HARENDRA NATH MANDALversusSTATE OF BIHAR

                     HARENDRA NAT:f MANDAL                                      A
                                     v.
                           STATE OF BIHAR

                             MARCH 2, 1993

                                                                                B
               [DR. A.S. ANAND AND N.P. SINGH, JJ.]


      Indian Penal Code, 1860:

       Section 304, Part I-:-W11en can be invoked-Attack by accused-Victim
surviving injuries inflicted by accused-Trial Coun sentencing accused under     C
section 307/34-High Court converting sentehce to one under section 304, Part
I-Whether justified.

      Sections JO I and 104-0ccurrence of incident due to dispute regarding
harvesting of crops-Accused suffering injuries along with the victims i., the   D
same incidenl-Non-disclomre of true version of occurrence by prosecu-
tion-Right of private defence of person and property-W/1ether available to
the accused-Whether accused entitled to be acquitted.

      The prosecution alleged that when PW 9 and his brother, having
learnt that the appellant and two other persons were harvesting paddy           E
from their plot, went there and protested as to why their crops were being
harvested, one person caught hold of the hands of PW 9's brother, and the
appellant, assaulted him on his head with the back portion of a Tangi, and
at that very time, another person assaulted PW 9, the informant, with a
lathi on his right hand. The three perscns were charged with attempt to         F
commit murder of PW 9's brother, and also theft of the paddy crops from
the plot of PW 9 and his brother.

      On consideration of the evidence on record, the Sessions Judge
convicted the appellant and another accused for offence under section 307
read with section 34 of the Penal Code. They were sentenced to undergo          G
seven years' and live years' rigorous imprisonment respectively. The third
accused was convicted under section 323 and sentenced to undergo
rigorous imprisonment for six months. All of them were also convicted
under section 379 of the Penal Code and sentenced to one year's rigorous
imprisonment each.                                                              H
                                     137
    138                  SUPREME COURT REPORTS                   [1993] 2 S.C.R.

A          During the pendency of the appeal before the High Court, preferred
    by the three accused, one of them died and his appeal abated. The High           ~-




    Court set aside the conviction and sentence under section 323 of the Penal
    Code against the other accused and he was acquitted of the charges
    levelled against him. The High Court also set aside the conviction and
    sentence under section 307 read with section 34 passed against the appel·
B
    lant, but convicted him under section 304 Part I of the Penal Code and
    sentenced him to two years' rigorous imprisonment.

          In the appeal before this Court on behalf of the appellant, it was
    urged that when PW 9 to whom the appellant was alleged to have given.a
C   blow by the back portion of a Tangi, survived the injury, there was no
    question of convicting the ljppellant under section 304 Part I of.the Penal
    Code. It was also contended that the appellant had sustained injuries
    during the same occurrence including one at the scalp.

          Allowing the appeal, this Court,
D
          HELD : 1.1. Section 304 does not create an offence but provides the
    punishment for culpable homicide not amounting to murder. In view of
    section 300 of the Penal Code, except in cases covered by the five exceptions
    mentioned therein, culpable homicide is murder. If a death is caused and
    the case is covered by any one of the five exceptions of section 300, then
E
    such culpable homicide shall not amount to murder. Section 304 provides
    punishment for culpable homicide not amounting to murder and draws a
    distinction in the penalty to be inflicted in cases covered by one of the five
    exceptions where an intention to kill is present ·and where there is only
    knowledge that death will be a likely result, but intention to cause death
F   or such bodily injury which is likely to cause death is absent. The first part
    of section 304 applies where there is guilty intention whereas the second
    part applies where there is guilty knowledge. But before an accused is held
    guilty and punished under first part or second part of section 304, a death      -
    must have been caused by him under any of the circumstances mentioned
G   in the five exceptions to section 300, which include dealh caused while
    deprived of power of self-control under grave and sudden provocation,
    while exercising in good faith the right of private defence of person or
     property, and in a sudden fight in the heat of passion without permedita·
    lion. [1418-D,F)

H         1.2. In the instant case, when death itself had not been caused, there
                HARENDRA NATH v. STATE OF BIHAR [N.P. SINGH, J.]                 139

         was no occasion for convicting the appellant under section 304 of the Penal    A
         Code. [141G)

                13. The appellant, in his examination under section 313 of the Code
         or Criminal Procedure, stated that he had sustained injuries during the
         same occurrence while warding off the Bha/a blow aimed at bis chest by
         PW 9. The aforesaid injuries on the person of the appellant were examined      B
~-       by the Civil Assistant Surgeon, who had been examined as a witness at the
         trial. The other accused, who died during the pendency of the appeal had
         also been examined by the Jail Doctor and the Doctor was examined as a
         witness at the trial, who proved the injuries on the person of accused. The
         Judge himself on consideration of the materials on record bas come to the
         conclusion that the manner of occurrence, as alleged by the appellants in
                                                                                        c
         which they sustained injuries, has been suppressed and the true version
         of the occurrence has not been given by the prosecution and in the
'-..
         circumstances, the right of private defence of person and property cannot
         be completely ruled out. [142B-C,G-H]
                                                                                        D
               1.4. In view of the finding of the High Court that the prosecution had
         not disclosed the true version of the occurrence, and the right of private
         defence of person and property was available to the appellant, the appel·
         lant was entitled to be acquitted. [143A)

              CRIMINAL APPELLATE JURISDICTION: Criminal Appeal No.                      E
         462of1985.

                From the Judment and Order dated 21.12.84 of the Patna High Court
         in Crl. A. No. 146 of 1978 (R).
                                                                                        F
               R.C. Kohli Advocate for the Appellant.

"""'-·         Pramod Swarup Advocate for ~he Respondent.

              The Judgment of the Court was delivered by

               N.P. SINGH, J. This appeal is on behalf of the sole appellant who
                                                                                        G
         has beer· convicted under section 304 Part I of the Indian Penal Code
         (hereinafter referred to as "the Penal Code") and has been sentenced to
         undergo rigorous imprisonment for two years by the High Court.

              The appellant along with Sitaram Manda! and Tribhanga Manda! H
                                                                                  '0


    140                  SUPREME COURT REPORTS                 (1993] 2 S.C.R.

A were charged for offence under section 307 read with section 34 for
    attempting to commit the murder of Gopal Chandra Ravidas, They had
    also been charged under section 379 of the Penal Code for committing
    the theft of the paddy crops from plot No. 2760 of village Amjhore, P.S.
    Baliapur, District Dhanbad.
B
           According to the prosecution case, on 26.10.75 at about 12.00 noon
    the informant Bishnu Ravidas (PW-9) and his brother Gopal Chandra
    Ravidas having learnt that the accused persons were harvesting their paddy
    from the plot aforesaid went there. When they protested as to why their
    crops were being harvested, accused Sitaram. Manda! caught hold of the
c   hands of Gopal Chandra Ravidas and Harendra Nath Manda!, the appel-
    lant, assaulted Gopal Chandra Ravidas on his head with the back portion
    of a Tangi. At that very time, accused Tribhanga Manda! assaulted inform-
    ant with a lathi on his right hand.


D         On a consideration of the evidence on record, the learned Sessions
    Judge convicted appellant Harendra Nath Manda! and Sitararn Manda! for
    offence under section 307 read with section 34 of the Penal Code and
    sentenced the appellant, Harendra Nath Manda! to undergo rigorous
    imprisonment for seven years and accused Sitaram Manda) to undergo
    rigorous imprisonment for five years. Accused Tribhanga Manda! was
E
    convicted under section 323 and sentenced to undergo rigorous imprison-
    ment for six months. All of them were also convicted under section 379 of
    the Penal Code and sentenced to one year rigorous imprisonment each.
    The sentences were direced to run concurrently.

F        During the pendency of the appeal before the High Court, Sitaram
  Manda! died and his appeal abated. The learned Judge, however, set aside
  the conviction and sentence under section 307 read with section 34 passed
  against the appellant" Harendra Nath Manda! but convicted him under
  section 304 Part I of the Penal Code and sentenced him to two years'
G rigorous imprisonment. The conviction and sentence under section 379
  were also set aside. The conviction and sentence under section 323 of the
  Penal Code against Tribhariga Manda! were also set aside and he was
  acquitted of the charges levelled against him. It was rightly urged on behalf   ).
  of the appellant that when Gopal Chandra Ravidas to whom this appellant
H is alleged to have given a blow by the back portion of a Tangi, has survived
t
           HARENDRA NATH v. STATE OF BIHAR [N.P. SINGH, J.]                  141

     the injury aforesaid, there was no question of covicting the appellant under   A
     section 304 Part I of the Penal Code.

            Section 304 does not create an offence but provides the punishment
     for culpable homicide not amounting to murder. In view of section 299 of
     the Penal Code, whoever causes death by doing an act with the intention
                                                                                   B
     of causing death, or with the intention of causing such bodily injury as is
     likely to cause death, or with the knowledge that he is likely by such act to
     cause death, commits the offence of culpable homicide. In view of section
     300 of the Penal Code, except in cases covered by the five exceptions
     mentioned therein, culpable homicide is murder. It is well-known that if a
     death is caused and the case is covered by any one of the five exceptions      c
     of section 300 then such culpable homicide shall not amount to murder.
     Section 304 provides punishment for culpable homicide not amounting to
y·   murder and draws a distinction in the ·penalty to be inflicted in cases
     covered by one of the five exceptions, where an intention to kill is present
     and where there is only knowledge that death will be a likely result, but D
     intention to cause death or such bodily injury which is likely to cause death
     is absent. To put it otherwise if the act of the accused falls within any of
     the clauses 1, 2 and 3 of ~ection 300 but is covered by any of the five
     exceptions it will be punishable under the first part of section 304. If,
     however, the act comes under clause 4 of section 300 i.e. the person
     committing the act knows that it is so imminently dangerous that it must, E
     in all probability cause death but without any intention to cause death and
     is covered by any of the exceptions, it will be punishable under the second
     part. The first part of section 304 applies where there is guilty intention
     whereas the second part applies where there is guilty knowledge. But
     before an accused is held guilty and punished under first part or second F
     part of section 304, a death must have been caused by him under any of
     the circumstances mentioned in the five exceptions to section 300, which
     include death caused while deprived of power of self-control under grave
     and sudden provocation, while exercising in good faith the right of private
     defence of person or property, and in a sudden fight in the heat of passion
     without premeditation. So far the present case is concerned, when death G
     itself had not been caused, there was no occasion for convicting the
     appellant under section 304 of the Penal Code.

           Now the next question is as to whether the appellant should be
     convicted for causing injury on the head of aforesaid Gopal Chandra H
     142                 SUPREME COURT REPORTS                  [1993] 2 S.C.R.

A Ravidas with the back portion of a Tangi. It was pointed out that the
     appellant has sustained injuries dring the same occurrence including one
     at the scalp. The aforesaid injuries on the person of the appellant were
     examined by the Civil Assistant Surgeon, Sadar Hospital, Dhanbad, who
     has been examined as a witness at the trial. The appellant in his examina-
     tion under section 313 of the Code of Criminal Procedure stated that he
B    had sustained injuries aforesaid while warding off the Bha/a blow aimed at
     his chest by the aforesaid Gopal Chandra Ravidas. The other accused
     Sitaram Manda! who died during the pendency of the appeal had also been
     examined by the jail Doctor in the Dhanbad jail and said Doctor was
     examined as a witness at the trial, who proved the injuries on the person
c    of accused Sitaram Manda!.           ''

          The learned Judge himself on consideration of the materials on
     recored has come to the following conclusion :-

D·           "From the aforesaid discussion of the evidence, in the facts
             and circumstances of the case, it appears that since long
             before the occurrence both the parties were claiming title
             an'd pessession over the disputed land and the occurrence
             took place regarding the harvesting of the paddy crop. In
             the same occurrence the informant (PW-9) and his
E            brother Gopal Ravidas sustained iiijuries  and the first and
                                                     ],
             second appellants were also injured. According to the
             appellants Gopal Ravidas aimed a 'Bhala' ,blow on the
             che5t of the first appellant but he warded it off and

F
             sustained i.njuries at his hand. The first and th: second
             appellants were also assaulted by lathis. The injuri~s were
                                                                                  -
             examined and proved by the doctor (DW-8). Likewise, the
             injuries of the second appellant were examined by the jaid
             doctor, (DW-7), who proved th~ injury report. May· be,
             that their injuries were not severe but it was a matter of
              luck that the first appellant could avoid and ward off the
G             'Bhala' blow aimed at his chest. The manner of occurrence
              as alleged by the appellants in which they sustained in-
             juries has been suppressed and the true version of the
              occurrence has not been given by the prosecution. In the
              circumstances, the right of private defence of person and
H             property cannot be completely ruled out."
             HARENDRA NATI! v. STATE OF BIHAR [N.P. SINGH, J.]          143

          Once the finding aforesaid was recorded that the prosecution has not A
    disclosed the true version of the occurrence and the right of private
    defence of person and property was available to the appellant then the
    appellant was entitled to be acquitted.

         Accordingly, the appeal is allowed. The conviction and sentence
    passed against the appellant are set aside.                               B

    N.P.V.                                                  Appeal allowed




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