RAJ KUMAR @ SUMANversusSTATE (NCT OF DELHI)

754                       [2023]
               SUPREME COURT     5 S.C.R. 754
                              REPORTS                       [2023] 5 S.C.R.


A                          RAJ KUMAR @ SUMAN
                                        v.
                           STATE (NCT OF DELHI)
                       (Criminal Appeal No. 1471 of 2023)
B                                 MAY 11, 2023
              [ABHAY S. OKA AND RAJESH BINDAL, JJ.]
            Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 – s.313 – Power to examine
      the accused – Law summarized.
C            Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 – s.313 – Non-compliance
      of – Omission made while questioning the accused u/s.313, effect
      of – Appellant was convicted u/ss.302, 307 r/w 120-B, IPC and
      sentenced accordingly –Held: The only alleged incriminating
      circumstance against the appellant is in the evidence of PW5, who
      stated that the appellant was standing with a katta in his hand outside
D
      the premises where the offence took place–However, this was not
      put to him in his statement u/s.313– Therefore, he had no opportunity
      to explain the said circumstance which was the only basis of his
      conviction– Hence, serious prejudice was caused to him –
      Conviction of the appellant was vitiated – Impugned judgment of
E     the High Court set aside – Conviction and sentence of the appellant
      set aside.
             Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 – s.313(5)– Benefit of –
      Assistance of Prosecutor and Defence Counsel in
      preparing relevant questions–Held: While recording the statement
F     u/s.313, in cases involving large number of prosecution witnesses,
      Judicial Officers advised to take benefit of s.313(5) which will ensure
      that the chances of committing errors and omissions are minimized–
      However, scant attention is paid to this provision – The National and
      the State Judicial Academies to take a note of this situation.
G           Allowing the appeal, the Court
            HELD: 1.1 The law consistently laid down by this Court
      can be summarized as: (i) It is the duty of the Trial Court to put
      each material circumstance appearing in the evidence against
      the accused specifically, distinctively and separately. The material
H     circumstance means the circumstance or the material on the basis
                                       754
      RAJ KUMAR @ SUMAN v. STATE (NCT OF DELHI)                             755


of which the prosecution is seeking his conviction; (ii) The object         A
of examination of the accused under Section 313 is to enable the
accused to explain any circumstance appearing against him in
the evidence; (iii) The Court must ordinarily eschew material
circumstances not put to the accused from consideration while
dealing with the case of the particular accused; (iv) The failure to
                                                                            B
put material circumstances to the accused amounts to a serious
irregularity. It will vitiate the trial if it is shown to have prejudiced
the accused; (v) If any irregularity in putting the material
circumstance to the accused does not result in failure of justice,
it becomes a curable defect. However, while deciding whether
the defect can be cured, one of the considerations will be the              C
passage of time from the date of the incident; (vi) In case such
irregularity is curable, even the appellate court can question the
accused on the material circumstance which is not put to him;
and (vii) In a given case, the case can be remanded to the Trial
Court from the stage of recording the supplementary statement
                                                                            D
of the concerned accused under Section 313 of CrPC. (viii) While
deciding the question whether prejudice has been caused to the
accused because of the omission, the delay in raising the
contention is only one of the several factors to be considered.
[Para 16][767-D-G; 768-A-C]
      Tara Singh v. State 1951 SCC OnLine SC 49; Shivaji                    E
      Sahabrao Bobade & Anr. v. State of Maharashtra
      (1973) 2 SCC 793 : [1974] 1 SCR 489; S. Harnam
      Singh v. State (Delhi Admn.) (1976) 2 SCC 819; Samsul
      Haque v. State of Assam (2019) 18 SCC 161 – relied
      on.                                                                   F
       2.1 The only circumstance brought on record against the
present appellant is in the evidence of PW5, who stated that the
appellant was standing outside near the gate of the gallery with a
katta in his hand. No overt act was attributed to him. There is a
long statement of the appellant under Section 313 of CrPC in                G
which as many as 42 questions were put to the appellant. Question
no.13 is about what PW5 deposed. Admittedly, it was not put to
the appellant that it is brought on record that he was standing
outside near the gate of the gallery with a katta in his hand. It is
true that the answer given by him to every question is “I don’t
                                                                            H
756            SUPREME COURT REPORTS                      [2023] 5 S.C.R.


A     know”. If all the circumstances put to the appellant in his
      statement under Section 313 CrPC are carefully perused, any
      person of ordinary intelligence will get the impression that none
      of the prosecution witnesses has stated anything against him.
      That is why one cannot find fault with the appellant when he gave
      standard answers to every question as nothing adverse against
B
      him was put to him. In paragraph 13 of the written submissions
      by the appellant before the High Court, a specific contention was
      raised that the only circumstance appearing against the appellant
      was not put to him in the statement under Section 313 of CrPC.
      It is not in dispute that this part of the argument is not considered
C     by the High Court. The Trial Court has not reproduced the
      submissions made by the counsel appearing for the accused. [Para
      10][760-F-H; 761-A-B]
            2.2 The only alleged incriminating circumstance appearing
      against the appellant in the evidence produced by the prosecution
D     has not been put to him in his statement under Section 313 of
      CrPC and, therefore, he had no opportunity to explain the said
      circumstance. Moreover, his conviction is based only on this
      circumstance. [Para 11][761-C]
            2.3 Only based on the version of PW5 regarding the
E     appellant’s presence with a weapon outside the premises where
      the offence took place, the involvement of the appellant has been
      held as proved. There is absolutely no other evidence against
      him. This is not a case where there are several incriminating
      circumstances appearing against the appellant in the evidence
      adduced by the prosecution. This is a case where there is only a
F     solitary circumstance appearing in the evidence against the
      appellant. The prosecution examined 37 witnesses. The material
      against the appellant is in the form of one sentence in the evidence
      of PW5. The appellant was not confronted during his examination
      under section 313 of CrPC with the only allegation of the
G     prosecution against him. A serious prejudice was caused to the
      appellant. The incident is of 1995. It is not clear whether this
      aspect was argued before the Trial Court as the Trial Court has
      not reproduced the submissions of the counsel for the appellant.
      However, before the High Court, it was certainly canvassed as it
      forms a part of the written submissions. Even assuming that the
H
      RAJ KUMAR @ SUMAN v. STATE (NCT OF DELHI)                        757


defect or irregularity was curable, the question is whether today,     A
the appellant--accused can be called upon to explain the said
circumstance. More than 27 years have passed since the date of
the incident. Considering the passage of time, it will be unjust
now at this stage to remit the case to the Trial Court for recording
further statement of the appellant under Section 313 of CrPC. In
                                                                       B
the facts of the case, the appellant cannot be called upon to answer
something which has transpired 27 years back. The appellant
has already undergone incarceration for a period of 10 years and
4 months. The conviction of the appellant stands vitiated. In the
facts of the case, the option of remand will be unjust. The
conviction and sentence of the appellant is set aside.The              C
impugned judgment of the High Court is also set aside. [Paras
18-20, 23][769-C-H; 770-A-B; 771-B]
      Vahitha v. State of Tamil Nadu 2023 SCC OnLine SC
      174 – distinguished.
      Ranvir Yadav v. State of Bihar (2009) 6 SCC 595 :                D
      [2009] 7 SCR 653; Sukhjit Singh v. State of Punjab
      (2014) 10 SCC 270 : [2014] 10 SCR 608; Maheshwar
      Tigga v. State of Jharkhand (2020) 10 SCC 108;
      Satyavir Singh Rathi, Assistant Commissioner of Police
      & Ors. v. State through Central Bureau of Investigation          E
      (2011) 6 SCC 1 : [2011] 6 SCR 138 – referred to.
                      Case Law Reference
[2009] 7 SCR 653               referred to            Para 5
[2014] 10 SCR 608              referred to            Para 5           F
[2011] 6 SCR 138               referred to            Para 6
[1974] 1 SCR 489               relied on              Para 12
     CRIMINAL APPELLATE JURISDICTION : Criminal Appeal
No.1471 of 2023.
                                                                       G
      From the Judgment and Order dated 01.11.2018 of the High Court
of Delhi at New Delhi in CRLA No.32 of 2004.
    Sumeet Verma, Sumit Kumar, Mahinder Pratap Singh, Vinay
Kumar, Advs. for the Appellant.
      Chirag M. Shroff, Adv. for the Respondent.                       H
758            SUPREME COURT REPORTS                          [2023] 5 S.C.R.


A           The Judgment of the Court was delivered by
            ABHAY S. OKA, J.
            1. Leave granted.
            FACTUAL ASPECTS
B            2. Appellant (accused no.2) was convicted by the Sessions Court
      by the Judgment dated 27th August 2003 for the offences punishable
      under Section 302 read with Section 120-B of the Indian Penal Code
      (for short, ‘IPC’). For the offence under Section 302, the appellant was
      sentenced to undergo life imprisonment. He was also convicted for the
C     offence punishable under Section 307 read with Section 120-B of IPC,
      for which he was sentenced to undergo rigorous imprisonment for 7
      years.
             3. The allegation against this accused, along with one Vimal (since
      deceased) and five others, was that on 01st October 1995, around 03:30
D     pm, they conspired to criminally intimidate and commit the murder of
      Jawahar Lal (PW-3) and his relatives. The allegation is that PW-3 was
      running his own cable TV network, and the accused wanted him to stop
      the said cable TV network. The allegation of the prosecution is that on
      01st October 1995 at about 03:30 pm, the accused entered the house of
      PW-3 Jawahar Lal where he, along with his family members, were
E     residing. Accused nos.4 and 5 fired bullets from their revolvers at Omi
      Devi, mother of PW-3 and Chander Shekhar (deceased – brother of
      PW-3). Accused no.3 and deceased Vimal attacked Chander Shekhar
      (deceased) and Omi with daggers and knives. PW-3 and PW-7 suffered
      serious injuries. As noted earlier, Chander Shekhar died. We may note
F     that admittedly the only allegation against the present appellant (accused
      no.2) is that while 6 other accused entered the house of PW-3, the
      appellant was standing near the gate of the gallery with katta (country-
      made handgun) in his hand. By the impugned judgment, the High Court
      has confirmed the conviction of the appellant.
            SUBMISSIONS
G
             4. The learned counsel appearing for the appellant pointed out
      that only PW-5 Ved Prakash deposed that the appellant was standing
      near the gate of the gallery with katta in his hand. However, PW-3, in
      the cross-examination, accepted that he had not seen the present appellant
      on the day of the incident and his name was told to him by PW-5. Learned
H
      RAJ KUMAR @ SUMAN v. STATE (NCT OF DELHI)                                   759
                 [ABHAY S. OKA, J.]

counsel submitted that though the High Court, in paragraph 84 of the              A
impugned judgment, has recorded a finding that even PW-13 had seen
the appellant, in fact, PW-13 has not deposed anything about the appellant.
        5. He submitted that the only circumstance appearing in the
evidence against the appellant that he was standing outside near the
gate of the gallery with a katta was not put to him in his statement under        B
Section 313 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (for short, ‘CrPC’).
He submitted that this argument was specifically canvassed before the
High Court, which finds a place in the written submissions filed on behalf
of the appellants, but the High Court did not consider it. He relied upon
decisions of this Court in the case of Ranvir Yadav v. State of Bihar1;
Sukhjit Singh v. State of Punjab2; Maheshwar Tigga v. State of                    C
Jharkhand3; and Samsul Haque v. State of Assam4. He submitted
that as a result of the failure of the Trial Court to put the only circumstance
appearing against the appellant during his examination under Section
313 of CrPC, grave prejudice has been caused to the appellant resulting
in failure of justice.                                                            D
        6. Learned counsel representing the respondent-State submitted
that the appellant did not cross-examine PW-5. He relied upon a decision
of this Court in the case of Satyavir Singh Rathi, Assistant
Commissioner of Police & Ors. v. State through Central Bureau of
Investigation5. He submitted that in this decision, this Court held that          E
the objection regarding the omission or defect in recording the statement
under Section 313, CrPC must be raised at the earliest so that the defect
can be cured. He submitted that the said contention was raised 16 years
after the passing of the judgment by the Trial Court. He would, therefore,
submit that, at this stage, this objection cannot be sustained. He submitted
that the very fact that the said objection was not raised at any time             F
earlier shows that there is no prejudice caused to the appellant due to
the failure of the Court to put the only circumstance against the appellant
to him while recording his statement under Section 313, CrPC.
       OUR VIEW
       7. We have considered the submissions. There is no dispute that            G
the only allegation against the appellant was that while six accused entered
1
  (2009) 6 SCC 595
2
  (2014) 10 SCC 270
3
  (2020) 10 SCC 108
4
  (2019) 18 SCC 161
5
  (2011) 6 SCC 1.                                                                 H
760             SUPREME COURT REPORTS                            [2023] 5 S.C.R.


A     the house of PW-3, the appellant was standing outside with a katta in
      his hand. In paragraph 84 of the impugned judgment, the High Court has
      observed that the evidence of PW-3, as regards the appellant, creates
      some doubt. However, it was held that the evidence of PW-5 and PW-
      13 is clear and consistent as regards his involvement. We have, therefore,
      perused the evidence of the said three prosecution witnesses. PW-3
B
      Jawahar Lal deposed about the entry of 6 other accused into his house
      at about 03:30 pm on 01st October 1995. He did not depose that the
      appellant was standing outside with a katta in his hand. In further
      examination-in-chief, he stated that in his statement recorded by the
      police, he has wrongly mentioned that the accused-Rajinder Kumar was
C     guarding the spot. He stated that it was the appellant who was guarding
      the spot. The High Court has expressed doubt about the version of PW-
      3 concerning the involvement of the present appellant. The reason given
      by the High Court is that PW-3 also stated that on the day of the incident,
      he did not see the appellant, but his name was told to him by PW-5 Ved
      Prakash. Therefore, the testimony of PW-3 cannot be relied upon to
D
      implicate the appellant.
            8. We have carefully perused the evidence of PW-13. Though
      the High Court has observed that PW-13 has ascribed a role to the
      appellant of standing outside with a katta in his hand, we find that PW-
      13 has made no such statement in his evidence.
E
             9. Thus, what remains is the evidence of PW-5. All that he stated
      in his examination-in-chief was that he saw Raj Kumar standing at the
      gate of the gallery with a katta in his hand. He identified the appellant in
      the Court.

F             10. Hence, the only circumstance brought on record against the
      present appellant is in the evidence of PW-5, who stated that the appellant
      was standing outside near the gate of the gallery with a katta in his
      hand. No overt act was attributed to him. There is a long statement of
      the appellant under Section 313 of CrPC in which as many as 42 questions
      were put to the appellant. Question no.13 is about what PW-5 deposed.
G     Admittedly, it was not put to the appellant that it is brought on record that
      he was standing outside near the gate of the gallery with a katta in his
      hand. It is true that the answer given by him to every question is “I don’t
      know”. If all the circumstances put to the appellant in his statement
      under Section 313 CrPC are carefully perused, any person of ordinary
H     intelligence will get the impression that none of the prosecution witnesses
         RAJ KUMAR @ SUMAN v. STATE (NCT OF DELHI)                           761
                    [ABHAY S. OKA, J.]

has stated anything against him. That is why one cannot find fault with      A
the appellant when he gave standard answers to every question as nothing
adverse against him was put to him. We may note here that in paragraph
13 of the written submissions by the appellant before the High Court, a
specific contention was raised that the only circumstance appearing
against the appellant was not put to him in the statement under Section
                                                                             B
313 of CrPC. It is not in dispute that this part of the argument is not
considered by the High Court. We may also note that the Trial Court has
not reproduced the submissions made by the learned counsel appearing
for the accused.
       11. Thus, we will have to proceed on the footing that the only
alleged incriminating circumstance appearing against the appellant in        C
the evidence produced by the prosecution has not been put to him in his
statement under Section 313 of CrPC and, therefore, he had no opportunity
to explain the said circumstance. Moreover, his conviction is based only
on this circumstance.
       12. Therefore, we will have to consider the effect of the aforesaid   D
omission on the part of the Trial Court. The law on this aspect is no
longer res integra. Apart from the decisions relied upon by the learned
counsel representing the parties, there are other important decisions on
this aspect. The first relevant judgment is of a Bench of four Hon’ble
Judges of this Court in the case of Tara Singh v. State6. The Court          E
considered the provision of Section 342 of the Code of Criminal
Procedure, 1898 (for short, ‘CrPC of 1898’). Section 313 of CrPC and
Section 342 of CrPC of 1898 are in pari materia. In paragraph 18, this
Court held thus :
         “18. It is important therefore that an accused should be properly   F
         examined under Section 342 and, as their Lordships of the Privy
         Council       indicated      in Dwarkanath        Varma       v.
         Emperor [Dwarkanath Varma v. Emperor, AIR 1933 PC 124 at
         p. 130 : 1933 SCC OnLine PC 11] , if a point in the evidence is
         considered important against the accused and the conviction
         is intended to be based upon it, then it is right and proper        G
         that the accused should be questioned about the matter
         and be given an opportunity of explaining it if he so desires.
         This is an important and salutary provision and I cannot
6
    1951 SCC OnLine SC 49
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762                SUPREME COURT REPORTS                         [2023] 5 S.C.R.


A              permit it to be slurred over. I regret to find that in many cases
               scant attention is paid to it, particularly in the Sessions Courts.
               But whether the matter arises in the Sessions Court or in that of
               the Committing Magistrate, it is important that the provisions of
               Section 342 should be fairly and faithfully observed.”
B                                                               (emphasis added)
               Again in paragraph 23, this Court held thus:
               “23. Section 342 requires the accused to be examined for the
               purpose of enabling him “to explain any circumstances appearing
               in the evidence against him”. Now it is evident that when the
C              Sessions Court is required to make the examination under this
               section, the evidence referred to is the evidence in the Sessions
               Court and the circumstances which appear against the accused
               in that court. It is not therefore enough to read over the questions
               and answers put in the Committing Magistrate’s Court and ask
D              the accused whether he has anything to say about them. In the
               present case, there was not even that. The appellant was not
               asked to explain the circumstances appearing in the evidence
               against him but was asked whether the statements made before
               the Committing Magistrate and his answers given there were
               correctly recorded. That does not comply with the requirements
E              of the section.”
               The second important decision on this aspect is the decision of a
               Bench of three Hon’ble Judges of this Court. This is a decision in
               the case of Shivaji Sahabrao Bobade & Anr. v. State of
               Maharashtra7. In paragraph 16 of the decision, this Court
F              examined the issue of non-compliance with the requirements of
               Section 342 of CrPC of 1898. Paragraph 16 reads thus:
                   “16. The discovery of incriminating materials pursuant to
                   confessions made by the accused constitutes the third category
                   of evidence. Obviously, the confessions are inadmissible but
G                  the discoveries are, provided they are pertinent to the guilt of
                   the accused. So far as Accused 2 is concerned, his statement
                   resulted in the discovery of a knife (Vide Panchnama, Ext.
                   13). Of course, knives were discovered long ago and not now
                   but this knife lay buried and was recovered by the accused
      7
H         (1973) 2 SCC 793
RAJ KUMAR @ SUMAN v. STATE (NCT OF DELHI)                               763
           [ABHAY S. OKA, J.]

  from a pit in the corner of a wall of his house. There was            A
  human blood on the blade of the knife, MO 5/1 according to
  the chemical analyst’s report. The second accused’s clothes
  also were picked up by him pursuant to his statement. He had
  worn a shirt and pants on the day of occurrence and PW 13, a
  neighbour deposes that the second accused had come to him
                                                                        B
  at about 6 p.m. on the Monday when Hariba died and had
  mentioned to him that since his own house was locked he might
  be permitted to keep his clothes in the witnesses house.
  Thereafter he left his clothes under an empty khokha from
  where he himself took them out when he later came in the
  company of the police. There are blood-stains on the clothes          C
  and it is found by the chemical examiner that the blood on the
  pants are of the same blood group as that of the deceased.
  When the second accused was asked under Section 342, CrPC
  about the report of the chemical examiner noticing blood stains
  on the shirt, MO 5/2 and of human blood on the blade of the
                                                                        D
  knife, MO 5/1, he merely answered, “I do not know”. He also
  described as false the fact of his recovering the clothes and
  the knife. Bald denial notwithstanding, we are inclined to believe,
  with the learned Judges of the High Court, that the knife and
  the shirt have been identified as his and since he had recovered
  them, thereby making the police discover the fact, there was          E
  incriminating inference available against the said accused. We
  may notice here a serious omission committed by the trial Judge
  and not noticed by either court. The pants allegedly worn at
  the time of the attack by the second accused has stains of
  blood relatable to the group of the deceased. This circumstance
                                                                        F
  binds him to the crime a little clear but it is unfortunate that no
  specific question about this circumstance has been put to him
  by the Court. It is trite law, nevertheless fundamental,
  that the prisoner’s attention should be drawn to every
  inculpatory material so as to enable him to explain it.
  This is the basic fairness of a criminal trial and failures           G
  in this area may gravely imperil the validity of the trial
  itself, if consequential miscarriage of justice has flowed.
  However, where such an omission has occurred it does
  not ipso facto vitiate the proceedings and prejudice
  occasioned by such defect must be established by the
                                                                        H
764                SUPREME COURT REPORTS                           [2023] 5 S.C.R.


A                  accused. In the event of evidentiary material not being
                   put to the accused, the court must ordinarily eschew such
                   material from consideration. It is also open to the
                   appellate court to call upon the counsel for the accused
                   to show what explanation the accused has as regards
                   the circumstances established against him but not put
B
                   to him and if the accused is unable to offer the appellate
                   court any plausible or reasonable explanation of such
                   circumstances, the Court may assume that no acceptable
                   answer exists and that even if the accused had been
                   questioned at the proper time in the trial court he would
C                  not have been able to furnish any good ground to get out
                   of the circumstances on which the trial court had relied
                   for its conviction. In such a case, the Court proceeds on the
                   footing that though a grave irregularity has occurred as regards
                   compliance with Section 342, CrPC, the omission has not been
                   shown to have caused prejudice to the accused. In the present
D
                   case, however, the High Court, though not the trial court has
                   relied upon the presence of blood on the pants of the blood
                   group of the deceased. We have not been shown what
                   explanation the accused could have offered to this chemical
                   finding particularly when we remember that his answer to the
E                  question regarding the human blood on the blade of the knife
                   was “I do not know”. Counsel for the appellants could not
                   make out any intelligent explanation and the “blood” testimony
                   takes the crime closer to the accused. However, we are not
                   inclined to rely over much on this evidentiary circumstance,
                   although we should emphasise how this inadvertance of the
F
                   trial court had led to a relevant fact being argued as unavailable
                   to the prosecution. Great care is expected of Sessions Judges
                   who try grave cases to collect every incriminating circumstance
                   and put it to the accused even though at the end of a long trial
                   the Judge may be a little fagged out.”
G
                                                                 (emphasis added)
             13. Then we come to the decision of this Court in the case of S.
      Harnam Singh v. State (Delhi Admn.)8. In paragraph 22, this Court
      held thus :
      8
H         (1976) 2 SCC 819
      RAJ KUMAR @ SUMAN v. STATE (NCT OF DELHI)                                 765
                 [ABHAY S. OKA, J.]

      “22. Section 342 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898, casts           A
      a duty on the court to put, at any enquiry or trial, questions to the
      accused for the purpose of enabling him to explain any
      circumstances appearing in the evidence against him. It follows
      as a necessary corollary therefrom that each material
      circumstance appearing in evidence against the accused is
                                                                                B
      required to be put to him specifically, distinctly and
      separately. Failure to do so amounts to a serious irregularity
      vitiating the trial if it is shown to have prejudiced the
      accused. If the irregularity does not, in fact, occasion a failure
      of justice, it is curable under Section 537, of the Code.”
                                                         (emphasis added)       C

       14. Then we come to a decision in the case of Samsul Haque4
relied upon by the learned counsel for the appellant. In paragraphs 21 to
23, this Court held thus :
      “21. The most vital aspect, in our view, and what drives the nail         D
      in the coffin in the case of the prosecution is the manner in which
      the court put the case to Accused 9, and the statement recorded
      under Section 313 CrPC. To say the least it is perfunctory.
      22. It is trite to say that, in view of the judgments referred
      to by the learned Senior Counsel, aforesaid, the                          E
      incriminating material is to be put to the accused so that
      the accused gets a fair chance to defend himself. This is in
      recognition of the principles of audi alteram partem. Apart
      from the judgments referred to aforesaid by the learned Senior
      Counsel, we may usefully refer to the judgment of this Court
      in Asraf Ali v. State of Assam [Asraf Ali v. State of Assam, (2008)       F
      16 SCC 328 : (2010) 4 SCC (Cri) 278] . The relevant observations
      are in the following paragraphs : (SCC p. 334, paras 21-22)
         “21. Section 313 of the Code casts a duty on the court to put in
         an enquiry or trial questions to the accused for the purpose of
         enabling him to explain any of the circumstances appearing in          G
         the evidence against him. It follows as necessary corollary
         therefrom that each material circumstance appearing in the
         evidence against the accused is required to be put to him
         specifically, distinctly and separately and failure to do so amounts
                                                                                H
766      SUPREME COURT REPORTS                           [2023] 5 S.C.R.


A        to a serious irregularity vitiating trial, if it is shown that the
         accused was prejudiced.
         22. The object of Section 313 of the Code is to establish
         a direct dialogue between the Court and the accused. If
         a point in the evidence is important against the accused,
B        and the conviction is intended to be based upon it, it is
         right and proper that the accused should be questioned
         about the matter and be given an opportunity of
         explaining it. Where no specific question has been put by the
         trial court on an inculpatory material in the prosecution evidence,
         it would vitiate the trial. Of course, all these are subject to
C        rider whether they have caused miscarriage of justice or
         prejudice. This Court also expressed a similar view in S.
         Harnam Singh v. State (Delhi Admn.) [S. Harnam
         Singh v. State (Delhi Admn.), (1976) 2 SCC 819 : 1976 SCC
         (Cri) 324] while dealing with Section 342 of the Criminal
D        Procedure Code, 1898 (corresponding to Section 313 of the
         Code). Non-indication of inculpatory material in its relevant
         facets by the trial court to the accused adds to the vulnerability
         of the prosecution case. Recording of a statement of the
         accused under Section 313 is not a purposeless exercise.”
E     23. While making the aforesaid observations, this Court also
      referred to its earlier judgment of the three-Judge Bench in Shivaji
      Sahabrao Bobade v. State of Maharashtra [Shivaji Sahabrao
      Bobade v. State of Maharashtra, (1973) 2 SCC 793 : 1973 SCC
      (Cri) 1033] , which considered the fallout of the omission to put to
      the accused a question on a vital circumstance appearing against
F     him in the prosecution evidence, and the requirement that the
      accused’s attention should be drawn to every inculpatory material
      so as to enable him to explain it. Ordinarily, in such a situation,
      such material as not put to the accused must be eschewed. No
      doubt, it is recognised, that where there is a perfunctory
G     examination under Section 313 CrPC, the matter is capable of
      being remitted to the trial court, with the direction to retry from
      the stage at which the prosecution was closed [Shivaji Sahabrao
      Bobade v. State of Maharashtra, (1973) 2 SCC 793 : 1973 SCC
      (Cri) 1033].”

H                                                       (emphasis added)
         RAJ KUMAR @ SUMAN v. STATE (NCT OF DELHI)                                    767
                    [ABHAY S. OKA, J.]

       15. Learned counsel for the respondent also relied upon a decision             A
of this Court in the case of Vahitha v. State of Tamil Nadu9. This case
does not deal with the consequences of the omission made while
questioning the accused under Section 313 of CrPC. This deals only
with a contingency where evidence of the prosecution witnesses goes
unchallenged. Now we come to the decision of this Court in the case of
                                                                                      B
Satyavir Singh5 relied upon by the learned counsel for the respondent.
The decision holds that the challenge to the conviction based on non-
compliance with Section 313 of CrPC for the first time in the appeal
cannot be entertained unless the accused demonstrates that prejudice
has been caused to him. If an objection is raised at the earliest, the
defect can be cured by recording an additional statement of the concerned             C
accused. The sum and substance of the said decision is that such a long
delay can be a factor in deciding whether the trial is vitiated. Moreover,
what is binding is the decision of the larger Bench in the case of Shivaji
Sahabrao Bobade7, which lays down that if there is prejudice caused to
the accused resulting in failure of justice, the trial will vitiate.
                                                                                      D
    16. The law consistently laid down by this Court can be
summarized as under:
         (i)     It is the duty of the Trial Court to put each material
                 circumstance appearing in the evidence against the accused
                 specifically, distinctively and separately. The material             E
                 circumstance means the circumstance or the material on
                 the basis of which the prosecution is seeking his conviction;
         (ii)    The object of examination of the accused under Section
                 313 is to enable the accused to explain any circumstance
                 appearing against him in the evidence;                               F
         (iii)   The Court must ordinarily eschew material circumstances
                 not put to the accused from consideration while dealing with
                 the case of the particular accused;
         (iv)    The failure to put material circumstances to the accused
                 amounts to a serious irregularity. It will vitiate the trial if it   G
                 is shown to have prejudiced the accused;
         (v)     If any irregularity in putting the material circumstance to
                 the accused does not result in failure of justice, it becomes
9
    2023 SCC OnLine SC 174.                                                           H
768                SUPREME COURT REPORTS                         [2023] 5 S.C.R.


A                    a curable defect. However, while deciding whether the
                     defect can be cured, one of the considerations will be the
                     passage of time from the date of the incident;
            (vi)     In case such irregularity is curable, even the appellate court
                     can question the accused on the material circumstance
B                    which is not put to him; and
            (vii) In a given case, the case can be remanded to the Trial
                  Court from the stage of recording the supplementary
                  statement of the concerned accused under Section 313 of
                  CrPC.
C           (viii) While deciding the question whether prejudice has been
                   caused to the accused because of the omission, the delay
                   in raising the contention is only one of the several factors to
                   be considered.
            17. Now, we will have to apply the principles enunciated by this
D     Court to the facts of this case. The High Court has reproduced the
      charge framed on 04th July 1998 against the accused, which reads thus:
            “Charge
            6. The charge framed against all the accused by the order dated
            4th July 1998 by the trial Court was as under :
E
            (i)      That on or before 1st October 1995 at around 3.30 pm at
                     Delhi A-1 to A-6 along with Vimal (since dead) agreed to
                     criminally intimidate and commit the murder of Jawahar
                     Lal (PW-3) and his relatives on account of the failure of
                     PW-3 to stop his TV cable network in the area of
F
                     Paschimpuri thereby committing the offence of criminal
                     conspiracy punishable under Section 120B IPC.
            (ii)     That at House No.618/3, Paschimpuri on 1st October 1995,
                     in pursuance of the aforementioned conspiracy, A-4 and
                     A-5 fired bullets from their respective revolvers on Smt.
G                    Omi Devi and Chander Shekhar whereas Vimal and A-3
                     attacked Chander Shekhar and Omi with their respective
                     dagger and knife and committed their murders and thus all
                     of them had committed an offence punishable under Section
                     302 read with 120B IPC.
H
      RAJ KUMAR @ SUMAN v. STATE (NCT OF DELHI)                                  769
                 [ABHAY S. OKA, J.]

       (iii)   All of them pursuant to the criminal conspiracy                   A
               attempted to commit the murder of PW-3 by firing
               bullets from their revolvers on both PW-3 and PW-7
               due to which both of them received dangerous injuries and
               thereby all of them committed an offence punishable under
               Section 307 read with 120B IPC.’
                                                                                 B
                                                          (emphasis added)
       18. In paragraph 7 of the High Court Judgment, it is noted that a
separate charge under Section 452 read with 120-B of IPC was framed
against all accused except the present appellant. Thus, the charge as
framed against the appellant was of being a party to criminal conspiracy.        C
There is also a charge that all the accused fired bullets from their revolver.
Only based on the version of PW-5 regarding the appellant’s presence
with a weapon outside the premises where the offence took place, the
involvement of the appellant has been held as proved. There is absolutely
no other evidence against him. This is not a case where there are several
incriminating circumstances appearing against the appellant in the               D
evidence adduced by the prosecution. This is a case where there is only
a solitary circumstance appearing in the evidence against the appellant.
The prosecution examined 37 witnesses. The material against the
appellant is in the form of one sentence in the evidence of PW-5. As
mentioned earlier, if we read 42 questions put to the appellant in his           E
statement under Section 313 of CrPC, any accused having ordinary
intelligence will carry an impression that there is absolutely no material
against him. The appellant was not confronted during his examination
under section 313 of CrPC with the only allegation of the prosecution
against him. This is how, on facts, we find that a serious prejudice was
caused to the appellant.                                                         F

      19. The incident is of 1995. It is not clear whether this aspect was
argued before the Trial Court as the Trial Court has not reproduced the
submissions of the counsel for the appellant. However, before the High
Court, it was certainly canvassed as it forms a part of the written
submissions.                                                                     G
       20. Even assuming that the defect or irregularity was curable, the
question is whether today, the appellant-accused can be called upon to
explain the said circumstance. More than 27 years have passed since
the date of the incident. Considering the passage of time, we are of the
view that it will be unjust now at this stage to remit the case to the Trial     H
770            SUPREME COURT REPORTS                           [2023] 5 S.C.R.


A     Court for recording further statement of the appellant under Section 313
      of CrPC. In the facts of the case, the appellant cannot be called upon to
      answer something which has transpired 27 years back. There is one
      more aspect of the matter which persuaded us not to pass an order of
      remand. The said factor is that the appellant has already undergone
      incarceration for a period of 10 years and 4 months.
B
            21. Before we part with this judgment, we must take a note of
      sub-section (5) added to Section 313 of CrPC w.e.f. 31st December
      2009. Sub-section (5) reads thus :
            “313. Power to examine the accused.- (1) … … …
C           (2) … … … …
            (3) … … … …
            (4) … … … …
            (5) The Court may take help of Prosecutor and Defence Counsel
D           in preparing relevant questions which are to be put to the accused
            and the Court may permit filing of written statement by the accused
            as sufficient compliance of this section.”
             In many criminal trials, a large number of witnesses are examined,
      and evidence is voluminous. It is true that the Judicial Officers have to
E     understand the importance of Section 313. But now the Court is
      empowered to take the help of the prosecutor and the defence counsel
      in preparing relevant questions. Therefore, when the Trial Judge prepares
      questions to be put to the accused under Section 313, before putting the
      questions to the accused, the Judge can always provide copies of the
      said questions to the learned Public Prosecutor as well as the learned
F
      defence Counsel and seek their assistance for ensuring that every relevant
      material circumstance appearing against the accused is put to him. When
      the Judge seeks the assistance of the prosecutor and the defence lawyer,
      the lawyers must act as the officers of the Court and not as mouthpieces
      of their respective clients. While recording the statement under Section
G     313 of CrPC in cases involving a large number of prosecution witnesses,
      the Judicial Officers will be well advised to take benefit of sub-section
      (5) of Section 313 of CrPC, which will ensure that the chances of
      committing errors and omissions are minimized.
            22. In 1951, while delivering the verdict in the case of Tara Singh6,
H     this Court lamented that in many cases, scant attention is paid to the
       RAJ KUMAR @ SUMAN v. STATE (NCT OF DELHI)                                 771
                  [ABHAY S. OKA, J.]

salutary provision of Section 342 of CrPC of 1898. We are sorry to note          A
that the situation continues to be the same after 72 years as we see such
defaults in large number of cases. The National and the State Judicial
Academies must take a note of this situation. The Registry shall forward
a copy of this decision to the National and all the State Judicial Academies.
       23. In the circumstances, we are of the view that the conviction          B
of the appellant stands vitiated. In the facts of the case, the option of
remand will be unjust. Accordingly, we allow the appeal and set aside
the conviction and sentence of the appellant under the Judgment and
Order dated 27th August 2003 passed by the learned Additional Sessions
Judge, Delhi, in Sessions Case No.9 of 2000. Consequently, the impugned
judgment of the High Court is also set aside. We make it clear that both         C
judgments are set aside only insofar as the appellant is concerned. We,
accordingly, direct that the respondent shall forthwith set the appellant
at liberty unless he is required to be detained in connection with any
other case.
                                                                                 D
Divya Pandey                                                   Appeal allowed.
(Assisted by : Raoul Sawant and Shevali Monga, LCRAs)




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