Holding

The Supreme Court affirmed that the lower courts' findings were correct and that the evidence, including that of chance witnesses, was sufficient to sustain the convictions and the acquittals.

Summary

The case concerned a triple murder that occurred on 4 April 1999, where three persons were shot dead from a car that had allegedly collided with a bus. The prosecution relied on the testimony of two eye‑witnesses (PW‑1 and PW‑5), who were described as chance witnesses, and on medical and forensic evidence linking the injuries to firearms and shotguns. The accused challenged the credibility of the chance witnesses, the delay in filing the FIR and special report, and alleged a conflict between medical and ocular evidence regarding the weapons used. The Supreme Court held that the trial and High Court had correctly evaluated the evidence, that the chance witnesses were credible, that the FIR delay did not vitiate the case, and that the medical findings corroborated the eye‑witness accounts. Consequently, the Court dismissed all the appeals, leaving the convictions and the acquittals of the four accused as ordered by the High Court.

Issues considered

The credibility and admissibility of testimony of chance witnesses (PW‑1 and PW‑5).
Whether the delay in filing the FIR and the special report undermines the prosecution case.
Whether the medical/forensic evidence contradicts the ocular evidence on the type of weapons used.
Whether the High Court erred in acquitting four accused on the basis of PW‑5's testimony alone.
Whether the convictions under IPC sections 147, 148, 302 read with 149 are sustainable.

Legislation cited

Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973s. 82, s. 83
Indian Penal Code, 1860s. 147, s. 148, s. 149, s. 302

Subjects

triple murderchance witnessforensic evidenceweapon identificationFIR delayconvictionacquittalIPC 147IPC 148IPC 302IPC 149evidence law

Judgment

A SARVESH NARAIN SHUKLA
V.

DAROGA SINGH & ORS.

OCTOBER 12, 2007
B
[S.B. SINHA AND HARJIT SINGH BEDI, JJ.] .
Penal Code, 1860-ss. 302 rlw 149, 147 and 148-Triple
murder-Two eye witnesses accompanying the deceased at the time
C of incident-One ofthem killed during trial-Other turning hostile-
Two more eye-witnesses supporting prosecution case-Testimony of
eye-witnesses supported by medical evidence-Trial Court acquitting
one and convicting rest ofthe accused-High Court further acquitting
four accused and convicting rest of the accused-Appeal against
D conviction as well as acquittal-Held: Order ofCourts below not liable
to be interfered with in the facts ofthe case-Prosecution case is proved
by testimony of eye-witnesses and medical evidence.

Evidence--C'hance witness-Testimony of-Reliability on-Held:
E Iftestimony ofchance witness found to be creditworthy, the same not
to be discarded on mere ground that his presence was by chance.
/:
Appellants-accused were charged u/ss.147, 148, 302 r/w s. 149 IPC
for having caused death of three persons. The prosecution case was
F that when the three deceased were coming in a car alongwith First
Informant and PW-4, appellants-accused alongwith other accused, all
armed with fire arms, started firing at the car from a close range as the
car stopped after collusion with a bus. The firing resulted in instant death
of three, who were sitting on the front seat of the car. First Informant
G and PW-4, sitting on the rear seat, rushed out of the car and in that
process received some injuries. One of the accused picked up rifle of
PW 4 which was kept in the car. They ran away from the spot. First
Informant lodged FIR. Statements of PW4 and First Informant were
recorded by the Police.
H 300
J
SARVESH NARAIN SHUKLA v. DAROGA SINGH 301
- ~
During trial, First Informant was killed. PWs 1, 4 and 5 were A
examined as eye-witnesses. PW4 was declared hostile. Trial Cou.rt
~
__,,
acquitted one of the accused of all the charges. Howeyer, other accused
were convicted u/s. 147, 148, 302 r/w s. 149 IPC.
High Court further acquitted four of the accused holding that their B
names had been revealed by PW-1 for the first time in Court and their
-f conviction could not be based on the testimony of PW 5 alone. Hence
...... the present appeals against conviction as well as acquittal•
Accused contended that Fm has come into existence after inquest
proceedings; that the delay in sending the Special Report to the c
Magistrate has not been explained; that PWs 1and5 were chance
witnesses and have not been able to explain their presence at the spot;
that non-examination ofthird person (the owner of the motor cycle) with
whom PWs 1 and 5 had reached the spot, is fatal: that PW 4 turning
hostile caused doubt on the prosecution story; that there was conflict in D
~ evidence regarding the dead bodies lying outside or inside the car, that
there was no evidence to show that the car collided with a bus coming
from opposite side bringing it to a sudden, stop; and that the prosecution
·case that Pistols and Carbines had been used for the offence, ~re
falsified by medical evidence indicating use of only shotgun. E

Dismissing the appeals, the Court
HELD : 1. The matters have been considered by Trial Court apd
High Court in its correct perspective and no interferene is called for.
..,.,'>"·
(Para20J (319-FJ F
I
2. It is true the incident having been taken place on 4.4.1999 prima
facie makes the receipt of the special report by the Magistrate on 8.4.99
rather inexplicable more so that a day after the incident, the police had
itself moved an application under Sections 82 and 83 Cr. P.C. against G
the accused in the Court of the Special Magistrate. There are howeyer
-(~
r certain circumstances on record which show that the FIR had in fact
been lodged at the time suggested by the prosecution. Therefore, the
suspicion that a line or two might have squeezed in here or there in some
of the documents prepared during the initial investigation would not H
302 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2007] 11 S.C.R.

A dislodge the huge volume of documentary and ocular evidence on the
spontaneity of the FIR. [Para 9] [310-B, C, D; 311-C]

3. Prima facie it does appear that PWs 1 and 5 were cha~ce t
witnesses but on a closer look, it is found that they have adequately
B explained their presence. If the court comes to the conclusion that the
testimony ofa chance witness is credible, the evidence cannot be thrown
out merely on the ground that the witness happened to be present by
chance. Both these witnesses have specifically revealed the identity of
the assailants and the manner of attack and explained their presence.
C Desp~te extensive cross-examination, no reasons are forthcoming on
record as to why they would become false witnesses in a case of triple
murder. [Para 11] [312-C,D,F,G]

4. It is also clear from the evidence that the Investigating Officer
had collected a blood stained seat cover and shoes from inside the car
D alongwith several other items from the place of incident which go to show
that the killings had happened in the car. The conflict in evidence as to
the whether the dead bodies were found lying outside or inside the car
would thus be ofno telling effect more particularly as a huge and milling
crowd running into thousands had collected after the murders completely
E jeopardizing the security of the site and as such no evidence could be
available to show as to how the dead bodies had, ifat all, been put outside
the car. [Para 11] [312-G, H; 313-A]
5. PW-4 who had been riding the car with the three deceased and
F had received injuries in attempting to escape had been medically
examined. Though this witness had been declared hostile, an outright
rejection of his evidence is not called for and both parties are entitled
to rely on such part of his evidence which assists their case. The
statements made by PWs 1and5 are to an extent supported by him as
G well. [Para 11] [313-A, B, D]

6. PW-13 the Investigating Officers, who in his cross-examination
stated that he had carefully examined the car at the place of occurrence
and had found in all about 40 bullet marks on the chassis, tank, backside
bumper, diggy, backside glass and bonnet. It is significant that the
H
~
SARVESH NARAIN SHUKLA v. DAROGA SINGH 303
_., ~
presence of the bullet marks shows that the firing had taken place A
primarily from the rear side as the driver had attempted to speed away
,,
-\ and that the coup de grace had apparently been delivered to the
deceased after the car had stalled after hitting the bus. It is also
significant that the presence of the bus and its number had been shown
in the site plan prepared by the said police officer at the place of incident B
[Para 12] [313-F, G]
.,... 7. The eye-witness account is fully in consonance with the
statements of the doctors and the other medical evidence. It has ~ome
in the statement of the eye witnesses including PW 4 and also offW 8 c
on specific questions put to them that the shots had been fired riom a
distance of a foot or two. The opinion that shots had been fired from a
distance of a feet or two is fortified, as the entry wounds without
exception show signs of charring and tattooing. The dimensions of the
entry wounds also show that several different types of weapons have
D
been used. [Paras 13 and 15] [314-C, D; 316-C, D]
.....
Awadhesh andAnr. v. State ofMadhya Pradesh, [1988) 2 SCC 557,
distinguished.
Forensic Science in Criminal Investigation and Trials by Drf B.R. E
Sharma, Fourth Edition; Modi 's Medical Jurisprudence and Toxicology,
Twenty-third Edition at page 722, referred to.
CRIMINAL APPELLATE JURISDICTION : Criminal Appeal Nos.
752-755of2005.
F
')
y From the Judgment and final Order dated 28.1.2005 of the High
Court of Judicature at Allahabad in Crl. A. Nos. 5587, 5589, 2503 and
3072/2004.
WITH
Crl. A. Nos. 834/2005, 835/2005 & 910-912/2005 G

~
-\
I
Gopal Chaturvedi, Anoop G. Choudhary, Ranjit Kumar, Sushil
Kumar, P.K. Jain, P.K. Goswami, K.K. Misra, Amit P. Singh Rawat, R.S.
Chauhan, Prashant Chaudhary, Praveen Swamp, Ashok Kumar Singh,
Rana Ranjit Singh, S.P. Singh Parmar, Naresh Kumar Gaur, Sapam H
304 SUPREM&COURT REPORTS [2007] 11 S.C.R.

A S. Meitei, Manish Vashishth, Ajay Singh, Sanjay Singh, Dilip Kumar for
the appearing parties.
The Judgment of the Court was delivered by
HARJIT SINGH BEDI, J. 1. This judgment will dispose of
B Criminal Appeal Nos. 752-755 of.2005 pertaining to the acquittal of four
of the accused whereas Criminal Appeal Nos. 834 of2005, 835 of2005
and 910-912 of2005 have been filed by the accused who stand convicted
both by the trial Court as well as by the High Court.

c ·2. The facts have been taken from the record of Criminal Appeal
No. 835 of2005. They are as under:
3. On 4.4.1999 Rakesh Kumar Pandey along with his brother-in-
law Surya l':'larain @ Vakil Shukla ::ilong with three others, Dev,r Shankar
Dubey, Prem Shanker Dubey and the car driver Shesh Mani were
D returning from Aurai to Gopiganj in the latter's car No. WB 26A 7554.
As the car reached near the Trimuhani on the middle of the road in
Gopiganj, accused Udai Bhan Singh, Akbal Bahadur@Atkoti Singh,
Prem Singh, Dhunni Singh, Munni Singh, Daroga Singh, Rajeshwar.
Upadhyay, Pintoo Singh and two other persons all armed with modem
E weapons starting firing at the car. The firing led to the death of Surya
Narain @ Vakil Shukla, Devi Shanker Dubey and Shesh Mani at the spot.
Rakesh Kumar Pandey and Prem Shanker who were sitting on the rear
seat rushed out of the car to save themselves and they too received some
superficial injuries in that process. The assailants also picked up the
F licensed rifle of Prem Shanker Dubey which was lying in the car and
thereafter ran away from the spot. The occurrence was also witnessed
by Shiv Prasad@ Dangar Tewari, Mukand Lal, Ram Dutt Mishra and
several other persons. An FIR was thereafter lodged by Rakesh Kumar
Pandey at 3.45 p.m. in Police Station Gopiganj a kilometer away from
G the place of incident, on which S.I. Vidya Prakash Misra reached the place
of occurrence and recorded the statement of Rakesh Kumar Pandey
whereas SI Rashid Ahmad prepared the inquest reports of the deceased
on the dictation of SI Vidya Prakash Misra. On an inspection of the site,
several pieces of glass, a blood stained piece of rexine, and shoes and
H some fired cartridges, a rifle and a 9 mm pistol licensed to deceased Surya
),
SARVESH NARAIN SHUKLA v. DAROGA SINGH 305
[HARJIT SINGH BEDI, J.]
- .,._
Narain Shukla were recovered. The bodies were also sent for the post A
mortem examinations. The post mortem examination on the dead body
of Devi Shanker Dubey was conducted by Dr. Radhey Raman on
4.4.1999 at about 11.55 p.m. whereas Dr. Sanjay Tewari conducted the
post mortem examinations on the dead bodies of Shesh Mani at 11.3°!
p.m and that on Surya Narain Shukla 45 minutes later i.e. at 0030 hours. B
All three dead bodies showed extensive fire arms injuries. Dr. A.K. Pandey
--i
also medically examined Prem Shanker Dubey at 5.25 p.m on 4.4.1999
~
and found two lacerated simple injuries on his person whereas the
examination of Rakesh Kumar Pandey at 8.15 p.m. on 4.4.1999 by Dr.
L.S. Mishra showed five simple injuries; three abrasions and two c
contusions. The doctors opined that these injuries could have been caused
as the two were making a hurried exit from the car. On the completion of
the investigation the accused were charged for offences punishable under
Sections 147, 148, 302 read with 149 I.P.C whereas appellant Suresh
Singh@Jajjey Singh was in addition charged under Section 379 IPC D
for having taking away Prem Shankar Dubey' s rifle from the car whereas
Tehsildar Singh and Suresh Singh were further charged under Section 411
I.P.C. The accused pleaded not guilty and sought trial.
4. Rakesh Kumar Pandey, the first informant and the primary witness
E
to the murders, was himself murdered during the course of the trial. The
prosecution nevertheless relied on the evidence of PWl Shiv Prasad @
Dangar Tewari who deposed to the circumstances leading to his presence
at the spot and the manner of the attack and further stated that about 15/
20 shots had been fired at the car by the accused from a close range as
F
,
~'
the car had stalled after having had a collision with a bus as the car driver
had attempted to race away. He also stated that he knew most of the
accused having dealt with them at one time or another. The prosecution
also relied on the evidence of PW 4 Prem Shankar Dubey, another eye
witness but he did not support the prosecution and was declared hostile
G
having partly disowned the story given by him in his earlier statements.
,.., The other eye witness PW 5 Ram Dutt Misra, however, supported the
f '
prosecution story and justified his presence by deposing that he had gond
to Vindhyachal temple for darshan in the morning and while returning there
from he had taken a lift alongwith Dangar Tewari PWl on Mukund Lal' s
H
J
306 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2007] 11 S.C.R.

A Bullet motor-cycle to reach his home in Gopiganj. The prosecution also
-~ --;.
relied on the medical evidence (and the various reports tendered) of PW
6 Dr. A.K. Pandey and PW 7 Dr. L.S. Misra with regard to the injuries
on Prem Shankar Dubey and Rakesh Kumar Pandey respectively. The
prosecution also examined the police officials involved in the investigation
B viz., PW 10 S.I. Irshad Ali who had recorded the inquest reports on the
dictation of PW 13 Vidya Prakash Misra SHO and also dispatched the ,._ F

dead bodies for their post mortem examinations, PW 11 Constable Prabhu
~
Nath Yadav who deposed that the dead bodies had been handed over l
t-
to Constable Manoj Rai and Devi Shanker Pandey for being taken for
c the post mortems, PW 13 Vidya Prakash Misra who had made the various ~
recoveries already mentioned above and had also inspected the place of
incident and the car and had found about 40 bullet marks thereon, and
also several other police officials who had been involved in the peripheral
investigation or had arrested some of the accused. The prosecution story ~
'
D was then put to the accused and they denied their involvement in the
incident and pleaded false implication. The trial Court examined the matter
_j._
in extenso and held that there had been no delay in the recording ofthe
FIR and the argument that the first information report had come into ;.
existence after the inquest proceedings had been completed, was ,!:::

E unacceptable. The Court also found that Rakesh Kumar Pandey and Prem
Shanker Dubey had both been injured in their attempt to get out from
the car and this evidence too, was a significant circumstance pointing to
~
their presence. It also held that PW 1 Shiv Prasad and PW 5 Ram Dutt '
Misra who had supported the prosecution had cogently explained their 1.-

F presence at the crucial moment in as much that both had gone to
Vindhyachal temple for darshan and while returning had sought a lift back
~
...
to Gopiganj triple riding with Mukund Lal on his Bullet motor cycle and ..•
,_
that the attempt on the part of the defence to get them to explain their
movements minute by minute could not be accepted as this could not be ,.•
G a realistic approach in such callous and gruesome multiple murders. The '
trial Court also found that the medical evidence supported the ocular •
version in as much that the injuries found on the dead bodies clearly A; ~-·'
revealed that several types of weapons had been used and that too from )
I

a very close range causing extensive internal and external injuries on the
H persons of the deceased. It also observed that in a case of firing by several
SARVESH NARAIN SHUKLA v. DAROGA SINGH 307
[HARJIT SINGH BEDI, J.]
~
~
persons at others confined in a vehicle with all three deceased sitting in A
the front seat, it was well nigh impossible to expect an eye witness sitting
on the rear seat to give the exact details as to the position of the deceased
and the assailants when the firing had taken place. The court nevertheless
,.. held that the motive had not been proved. The court then went into th~
involvement of each of the accused and observed that nine of the accused B
had been named in the FIR and two others who had not been named
-1
also figured in the incident and that some of the accused had been
r- subsequently identified by name. The court held that as there was no
motive for false implication, a case against eleven of the accused under
Sections 147, 148, 302 read with Section 149 IPC had been made out. c
The Court also held that the charge under Sections 379/411 IPC against
accused Suresh Singh and the case against Tehsildar Singh who had not
been named in the FIR and had been attributed only a Lalkara by the
eye witnesses who were also discrepant as to the manner of his
participation, he was entitled to an acquittal in toto. D
A The trial Court finally observed that:
"On the basis of the entire above discussions and conclusion the
accused Udhaybhan Singh@ Doctor Singh, Pinto Singh @
Sandeep Singh, Iqbal Bahadur Singh @ Atkotic Singh, Prem Singh E
@ Prem Bahadur Singh, Chunni Singh @ Mata Prasad Singh,
Daroga Singh @ Sim Krishan Singh, Rajeshwar Upadhaya, Suresh
Kumar @ Jajje Singh, Sanjay Singh, Santosh Kumar Singh are
found guilty of the offence under Sections 147/148/302/149 IPC",
F
)· and ordered that:
"The accused are sentenced to life sentence under Section 302/
149 IPC and fine of Rs. 5000-5000/- each accused and if the fine
is not paid, one month sentence and under Section 147 Cr.P.C 3
months rigorous imprisonment and fine of Rs. 500-500 each and G
in the event of not paying the fine 10 days further rigorous
~ ,'\ imprisorunent and under Section 148 Cr.P.C 6 months rigorous
imprisonment and fine of Rs. I 000-1000 each and in the event of
not paying the fine 15 days further rigorous imprisonment is
justifiable. I1
308 SUPREME COURT REPORTS (2007] 11 S.C.R.

A 5. Several appeals were subsequently filed before the High Court.
The High Court on a reconsideration of the matter allowed the appeals
of Pinto Singh@Sandeep Singh, Daroga Singh@Krishan Singh, Chunni
Singh @ Mata Prasad Singh and Prem Bahadur Singh holding that their I

names had been revealed by Dangar Tewari PW 1 for the first time in '
B Court and it was therefore unsafe to maintain their conviction on the basis
of the statement of PW 5 Ram Dutt Misra alone. The High Court )-
accordingly directed as under:
s. Crl. Appeal Name of Sessions High Court
No. No. Appellant Court Orde1 Order
c l. 5588/2004 Suresh Kumar @ Sessions Appeal
Jaijey Singh Judge Dismissed.
conviction
and award.
2. 5589/2004 (i) Rajeshwar (i) - DO - (i) Appeal
D Upadhyay Dismlssed.
(ii) Prem Singh@ (ii) - DO - (ii) Appeal
Prem Bahadur Allowed/
Singh Acquitted
of the charges
3. 2503/2004 (i) Pintoo (i) - DO - (i) Appeal
E Singh@ Allowed/
Sandeep Acquitted
Singh of the
(ii) Akbla charges.
Bahadur@
Atkoti Singh (ii) - DO - (ii) Appeal
F
Dismissed
4. 2826/2004 Udai Bhan Singh - Appeal
@ Doctor Singh - DO Dismissed
5. 2863/2004 Santosh Kumar - Appeal
Singh and Sanjai DO - Dismissed
G Singh
6. 3072/2004 Chunni Singh - Appeal
- DO Allowed/
Acquitted
of the charges.
H
->-
SARVESH NARAIN SHUKLAv. DAROGA SINGH 309
[HARJIT SINGH BEDI, J.]
-~
. jr 6. The present set of criminal appeals have been filed against the A
judgment of the High Court.
7. Mr. Sushil Kumar, the learned senior counsel for the appellants
has raised several arguments before us during the course of hearing. He
has first emphasized that the incident had happened at 3 P.M. on 4.4.1999
and the FIR had statedly been lodged in the police station within 45 minutes B
by Rakesh Kumar Pandey an eye witness, but the special report had been
-1 delivered to the Magistrate on 8.4.1999 and that there was no explanation
-r for the delay and it thus appeared that the FIR had been written much
later and then ante timed. It has accordingly been suggested that the
prosecution story had been cooked up involving all the accused who all c
belonged to one extended family in connivance with the police. It has al59
been pleaded that the delay in the recording of the FIR had been utilized
by the police in creating three eye witnesses PW 1 Shiv Prasad @ Dangar
Tewari, PW 4 Prem Shanker Dubey and PW 5 Ram Dutt Misra who
had cordial relations with the complainant party but an in depth examination D
of the story projected by them revealed that they had not been present
,_;.
and that this argument was fortified as in the inquest report it had been
noted that the dead bodies had been found outside the car whereas the
eye witnesses had projected the story that the dead bodies had been taken
out fro~ the car by the police. It has also been submitted that had Prem E
Shanker Dubey PW 4 and Rakesh Kumar Pandey been sitting in the car
when the firing had taken place, they would not have escaped llllScatheq
more particularly as about 40 shots had been fired at the car with
automatic and semi-automatic weapons at the deceased sitting in the front
seat. It has also been suggested that the nature of injuries found on the F
...,
.... dead bodies showed that the medical evidence was completely at variance
with the ocular evidence. It has finally argued that the prosecution had
not been able to prove any motive for the incident and it had been so
found by the trial court itself and that it appeared from the defence version
that the murders had been committed by unknown assailants and that the G

.. ""
f
accused had been involved on account of the rancour and ill will of the
police as about 20 policemen were facing trial arising on a complaint made
by Tehsildar Singh for the killing of his son Hazaria, allegedly in a fake
encounter.
H
I

'~-
310 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2007] 11 S.C.R.

\ ~
A 8. Mr. Anup Chowdhury, the learned senior counsel has however '""\'
supported the judgment of conviction. It has also been pointed out (in
the appeal against acquittal) that the acquittal of the four accused was
not justified as the evidence against them was identical with that of the
accused who had failed before the High Court.
B
9. We now examine the arguments raised by the learned counsel in
extenso. It is true that the incident having been taken place at about 3
~
p.m. on 4.4.1999 prima facie makes the receipt of the special report by
the Magistrate on 8.4.99 rather inexplicable, the more so (as emphasized ~

by Mr. Sushil Kumar) that a day after the incident, the police had itself
c moved an application under Sections 82 and 83 Cr.P.C. against the
accused in the Court of the Special Magistrate. We have, however, very
carefully gone through the record on this aspect, as we are aware that
the fate of the appeal would hinge substantially on this issue. For the
purpose of clarity we reiterate the following facts; the incident had
D
happened on 4.4.99 at 3 P.M., the FIR had been lodged in the police
station a kilometer ayyay at 3.45 p.m. by Rakesh Kumar Pandey and the
special report delive~ed after four days on 8.4.99. There are however f.
certain circumstances on record which show that the FIR had in fact been
lodged at the time suggested by the prosecution. It has come in evidence
E
that the inquest on the three dead bodies had started at 5.45 p.m. and
that the dead bodies had been removed to the police head quarters at
6.30 p.m. and received therein at 7.45 p.m. It has also come on record
that on account of the gravity of the crime, the District Magistrate had, at
10.50 p.m., authorized the medical staff to conduct the post mortem during
F
night hours and the post mortems were in fact conducted within the next
hour or two. Significantly also, we observe from the cross examination ,.,,
"""'
of PW 2 Head Constable Uma Shanker Pandey (who had registered the
formal FIR) that while he admitted that the special report had indeed been
received by the CJM on 8.4.99 but he clarified that a copy of the FIR
G
had reached the Circle Police Officer on 5.4.99. Likewise PW 9
Constable Devi Prasad Pandey deposed that the dead bodies had been
sealed and handed over to him between 6.30 p.m. and 7.00 p.m. on
4.4.99 and that he was in possession of the first information report and
}-._
\ ..
other related doclUllents which had been handed over by him to the doctor.
H
SARVESH NARAIN SHUKLA v. DAROGA SINGH 311
[HARJIT SINGH BEDI, J.]
It bears highlighting that this witness was not even cross-examined on this A
aspect. This statement is further fortified by a perusal of Ex.Ka-19 the
inquest proceedings relating to deceased Shesh Mani Rai and amongst
the enclosures with the inquest report is the nakal chik (which is a copy
of the FIR) and a report made by the Sub Inspector on this exhibit that
the dead bodies had been handed over for post mortem along with the B
appended documents. It is also significant that Dr. Sanjay Tewari PW 8
who had conducted the post mortem examination on the dead body of
Surya Narain deposed that he had received the first information report at
the time of the post mortem and that he had read the same before
conducting the proceeding. To our mind, therefore, the suspicion that a C
line or two might have squeezed in here or there in some of the documents '
prepared during the initial investigation would not dislodge the huge volume
· of documentary and ocular evidence on the spontaneity of the FIR.
10. Faced with this situation Mr. Sushil Kumar has then argued that D
the three witnesses produced by the police i.e. PW 1 Shiv Prasad@
Dangar Tewari, PW 4 Prem Shanker Dubey and PW 5 Ram Dutt Misra,
only two that is PW 1 and PW 5 had supported the prosecution and being
chance witnesses had not been able to explain their presence at the spot.
It has also been submitted that Mukund Lal, the third person and the owner E
of the Bullet motor cycle on which PWI & PWS had come from
Vidhyachal, had not been examined as a witness which clearly falsified
the entire story. Conversely, it has been submitted that the only \\-itness
who could possibly have been an eye witness to the incident as he was
travelling in the car at the time of the incident and whose rifle had been F
removed from the car after the incident and recovered from the accused
i.e. Prem Shanker Dubey had not supported the prosecution, thus causing
a clear doubt on the entire prosecution story.
11. The argument noted above would have to be examined in the
background of some special facts. It must be remembered that the incident G
had happened in broad day light on the main road going through a
prosperous town amongst groups (both the assailants as well as the
victims), who were prominent citizens deeply involved in commerce and
politics and several prior incidents involving them in some other criminal
matters not necessarily with each other had already taken place. It is H
312 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2007] 11 S.C.R.

A therefore obvious that the murders would have created a furore and -?· _..
caused a huge amount of consternation and it has in fact come in evidence
that thousands of persons had collected at the site, soon after the incident.
With this introduction we now examine as to whether the eye witnesses
had been present at the spot or not. It is to be noted that Rakesh Kumar
B Pandey, the first informant had signed the inquest report at the place of
incident and his statement under Section 161 Cr.P.C had also been
recorded by the Investigating Officer PW 13 prior to the preparation of
the inquest report. Unfortunately, Rakesh Kumar Pandey could not be
examined as he had in the meanwhile been murdered. The prosecution
C has accordingly fallen back primarily on the statements of PW 1 Shiv
Prasad, and PW 5 Ram Dutt Sharma PW4 Prem Shankar Dubey having
been declared hostile. Prima facie it does appear that these two witnesses
were chance witnesses but on a closer look we find that they have
adequately explained their presence. We are also of the opinion that if
D the court comes to the conclusion that the testimony of a chance witness
is credible, the evidence cannot be thrown out merely on the ground that
the witness happened to be present by chance. Dangar Tewari stated that
when he alongwith Ram I)utt Misra had reached at the tri junction of the
GT Road Gopiganj on Mukund Lal's Bullet motor-cycle they had heard
E sounds of firing by weapons and had seen the accused persons armed
with shot guns, rifles, carbine and pistols firing at the Ambassador car
after it had come to a stop after colliding with a bus coming from the
Allahabad side and that the murders had been committed while the
deceased were still in the car. The evidence of Ram Dutt Misra is much
F to the same effect. Both these witnesses have specifically revealed the
identity of the assailants and the manner of attack and explained their
presence by stating that they had gone for Darshan and were on their
way back home. We also find that despite extensive cross-examination,
no reasons are forthcoming on record as to why they would become false
G witnesses in a case of triple murder. It is also clear from the evidence
that the Investigating Officer had collected a blood stained seat cover and
shoes from inside the car alongwith several other items from the place of
'~\
incident which go to show that the killings had happened in the car. The /

conflict in evidence as to the whether the dead bodies were found lying
H outside or inside the car would thus be of no telling effect more particularly
).
SARVESH NARAIN SHUKLA v. DAROGA SINGH 313
[HARJIT SINGH BEDI, J.]
t
-'r as a huge and milling crowd running into thousands had collected after A
the murders completely jeopardizing the security of the site and as such
no evidence could be .available to show as to how the dead bodies. had,
if at all, been put outside the car. It is also of some importance that Prem
Shankar Dubey who had been riding the car with the three deceased. and
had received injuries in attempting to escape had been medically examined B
by PW 6 Dr. AK. Pandey at about 5.25 p.m. on 4.4.1999. Though this
~ witness had been declared hostile, we are of the opinion that an outright
~ rejection of his evidence is not called for and both parties are entitled to
rely on such part of his evidence which assists their case. We now examine
his testimony in this background. He admitted that on the day of occurrence c
he had been sitting on the back seat of the Ambassador Car and had
been carrying his licensed rifle. He also admitted that on rushing out of
the car he had received some injuries but could not remember as.to
whether he had been medically examined though the evidence shows that
he had been present at the time of the lodging of the first information report D
in the Police Station. The statements made by Dangar Tewari and Ram
Dutt Misra are thus (to an extent) supported by Prem Shankar Dubey as
well.
12. Mr. Sushil Kumar has also laid some emphasis on the fact that
E
despite the fusillade fired at. the car with an assortment of modem
weapons, the car remained largely untouched and that there was thus no
evidence to show that it had collided with a bus coming from the opposite
side bringing it to a sudden stop, thus facilitating the murders. We have~
however, in this connection the evidence of PW 13 Vidya Prakash Misra,
F
the Investigating Officer, who in his cross-examination stated that he had
....r carefully examined the car at the place of occurrence and had found in
all about 40 bullet marks on the chassis, tank, backside bumper, diggy,
backside glass and bonnet. It is significant that the presence of the bullet
marks shows that the firing had taken place primarily from the rear side
G
as the driver had attempted to speed away and that the coup de grace
had apparently been delivered to the deceased after the car had stalled
~ ~ after hitting the bus. It is also significant that the presence of the bus and
its number had been shown in the site plan prepared by the said police
officer at the place of incident.
H
314 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2007] 11 S.C.R.

A 13. Mr. Sushil Kumar has also laid great stress on what he perceives ~· r
to be an apparent discordance between the ocular and the medical
evidence. He has emphasized that the Investigating Officer had picked
up three spent cases of a .12 bore shotgun from the spot and a wad had
also had been recovered from one of the dead bodies at the time of the
B post mortem examination thus indicating that only shotguns and no pistols
or carbines as alleged had been used, which clearly falsified the eye
witnesses. He has in this connection cited the judgment in Awadhesh and
Anr V. State of Madhya Pradesh, (1988] 2 sec 557 to submit that
where medical opinion was at variance with the ocular account the accused
C were entitled to the resultant benefit. Undoubtedly, the medical evidence
is extremely relevant in testing the credibility of an eye witness but we
are of the opinion that the eye witness account is fully in consonance with
the statements of the doctors and the other medical evidence. It has come
in the statement of the eye witnesses including Prem Shankar Dubey and
D also of Dr. Sanjay Tewari PW 8 on specific questions put to them that
the shots had been fired from a distance of a foot or two. We now
reproduce the post mortem reports prepared by PW Dr. Sanjay Tewari
with respect to Vakil Shukla and Shesh Mani Rai :
Vakil Shukla
E
1. Lacerated wound 2xl Cm. on the mid forehead with charring
and tattooing around it. Fontal bone not injured.
2. Abrasion Ix 0.5 Cm. on the mid forehead with charring and
tattooing around it.
F
3. Wound of firearm entry 6 in number each measuring 0.8x0.8
Cm. on the top and back of the left shoulder. Margins of wound \:'I'
inverted with blackening and tattooing all around it with their
wound of exit as follows-
G (1) 1.5 x 1.5 Cm. on the left side chest below the left axilla 5
Cm. below the apex;
(2) 3 x 3 Cm. on the left side chest 8 Cm. below and lateral ;\ ~
to the left nipple;
H
~
/'

SARVESH NARAIN SHUKLA v. DAROGA SINGH 315
[HARJIT SINGH BEDI, J.]
~
), (3) lxl Cm. on the right side chest 6 Cm. below the right A
nipple.
(4) lxl Cm. on the right side chest 4.5 Cm. above and medial
to the right nipple;
(5) lxl Cm. on the right side chest 8 Cm. below the right B
nipple; and
~
(6) lxl Cm. on the right side chest 6.5 Cm. lateral to the right
....,,
nipple.
4. Firearm wound of entry 0.8x0.8 Cm.. on the lateral surface c
ofright mid thigh with inverted margins and tattooing all arotmd
it with its wound of exit on the medial swface of thigh at the
same level with averted margins 1x1 Cm.
Shesh Mani Rai D
1. 5x4 Cm. on the right side neck I cm. below and posterior to
the right ear. Margins of the wound were inverted with chairing
and tattooing of skin all around with its wound of exit of size
6x5 Cm. on the left side face/over and lateral to the left eye
with averted margins; E
2. Wound of entrance 5.5x4 Cm. on the right side eye margin of
the wound inverted with charring and tattooing of skin all
around, with its wound of exit 6x6 Cm. below the left ear.
Margin of the wound averted.
F
-yr 3. Wound of entrance lxl Cm. on the lateral aspect ofleft arm.
Margins of wound inverted with charring and tattooing of skin
all around with its wound of exit l .Sxl .5 Cm. on the posterior
lateral aspect of the left arm. Margins of wound averted".
14. Dr. Radhey Raman PW 3 recorded the following injuries cm the G
dead body of Devi Shankar Dubey:
•..4,
I ,
1. Firearm wound of entry with charring and tattoomg of size 2x 1
Cm. It. Side of the chest just below the middle part of Lt. Clavicle.
Lt. Side clavicle fractw-ed with same wound of exit. H
316 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2007] 11 S.C.R.

A 2. Firearm wound of entry with charring and tattooing of six 1x1
Cm. on rt. Supra clavicle region 4 Cm. medial to top of rt.
Shoulder, margins of wound inverted, with its wound of exit
2.5x2.00 Cm. on the It. Side of chest on its lateral side 5.00 Cm.
lateral and just below it. Nipple margin of wound of exist is averted;
B and
3. Abraded contusion 2x2 Cm. on rt. Side of the forehead".
A cork ( 1. 5 x 1.2 cm ) was also recovered from the dead body.

c 15. Relying on the above quoted evidence it has been emphasized
that there appeared to be no injuries from a rifle or pistol. We however
beg to differ. It bears reiteration that shots had been fired from a distance
of a feet or two and this opinion is fortified as the entry wounds without
exception show signs of charring and tattooing. The dimensions of the
D entry wounds also show that several different types of weapons have
been used. It is clear from the post mortem examination of Devi Shankar
Dubey's body (during which a cork had been recovered) that a shotgun
had undoubtedly been used in his murder and that the shot had entered
en masse as is apparent from the size of wound of entry (Injury No. 1).
E 16. We now come to the reports of the other two deceased. Injury
No. 3 on the person of Vakil Shukla is clearly not an injury caused by a
shotgun and has been caused by a medium calibre automatic or semi'-
automatic rifle or pistol. Mr. Sushil Kumar has however submitted that
this injury had possibly been caused by a shotgun using buckshot SG/LG
F cartridges as had a high velocity rifle been used from a close range as
suggested, the bullet would have had a blasting effect on the body. We,
however, find that this argument is not substantiated on the evidence, that
is, available to us. Undoubtedly, this shot too had been fired from a little
beyond point blank range and if it had been fired from a shotgun, the
G shoulder would have been shattered and in any event the entire charge
would have entered the body en masse making a rat hole wound of entry.
We are fortified in our view by the observations on page 465 of the Fourth
Edition of Dr. B.R. Shanna's Forensic Science in Criminal Investigation
and Trials:
H
J
SARVESH NARAIN SHUKLA v. DAROGA SINGH 317
,. [HARJIT SINGH BEDI, J.]
~
"9.10.7.3 Shotgun injuries: A
The nature of the injuries caused by the shotgun is greatly altered
by the range. Contact or near contact wounds look like explosions.
Close range shots upto about three meters give rat holes varying
in diameter from about 2 to 6 centimetres. From about 2 metres
B
to 10 metres the projectiles may form a rat hole surrounded by
~ individual pellet holes. Beyond 10 metres most of the shots form
..,, separate holes. The buckshots may separate earlier. For example,
n L.G. cartridge may give individual injuries for each shot from a
range of about 2 metres. The area covered by the pellets vary with
the range and the choke characteristics of a gun.
c
Ordinarily, the shotguns projectiles do not form exit holes except
when buckshots are used from close ranges".
17. Modi's Medical Jurisprudence and Toxicology, Twenty-third D
Edition at page 722 is to the same effect. We reproduce the relevant
A passage hereunder :
'The effects produced by small shot fired from a shotgun vary
according to the distance of the weapon from the body, and
choking device. A charge of small shot, fired very close to, or E
within a few inches, of the body enters in one mass like a single
bullet making a large irregular wound with scorched and contused
edges, and is followed by the gases of the discharge which greatly
lacerate and rupture the deeper tissues. Particles of unburnt powder
expelled from the weapon behind the missile are driven to some F
distance through the wound, and some of them are found
embedded in tl1e wound and the surrounding skin, which is also
singed and blackened by the flame and smoke of combustion. The
exit wound of a close range shot may show greater damage of
tissues than the entrance wound, ilie margins are eve1ted, but there G
is no evidence of blackening of singeing. At a distance of one to
......,
...... I , three feet, small shots make a single aperture with irregular and
lacerated edges corresponding in size to ilie bore of the muzzle of
the gun, as the shot enter as one mass, but are scattered after
H
318 SUPREME COURT REPORTS {2007] 11 S.C.R.

A entering the woWld and cause great damage to the internal tissues.
The skin surroWlding the wounds is blackened, scorched and
tattooed, with Wlbumt grains of powder. On the other hand, at a
distance of six feet, the central aperture is surroWlded by separate
openings in an area of about two inches in diameter made by a
B few pellets of the shot, which spread out before reacl}ing the mark.
The skin surrounding the aperture may not be blackened or
scorched, but is tattooed to some extent. At a distance of 12 feet,
the charge of the shot spreads widely and enters the body as
individual pellets producing separate openings in an area of five to
c eight inches in diameter depending on the choke, but without
causing blackening, scorching or tattooing of the surroWlding skin".
18. Mr. Sushil Kumar's argument with regard to the use of a high
velocity rifle and its effect on the body when fired from a close range
D would Wldoubtedly merit serious consideration but in the light of the facts
on the record, we are Wlable to concur. It is the case of the prosecution
that carbines and 9mm pistols in addition to shotguns had been used during .,._._
the attack. A carbine, a high velocity weapon firing automatically or semi
automatically, and 9mm bore pistols are prohibited firearms permitted for
E use only by the police and armed forces which invariably use hard nosed
bullets in contradistinction to soft nosed ones used in sporting rifles against
soft skinned game and which cause immense internal damage on the victim
and huge woWlds of exit, if any. We find that all six woWlds of ently are
of 0.8x0.8 cm. and with the exception of one, all exit woWlds are also of
F almost similar dimensions. We are, therefore, of the opinion that injury
no. 3 appears to be a woWld of entry from a weapon firing hard nosed --f"
bullets which had penetrated the body and exited on the other side. We
find support for this view from Modi (Supra) (at pgs.717-718):
"Because of obvious difference in design and construction, the
G wounds produced by hunting ammunition are much more
devastating than that of the military ammWlition. In military
ammunition, the bullets are full metal jacketed having a core of steel
or lead inside and are thus prevented from deformation (or
expansion) when they hit the target. In contrast, a hWlting bullet is
H
SARVESH NARAIN SHUKLA v. DAROGA SINGH 319
[HARJIT SINGH BEDI, J.]
.~
7-- designed to deform (or expand) in its passage through the body, A
producing an increase in its presenting area Thus a hunting bullet,
which is partially metal jacketed, but with the lead core exposed
at its tip, is referred to as soft-point bullet. Hollow point hunting-
bullets are also partially jacketed but have a cavity at the tip of
lead core to facilitate expansion on striking the target. The silvertip B
hunting-bullet in reality is a soft point bullet whose lead core at its
..,
tip is protected by a thin jacket of aluminium alloy sheath.
-r·
Modem steel-jacketed bullets used in anny weapons have the
shape of an elongated cone and owing to their great velocity usually
pass straight and direct through the body without any deflection
c
or deviation, and without causing much damage. The wounds of
entry and exit are almost circular and similar in appearance without
any bruising or laceration of the surrounding parts".
19.·Tue nature of injuries found on the dead body ofShesh Mani D
Rai are equally significant. It appears from injury nos. 1 and 2 which are.
-1.
on the neck and head respectively that the shot had furrowed through
the body with a huge exit wound. The very dimension of these injuries
show the presence of a rat hole type of entry with a larger wound of exit
on the other side. Injury No. 3 substantially corresponds with the injuries E
found on the dead body of Vakil Shukla and reveals that this· injury had
not been caused with the weapon which caused the other two injuries.
The judgment cited by the learned counsel is therefore on its peculiar facts
and based on the premise that the evidence in the case was doubtful.
F
20. We have also considered the arguments ofleamed senior counsel
on the appeals against acquittal. We are of the opinion that the matter
has been considered by the trial court and the ,High Court in its correct
perspective and no interference is called for.
21. We accordingly dismiss all the appeals. G

--., ;"" K.K.T. Appeals dismissed.