007 (1) SCR 13].
We are sure, if the learned Single
Judge of the High Court had adverted to Section 106 of the Evidence Act
and correctly applied the principles of law, he would not have committed
the grave error of acquitting the respondent.
In the result, the appeal is
allowed. The impugned judgment is set aside and the conviction of the
respondent under Section 304-B read with 201, IPC is restored. He is
sentenced to seven years rigorous imprisonment. He shall also pay fine
of Rs.500/- and suffer further imprisonment of three months in case of
default. If the respondent has already undergone sentence of one year
under Section 498A, IPC in furtherance of the judgment of the High
Court, then he shall serve out six years imprisonment, apart from paying
fine. The respondent shall be immediately taken into custody to serve
out his sentence.
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