Holding

The prosecution failed to prove common intention and the chain of circumstantial evidence was incomplete, so the conviction under Sections 302/34 IPC could not be sustained.

Summary

The deceased businessman Satish Kumar Mehra was found dead near Udyog Bhavan, Chandigarh, and rickshaw pullers including Sunny Kapoor were charged with murder under Sections 302 and 34 of the IPC. The trial court convicted them based largely on circumstantial evidence and alleged extra‑judicial confessions to a social worker, and the High Court upheld the conviction. On appeal, the Supreme Court noted serious discrepancies in the time of body recovery, the unreliability of the extra‑judicial confessions, and the absence of any charge under Section 397 IPC or recovery of stolen property. The Court held that the prosecution failed to establish a common intention among the accused and could not link all the incriminating circumstances into a single chain. Consequently, the conviction and life sentence were set aside and the appellants were ordered to be released.

Issues considered

Whether the circumstantial evidence presented was sufficient to sustain a conviction under Sections 302 and 34 IPC.
Whether extra‑judicial confessions made to a third person are admissible and reliable for conviction.
Whether a common intention under Section 34 IPC can be inferred in the absence of a charge under Section 397 IPC and without proof of participation in the murder.
Whether the discrepancies in the date and time of recovery of the dead body defeat the prosecution's case.

Legislation cited

Indian Evidence Act, 1872s. 881, s. 882
Indian Penal Code, 1860s. 120-B, s. 302, s. 34, s. 397

Subjects

murdercircumstantial evidenceextra‑judicial confessioncommon intentionSection 302 IPCSection 34 IPCacquittalconviction set aside

Judgment

SUNNY KAPOOR A
...A v.
STATE (UT OF CHANDIGARH)

MAY 5, 2006

[S.B. SINHA AND P.P. NAOLEKAR, JJ.] B

Criminal Trial.

Circumstantial evidence-Death due to strangulation--Belongings of
deceased missing-FIR lodged against unknown persons-Glaring c
discrepancies in regard to date and time of recovery of dead body-Extra-
judicial confession made by accused persons appearing doubtful-Evidence
of witnesses not at all trustworthy-Accused persons not charged under
Section 397-No recovery made from accused persons-No evidence that all
accused persons present when deceased was strangulated-Another person
D
involved whose name never figured during investigation-Held, common
intention not established and charge under Section 302134 not made out-
Even no charge of conspiracy framed against accused persons-Jn the
circumstances, conviction and sentence passed set aside.

Appreciation of evidence-Extra-judicial confession-Accused persons E
alleged to have made confession to person whom they never knew-Such
person not disclosing in evidence why accused persons came to him for
hel~Person not remembering name offourth accused-Person not disclosing
statements made by accused persons to him,-Held, it is unlikely that accused
persons would make confession to person whom they never knew-Statement
of person that accused persons made extra-judicial confession before him F
does not inspire corifidence.

S was a businessman in Delhi and had come to Chandigarh on or about
18.9.1999 to collect his dues from businessmen to whom he had supplied goods
including PW-16. When S did not reach Delhi on 19.9.1999, the brother of
G
S, PW-3, contacted PW-16 who after making enquiries from other dealers
•• made a report in that behalf to the police which was recorded as DOR No. 23
at about 7:20 p.m. on 19.9.1999. However, the dead body ofS was found on
20.9.1999 and some of bis belongings were found missing and an FIR was
·lodged against unknown persons for commission of an offence under Section
881 H
882 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2006) SUPP. I S.C.R.

A 302/34 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860. PW-3 also reached Chandigarh and
identified the dead body of deceased. Trial court convicted appellants who are
rickshaw pullers for commission of an offence under Sections 302/34 IPC
and sentenced them to life imprisonment-Appeals preferred by accused
persons were dismissed by the High Court. Hence, these appeals by the
accused persons.
B
Appellants contended that recovery of dead body on 20.9.1999 could not
be said to have been proved as PW-3, brother of deceased, had categorically
stated that he had identified the body of the deceased in the night of 19.9.1999;
that evidence of PW-11 before whom the appellants are said to have made extra-
C judicial confessions is not trustworthy; that evidence of PW-19 and PW-24
who had last seen the deceased in the company of the appellants is not
trustworthy ; and that prosecution "failed to prove the charges against
appellants as the appellants were not charged under Section 397 IPC and no
recovery was made from them.

D Allowing the appeals, the Court

HELD: I. The specific case of the prosecution is that the DDR No. 23
was registered at 7.20 p.m. on 19.9.1999 at the instance of PW-16. The death
of the deceased evidently had occurred in the night of 18th September, 1999.
From the evidence of the Investigating Officer-Inspector (PW-25), it appears
E that he received a wireless message at about 9.10 a.m. on 20.9.1999 that a
dead body was seen lying near Udyog Bhavan, Sector 17, Chandigarh. Doctor
(PW-I) conducted the post-mortem on the dead body of the said deceased at
about 4.30 p.m. on 20.9.1999. According to him, the possibility of the deceased
dying 10 to 12 hours before conducting the autopsy cannot be ruled out. PW-
F 3, brother of the deceased, in his deposition, categorically stated that he
reached Chandigarh at 7.00 p.m. on 19.9.1999. At about 10.30 p.m. on the
said date he came to know about a dead body lying near Udyog Bhavan, Sector
17, Chandigarh. He and his friends reached there. The police officers were
already present at the said spot. He thereafter identified the dead body. Tea
vendor (PW-24), it is significant to note, also allegedly saw the accused and
G the deceased on 18.9.1999 at 10.30 p.m. He came to learn about the recovery
of the dead body on the next day in the morning, i.e. on 19.9.1999. If his
statement is to be believed, the dead body was recovered on 19th morning itself.
Even in the post-mortem report, according to Doctor (PW-I) the death of the
deceased might have taken place 10 to 12 hours before conducting the autopsy. (

H On the aforementioned premise, it is difficult to believe the prosecution case.
SONNY KAPOOR v. STA TE (UT OF CHANDIGARH) 883

There are two glaring discrepancies in regard to the date and time of recovery A
of the dead body.1888-C, D, F-H; 889-A-D)

2. According to PW-11, the accused came to him for the first time on
29.9.1999. Why they would come for help, was not disclosed. They only wanted
his help because the police had cast some doubts upon them regarding some
murder. It was on that basis alone that the appellants were allegedly being B
taken to the police station. PW-11 did not disclose as to how the appellants
knew him. He did not remember the name of the fourth person. It is really a
matter of great surprise that even though the appellants had allegedly
confessed their guilt, they would willingly be accompanying PW-11 to the
police station. It is again a matter of surprise that they would be meeting the C
Investigating Officer on the way. PW-1 did not say that the appellants gave a
vivid description of the deceased so as to enable him to make a guess that the
case related to the murder of deceased, S. It is also significant to note that as
to what statements were made by the appellants by way of extra-judicial
confessions had not been disclosed. It is wholly unlikely that all the three
appellants would make a joint statement. PW-11 did not disclose as to whether D
any of the appellants made the statements before him or all of them gave
statements one after the other. It is wholly unlikely that the accused would
make extra-judicial confession to a person whom they never knew. It also
appears to be wholly improbable that unknown persons would come to seek
his help unless he was known to be close to the police officers. His statements, E
thus, do not even otherwise inspire confidence. (890-E, F; 891-F-G; 892-A-B)

Jaswant Gir v. State of Punjab, 12005) 12 SCC 438, relied on.

3.1. It is well known that to establish the common intention of several
persons so as to attract the mischief of Section 34 IPC, the following two p
fundamental facts have to be established; (i) common intention to commit an
offence, and (ii) participation of the accused in commission of the offences. If
the above two ingredients are satisfied, even overt act on the part of some of
the persons sharing the common intention was held to be not necessary. A
finding that the assailant concerned had a comnion intention with the other
accused, is necessary for taking resort to Section 34 IPC. G
(890-G. H; 891-A, Bl

Munna Chanda v. State of Assam, JT (2006) 3 SC 366 = (20061 3 SCC
752, relied on.
, ''
3.2. If there was any common intention to commit any crime, evidently H
884 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2006] SUPP. I S.C.R.

A the same was to loot the valuables belonging to the deceased. Curiously enough,
the appellants had not been charged under Section 397, IPC. No recovery was
made from them. In the absence of having been charged under Section 397,
IPC, it is difficult to hold the appellants guilty of commission of murder,
inasmuch as it has not been proved as to who amongst the appellants or actually
B the fourth person had strangulated the deceased. In absence of any evidence
that all of them were present a the time when the deceased was strangulated,
a charge under Section 302/34 could not have been brought home. Even no
charge of conspiracy in terms of Section 120-B had also been framed against
them. (893-C, D, El

C 4. The appellants have been convicted on one basis of circumstantial
evidence. It is now well settled by a catena of decisions of this Court that for
proving the guilt of commission of an offence under Section 302 IPC, the
prosecution must lead evidence to connect all links in the chain so as to clearly
point the guilt of the accused alone and nobody else. According to the
prosecution, another person was involved whose name never figured during
D investigation. He had not been arrested. According to the prosecution, it was
that person who had ran away with the entire belongings of the deceased.
(894-C,GI

Jaswant Gir v. State of Punjab, (2005) 12 SCC 438 and Ramreddy
Rajeshkhanna Reddy and Anr. v. State of Andhra Pradesh, (2006( 3 SCALE
E 452, relied on.

5. The evidence of PW-19, working at a rehri serving meals, and PW-
24, tea vendor, who had allegedly last seen the deceased in the company of
appellant Ram Asre is not at all trustworthy. It is furthermore difficult to
accept the statement of PW-24 that the deceased would come to his shop from
F the side of Sector 17 kacha rasta for having tea along with all the appellants.
A businessman would not ordinarily go to a small tea shop to take his tea. It
is wholly unlikely that he would take tea together with a rickshaw puller. It
would be absurd to suggest that he would go to a shop to take tea with all the
appellants together who are all rickshaw pullers. He was a resident of Delhi.
G There was hardly any likelihood that he would personally know the appellants
herein. Even if it be assumed that he had been moving from place to place in
a rickshaw, the prosecution should have brought some evidence to show that
he had hired the rickshaw of either Ram Asre or any other appellant.
(895-A, B, CJ
I ,
H 6. On the basis of such evidence, it would not be safe to uphold the
SUNNY KAPOOR v. STA TE (UT OF CHANDIGARH) [S.B. SINHA, J.] 885
judgment of conviction and sentence passed against the appellants herein. The A
impugned judgment is set aside. [895-E[

CRIMINAL APPELLATE JURISDICTION : Criminal Appeal No. 871 of
2005.

From the Order dated 26.10.2004 of the High Court of Punjab and B
Haryana at Chandigarh in Crl. A. No. 68 DB of 2003.

WITH
Crl. Appeal No. 87212005, 169912005.

Parmanand Gaur, Ashok Kumar Sharma, Baijoyonta Barooah and Ansar C
Ahmed Chaudhary for the Appellant.

Kamini Jaiswal, Shomila Sakshi and Rani Mishra for the Respondent.

The Judgment of the Court was delivered by

S.B. SINHA, J. These appeals arising out of the same judgment were D
taken up for hearing together and are being disposed of by this common
judgment.

The appellants are rickshaw pullers. They were charged for committing
murder of one Satish Kumar Mehra. He was a businessman. He used to run
a proprietory firm known as Mis. Kala Udyog, Chandni Chowk, Delhi. The E
firm used to supply saris and other garments to the shopkeepers. He on or
about 18.9.1999 came to Chandigarh to collect his dues from the businessmen
to whom he had supplied saris. He visited the shop of one Pankaj Gulati in
Sector 22-C, Chandigarh at about 7.30 p.m. on the same day. He allegedly prior
thereto had collected a sum of Rs. 25,0001- in cash and a cheque amounting
to Rs.40,0001- from Mis. Amarsons Shop situated in Sector 22, Chandigarh F
and also diverse sums from others including Praveen Gulati and Satish Kumar
Gulati. He left for the bus stand to board a bus to reach Delhi. Praveen Gulati
and Satish Kumar Gulatii, however, received a telephone call from Nirmal
Mehra, brother of Satish Kumar Mehra, at about 11.30 a.m. that he had not
reached Delhi. Praveen Gulati enquired about him from other dealers. When G
he was informed that Satish Kumar Mehra had not reached Delhi, he was
requested to make a report in that behalf to police, pursuant whereto a report
was made by him which was recorded as DDR No. 23 at about 7.20 p.m. on
19.9.1999. The SHO of the police station received a wireless message in the
\ morning of20.9.1999 that a dead body had been noticed behind the boundary
wall of Udyog Bhawan, near the road of Sector 17118. The Investigating H
886 SUPREME COURT REPORTS (2006] SUPP. I S.C.R.

A Officer along with SI Janak Singh, AS! Hira Lal, AS! Harinder Singh, AS!
Pannjit Kaur, Constable Pawan Kumar 161, Constable Paramjit Singh 439,
Constable Jai Bhagwan 1556 reached the spot. It was found that the dead
body of one person was lying in the ditch of water and his articles were seen
nearby. The articles consisted of driving licence on which photo and address
of the deceased Satish Kumar Mehra was noticed whereupon Praveen Gulati
B who had lodged the DOR No. 23 dated 19.9.1999 was sent for. Praveen Gulati
identified the dead body as that of Satish Kumar Mehra. A First lnfonnation
Report was thereupon lodged as against unknown for commission of an
offence under Section 302/34 of the Indian Penal Code (!PC). The brother of
the deceased Nirmal Mehra also reached Chandigarh. He is also said to have
C identified the dead body of Satish Kumar Mehra.

The appellants allegedly approached one Chander Prakash (PW-11)
who is said to be a social worker. They had already told PW-II that they
believed that the police was on the look-out for them. According to him, they
came in a rickshaw and sought for his help. While they were being taken to
D the police station by PW-11, the police party met them. They were arrested
as they were said to have made extra-judicial confessions about their
involvement in the crime before PW-11. They made confessions while they
were in the police custody. They are said to have made further confession
which led to the alleged recovery of two rickshaws. The appellants were on
E the aforementioned basis put to trial.

Before the learned Sessions Judge, apart from the traders from whom
the deceased had collected the amount, the first infonnant and the brother of
the deceased, inter alia three other witnesses were examined on behalf of the
prosecution.
F PW-19 was one Ramanand who was working with one Gian Chand who
was running a 'rehri'. The rickshaw pullers and the passengers of the bus
stand allegedly used to take their meals there. He was examined in court on
19.2.2002. He was illiterate. According to him, about two-and-a-half years back
at about 9 .30 p.m. one person had come at his rehri for taking dinner. The said
G person was said to be under the influence of liquor. After taking his meals,
he paid a sum of Rs. 20/-. Allegedly at some distance, a rickshaw puller took
him from there. He identified the deceased upon seeing his photograph in the
driving licence. He identified one of the appellants herein, namely, Ram Asre
who also used to go to the said 'rehri' for taking his meals. { -
H The prosecution examined one Vinod Kumar as PW-24. He was a tea
SUNNY KAPOOR v. STA TE (UT OF CHANDIGARH) [S.B. SINHA, J.] 887
vendor at Sector 17. On 18.9.1999 at about I 0.30 p.m., he is said to have seen A
_J
the accused along with another 'boy' coming from the side of Sector 17
whereafter they allegedly went towards one Neelam. He came to know about
the murder of a person on the next day in the morning. According to him, the
deceased was the same person who was seen along with the accused on
18.9.1999 at about 10.30 p.m. In his cross-examination, he admitted that except
the said date he did not remember any other date when he had met any other B
person. He had stated that all of them had come iri one rickshaw which was
being pulled by Ram Asre and others were sitting therein. Allegedly all of
them had come to have tea at his shop at about 5.30 p.m. on that date. He
stated : "But I do not remember whether the fact regarding the visit of
deceased along with the accused at my shop on that evening was found c
mentioned or not. I did not know of the name of the deceased. Nor I recorded
the same in my statement. I came to know about the murder on the next
morning. I had a talk with AS! Prithi Singh Tiger on 20.9.99 about this fact.
I had not discussed with anybody in that regard on 19.9.99. It is wrong to
suggest that the accused persons never came to my shop nor they were
known to me." D

Inter alia relying on or on the basis of the said evidence brought on
record, the appellants were found to be guilty for commission of an offence
under Section 302/34, !PC. They were sentenced to imprisonment for life. An
appeal preferred thereagainst by the each of the appellant was dismissed by
the High Court.
E

The learned counsel appearing on behalf of the appellants in support
of the appeals had raised the following contentions :

(I) The recovery of the dead body on 20.9.1999 could not be said
to have been proved as Nirrnal Mehra (PW-3), the brother of the F
deceased, categorically stated that he had reached Chandigarh
on 19th evening itself and identified the dead body in the night
whereas according to the prosecution the dead body was found
in the morning of 20th September, 1999.

(2) The evidence of Chander Prakash (PW-I I) is not trustworthy, G
inasmuch as he had neither stated nor reproduced the exact
words in which the appellants are said to have made their extra-
judicial confessions.
, r (3) Although both Ramanand (PW-19) and Vinod Kumar (PW-24)
categorically stated that the deceased was drunk, the same does H
888 SUPREME COURT REPORTS (2006] SUPP. I S.C.R.

A not stand corroborated by the post-mortem report.

(4) The appellants having not been charged under Section 397, IPC
and thereon no cash or any other article having been recovered
from them, the prosecution must be held to have failed to prove
the charges against the appellants.
B Ms. Kamini Jaiswal, the learned counsel appearing on behalf of the
respondent, on the other hand, contended that the learned Sessions Judge
must be held to have committed a mistake, while taking down the deposition
of PW-3 as regards the date of recovery of the dead body as also the
identification of the deceased by PW-3. In any event, the learned counsel
C would contend that the judgment of the learned Sessions Judge as also of
the High Court can be upheld on the basis of the extra-judicial confessions
made by the appellants before PW-11.

The specific case of the prosecution is that the DOR No. 23 was
registered at 7.20 p.m. on 19.9.1999 at the instance of Praveen Gulati (PW-16).
D The death of the deceased Satish Kumar Mehra evidently had occurred in the
night of 18th September, 1999. From the evidence of the Investigating Officer-
Inspector Moti Ram (PW-25), it appears that he received a wireless message
at about 9.10 a.m. on 20.9.1999 that a dead body was seen lying near Udyog
Bhavan, Sector 17, Chandigarh. He reached there along with other police
E officers. The articles belonging to the deceased were found scattered near the
dead body. The articles included one driving licence. From the driving licence,
he came to know of the name of the deceased and other details relating to
his identification. Praveen Gulati thereafter was summoned at about I 0.15 a.m.
at the said place and he identified the dead body. A photographer was sent
for who came and took the photographs of the deceased at about 12 o'clock.
F According to him, he remained at the place of occurrence upto 3.30 p.m.
Beforn that, he must have sent the dead body for post-mortem examination.
Dr. S.P. Sharma (PW-1) conducted the post-mortem on the dead body of the
said deceased Satish Kumar Mehra at about 4.30 p.m. on 20. 9. 1999. The cause
of death was said to be 'aspaxia'. According to him, the possibility of the
G deceased dying 10 to 12 hours before conducting the autopsy cannot be
ruled out.

Nirmal Mehra (PW-3), brother of the deceased, in his deposition,
categorically stated that he reached Chandigarh at 7.00 p.m. on 19.9.1999. At
about I 0.30 p.m. on the said date he came to know about a dead body lying
H near Udyog Bhavan, Sector 17, Chandigarh. He with his friends reached there.
SUNNY KAPOOR v. STATE (UT OF .CHANDIGARH) [S.B. SINHA, J.] 889

The police officers were already present at the said spot. He thereafter A
identified the dead body. His sister-in-law, i.e., wife of the deceased allegedly
had disclosed to him that the articles which were on the person of the
deceased like watch and gold ring, had been missing. He also testified that
one cheque and the driving licence were found near the dead body. According
to him, he identified the dead body of the deceased before the post-mortem
examination was conducted. B
Tea vendor Vinod Kumar (PW-24), it is significant to note, also allegedly
saw the accused and the deceased on 18.9.1999 at 10.30 p.m. According to
him, the person accompanying the accused persons was a boy. He came to
learn about the recovery of the dead body on the next day in the morning, C
i.e. on 19.9.1999. Although he did not testify that he had gone to the place
where the dead body was found or identified him as the person who had come
to his shop at 10.30 p.m., on the day previous thereto, i.e. on 18.9.1999, he
made a statement that he had seen the deceased accompanied by the accused
on 18.9.1999 at about I 0.30 p.m. If his statement is to be believed, the dead
body was recovered on 19th morning itself. Even in the post-mortem report, D
we have noticed hereinbefore, according to Dr. S.P. Sharma (PW-I) the death
of the deceased might have taken place I 0 to 12 hours before conducting the
autopsy. On the aforementioned premise, it is difficult to believe the prosecution
case.

We may now notice the evidence of Chander Prakash (PW-I I). His E
statements before the trial Judge were as under :

"On 29.9.99 Sunny, Sanjay and Ram Asre came to my house in
village Badheri. All the three accused are present in the Court today.
All the three accused persons told me that we all are plying rickshaw. F
They also stated that on 18.9.99 we saw a person aged about 50 years
in a drunkard condition. We took that person into the rickshaw of Ram
Asra and Sunny Kapoor caught hold of the person. Sanjay accused
present in the Court sat in the rickshaw of fourth person whose name
I do not remember. Thereafter, they told that they took him in near the
round about of Sector 16 and 17 (light point) and in the abandoned G
place where the light was not available. That person was having a bag
which was containing valuables. On seeing that bag they told that
they became dishonest. So, he was murdered by them by strangulation
with the hands. They also told that they had distributed booty among
themselves. They also told that the dead body was thrown into a
H
890 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2006] SUPP. I S.C.R.

A ditch of water near abandoned place of the Sector 16117. The accused
also told that the fourth culprit was sent by them to his village with
the direction that he should return after the matter was cooled down.
The accused sought my help, I being social worker by saying that the
police was after them. On this I accompanied all the three accused
present in the Court to the police station Sector 17, Chd. However, on
B the way Inspector Moti Ram SHO P.S. 17, met us near the chowk of
Sector 22/23. 35/36 Chd. I told him the entire story as narrated to me
by the accused. Inspector Moti Ram then recorded my statement.. .... "

However, in the cross-examination he stated as under:

C "The accused present in the Court today came to me for the first
time on 29.9.99 at about 3/4 pm. They told me that the police have
doubt on them regarding some murder and they seek my help. The
police party met me on the way in Sector 22 near Kisan Bhawan.
Inspector Moti Ram knew me before this case I being a social worker.
D I have never been a witness in any criminal case. The further culprit
did not come to me and only accused present in the Court had come
to me. The rickshaw belonged to the accused persons. The accused
accompanied me on their rickshaw while I was on my cycle when we
started to go to the police station. We were going together when the
police party met us. The police party took the accused along with the
E rickshaw from Sector 22, where the police party met us and I left for
my other work from there."

According to him, thus, the accused came to him for the first time on 29.9.1999.
Why they would come for help, was not disclosed. They only wanted his help
because the police had cast some doubts upon them regarding some murder.
F It was on that basis alone that the appellants were allegedly being taken to
the police station. PW-I I did not disclose as to how the appellants knew him.
He did not remember the name of the fourth person.

According to the appellants, they formed common intention to murder
G only after seeing the bag. If the prosecution case is to be believed, the
deceased must be carrying the bag from the very beginning. There was thus
no question of noticing the said bag by the appellants soon before the
occmTence for the first time. If they had formed common intention to commit
a crime, the same must be for committing robbery by relieving the deceased
(
of the bag. Who had strangulated the deceased is not known. It is well known
H that to establish the common intention of several persons so to attract the
SUNNY KAPOOR v. STATE (UT OF CHANDIGARH) [S.B. SINHA, J.] 891

mischief of Section 34, IPC, the following two fundamental facts have to be A
established; (i) common intention to commit an offence, and (ii) participation
of the accused in commission of the offences. If the above two ingredients
are satisfied, even overt act on the part of some of the persons sharing the
comqion intention was held to be not necessary. A finding that the assailant
concerned had a common intention with the other accused, is necessary for
taking resort to Section 34. In a recent decision in Munna Chanda v. State B
ofAssam, JT (2006) 3 SC 366 = [2006] 3 SCC 752, this Court observed as under:

"The concept of common object, it is well known, is different from
common intention. It is true that so far as common object is concerned
no prior concert is required. Common object can be formed at the spur C
of the moment. Course of conduct adopted by the members of the
assembly, however, is a relevant factor. At what point of time the
common object of the unlawful assembly was formed would depend
upon the facts and circumstances of each case.

xxx xxx xxx
D
It is, thus, essential to prove that the person sought to be charged
with an offence with the aid of Section 149 was a member of the
unlawful assembly at the time the offence was committed .

........The deceased was being chased not only by the appellants E
herein but by many others. He was found dead next morning. There
. is, however, nothing to show as to what role the appellants either
conjointly or separately played. It is also not known as to whether if
one or all of the appellants were present, when the last blow was
given. Who are those, who had assaulted the deceased is not known.
At whose hands he received injuries is again a mystery. Neither F
Section 34 nor Section I 49 of the Indian Penal Code is, therefore,
attracted."

It is really a matter of great surprise that even though the appellants
had allegedly confessed their guilt, they would willingly be accompanying
PW-I 1 to the police station. It is again a matter of surprise that they would G
be meeting the Investigating Officer on the way. We wonder as to how the
said Chander Prakash (PW-11) could know that Inspector Moti Ram (PW-25)
was the Investigating Officer of the case. He did not say that the appellants
gave a vivid description of the deceased so as to enable the said Chander
Prakash to make a guess that the case related to the murder of Satish Kumar H
892 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2006] SUPP. I S.C.R.

A Mehra. It is also significant to note that as to what statements were made by \-
the appellants by way of extra-judicial confessions had not been disclosed.
It is wholly unlikely that all the three appellants would make a joint statement.
PW-11 did not disclose as to whether any of the appellants made the
statements before him or all of them gave statements one after the other.

B It is wholly unlikely that the accused would make extra-judicial confession
to a person whom they never knew. It also appears to be wholly improbable
that unknown persons would come to seek his help unless he was known to
be close to the police officers. His statements, thus, do not even otherwise
inspire confidence.
c While cor.sidering the question of value of extra-judicial confession of
an accused, this Court in Jaswant Gir v. State of Punjab, [2005) 12 SCC 438,
observed as under:

"The first and foremost aspect which needs to be taken note of
is that PW 9 is not a person who had intimate relations or friendship
D with the appellant. PW 9 says that he knew the appellant "to some
extent" meaning thereby that he had only acquaintance with him. In
cross-examination, he stated that he did not visit his house earlier and
that he met the appellant once or twice at the bus-stand. There is no
earthly reason why he should go to PW 9 and confide to him as to
E what he had done. According to PW 9, the appellant wanted to
surrender himself to the police. But there is no explanation from PW
9 as to why he did not take him to the police station. He merely stated
that the appellant did not tum up thereafter. The circumstances in
which PW 9 went to the police station and got his statement recorded
by the police on 14-11-1997 are also not forthcoming. In this context
F the statement of PW 9 towards the close of the cross-examination
assumes some importance. He stated that he had some cases pending
in the courts and that he was seeking the help of the police in
connection with those cases and he was often going to Police Station
Julkan. Thus, he could be a convenient witness for the prosecution.
G That apart, the alleged confession made by the appellant, as narrated
by PW 9, is not in conformity with the prosecution case. According . '
to the prosecution, all the three accused were involved and PW 9
stated so before the police and as per the statement made by PW 9
to the police, all the three accused made the confession before him
but he gave a different version in the court and that is why he was
H
SUNNY KAPOOR v. STATE (UT OF CHANDIGARH) [S.B. SINHA, J.] 893
,,, treated as hostile witness and leading questions were put to him by A
the prosecution. Thus, the credibility of this witness is in doubt. One
more point to be noted is that the alleged statement of the appellant
that the deceased was in a drunken condition cannot be correct as the
doctor found no evidence of consumption of alcohol by the deceased.

Having regard to these features, we do not find a~surance from B
all angles that the alleged confession attributed to the appellant by
PW 9 is correct. It is not safe to base the conviction on the doubtful
testimony of PW 9 who gave different versions before the police and
the Court. The High Court omitted to critically evaluate the evidence
of PW 9 and failed to take into account the doubtful features of the
evidence." c
If there was any common intention to commit any crime, evidently the
same was to loot the valuables belonging to the deceased. Curiously enough,
the appellants had not been charged under Section 397, !PC. No recovery was
made from them. In the absence of having been charged under Section 397,
!PC, it is difficult to hold the appellants guilty of commission of murder,
D
inasmuch as it has not been proved as to who amongst the appellants or
actually the fourth person had strangulated the deceased. In absence of any
evidence that all of them were present at the time wheri the deceased was
strangulated, a charge under Section 302/34 could not have been brought
home. Even Ramanand (PW-19), it may be noted, in his evidence, did not say E
that the deceased was last seen in the company of the appellants. According
to him, he had merely seen the deceased taking dinner at about 9.30 p.m. On
that day, he merely saw Ram Asre. He did not say that the deceased left the
bus stand in the rickshaw of Ram Asre. He furthermore did not disclose that
even other appellants were present. How he could identify the deceased or
any other passenger who had taken meals at his rehri, is not known. It is thus
F
difficult to rely on his statements. He could remember and identify the deceased
from the photograph, which was appearing in the driving licence, is difficult
to accept.

This Court in Jaswant Gir v. State of Punjab, (supra) observed that : G

" ......... Without probing further into the correctness of the "last
seen" version emanating from PW 14's evidence, even assuming that
the deceased did accompany the accused in their vehicle, this
... l'
circumstance by itself does not lead to the irresistible conclusion that
.._
the appellant and his companion had killed him and thrown the dead H
894 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2006) SUPP. I S.C.R.

A body in the culvert. It cannot be presumed that the appellant and his
companions were responsible for the murder, though grave suspicion
...
arises against the accused. There is considerable time-gap between
the deceased boarding the vehicle of the appellant and the time when
PW 11 found the dead body. In the absence of any other links in the
chain of circumstantial evidence, it is not possible to convict the
B appellant solely on the basis of the "last-seen" evidence, even if the
version of PW 14 in this regard is believed. In view of this, the
evidence of PW 9 as regards the alleged confession rnade to him by
the appellant assumes importance."

The appellants have been convicted on the basis of circumstantial
c evidence. It is now well settled by a catena of decisions of this Court that
for proving the guilt of commission of an offence under Section 302 !PC, the
prosecution must lead evidence to connect all links in the chain so as to
clearly point the guilt of the accused alone and nobody else. Recently in
Ramreddy Rajeshkhanna Reddy & Anr. v. State of Andhra Pradesh, (2006)
D 3 SCALE 452, this Court has held as under:
"It is now well-settled that with a view to base a conviction on
circumstantial evidence, the prosecution must establish all the pieces
of incriminating circumstances by reliable and clinching evidence and
the circumstances so proved must form such a chain of events as
E would permit no conclusion other than one of guilt of the accused.
The circumstances cannot be on any other hypothesis. It is also well-
settled that suspicion, however, grave may be, cannot be a substitute
for a proof and the courts shall take utmost precaution in finding an
accused guilty only on the basis of the circumstantial evidence .....
F The last-seen theory, furthermore, comes into play where the time
gap between the point of time when the accused and the deceased
were last seen alive and the deceased is found dt:ad is so small that
possibility of any person other than the accused being the author of
the crime becomes impossible. Even in such a cas<: courts should look
for some corroboration."
G
According to the prosecution, another person was involved whose
name never figured during investigation. He had not been arrested. According

H
to the prosecution, it was that person who had ran away with the entire
belongings of the deceased. ,, .
--
SUNNY KAPOOR v. STATE (UT OF CHANDIGARH) [S.B. SINHA, J.] 895
We have also noticed two glaring discrepancies in regard to the date A
'"' and time of recovery of the dead body. The evidence ofRamanand (PW-19)
and Vinod Kumar (PW-24) who had allegedly last seen the deceased in the
company of appellant Ram Asre is not at all trustworthy. It is furthermore
difficult to accept the statement of PW-24 that the deceased would come to
his shop from the side of Sector 17 kacha rasta for having tea along with all
the appellants. A businessman would not ordinarily go to a small tea shop B
to take his tea. It is wholly unlikely that he would take tea together with a
rickshaw puller. It would be absurd to suggest that he would go to a shop
to take tea with all the appellants together, who are all rickshaw pullers. He
was a resident of Delhi. There was hardly any likelihood that he would
personally know the appellants herein. Even if it be assumed that he had been C
moving from place to place in a rickshaw, the prosecution should have
brought some evidence to show that he had hired the rickshaw of either Ram
Asre or any other appellant. The prosecution witnesses stated about the
recovery of two rickshaws. Who was the owner of the other rickshaw has not
been established. Ram Asre's rickshaw belonged to one Maharaj Deen S/o
Jhalu (PW-7) who had given his rickshaw to Ram Asre on rent, as stated by D
him in his evidence. He identified his rickshaw in the police station. It is not
expected that the appellant had hired both the rickshaws.

Even no charge of conspiracy in terms of Section 120-B had also been
framed against them.
E
For the aforesaid reasons, we are of the opinion on the basis of such
evidence, it would not be safe to uphold the judgment of conviction and
sentence passed against the appellants herein. We set aside the impugned
judgment. The appeals are allowed. The appellants are directed to be set at
liberty forthwith unless required in connection with any other case. F
A.K.T. Appeals. allowed.