SURAJ JAGANNATH JADHAVversusTHE STATE OF MAHARASHTRA

84                      [2019]REPORTS
              SUPREME COURT    15 S.C.R. 84             [2019] 15 S.C.R.


A                     SURAJ JAGANNATH JADHAV
                                      v.
                    THE STATE OF MAHARASHTRA
                     (Criminal Appeal No. 1885 of 2019)
B                           DECEMBER 13, 2019
              [ASHOK BHUSHAN AND M. R. SHAH, JJ.]
            Penal Code, 1860 – s.300 Fourthly & Exception 4 to s.300;
     ss. 302 & 304 Part II – Appellant-accused killed his wife by setting
     her ablaze – Convicted u/s.302 – Issue limited as to alteration of
C
     conviction from s.302 to s.304 Part II – Held: Appellant poured the
     kerosene on the deceased when she was trying to run out of the
     house to save herself and was trying to open the latch of the door
     of the house, the appellant threw the match-stick on her person and
     set her ablaze – Nothing is on record that the appellant was in
D    inebriated stage –Even looking to the conversation between the
     deceased and the appellant, as stated in the dying declaration given
     by the her, it can safely be said that the appellant was in very much
     conscious condition when the incident took place – He was very
     much in senses and was conscious about what he was doing –He
     was fully conscious of the fact that if kerosene is poured and match-
E
     stick is lit and put on the body, a person might die due to burns –
     Death of the deceased was culpable homicide amounting to murder
     and s.300 fourthly shall be applicable and not Exception 4 to s.300,
     as contended by the appellant – In complete agreement with the
     view taken by the Trial Court and the High Court convicting the
F    appellant for the offence punishable u/s.302.
           Dismissing the appeal, the Court
           HELD: In the present case, the appellant-accused poured
     the kerosene on the deceased when she was trying to run out of
     the house to save herself and was trying to open the latch of the
G    door of the house, the accused threw the match-stick on her
     person and set her ablaze. Nothing is on record that the accused
     was in a highly inebriated stage. Even looking to the conversation
     which took place between the deceased and the accused, so stated
     in the dying declaration given by the deceased, it can safely be
H
                                      84
       SURAJ JAGANNATH JADHAV v. THE STATE OF                          85
                  MAHARASHTRA

said that the accused was in very much conscious condition when        A
the incident took place. He was very much in the senses and was
conscious about what he was doing. Therefore, the accused was
fully conscious of the fact that if kerosene is poured and match-
stick is lit and put on the body, a person might die due to burns.
Therefore, the case would fall under Section 300 fourthly and
                                                                       B
Exception 4 to Section 300 IPC shall not be applicable.
[Paras 5.1][88-C-E]
      2. The manner in which the accused poured the kerosene
on the deceased and thereafter when she was trying to run away
from the room to save her, the accused came from behind and
threw a match-stick and set her ablaze, the death of the deceased      C
was a culpable homicide amounting to murder and Section 300
fourthly shall be applicable and not Exception 4 to Section 300
IPC as submitted on behalf of the accused. In complete agreement
with the view taken by the Trial Court as well as the High Court
convicting the accused for the offence punishable under Section        D
302 of the IPC. [Para 7][92-B-C]
      Kalu Ram v. State of Rajasthan (2000) 10 SCC 324 –
      referred to.
      Santosh v. State of Maharashtra (2015) 7 SCC 641 :
      [2015] 4 SCR 962 ; Bhagwan Tukaram Dange v. State                E
      of Maharasthra (2014) 4 SCC 270 : [2014] 3 SCR
      753 – relied on.
                      Case Law Reference
(2000) 10 SCC 324              referred to            Para 3           F
[2015] 4 SCR 962               relied on               Para 4.2
[2014] 3 SCR 753               relied on               Para 4.2
      CRIMINAL APPELLATE JURISDICTION: Criminal Appeal No.
1885 of 2019.
                                                                       G
      From the Judgment and Order dated 09.10.2018 of the High Court
of Judicature at Bombay in Criminal Appeal No. 723 of 2013.
      Sushil Karanjkar, Nikhilesh Kumar and K. N. Rai, Advs. for the
Appellant.
                                                                       H
86             SUPREME COURT REPORTS                          [2019] 15 S.C.R.


A           Nishant Ramakantrao Katneshwarkar and Anoop Kandari, Advs.
     for the Respondent.
            The Judgment of the Court was delivered by
           M. R. SHAH, J.
B           1. Feeling aggrieved and dissatisfied with the impugned judgment
     and order dated 09.10.2018 passed by the High Court of Judicature at
     Bombay in Criminal Appeal No. 723 of 2013, by which the High Court
     has dismissed the said appeal preferred by the appellant herein-original
     accused and has confirmed the judgment and order of conviction passed
     by the learned Trial Court convicting the accused for the offence
C    punishable under Section 302 of the IPC, the original accused has
     preferred the present appeal.
           2. At the outset, it is required to be noted that the only submission
     made by the learned counsel appearing on behalf of the appellant-original
     accused is that the death of the deceased can be said to be a culpable
D    homicide not amounting to murder and the case would fall under
     Exception 4 to Section 300 IPC and therefore the case would be under
     Section 304 Part II IPC. Even this Court has issued the notice in the
     present appeal limited to the nature of offence.
            3. Shri Sushil Karanjkar, learned counsel appearing on behalf of
E    the appellant-original accused has vehemently submitted that, as such,
     there was no intention on the part of the accused to kill his wife. It is
     submitted that at the time when the unfortunate incident had taken place,
     the accused was under the influence of liquor and therefore his condition
     was such that he could not understand what he was doing. It is further
F    submitted by the learned counsel appearing on behalf of the appellant-
     original accused that even thereafter the appellant tried to save the
     deceased and poured water to save her and, while doing so, even the
     appellant-original accused also sustained the injuries. Therefore, relying
     upon the decision of this Court in the case of Kalu Ram v. State of
     Rajasthan (2000) 10 SCC 324, it is prayed to alter the conviction from
G    Section 302 IPC to Section 304 Part II IPC.
            4. On the other hand, Shri Nishant Ramakantrao Katneshwarkar,
     learned counsel appearing on behalf of the State, while opposing the
     present appeal, has vehemently submitted that the decision of this Court
     in Kalu Ram (supra) shall not be applicable to the facts of the case on
H    hand. It is submitted that in that case before this Court, it was found that
        SURAJ JAGANNATH JADHAV v. THE STATE OF                                87
             MAHARASHTRA [M. R. SHAH, J.]

the accused was in a highly inebriated condition, which is not the case       A
here. It is submitted that, in the present case, as such, after abusing and
assaulting the deceased, the accused poured kerosene on her person
and set her ablaze. It is submitted that when the deceased was trying to
run out of the house to save herself, at which time, the accused came
from behind and threw match-stick on her person and set her ablaze. It
                                                                              B
is submitted that at the relevant time, the deceased was carrying
pregnancy of 18 to 20 weeks. It is submitted that, as per the statement/
dying declaration of the deceased, after the deceased came out of the
room making noise, the accused poured the water on her. It is submitted
that the act of pouring kerosene, though on spur of moment, was followed
by lighting a match-stick and throwing it on the deceased and thereby         C
setting her ablaze are intimately connected with each other and resulted
in causing death of the deceased. It is submitted that the act of the
accused falls under Section 300 fourthly and therefore the death of the
deceased can be said to be culpable homicide amounting to murder. It is
submitted that every person of average intelligence would have the
                                                                              D
knowledge that the pouring of kerosene and setting a person on fire is so
imminently dangerous that in all probability such an act would cause
injuries causing death. It is submitted therefore that Section 300 fourthly
shall be attracted and not Exception 4 to Section 300 IPC as submitted
on behalf of the accused.
       4.1 It is further submitted by Shri Katneshwarkar, learned counsel     E
for the State that merely because subsequently the accused might have
poured the water, that is not suffice to alter the conviction from Section
302 IPC to Section 304 Part II IPC. It is submitted that the subsequent
act of pouring the water by the accused on the deceased appears to be
an attempt to cloak his guilt since he did it only when the deceased came     F
out for help and made the noise. It is submitted therefore that it cannot
be considered as a mitigating factor.
       4.2 Making the above submissions and relying upon the decisions
of this Court in the case of Santosh v. State of Maharashtra (2015) 7
SCC 641 and in the case of Bhagwan Tukaram Dange v. State of                  G
Maharasthra (2014) 4 SCC 270, it is prayed to dismiss the present
appeal.
       5. Heard the learned counsel appearing on behalf of the respective
parties at length. As observed hereinabove, in the present appeal, the
sole question which is posed for consideration of this Court is, whether,     H
88            SUPREME COURT REPORTS                          [2019] 15 S.C.R.


A    in the facts and circumstances of the case, the case would fall under
     Exception 4 to Section 300 IPC or Section 300 fourthly and, therefore,
     whether Section 302 IPC shall be attracted or the case may fall under
     Section 304 Part II IPC?
            5.1 It is the case on behalf of the appellant-original accused that
B    as at the time when the incident took place, the accused was drunk and
     under the influence of liquor and he had no intention to cause death of
     the deceased-wife and that even subsequently the accused tried to save
     the deceased and poured the water on her and therefore the case would
     fall under Exception 4 to Section 300 IPC and, therefore the conviction
     is to be altered from Section 302 of the IPC to Section 304 Part II IPC,
C    having relied upon the decision of this Court in the case of Kalu Ram
     (supra). However, it is required to be noted that, in the present case, the
     appellant-accused poured the kerosene on the deceased when she was
     trying to run out of the house to save herself and was trying to open the
     latch of the door of the house, the accused threw the match-stick on her
D    person and set her ablaze. Nothing is on record that the accused was in
     a highly inebriated stage. Even looking to the conversation which took
     place between the deceased and the accused, so stated in the dying
     declaration given by the deceased, it can safely be said that the accused
     was in very much conscious condition when the incident took place.
     He was very much in the senses and was conscious about what he was
E    doing. Therefore, the accused was fully conscious of the fact that if
     kerosene is poured and match-stick is lit and put on the body, a person
     might die due to burns. Therefore, the case would fall under Section 300
     fourthly and Exception 4 to Section 300 IPC shall not be applicable.
            5.2 An identical question came to be considered by this Court in
F    the case of Santosh (supra). In the said decision, this Court also had the
     occasion to consider the inebriation due to consumption of alcohol and
     when it may be said to be a mitigating factor. In the said decision, this
     Court also considered the submission made on behalf of the accused
     that as he attempted to extinguish the fire by pouring the water on the
G    deceased and himself getting burn injuries in that process and, therefore,
     the case would fall under Exception 4 to Section 300 IPC. In the similar
     facts and circumstances of the case, this Court in the case of Santosh
     (supra) has observed in paragraphs 10 to 15 as under:
                  “11. The question falling for consideration is whether the
H          act of the accused pouring water would mitigate the offence of
 SURAJ JAGANNATH JADHAV v. THE STATE OF                                 89
      MAHARASHTRA [M. R. SHAH, J.]

murder. Where the intention to kill is present, the act amounts to      A
murder, where such an intention is absent, the act amounts to
culpable homicide not amounting to murder. To determine whether
the offender had the intention or not, each case must be decided
on its facts and circumstances. From the facts and circumstances
of the instant case, it is evident that: (i) there was a homicide,
                                                                        B
namely, the death of Saraswatibai; (ii) the deceased was set ablaze
by the appellant and this act was not accidental or unintentional;
and (iii) the post-mortem certificate revealed that the deceased
died due to shock and septicaemia caused by 60% burn injuries.
When the accused poured kerosene on the deceased from the
kerosene lamp and also threw the lighted matchstick on the              C
deceased to set her on fire, he must have intended to cause the
death of the deceased. As seen from the evidence of PW 5, panch
witness, in the house of the appellant, kerosene lamp was prepared
in an empty liquor bottle. Whether the kerosene was poured from
the kerosene lamp or from the can is of no consequence. When
                                                                        D
there is clear evidence as to the act of the accused to set the
deceased on fire, absence of premeditation will not reduce the
offence of murder to culpable homicide not amounting to murder.
Likewise, pouring of water will not mitigate the gravity of the
offence.
       12. After attending to nature’s call, the deceased returned      E
to the house a little late. The accused questioned her as to why
she was coming late and he also suspected her fidelity. There
was no provocation for the accused to pour kerosene and set her
on fire. The act of pouring kerosene, though on the spur of the
moment, the same was followed by lighting a matchstick and              F
throwing it on the deceased and thereby setting her ablaze. Both
the acts are intimately connected with each other and resulted in
causing the death of the deceased and the act of the accused is
punishable for murder.
       13. Even assuming that the accused had no intention to           G
cause the death of the deceased, the act of the accused falls
under clause Fourthly of Section 300 IPC that is the act of causing
injury so imminently dangerous where it will in all probability cause
death. Any person of average intelligence would have the
knowledge that pouring of kerosene and setting her on fire by
                                                                        H
90            SUPREME COURT REPORTS                         [2019] 15 S.C.R.


A          throwing a lighted matchstick is so imminently dangerous that in
           all probability such an act would cause injuries causing death.
                  14. Insofar as the conduct of the accused in attempting to
           extinguish fire, placing reliance upon the judgment of this Court
           in Kalu Ram case [(2000) 10 SCC 324 : 2000 SCC (Cri) 86] , it
B          was contended that such conduct of the accused would bring
           down the offence from murder to culpable homicide not amounting
           to murder. In Kalu Ram case [(2000) 10 SCC 324 : 2000 SCC
           (Cri) 86], the accused was having two wives. The accused in a
           highly inebriated condition asked his wife to part with her
           ornaments so that he could purchase more liquor, which led to an
C          altercation when the wife refused to do as demanded. Infuriated
           by the fact that his wife had failed to concede to his demands, the
           accused poured kerosene on her and gave her a matchbox to set
           herself on fire. On her failure to light the matchstick, the accused
           set her ablaze. But when he realised that the fire was flaring up,
D          he threw water on her person in a desperate bid to save her. In
           such facts and circumstances, this Court held that the accused
           would not have intended to inflict the injuries which she sustained
           on account of the act of the accused and the conviction was altered
           from Section 302 IPC to Section 304 Part II IPC.
E                 15. The decision in Kalu Ram case [(2000) 10 SCC 324 :
           2000 SCC (Cri) 86] cannot be applied in the instant case. The
           element of inebriation ought to be taken into consideration as it
           considerably alters the power of thinking. In the instant case, the
           accused was in his complete senses, knowing fully well the
           consequences of his act. The subsequent act of pouring water by
F          the accused on the deceased also appears to be an attempt to
           cloak his guilt since he did it only when the deceased screamed
           for help. Therefore, it cannot be considered as a mitigating factor.
           An act undertaken by a person in full awareness, knowing its
           consequences cannot be treated on a par with an act committed
G          by a person in a highly inebriated condition where his faculty of
           reason becomes blurred.”
            In the case of Bhagwan (supra), while considering the defence
     of the accused - at the time of the pouring the kerosene and litting a
     match-stick, he was under the influence of liquor and intoxication and,
H    therefore, the intoxication can be said to be a mitigating circumstance
        SURAJ JAGANNATH JADHAV v. THE STATE OF                                  91
             MAHARASHTRA [M. R. SHAH, J.]

and therefore the case would fall under Exception 4 to Section 300 IPC,         A
this Court negatived the said defence by observing in paragraphs 12 and
13 as under:
             “12. Intoxication, as such, is not a defence to a criminal
      charge. At times, it can be considered to be a mitigating
      circumstance if the accused is not a habitual drinker, otherwise, it      B
      has to be considered as an aggravating circumstance. The question,
      as to whether the drunkenness is a defence while determining
      sentence, came up for consideration before this Court
      in Bablu v. State of Rajasthan [(2006) 13 SCC 116 : (2007) 2
      SCC (Cri) 590] , wherein this Court held (SCC p. 129, para 12)
      that the defence of drunkenness can be availed of only when               C
      intoxication produces such a condition as the accused loses the
      requisite intention for the offence and onus of proof about reason
      of intoxication, due to which the accused had become incapable
      of having particular knowledge in forming the particular intention,
      is on the accused. Examining Section 85 IPC, this Court held that         D
      the evidence of drunkenness which renders the accused incapable
      of forming the specific intent essential to constitute the crime should
      be taken into account with the other facts proved in order to
      determine whether or not he had the intention. The Court held
      that merely establishing that his mind was affected by drink so
      that he more readily gave way to some violent passion, does not           E
      rebut the presumption that a man intends the natural consequences
      of his acts. This Court, in that case, rejected the plea of
      drunkenness after noticing that the crime committed was a brutal
      and diabolic act.
             13. We find it difficult to accept the contention of the counsel   F
      that since the appellant-accused was under the influence of liquor,
      the offence will fall under Section 304 Part I or Section 304 Part
      II. A-1 was presumed to know the consequences of his action, of
      having lit the matchstick and set fire on the saree of the deceased,
      after A-2 sprinkled kerosene on her body. In our view, the accused        G
      was correctly charge-sheeted under Section 302 IPC and we find
      no reason to interfere with the conviction and sentence awarded
      by the trial court and affirmed by the High Court.”
      6. Therefore, the decision of this Court in the case of Kalu Ram
(supra) upon which the reliance has been placed by the learned counsel          H
92            SUPREME COURT REPORTS                        [2019] 15 S.C.R.


A    appearing on behalf of the appellant-accused shall not be of any
     assistance to the accused, more particularly, in absence of any evidence
     led by the accused that he was in a highly inebriated condition and/or he
     was such a drunk that he lost all the senses.
            7. Applying the law laid down by this Court in the cases of
B    Bhagwan (supra) and Santosh (supra) to the facts of the case on hand
     and the manner in which the accused poured the kerosene on the
     deceased and thereafter when she was trying to run away from the
     room to save her, the accused came from behind and threw a match-
     stick and set her ablaze, we are of the opinion that the death of the
     deceased was a culpable homicide amounting to murder and Section
C    300 fourthly shall be applicable and not Exception 4 to Section 300 IPC
     as submitted on behalf of the accused. We are in complete agreement
     with the view taken by the learned Trial Court as well as the High Court
     convicting the accused for the offence punishable under Section 302 of
     the IPC.
D          8. In view of the above and for the reasons stated above, the
     present appeal fails and the same deserves to be dismissed and is
     accordingly dismissed.


     Divya Pandey                                              Appeal dismissed.
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