Holding

Where eye‑witness testimony is found credible and trustworthy, medical opinion pointing to alternative possibilities is not conclusive, and no conflict exists between ocular and medical evidence; consequently, the convictions are upheld.

Summary

The Supreme Court examined an appeal against convictions for murder under IPC sections 302 r/w 201, 148, 149 and 147. The prosecution's case rested on three eye‑witnesses who positively identified the accused, while the defence contended that the post‑mortem medical findings conflicted with the ocular evidence. The Court held that when eye‑witness testimony is credible, medical opinions suggesting alternative possibilities are not conclusive and must not be given undue primacy. It reiterated that reasonable doubt must arise from actual, substantial doubts grounded in evidence, not from speculative or emotional considerations. Finding no inconsistency between the eye‑witness and medical evidence, the Court upheld the convictions and dismissed the appeal.

Issues considered

Can medical post‑mortem evidence override credible eye‑witness testimony in a murder trial?
What is the appropriate standard of proof and assessment of reasonable doubt in criminal cases?
Are the convictions under IPC sections 302 r/w 201, 148, 149 and 147 sustainable given the evidential material?

Legislation cited

Indian Evidence Act, 1872s. 3
Indian Penal Code, 1860s. 147, s. 148, s. 149, s. 201, s. 302

Subjects

eye‑witness testimonymedical evidencereasonable doubtstandard of proofcriminal lawevidence evaluationmurder convictionIndian Evidence ActIPC

Judgment

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•
[2009] 2 S.C.R. 756

A CHHOTANNEY & ORS. ·~
V.
.
STATE OF UTTAR PRADESH & ORS. ..i
:·
CRIMINAL APPEAL NO. 441 OF 2002
FEBRUARY 18, 2009 I
~.,
B
[DR. ARIJIT PASAYAT AND ASOK KUMAR GANGULY,
JJ.]
Evidence Act, 1872 : . ""
c s. 3 - Testimony of eye witness - Evidentiary value of -
Held: When eye witnesses account is found credible and
trustworthy, medical opinion pointing to alternative possibilities
is not accepted as conclusive - Eye witnesses account
requires careful independent assessment - On facts, there
was no conflict between ocular evidence and medical evidence
D ~
- Thus, conviction of main accused uls. 302 rlw s. 201 and
s. 148 and co-accused uls. 302 rlw s. 149 and s. 147 /PC by ...
courts below justified.
Criminal Law - Evidence - Standard of proof - Degree
E of proof and probability - Measurement of - Explained. i
t

Prosecution case was that on account of previous
enmity appellant no. 1 and 4 chopped the head of
deceased on exhortation of appellant no. 2. Two ).
prosecution witnesses were the eye witness to the )oy

F .incident of murder. The courts below convicted appellant ,.'

no. 1 and 4 u/s. 302 r/w s. 201 and 148 and appellant no. 2
u/s. 302 r/w s. 149 and 147 IPC. Hence the present appeal.
Dismissing the appeal, the Court

G HELD: 1. The plea that the medical evidence is at
variance with ocular evidence, it would be erroneous to
~
accord undue primacy to the hypothetical· answers of ,.
medical witnesses to exclude the eye-witnesses' account
which had to be tested independently and not treated as
H 756
CHHOTANNEY & ORS.V. STATE OF 757
UTTAR PRADESH & ORS.

~··
the "variable" keeping the medical evidence as the A
"constant". There was no conflict between the ocular
evidence and the medical evidence. [Paras 6 and 10] [ 762-
C; 764-C]
2.1 Where the eye-witnesses' account is found
credible and trustworthy, medical opinion pointing to B
alternative possibilities is not accepted as conclusive.
Witnesses are the eyes and ears of justice. Hence the
importance and primacy of the quality of the trial process.
Eye witnesses' account would require a careful
independent assessment and evaluation for their C
credibility which should not be adversely prejudged
making any other evidence, including medical evidence,
as the sole touchstone for the test of such credibility.
Evidence must be tested for its inherent consistency and
. the inherent probability of the story; consistency with the
account of other witnesses held to be credit-worthy;
D

consistency with the undisputed facts; the 'credit' of
witnesses; their performance in the witness-box; their
power of observation etc. Then the probative value of such
evidence becomes eligible to be put into the scales for a E
cumulative evaluation. [Para 7] [ 762-D]
2.2 A person has, no doubt, a profound right not to
be convicted of an offence which is not established by
the evidential standard of proof beyond reasonable doubt.
Though this standard is a higher standard, there is, F
however, no absolute standard. What degree of
probability amounts to 'proof' is an exercise particular to
each case. [Para 8] [ 762-G]
"The Mathematics of Proof II": Glanville Williams:
Criminal Law Review, 1979, by Sweet and Maxwell, p. 340 (342) G
- referred to.
2.3 Doubts would be called reasonable if they are free
from a zest for- abstract speculation. Law cannot afford
any favourite other than truth. To constitute reasonable
doubt, it must be free from an over emotional response. H
758 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2009] 2 S.C.R.

A Doubts. must be actual and substantial doubts as to the
guilt of the accused persons arising from the evidence,
or from the lack of it, as opposed to mere vague
apprehensions. A reasonable doubt is not an imaginary,
trivial or a merely possible doubt; but a fair doubt based
B upon reason and commonsense. It must grow out of the
evidence in the case. [Para 9] [ 763-E]
2.4 The concepts of probability, and the degrees of
it, cannot obviously be expressed in terms of units to be
mathematically enumerated as to how many of such units
C constitute proof beyond reasonable doubt. There is an
unmistakable subjective element in the evaluation of the
degrees of probability and the quantum of proof. Forensic
probability must, in the last analysis, rest on a robust
common sense and, ultimately, on the trained intuitions
D of the judge. While the protection given by the criminal
process to the accused persons is not to be eroded, at
the same time, uninformed legitimization of trivialities
would make a mockery of administration of criminal
justice. [Para 10] [ 763; 764-G]
E State of U.P. v. Krishna Gopal and Anr AIR 1988 SC 2154;
State of Madhya Pradesh v. Dharkole @ Govind Singh and
Ors. 2004 (11) sec 308 - relied on.
Case Law Reference
F AIR 1988 SC 2154 Relied on. Para 10
2004 (11 > sec 308 Relied on. Para 10
CRIMINALAPPELLATE JURISDICTION: Criminal Appeal
No. 441 of 2002
G
From the final Judgement and Order dated 19.11.1999 of
the High Court bf Judicature at Allahabad, Lucknow in Criminal ~,
Appeal No. 291 ot1980.

B.S. Jain, Ajay Veer Singh Jain, Mamta Jain, Mankish
H Raghav, Vipin Gupta, Goodwil lndeevar for the Appellant.
CHHOTANNEY & ORS.V. STATE OF 759
UTTAR PRADESH & ORS .

._ Pramod Swarup, Manoj Kr. Dwivedi Gunnam A
Venkateswara for the Respondents.
The Judgement of tfle Court was delivered by
DR. ARIJIT PASAYAT, J
1. Challenge in this appeal is to the judgment of a Division 8
Bench of the Allahabad High Court dismissing the appeal filed
• by the appellants and respondents 2 and 3 who were co-
,,.. accused persons. Respondent No.2 Tahir, appellant No.3-
Azmat Ullah, appellant No.1-Chhotanney and appellant No.4-
Mubarak were convicted by learned IV Additional Sessions C
Judge, Sitapur for offences punishable under Section 302 read
with Section 201 and 148 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860 (in
short the 'IPC'). Appellant No.2-Liyakat and respondent No.3-
Abdullah were found guilty of offence punishable under Section
llll 302 read with Section 149 IPC and Section 147 IPC. D
2. Prosecution version in a nutshell is as follows:
On 18.11.1977 one Zahid Khan_ (hereinafter referred to as
the 'deceased') was killed. and one Azhar Beg alias Gobrey,
father of appellant Azmatullah was done to death earlier and in E
that murder case, deceased Zahid Khan was also one of the
accused. Zahid Khan was released on bail a few months before
the occurrence of 18.11.1977. Ever since the release of Zahid
Khan on bail, the accused had an eye on him and wanted to
liquidate him. On 18.11.1977 at about 2 p.m. deceased Zahid F
Khan followed by his father Khadim Khan (now dead), Samiullah
Khan and Salam Khan was coming back on foot with a cycle
loaded with two bags of maize after completing the process of
sowing of wheat in his plot situating within the limits of village
Sangh Shari. Accused Tahir and Azmatullah fired at him. G
Appellants Chhotanney and Mubarak chopped off upper portion
~-
• of his head with their respective 'Banka' on the exhortation of
appellant Liyakat. It was also alleged that the chopped portion
of the head was handed over to the accused Abdullah and
thereafter appellant Mubarak, Chhotanney, Azmat Ullah and H
760 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2009] 2 S.C.R.

A accused Tahir Beg dragged the dead body of Zahid Khan for
~
some distance with a view to throw away the same in a nearby
river. But due to the arrival of witnesses they did not succeed in
taking the dead body to the river. It was also claimed that Hakik
Khan and Nasrullah Khan had also come on the spot during the
B course of the occurrence and had witnessed the incident of
murder. According to the prosecution case, the accused ran
away with the severed part of the head.
Khadim Khan lodged written report on the same clay at ·'1'
•
1755 hrs. with P.S. Sadarpur of district Sitapur in which he
c named all the six accused persons. S.I. B.N. Mishra was present
at the time the FIR was lodged with the police station. He took
up the investigation. After recording the statement of informant
Khadim Khan and Qaiyame Khan he rushed to the spot and
reached there late in the evening. On reaching there, he found
D the dead body lying in a "Galiyara" at a distance of about 2% ... .
furlongs from village Benjh Shari. He prepared the inquest report "
(Ext. Ka 5), prepared the diagram of the dead body and sent
the dead body to the District Head Quarter through constable
Shiv Singh, for post mortem examination. The upper portion of
E the head was missing. He inspected the place of occurrence in
the light of patromax; a bicycle having blood stains on the left
paddle, two bags of maize were found lying on the spot and
were given in the Supurdagi of Khadim Khan, after necessary
formalities. He also observed the evidence of dragging of the
.. ...
F dead body. Blood stained and simple earth were collected and
necessary Fard was prepared. The Investigating Officer also
recovered a piece of blood stained bone, blood-stained hair
and grass. The place of occurrence was a user land having grass
on it and a site plan was prepared. On the next day; statements
of Hakik, Nasrullah Khan, Salam Khan and Samiullah were
G
recorded and a search for the named accused was made. The
· accused were absconding. The served portion of the head could
not be traced out. The accused surrendered in court on different
••
dates and their statements were recorded in jail.

H On post mortem examination that took place on
CHHOTANNEY & ORS.V. STATE OF 761
UTTAR PRADESH & ORS. [DR. ARIJIT PASAYAT, J.]

20.11.1977at11.30 a.m. Dr. Om Prakash found various ante- A
mortem external injuries on the body of the deceased.
On the basis of information lodged, investigation was
undertaken and on completion thereof charge sheet was filed.
As the accused persons pleaded innocence, trial was held.
B
The trial Court placing reliance on the evidence of the eye
witnesses PWs 1, 2 and 3 directed conviction as noted above.
~
In appeal, it was primarily contended that PWs 2 and 3 have not
• identified the accused persons and the medical evidence was
in conflict with the ocular evidence. The High Court did not c
accept the stand and upheld the conviction.
3. In the present appeal the stand taken by the appellants
before the High Court was•re-iterated. It is pointed out by learned
counsel for the appellants that appellant No.3-Azmat Ullah has
......_ .,.. died in the meantime, so also respondents 2 and 3- Tahir and D
Abdullah respectively. It appears that there were three eye
~
witnesses PWs 1, 2 and 3. The stand that PW-3 could not
recognize the accused is not factually correct as it is evident
from a bare reading of the evidence of PW-3.
4. It is also submitted that the ocular evidence is at variance E
with the medical evidence. It is submitted that the so called eye
witnesses stated that firing was done twice, but there are six
. .J.
injuries. It is to be noted that the trial Court and the High Court
have clearly stated that the doctor who conducted post mortem
did not properly visualize the location of the injuries. The doctor F
did not know the places from where the pellets were recovered.
As a matter of fact the evidence on records shows that four
pellets were recovered.
5. It has also been stated by learned counsel for the
G
--A appellants that the injuries could not have been caused by lathis.
~/
According to the prosecution, accused Liyakat and Abdullah
held lathis. This stand is also without any substance. It is stated
by the doctor that the injuries were possible on account of assault
by lathi. It was also submitted that according to the prosecution,
H
.
762 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2009] 2 S.C.R.

A the dead body was dragged but there was no injury. As y"'"
highlighted by both the trial Court and the High Court that the
place was a grassy land. Therefore, there was no possibility of
injury on account of dragging when the person was fully clothed.
The doctor's evidence appears to be little confusing. He has
B stated that the injuries can be possible by 2, 3 or 5 shots.
6. Coming to the plea that the medical evidence is at
variance with ocular evidence; it has to be noted that it would .,..
be erroneous to accord undue primacy to the hypothetical •
answers of medical witnesses to exclude the eye-witnesses'
c account which had to be tested independently and not treated
as the "variable" keeping the medical evidence as the "constant".
7. It is trite that where the eye-witnesses' account is found
•
credible and trustworthy, medical opinion pointing to alternative
D
possibilities is not accepted as conclusive. Witnesses, as ,
Bentham said, are t_he eyes and ears of justice. Hence the ~

importance and primacy of the quality of the trial process. Eye
witnesses' account would require a careful independent
assessment and evaluation for their credibility which should not
be adversely prejudged making any other evidence, including
E medical evidence, as the sole touchstone for the test of such
credibility. The evidence must be tested for its inherent
consistency and the inherent probability of the story; consistency
with the account of other witnesses held to be credit-worthy; :..-
consistency with the undisputed facts; the 'credit' of the
..
F witnesses; their performance in the witness-box; their power of
observation etc. Then the probative value of such evidence
becomes eligible to be put into the scales for a cumulative
evaluation.
8. A person has, no doubt, a profound right notto be
G
convicted of an offence which is not established by the evidential ~
' "!\.
standard of proof beyond reasonable doubt. Though this
standard is a higher stan_dard, there is, however, no absolute
standard. Wt:iat degree of probability amounts to 'proof is an
H. exercise particular to each case? Referring to what degree of
(

CHHOTANNEY & ORS.V. STATE OF 763
UTTAR PRADESH & ORS. [DR. ARIJIT PASAYAT, J.]

.........., probability amounts to 'proof' is an exercise the inter- A
dependence of evidence and the confirmation of one piece of
evidence by another, a learned author says: (See "The
Mathematics of Proof II": Glanville Williams: Criminal Law
Review, 1979, by Sweet and Maxwell, p.340 (342).
"The simple multiplication rule does not apply if the B
separate pieces of evidence are dependent. Two events
....,, are dependent when they tend to occur together, and the
,_ evidence of such events may also be said to be dependent.
,,__,
In a criminal case, different pieces of evidence directed to
establishing that the defendant did the prohibited ad with c
the specified state of mind are generally dependent. A
junior may feel doubt whether to credit an alleged
confession, and doubt whether to infer guilt from the fact
that the defendant fled from justice. But since it is generally
... guilty rather than innocent people who make confessions D
,. and guilty rather than innocent people who run away, the
__,,
I
two doubts are not to be multiplied together. The one piece
of evidence may confirm the other."
9. Doubts would be called reasonable if they are free from
a zest for abstract speculation. Law cannot afford any favourite E
other than truth. To constitute reasonable doubt, it must be free
from an over emotional response. Doubts must be actual and
.J. substantial doubts as to the guilt of the accused persons arising
w
from the evidence, or from the lack of it, as opposed to mere
vague apprehensions. A reasonable doubt is not an imaginary, F
trivial or a merely possible doubt; but a fair doubt based upon
reason and commonsense. It must grow out of the evidence in
the case.
10. The concepts of probabiJity, and the degrees of it,
G
~
cannot obviously be expressed in terms of units to be
./; '
mathematically enumerated as to how many of such units
constitute proof beyond reasonable doubt. There is an
unmistakable subjective element in the evaluation of the degrees
of probability and the quantum of proof. Forensic probability
H
764 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2009] 2 S.C.R.
..
A must, in the last analysis, rest on a robust common sense and,
ultimately, on the trained intuitions of the judge. While the
protection given by the criminal process to the accused persons
is not to be eroded, at the same time, uninformed legitimization
of trivialities would make a mockery of administration of criminal
B justice. This position was illuminatingly stated byVenkatachaliah,
J. (as His Lordship then was) in State of UP. v. Krishna Gopal
and Anr. (AIR 1988 SC 2154) and State of Madhya Pradesh v.
Dharko/e@ Govind Singh & Ors. (20004 (11) SCC 308).
Apparently, there was no conflict between the ocular evidence
C and the medical evidence as contended by learned counsel for
the appellant.
11. Above being the position, we find no merit in this appeal t-
which is accordingly dismissed.

N.J. Appeal dismissed.