Page 1 REPORTABLE

IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA

CRIMINAL APPELLATE JURISDICTION

CRIMINAL APPEAL NO. 2085 OF 2008

Mookkiah & Anr. .... Appellant(s)

Versus

State, rep. by the Inspector of Police,

Tamil Nadu .... Respondent(s)

J U D G M E N T

P.Sathasivam,J.

1)This appeal has been preferred against the final

judgment and order dated 25.01.2007 passed by the

Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court in Criminal Appeal

No. 1137 of 1998 whereby the Division Bench of the High

Court allowed the appeal filed by the State and set aside the

order of acquittal of appellants herein dated 24.08.1998

passed by the IInd Additional Sessions Court, Tirunelveli in

Sessions Case No. 264 of 1996.

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Page 2 2)The facts and circumstances giving rise to this appeal

are as under:

(a)Uluppadi Parai is a small village in Ambasamudhram

Taluk within Kallidaikurichi Police Station. The appellants

herein (A-1) and (A-2) and the deceased were all the

residents of the same hamlet situated in the aforesaid

village. The residents of that hamlet had a nearby place as

open air latrine which was situated near a water body.

(b)The deceased Ramaiah, in this case, was the son-in-law

of Ramaiah (PW-1), who also had the same name as that of

the deceased. Parvathi-daughter of PW-1, was married to

the deceased-Ramaiah. 25 days prior to the incident, when

she was staying at the residence of PW-1, the deceased-

Ramaiah solicited the wife of Subbiah (A-2) to have illicit

intercourse with him and A-2, after coming to know of such

fact, harboured enmity in his heart against the deceased.

The deceased was also having previous enmity with

Mookkiah (A-1), who was residing in the same village.

(c)On 12.05.1992, at about 5.30 a.m., when the deceased

Ramaiah went to the said open air latrine to attend to the

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Page 3 calls of the nature, A-1 and A-2, in furtherance of their

common intention to murder Ramaiah, dealt blows on him

using aruval (billhooks), thereby killed him on the spot itself

and fled away from the scene. However, on the very same

day, at about 05:30 hours, when Ramaiah (PW-1), the father-

in-law of the deceased, Sudalaimuthu (PW-5) and

Shanmugam (PW-4) were returning after pouring water into

their field, they heard the cries of Ramaiah, son-in-law of

PW-1, shouting “Don’t attack, Don’t attack”. They

immediately rushed to the spot and saw that the accused

were attacking the deceased-Ramaiah on his head, neck,

shoulder and back with their aruval and on seeing them,

they fled away. Ramaiah (PW-1) and Sudalaimuthu (PW-5)

both witnessed the ghastly crime and despite they shouted

at the assailants not to perpetrate the gruesome act, the

accused accomplished their task of murdering the accused.

(d)Thereupon, PW-1, PW-4, PW-5 and one Kanaka Raj,

went to the Kallidaikurichi P.S. and PW-1 lodged a complaint

against both the accused persons which was registered as

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Page 4 Crime No. 173 of 1992 under Section 302 of the Indian Penal

Code, 1860 (in short ‘IPC’).

(e) After investigation, both the accused persons were

arrested and charges were framed against them under

Section 302 read with Section 34 of IPC and the case was

committed to the Court of Session which was numbered as

Sessions Case No. 264 of 1996.

(f)By order dated 24.08.1998, the trial Court, after giving

the benefit of doubt, acquitted both the accused of the

offences with which they were charged. Being aggrieved by

the judgment of acquittal, the State preferred an appeal

being Criminal Appeal No. 1137 of 1998 before the Madurai

Bench of the Madras High Court.

(g)The High Court, after examining all the materials, by

order dated 25.01.2007, reversed the judgment of acquittal

and found A-1 and A-2 guilty of the offence under Section

302 read with Section 34 of IPC and sentenced them to

suffer rigorous imprisonment (RI) for life alongwith a fine of

Rs. 5,000/- each, in default, to further undergo RI for 6

months.

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Page 5 (h)Being aggrieved by the impugned judgment of the High

Court, A-1 and A-2 (appellants herein) preferred an appeal

before this Court under Article 136 of the Constitution of

India.

3)Heard Mr. S. Nanda Kumar, learned counsel for the

appellants-accused and Mr. S. Gurukrishna Kumar, learned

senior counsel and AAG for the respondent-State.

Interference in Appeal against Acquittal:

4)It is not in dispute that the trial Court, on appreciation

of oral and documentary evidence led in by the prosecution

and defence, acquitted the accused in respect of the charges

leveled against them. On appeal by the State, the High

Court, by impugned order, reversed the said decision and

convicted the accused under Section 302 read with Section

34 of IPC and awarded RI for life. Since counsel for the

appellants very much emphasized that the High Court has

exceeded its jurisdiction in upsetting the order of acquittal

into conviction, let us analyze the scope and power of the

High Court in an appeal filed against the order of acquittal

This Court in a series of decisions has repeatedly laid down

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Page 6 that as the first appellate court the High Court, even while

dealing with an appeal against acquittal, was also entitled,

and obliged as well, to scan through and if need be re-

appreciate the entire evidence, though while choosing to

interfere only the court should find an absolute assurance of

the guilt on the basis of the evidence on record and not

merely because the High Court could take one more possible

or a different view only. Except the above, where the matter

of the extent and depth of consideration of the appeal is

concerned, no distinctions or differences in approach are

envisaged in dealing with an appeal as such merely because

one was against conviction or the other against an acquittal.

[Vide State of Rajasthan vs. Sohan Lal and Others ,

(2004) 5 SCC 573]

5)In State of Madhya Pradesh vs. Ramesh and

Another, (2011) 4 SCC 786, this Court, while considering

the scope and interference in appeal against acquittal held:

“15. We are fully alive of the fact that we are dealing with

an appeal against acquittal and in the absence of

perversity in the said judgment and order, interference by

this Court exercising its extraordinary jurisdiction, is not

warranted. It is settled proposition of law that the appellate

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Page 7 court being the final court of fact is fully competent to

reappreciate, reconsider and review the evidence and take

its own decision. Law does not prescribe any limitation,

restriction or condition on exercise of such power and the

appellate court is free to arrive at its own conclusion

keeping in mind that acquittal provides for presumption in

favour of the accused. The presumption of innocence is

available to the person and in criminal jurisprudence every

person is presumed to be innocent unless he is proved

guilty by the competent court and there can be no quarrel

to the said legal proposition that if two reasonable views

are possible on the basis of the evidence on record, the

appellate court should not disturb the findings of

acquittal.”

6)In Minal Das and Others vs. State of Tripura,

(2011) 9 SCC 479, while reiterating the very same position,

one of us, P. Sathasivam, J. held:

“14. There is no limitation on the part of the appellate

court to review the evidence upon which the order of

acquittal is found and to come to its own conclusion. The

appellate court can also review the conclusion arrived at

by the trial court with respect to both facts and law. While

dealing with the appeal against acquittal preferred by the

State, it is the duty of the appellate court to marshal the

entire evidence on record and only by giving cogent and

adequate reasons set aside the judgment of acquittal. An

order of acquittal is to be interfered with only when there

are “compelling and substantial reasons” for doing so. If

the order is “clearly unreasonable”, it is a compelling

reason for interference. When the trial court has ignored

the evidence or misread the material evidence or has

ignored material documents like dying declaration/report of

ballistic experts, etc. the appellate court is competent to

reverse the decision of the trial court depending on the

materials placed.”

7)In Rohtash vs. State of Haryana, (2012) 6 SCC 589,

this Court held:

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Page 8 “27. The High Court interfered with the order of acquittal

recorded by the trial court. The law of interfering with the

judgment of acquittal is well settled. It is to the effect that

only in exceptional cases where there are compelling

circumstances and the judgment in appeal is found to be

perverse, the appellate court can interfere with the order

of the acquittal. The appellate court should bear in mind

the presumption of innocence of the accused and further

that the trial court’s acquittal bolsters the presumption of

innocence. Interference in a routine manner where the

other view is possible should be avoided, unless there are

good reasons for interference. (Vide State of Rajasthan v.

Talevar, (2011) 11 SCC 666 and Govindaraju v. State,

(2012) 4 SCC 722)”

8)In a recent decision in Murugesan & Ors. vs. State

Through Inspector of Police , 2012 (10) SCC 383, one of

us Ranjan Gogoi, J. elaborately considered the broad

principles of law governing the power of the High Court

under Section 378 of the Code of Criminal Procedure while

hearing the appeal against an order of acquittal passed by

the trial Judge. After adverting to the principles of law laid

down in Sheo Swarup vs. King Emperor, AIR 1934 PC 227

(2) and series of subsequent pronouncements in para 21

summarized various principles as found in para 42 of

Chandrappa & Ors. vs. State of Karnataka, (2007) 4 SCC

415 as under:

“21. A concise statement of the law on the issue that had

emerged after over half a century of evolution since Sheo

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Page 9 Swarup

1

is to be found in para 42 of the Report in

Chandrappa v. State of Karnataka. The same may,

therefore, be usefully noticed below: (SCC p. 432)

“42. From the above decisions, in our considered view, the

following general principles regarding powers of the

appellate court while dealing with an appeal against an

order of acquittal emerge:

(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.”

(emphasis supplied)

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Page 10 9)With the above principles, let us analyze the reasoning

and ultimate conclusion of the High Court in interfering with

the order of acquittal and awarding imprisonment for life.

10)Among the materials placed and relied on by the

prosecution, complaint Exh.P-1, evidence of PWs 1, 2, 4 and

5 are relevant.

Complaint (Exh.P-1):

11)The complaint Exh. P-1 dated 12.05.1992 was made by

Ramaiah (PW-1). In the complaint, it was stated that as his

daughter-Parvathi was pregnant, she was brought to his

house for delivery and a female child was born to her 25

days back. After delivery, her daughter stayed in his house

with her child and his son-in-law Ramaiah stayed with his

parents. It was further stated that on 12.05.1992, in the

early morning, about 05.30 hours, when he was returning

alongwith Sudalaimuthu and Shanmugam after pouring

water to the plantation, at that time, they heard the shouting

of his son-in-law “Don’t kill me”. On hearing the same, they

rushed towards the spot and noticed that Subbiah (A-2) was

having a big aruval (bill hook) in his hand and Mookkiah (A-1)

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Page 11 was holding a small aruval and were attacking on the face

and back of Ramaiah-the deceased. When all the three went

there shouting “Don’t cut, Don’t cut”, at that time, Subbiah

(A-2) and Mookkiah (A-1) ran towards eastern direction.

They noticed cut injuries on neck, shoulder back and head of

his son-in-law and blood was oozing from the cut wounds.

They also noticed that he was dead. Thereafter, all the three

persons informed Alagamuthu, father of Ramaiah and the

Village Headman about the same and later they along with

others saw the dead body of Ramaiah. It was further stated

that approx. one week before, Subbiah (A-2) met him and

warned that his son-in-law Ramaiah called his (Subbiah’s)

wife Mukkammal for sex and he threatened that he won’t

spare him and as per the say, Subbiah and Mookkiah

murdered his son-in-law Ramaiah. Thereafter, he along with

Sudalaimuthu, Shanmugam, Kanaka Raj came to

Kallidaikurichi P.S. at about 08.00 hours and informed the

same which was recorded on 12.05.1992 at 08.06 hours and

registered as Crime No. 173/1992 under Section 302 IPC. A

perusal of Exh. P-1 complaint discloses the full narration of

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Page 12 the incident by PW-1 and the persons accompanied him and

motive for murdering the deceased.

Evidence of PW-1:

12)Ramaiah (PW-1), who is none else than the father-in-

law of the deceased, even in his evidence has narrated

before the court what he had stated in the complaint (Exh. P-

1). He also identified M.O. I and M.O.II Aruvals (billhooks).

He further stated that with M.O. I small aruval, the accused

Mookkiah was attacking and M.O. II-big aruval was used by

accused Subbiah. He also noticed a pair of chappals (M.O.

III), underwear (M.O. IV) near the corpse of his son-in-law.

He also stated that it was he who preferred complaint to the

police. The same was recorded by the Police Officer and

attested by Kanaka Raj, Sudalaimuthu and Shanmugam. He

also explained the statement made by Subbiah (A-2) one

week prior to the incident warning him that his son-in-law

called his wife for sex and he won’t spare him for this. Even

in lengthy cross-examination, he withstood his stand and

reiterated that he along with two others saw the accused

murdering his son-in-law. There is no reason to disbelieve

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Page 13 his version. Though the trial Court has rejected his evidence

because of his relationship, we are of the view that merely

because a witness is related, his evidence cannot be

eschewed. On the other hand, it is the duty of the Court to

analyze his evidence cautiously and scrutinize the same with

other corroborative evidence. The High Court has rightly

relied on his evidence and we fully agree with the course

adopted by the High Court in relying upon his evidence.

Evidence of PW-4:

13)Though Shanmugam (PW-4) turned hostile at one

stage, there is no reason to reject his entire evidence as

unacceptable. It was he who accompanied PW-1 at the early

hours and noticed that the accused were attacking the

deceased by use of bill hooks. Similar to PW-1 and PW-5,

PW-4 reiterated that he accompanied them after pouring

water to their banana fields. Even though he did not support

the prosecution case in its entirety, his version strengthen

the evidence of PW-1 and PW-5.

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Page 14 Evidence of PW-5:

14)Sudalaimuthu (PW-5) is a resident of Ulappadi Parai. In

his evidence, he has stated that 6 years back, on Chithirai

month night, at about 8.00 p.m., when he was proceeding to

banana thope to pass water, he noticed Ramaiah (PW-1) and

Shanmugam (PW-4) were also passing water. After

completing the work at the early morning, roughly 05.30

hours, while returning back along with PW-1 and PW-4, he

heard a noise from the Southern side Ridge, namely, “Don’t

cut, Don’t cut”. On hearing the sound, all the three rushed

to that place and noticed that Subbiah (A-2) and Mookkiah

(A-1) were cutting the deceased Ramaiah. He further stated

that on seeing them the accused ran away from the spot and

they found that Ramaiah was done to death. They reported

the incident to Nattammai Kanak Raj in the village and,

thereafter, went to the P.S. around 08.00 o’clock and

Ramaiah (PW-1) gave a statement to the police. In the said

statement, viz., Exh. P-1, he also signed as a witness. He

identified his signature in Ex.P-1. He was also present when

the police inspected the scene of occurrence and during the

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Page 15 course of inquest. In the cross-examination, he reiterated

what he had stated in the Chief-Examination.

15)A perusal of the evidence of PW-5 clearly shows that it

corroborates with the statement made by PW-1 in all

aspects. It also shows that PWs 1, 4 and 5 went to their

banana fields to pour water during the said night and while

returning back after finishing the work at around 5.30 a.m.,

they noticed the accused causing fatal injuries on the

deceased by use of aruvals (billhooks). It also shows that all

of them went to the P.S. and PW-1 made a complaint and

other two attested the contents of Exh.P-1. The High Court

has rightly relied on the evidence of PWs 1 and 5 and on

going through their entire statement, we fully agree with the

course adopted by the High Court.

Evidence of PW-2:

16)Dr. Tmt. Bhanumathi, (PW-2) who conducted post

mortem on the dead body of the deceased Ramaiah was

examined as PW-2. The post mortem report has been

marked as Exh. P-3. In Exh.P-3, the doctor has noted the

following injuries:

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Page 16 “Injuries:

(1) An incised wound extending from lower part of right

cheek, above mandible, directed downwards to the middle

of back of neck; obliquely placed and of sixe 14X6X6 cms.

Blood vessels, muscles, C3, C4, vertebra cut, head partially

hanging and blood clots present.

(2) An incised wound on centre of forehead close to midline

extending to middle of scalp vertical in direction directed

upwards and backwards size 14X4X6 cms. Underlying bone

cut and brain matter coming out through the wound.

(3) An incised wound extending from middle of right side of

back to right side of shoulder of size 20X6X6 cms. Oblique

in direction, overlapping cut injuries on inferur border of

wound, muscles, blood vessels cut, blood clots present.

Right scapula injured and dislocated.

(4) An incised wound on right side of lower part of back

below injury no.3, oblique in direction 12X4X2 cms. Blood

vessels, muscles cut and blood clots present.

(5) An incised wound horizontal in direction 18X6X8 cms.

Extending from left lower part of back of left waist fort

side.

(6) An incised wound above injury no.5 oblique in direction

on left side of lower part of back to right side crossing

spine 12X6X4 cms. Blood vessels, muscles cut in the same

direction.

(7) An incised wound on upper third of upper arm right, on

lateral side extending to back of 12 X 4 shoulder, oblique in

direction, blood vessels, muscles cut.

(8) An incised would on right upper arm, upper third on

medical aspect, skin depth 5 X 2 cms. obliquely placed.”

17)As rightly pointed out by the State counsel, the cut

injuries observed by the doctor tally with the narration given

by PW-1 in Exh.P-1 as well as in his evidence and the

evidence of PW-5. The doctor also opined that the death of

the deceased might have occurred 28-30 hours prior to the

post mortem. It is not in dispute that the doctor commenced

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Page 17 the post mortem on 13.05.1992 at 10.30 hours and as per

the prosecution case, the death of the deceased occurred at

05.30 a.m. on 12.05.1992. A perusal of these details clearly

show that the opinion given by the doctor tallies with the

prosecution version that the death might have occurred 28-

30 hours prior to the post mortem. The trial Court, taking

note of the evidence of PW-2 that there were around 300

grams semi digested food particles (rice) in the stomach of

the deceased, disbelieved the time of occurrence as

projected by the prosecution. It is true that PW-2, while

deposing before the Court, answered in the cross-

examination that the death might have occurred 34 hours

prior to her performing the post mortem and the partly

undigested rice would show that rice might have been

consumed by the deceased 2-3 hours before his death.

However, the Investigation Officer (PW-11), during the cross-

examination, highlighted that during the course of his

investigation, he ascertained from the father of the

deceased that the deceased consumed food at 11.00 p.m.

during the said intervening night. As rightly observed by the

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Page 18 High court, since the parties are hailing from a remote

village, the villagers might take food even at odd hours after

finishing certain work in their fields and it cannot be

precisely predict based on the undigested food particles

alone. The High Court has adverted to Modi’s Medical

Jurisprudence and Toxicology, 22

nd

Edition and after noting

all the relevant details has rightly concluded that the

observation of the doctor relating to the injuries and her

general opinion at the time of death which occurred 28-30

hours tally with the narration of eye-witnesses and

concluded that in such a case mere inference of the doctor

with reference to undigested food particles could not threw

the prosecution case. We fully agree with the discussion and

the ultimate conclusion on this aspect by the High Court.

The evidence of PWs 1 and 5 coupled with the version in

Exh.P-1 would state that the occurrence took place at 5.30

a.m. while the deceased was passing stool, as such, the

timings mentioned by the doctor, occurrence and other

witnesses tally with the narration. Accordingly, we reject the

contention raised by the counsel for the appellants with

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Page 19 reference to existence of undigested particles n the post

mortem by PW-2.

Other objections:

18)Though an argument was advanced that there was

delay in filing the FIR in the Court of the Magistrate, a

perusal of the details placed by the prosecution show that

the occurrence took place at 05.30 a.m. on 12.05.1992 and

the FIR was registered on the same day at 08.00 hrs. and the

Magistrate received the FIR on the same day at 02.00 p.m.

As rightly observed by the High Court, it cannot be

presumed that there was inordinate delay in reaching the

FIR to the Magistrate Court. Further, it has come in evidence

that Kallidaikurichi P.S. is situated at a distance which could

be covered by cycle in 45 minutes and Abdul Rahman (PW-

9), Police Constable Grade-I, who was attached with

Kallidaikurichi P.S. at the relevant time has explained in his

evidence that he took the complaint (Exh.P-1) and the FIR to

the Magistrate Court and reached at around 10.00 or 10.15

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Page 20 a.m. but by that time Magistrate Court’s sitting was

commenced. PW-9 further explained that when he

approached the Head Clerk, he informed PW-9 to hand it

over to the Magistrate after the sitting hour was over as it

happened to be an express FIR. There is no reason to

disbelieve the version of the Police Constable (PW-9) and we

hold that absolutely, there is no delay at all in either

registering the FIR or dispatching the same to the Magistrate

Court.

19) We have already noticed the motive as spoken to by PW-

1 both in his evidence as well as in Exh.P-1. It was pointed

out that no blood stains were noticed in the M.Os I, II and III,

namely, aruvals (bill hooks) and dress in the FSL report. It

was explained that since these objects were lying on the

earth and by efflux of time, no blood was found by the

laboratory because of which the same cannot be doubted

when the same were duly recovered in the presence of

witnesses.

20)In the light of the above discussion, we are satisfied

that the trial Court failed to take note of relevant aspects

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Page 21 and committed a grave error in rejecting the reliable

materials placed by the prosecution. The High Court as

appellate court, analyzed the evidence as provided in

Section 378 of the Code and rightly reversed the order of

acquittal and found A-1 and A-2 guilty of offence under

Section 302 read with Section 34 IPC for murdering Ramaiah

in pursuance of their common intention and awarded

sentence of life imprisonment. We fully agree with the said

conclusion.

21)Consequently, the appeal fails and the same is

dismissed.

………… .…………………………J.

(P. SATHASIVAM)

………….…………………………J.

(RANJAN GOGOI)

NEW DELHI;

JANUARY 04, 2013.

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