Holding

An extra‑judicial confession made before a person with no reason to falsely implicate the accused, and corroborated by other reliable evidence, is admissible and can support a conviction; the High Court erred in acquitting, and the conviction is restored.

Summary

The State of Karnataka prosecuted M.N. Ramdas for the murder of his companion Ananthu in a lodge in Mysore on 28 June 1988. The accused made an extra‑judicial confession to a lodge counter clerk (PW2), who promptly informed the lodge proprietor’s father (PW3) and the police; the police subsequently found the accused in the room with the dead body and a blood‑stained chopper. The trial court convicted Ramdas based on the confession, corroborative eyewitness testimony, forensic evidence and circumstantial facts, but the Karnataka High Court acquitted him on grounds such as a discrepancy about the floor of the room, lack of motive, and procedural lapses. On appeal, the Supreme Court held that the confession, made to a person with no motive to falsely implicate the accused and corroborated by other reliable evidence, is admissible and carries sufficient probative value, and that the alleged procedural deficiencies did not vitiate the prosecution case. Consequently, the Court set aside the High Court judgment, restored the conviction and sentence, and allowed the State’s appeal.

Issues considered

The admissibility and evidentiary value of an extra‑judicial confession made to a stranger.
Whether the lack of motive, discrepancy about the location of the crime, non‑production of the hotel register, and other investigative lapses warrant acquittal.
Whether the prosecution case, supported by circumstantial and forensic evidence, is sufficient to uphold conviction.

Legislation cited

Indian Evidence Act, 1872s. 24, s. 25, s. 26
Indian Penal Code, 1860s. 302

Subjects

extra‑judicial confessionevidentiary valuecorroborationmurdercircumstantial evidenceforensic evidencemotivecriminal appealconviction restored

Judgment

A STATE OF KARNATAKA
v
M.N. RAMDAS

SEPTEMBER 5, 2002

B (RAJENDRA BABU AND P. VENKATARAMA REDD!, JJ.]

Evidence Act, 1872-Extra-judicial confession-Made before a person
who has no reason to falsely implicate the accused and his testimony stands
C corroborated-Evidentiary value of-Held, such confession can be relied on--
On facts, trial Court convicting the accused, however, High Court acquitting
him-On appeal held, since there is clinching evidence along with extra judicial
confession made by the accused lo establish his guilt, High Cour/ erred in
setting aside the conviction.

D Criminal Trial :

Prosecution case-Reliance of-When sufficient evidence to show accused
committing murder but no/ as to motive-Held, prosecution case no/ viliated
on account of this.

E According to the prosecution, respondent-accused murdered his
companion by inflicting injuries with chopper. It is alleged that
respondent-~ccused and his companion checked in at a Lodge where
murder was committed. Respondent-accused made extra-judicial
confession before PW2 who was sitting at the counter of the Lodge, that
he had killed his companion. PW2 informed PW3-father of proprietor of
F the Lodge who then informed the Police. Sub-Inspector found respondent-
accused in the room by the side of the dead body. Trial Court convicted
respondent-accu$ed. However, High Court set aside the conviction. Hence
the present appeal.

Allowing the appeal, the Court
G
HELD: 1. The approach of High Court is perverse as it has set aside
the conviction recorded by trial court on untenable and irrelevant grounds.
It is not reasonably possible to give benefit of doubt to the accused, as the
evidence is so clinching. None of the reasons given by the High Court are
H tenable. On the basis of evidence on record it was not reasonably possible
112
STA TE OF KARNATAKA v. M.N. RAMDAS 113

to take the view which the High Court did. Hence the judgment of the A
High Court is set aside and conviction and sentence of the accused is
restored. (119-H; 120-A; 122-B-q

2. The unnatural conduct on the part of the accused in committing
the murder, immediately confessing it to a stranger and then remaining
in the lodge after the incident will not necessarily shake the veracity of B
prosecution witnesses testimony but will put the Court on guard to get
the assurance of truth in the prosecution case by corroborative evidence
including circumstantial factors. There need not be astute reluctance on
the part of the court to accept the extra-judicial confession. Further the
evidence of PW3 corroborates the version of PW2 and both these witnesses C
have no reason to falsely implicate the accused. That apart, the
circumstances referred to by the trial Court are almost clinching and lend
assurance to the correctness of the version of PW2. (119-A-C]

Rahim Beg and Anr. v. State of U.P., (19721 3 SCC 759, referred to.

Gura Singh v. State of Rajasthan, (20011 2 SCC 205, relied on. D

3. There was no clinching material where exactly the incident took
place-whether in first floor or second floor. This alleged discrepancy does
not throw an iota of doubt on the prosecution case. (120-B-C]

4. The last seen evidence cannot be discredited on the basis that the E
hotel register was not produced in order to establish that the accused and
the deceased stayed together in the room. (120-D-G]

5. Accused was injured and sent to the hospital, but neither the
injuries were explained nor examined by the doctor. This lapse on the part F
of the prosecution by itself does not demolish the prosecution case, the
omission on the part of the prosecution to produce evidence as to the
nature of injuries received by the accused is not really material in the
circumstances of the case. (121-B-DI

6. The weapon-chopper, found on the table in the room contained G
human blood as per the chemical analysis report, was not sent to finger
print expert. Even if it is considered a lapse in the investigation, it will
not cast a cloud of doubt on the prosecution case. (121-D-E(

7. One of the prosecution witnesses spoke about the wearing of the
seized blood stained clothes by the accused. Thus High Court's observation H
114 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2002] SUPP. 2 S.C.R.

A that none of witnesses spoke about it is factually incorrect. 1121-Ff
8. When there is abundant evidence to show that the accused and
the accused alone would have committed the murder, the absence of proof
of motive does not vitiate the prosecution case. Thus the fact that the
prosecution did not adduce satisfactory evidence on the motive aspect is
B not sufficient to throw out the prosecution case as unreliable.
1121-C, H; 122-Af

CRIMINAL APPELLATE JURISDICTION : Criminal Appeal No.
602/1993,

C From the Judgment and Order dated 11.3.1993 of the High Court of
Kamataka at Bangalore in Crl. A. No. 211 of 1991.

M. Veerappa, for the Appellant.

Devesh Singh, (AC), Amit Singh and Ms. Pareena Swaup, for the
D Respondent.
The Judgment of the Court was delivered by

P. VENKA TARAMA REDDI, J. This appeal by special leave filed by
the State is against the judgment of the High Court of Kamataka setting aside
E the judgment of the Sessions Court, Mysore and acquitting the respondent
herein of the charge under S. 302 IPC. The respondent was charged of
committing murder of his companion by name Ananthu by inflicting injuries
with a chopper on the afternoon of28.6.1988 at a room in 'Kucheta lodge'
jn Mysore. According to the prosecution, the accused and the deceased who
stayed in the house of PW 4 on the day prior to the day of occurrence came
F together to Mysore on the next day i.e. 28.6.1988. The accused came to the
house of PW 4 to meet the deceased Ananthu who was related to him. The
accused and the deceased checked in at Kucheta lodge in Mysore at about
1.30 P.M. on 28.6.1988. At that time PW2 who was a friend of the proprietor
of the lodge and who used to stay in the lodge during his visits to Mysore
G to attend to his contract work was at the counter of the hotel. According to
PW 2, the manager by name Raju while leaving for food requested him to
be at the counter. Entries were made in the lodge register and a receipt Pl
was passed on to the accused for the cash received. It transpires from the
evidence that tl'te name written in the hotel register and the receipt was 'H.S.
Ramesh'. The receipt which is in a printed form in English was filled up by
H the deceased as PW 2 did not know English. At about 4.15 P.M. when PW
STATE OF KARNA TAKA v. M.N. RAMDAS [VEN KAT ARAMA REDD!. .I.] 115

2 was sitting at the counter along with the room boy Manjunath, the accused A
came and told him that he had killed Ananthu and he should telephone to the
police. At that time he was wearing only a pant and his body wa~ stained
with blood. Then. he sent the room boy Manjunath along with the accused
to the room to see what had happened. Manjunath came back leaving the
accused in room and closing it from outside. Manjunath reported to PW 2 B
that murder had taken place and that he may telephone to the owner of the
lodge. Then, he contacted the proprietor's father by name Jugga Raju (PW
3) over telephone and informed him that some 'Galata' (untoward incident)
had taken place in the lodge and requested him to come down to the lodge.
PW 3 came to the lodge immediately and got a feed back of the event from
PW 2. PW 3 then contacted the police and informed them that a murder had C
taken place in room No. 7 without naming the victim or the assailant. Then,
the police Sub-inspector PW 12 accompanied by police personnel reached
the lodge. He entered room No.7 in second floor by opening the bolt. He
found the accused sitting on the cot. A dead body was lying by the side of
the cot in a pool of blood. There were injuries on the neck and the face and
a blood stained chopper was found on the table. He arrested the accused who D
gave his name as Ramdas and he sent the accused to the police station. PW
12 recorded the statement of room boy Manjunath at the lodge. That statement
signed by Manjunath is Ex. P JO. and it was treated as complaint. PW 12
returned to the police station at about 5 P.M. and registered the crime under
Section 302 IPC and submitted FIR Ex. P l l to the Magistrate and superior E
officers. Then, PW l 0 who was working as Circle Inspector of police took
over further investigation. He proceeded to the place of occurrence and drew
up spot Mahajar in the presence of Panchas PW 5 and another. He seized
various articles in the room including blood stained bed sheets and pillow
covers, bushshirt of the deceased, blood stained chopper etc. Then, in the
presence of the Panchas, he held inquest over the dead body. During inquest F
he examined PWs 2 «nd 3. The inquest report is Ex. P 3. He sent the dead
body for post-mortem examination. According to PW I0 the accused was
sent with a requisition to the hospital through a police constable as he sustained
minor injuries. After the accused returned from the hospital PW l 0 seized his
clothes M.O. 13 to 15 in the presence of Panch witness PW 7 after providing G
alternative clothing to him. The seized articles were sent to the Forensic
Laboratory, Bangalore. The chemical analysis & Serology reports (P 9 and
P 8) confirmed the presence of human blood stains on various articles including
M.O. 6 and clothes. PW I0 deposed that during investigation it was disclosed
that there was a scuffle between the accused and the deceased.
H
116 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2002] SUPP. 2 S.C.R.

A PW 1, who is the wife of the deceased, stated that one Ranga Raju who
is her husband's paternal aunt's son is the owner of the land adjacent to their
land and her husband and Ranga Raju were often quarrelling in connection
with the land dispute. She further stated that Ranga Raju's elder brother's son
is the accused. She also stated in somewhat vague terms that "due to land
B dispute, there was ill-will between my husband and accused". She identified
the handwriting of her husband on Ex. Pl which was issued in the alleged
name of H.S. Ramesh. She also identified clothes on the body of the deceased.
Moreover, she stated that the police showed her the hotel register in which
the name H.S. Ramesh was found and that name was also written with the
hand of her husband.
c PW 6 is the Professor and Head of Department of Forensic Science in
Government Medical College. He conducted post-mortem examination of the
dead body on the night of 29.6.1988 as per the requisition received from the
police on the previous day. Ex. P4 is the post-mortem report. PW 6 found six
incised wounds on the face and neck apart from many other superficial incised
D wounds and abrasions on various parts of the body. Incised wounds 1 to 6,
according to PW 6, looked like multiple chop wounds which cut the neck
tissues up to the trachea. The injury on the right side of the neck was deep
seated, cutting the muscles and blood vessels of the neck. The outer part of
the third cervical vertebrae was found cut upto the body. PW 6 expressed the
E opinion that the death was due to bleeding and shock as a result of chop
injuries on the right side of the neck caused by a heavy sharp cutting weapon.
The seized chopper MO 6 was examined by him and he gave the opinion that
the injuries could have been caused by a weapon like MO 6 and some of the
minor injuries could be caused by slashing of the cutting edge of MO 6.

F The learned Sessions Judge relied on the following circumstances for
coming to the conclusion that the accused had committed crime :

1. As per the evidence of PW 4, wife of the deceased, on the day
of the occurrence the deceased accompanied by the accused left
her house in a village to Mysore. The evidence of PW 2 reveals
G that the accused and the deceased hired a room in the lodge at
about I .30 P.M. Ex. P. I (cash receipt) filled up by the deceased
was issued by PW 2 who was incharge of the counter at that
time. PW 2 had last seen them going to the allotted room i.e.
room No. 7.
H 2. The deceased was found murdered in the room by 4.15 P.M.
STATE OF KARNATAKA v. M.N. RAMDAS [VENKAT ARAMA REDDI. J.) 117

3. When the door of room No. 7 was opened by the police, accused A
was sitting on the cot by the side of the dead body, as seen from
the evidence of PWs 2 and 10.
4. In the room the blood stained chopper by which the mJunes
could have been inflicted (as per the medical evidence) was found.
The blood stained clothes of the accused were seized. The B
chemical analysis report reveals that they contained human blood.
5. The learned trial Judge referred to the fact that Manjunath, the
room boy, whose statement was treated as FIR could not be
examined as his whereabouts were not known, as disclosed in
the evidence of PW JO. C
With regard to the extra judicial confession, the trial Court neither
discarded nor relied upon it apparently for the reason that according to the
ii decision cited before him - Rahim Beg and Anr. v. State of U.P .. [1972] 3
SCC 759 such confession is a weak evidence especially when it is made
before a person with whom the accused had no previous contacts. The learned D
Sessions Judge observed that even if the extra judicial confession is eschewed
from consideration the other circumstances referred to supra are sufficient to
establish the guilt of the accused.

The learned Sessions Judge concluded that the circumstances fonn a
complete chain and rule out reasonable likelihood Of innocence of the accused. E
Before we proceed to the consideration of the High Court's judgment,
we deem it appropriate to refer to a recent decision of this O;iurt in Gura
Singh v. State of Rajasthan, [2001] 2 SCC 205 wherein the evidentiary value
to be attached to the extra judicial confession has been explained thus :
F
"It is settled position of law that extra-judicial confession, if true and
voluntary, it can be relied upon by the court to convict the accused
for the commission of the crime alleged. Despite inherent weakness
of extra-judicial confession as an item of evidence, it cannot be ignored
l when shown that such confession was made before a person who has G
no reason to state falsely and to whom it is made in the circumstances
which tend to support the statement. Relying upon an earlier judgment
in Rao Shiv Bahadur Singh v. State of Vindhya Pradesh this Court
again in Maghar Singh v. State of Punjab held that the evidence in
the form of extra-judicial confession made by the accused to witnesses
cannot be always termed to be a tainted evidence. Corroboration of H
I 18 SUPREME COURT REPORTS (2002] SUPP. 2 S.C.R.

.A such evidence is required only by way of abundant caution. If the
court be! ieves the witness before whom the. confession is made and
is satisfied that the confession was true and voluntarily made, then
the conviction can be founded on such evidence alone. In Narayan
Singh v. Stare of M.P. this Court cautioned that it is not open to the
court trying the criminal case to start with a presumption that extra-
B judicial confession is always a weak type of evidence. It would depend
on the nature of the circumstances, the time when the confession is
made and the credibility of the witnesses who Speak for such a
confession. The retraction of extra-judicial confession which is a usual
phenomenon in criminal cases would be itself not weaken the case of
c the prosecution based upon such a confession. In Kishore Chand V.
. State of H.P. this Court held that an unambiguous extra-judicial
confession possesses high probative value force as it emanates from
the person who committed the crime and is admissible in evidence
provided it is free from suspicion and suggestion of any falsity.
However, before relying on the alleged confession, the court has to
D be satisfied that it is voluntary and is not the result of inducement,
threat or promise envisaged under Section 24 of the Evidence Act or
was brought about in suspicious citcumstances to circumvent Sections
25 and 26. The court is required to look into the surrounding
circumstances to find out as to whether such confession is not inspired
E by a_ny improper or collateral consideration or circumvention of law
suggesting that it may not be true. All relevant circumstances such as
the person to whom the confession is made, the time and place of
making it, the circumstances in which it was made have to be
scrutinized."

F Examined in the light of the enunciation of law as above, we are of the
view that the testimony of PW 2 as regards the confession made by the
accused at the earliest point of time is such as to inspire confidence in the
mind of the Court. PW 2 may be a stranger to the accused but it should also
be noted that there is absolutely no reason why he should unnecessarily
G implicate the accused. Without any loss of time he brought to the notice of .
PW 3 and the police the factum of confession made by the accused soon after
the crime. His version in this regard is supported by PW 3 who, being the
father of the proprietor of the lodge, came to the lodge immediately after
receiving the phone call from PW 2. The conduct of the accused in committing
the murder and immediately revealing this fact to a stranger like PW 2 may
H not be consistent with the ordinary human conduct.· It may be difficult to
STATE OF KARNATAKA 1·. M.N. RAMDAS (VENKATARAMA REDD!. .I.) 119

speculate as to what prompted the accused to confess the commission of A
crime before PW 2 and to remain in the lodge after the incident. But, on that
account. there need not be astute reluctance on the part of the Court to accept
the extra-judicial confession. The unnatural conduct on the part of the accused
...... will not necessarily shake the veracity of PW 2's testimony but it will put the
Court on guard to get the assurance of truth in the prosecution case by
corroborative evidence including circumstantial factors. We have before us B
the evidence of PW 3 who corroborates the version of PW 2 and both these
witnesses have no reason to falsely implicate the accused. That apart, the
... circumstances referred to by the trial Court are almost clinching and lend
assurance to the correctness of the version of PW 2.

We shall now come to grips to the reasons put forward by the High
c
Court in acquitting the accused. The following are the reasons given by the
High Court :
. I. There is no clinching material where exactly the incident took
place whether in first floor or second floor. PW 2 stated that
D
room No. 7 is in first floor whereas in Ext P.10, room No.7is
said to be in second floor.
....
2. The extra-judicial confession was not communicated to the police
or to the proprietor of the lodge at the earliest point of time. The
telephonic message was only to the effect that an untoward
incident had happened.
E
'
.>. Having regard to the variation in the evidence of PWs 2 and 3
the confession becomes doubtful.
4. The hotel register was not produced in Court to establish that the
accused and deceased stayed together in the room. Hence, the F
last seen evidence cannot be given any weight.
5. Though the accused was injured and sent to the hosphal, the
injuries were not explained nor the doctor examined.
6. The chopper found on the table was not sent to finger print
..l expert. G
7. None spoke about the wearing of the seized shirt and baniyan by
the accused.
8. No motive is established.
\\
None of the above reasons, in our view, are tenable. On the basis of H

r
120 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2002] SUPP. 2 S.C.R.

A evidence on record it was not reasonably possible to take the view which the .
High Court did. We shall now proceed to discuss the reasons given by the
High Court in order to see whether the conclusions of the High Court are
perverse or there is scope to take more than one view.

First, about the place of incident. A doubt was entertained by the High
B Court as regards the place of occurrence, when there was no room for such
doubt. The prosecution evidence is consistent that the murder took place in
room No. 7 of the lodge. Whether it be in the first floor or the second floor
is not really material. The alleged discrepancy as to the location of the room ..
does not throw an iota of doubt on the prosecution case. PW 2 who was
C giving evidence after more than two years may not have recollected whether
room No. 7 was in the first floor or the second floor, especially when he is
not the proprietor or manager of the lodge. There is over-whelming evidence
to show that the occurrence took place in room No. 7.
..
Next, coming to extra judicial confession, we searched in vain for any
D variation in the versions of PWs 2 and 3 which may have bearing on the
factum of making confession before PW 2; but, we could find nothing. The
non-mention of the confessional statement by PW 2 when he telephoned to
PW 3 or PW 3 when he contacted the police over phone is not at all a factor
which casts a reasonable doubt on the version of PW 2. Having regard to the
E fact that they were expected to reach the lodge within a few minutes, such
details could be more appropriately narrated in person rather than wasting
time on phone. Such conduct is quite consistent with ordinary human conduct.
The time lag between the telephonic contact and the arrival of PW 3 and the
police is less than half an hour, as the evidence on record reveals. It is too
much to think that PW 2 entertained the idea of concocting extra judicial
F confession within those few minutes. The view taken by the High Court in
this regard is wholly perverse.
.
./
The last seen evidence cannot be discredited on the basis that the hotel
register was not produced in order to establish that the accused and the
deceased hired a room in the hotel. In the face of the undeniable fact that the
G name entered in the cash receipt (Ex. P 1) and in the hotel register is a
fictitious name 'H.S. Ramesh', the production of hotel register could not
have made any difference. The fact remains that PW 2 identifiec! the accused
and the deceased as the persons who took the room a few hours before the
incident and to whom the receipt was passed on. The hand-writing of the -
H deceased on Ex. P-1 was identified by his wife P.W.4 - an educated lady.
STATE OF KARNATAKAv. M.N. RAMDAS (VENKATARAMAREDDl,J.) )21

Then, we have the clear evidence to the effect that the accused was found in A
the room by the side of the dead body. All these relevant facts were overlooked
by the High Court.

In regard to the injuries on the accused, it is true that, PW 10 the 1.0.
stated that minor injuries were found on the person of the accused and,
therefore, he sent the accused with a requisition to the hospital. No doubt, the B
prosecution could have examined the Doctor or produced the medical
... examination report. But, this lapse on the part of the prosecution by itself
does not demolish the prosecution case. The presence of injuries may at best
suggest that the possibility of some scuffle within the room cannot be ruled
out. But, when the accused had not set up the plea of self-defence or any C
other plausible explanation for the unnatural death of the deceased though he
was the only person in the know of things, the non-production of evidence
as to the nature of injuries received by the accused is not really material. The
omission on the part of the prosecution does not in any way weaken the case
against the accused.
D
The weapon - MO 6, found on the table in the room contained human
blood as per the chemiol analysis report. If the finger prints of the accused
could be traced thereon that would have provided an additional piece of
evidence to connect the accused with the crim~. It is doubtful whether blood-
soaked chopper, if analysed by the finger print expert, could have given any
clues as to finger prints. Be that as it may, even if it is considered a lapse in E
the investigation, that will not cast a cloud of doubt on the prosecution case.

The next observation of High Court that none of witnesses spoke to
the fact that the accused was wearing the seized shirt and banian is factually
incorrect. The Panch witness PW 7 spoke to the seizure of the blood stained
clothes which the accused was wearing at the police station. MOs 13 to 15
F
are the blood stained clothes and they were sent for chemical analysis.

As regards the motive, it is true, as vehemently contended by the
learned Amicus Curiae that the prosecution evidence is not quite satisfactory.
A bald statement that there was a land dispute between the deceased and the G
accused was made by PW I the wife of the deceased. She gave a somewhat
detailed version in so far as the enmity between Ranga Raju who is a relation
of the accused and the deceased, but, that is really not material. The fact that
the prosecution did not adduce satisfactory evidence on the motive aspect, in
our view, is not sufficient to throw out the prosecution case as unreliable.
When there is abundant evidence to show that the accused and the accused H
122 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2002) SUPP. 2 S.C.R.

A alone would have commined the murder, the absence of proof of motive does
not vitiate the prosecution case.

For all thes_e reasons, we are of the undoubted view that the approach
of the High Court is perverse as it has set aside the conviction recorded by
the Trial Court on untenable and irrelevant grounds. It is not reasonably
B possible to give benefit of doubt to the accused, as the evidence is so clinching.
We, therefore, set aside the judgment of the High Court and restore the
conviction and sentence given by the Sessions Court. The respondent accused ,
shall serve the remaining period of imprisonment as per the judgment of the
Trial Court. The appeal is allowed. We place on record our appreciation of
C the valuable services rendered by Shri Devesh Singh, Amicus Curiae.

N.J. Appeal allowed.

...