Ravi Kumar v. Rita Goyal and Ors

2023:oPHHC:o126462o 202o INoTHEoHIGHoCOURToOFoPUNJABoANDoHARYANAo AToCHANDIGARHo o CRRoNo.2155oofo2022o(O&M)o thReservedoon:o5 oSeptember,o2023o thPronouncedoon:o19 oSeptember,o2023o RavioKumaro …oPetitionero Versuso RitaoGoyalo&ootherso …oRespondentso o CORAM:ooHON'BLEoMRS.oJUSTICEoMANJARIoNEHRUoKAULo o Present:o Mr.oGauravoGargoDhuriwalaoandoMs.oAlishaoSharda,oo o o Advocatesoforotheopetitioner.o o o Mr.oA.P.S.oDeol,oSenioroAdvocateowitho Mr.oAmanoBansaloandoMr.oKaranoKalia,oAdvocateso fororespondentsoNo.1otoo4,o6otoo8,o10otoo15o&o18.o Mr.oBrijenderoKaushik,oAdvocateoo fororespondentoNo.5.oo Mr.oRahuloMohan,oSr.oDy.oAdvocateoGeneral,oHaryanao forotheorespondents/State.o MANJARIooNEHRUooKAUL,ooJ.o

1.koo Theocomplainantoisoimpugningotheoorderodatedo09.08.2022o passedobyolearnedoAdditionaloSessionsoJudge,oKurukshetraowherebyotheo CourtobelowodismissedoanoapplicationofiledounderoSectiono319oCr.P.C.o forosummoningotheoprivateorespondentsotoofaceotrialoinocaseobearingoFIRo No.617odatedo 22.07.2016o undero Sectionso 114,o 279,o 304,o 304-Ao IPCo registeredoatoPoliceoStationoThanesaroCity,oDistrictoKurukshetra,oalongo withotheootheroaccused,owhoowereoalreadyofacingotrial.oo

2.k Learnedo counselo foro theo petitionero haso submittedo thato ono

22.07.2016,osonoofotheopetitioner/complainant,oDavisoGirdharoagedo5o k 2k yearso(hereinafteroreferredotooas,o'theodeceased'),owhoowasostudyingoino NurseryoClassoatoAggarsainoPublicoSchool,oKurukshetra,owasocrushedotoo deathobyoSchoolobusobearingoregistrationoNo.HR-65-4501o(hereinaftero referredotooas,o'theooffendingobus')oinotheopremisesoofotheoSchooloitself,o dueo too theo negligenceo ofo noto onlyo theo drivero ando attendanto ofo theo offendingo bus,o buto alsoo theo privateo respondents.o Ito haso beeno furthero submittedothatotheoFIRoinoquestionowasolodgedowithoutoanyodelay,oono theo sameo day,o however,o theo policeo officialso ino connivanceo witho ando underotheoinfluenceoofotheoprivateorespondents,ohadoarrayedoonlyodrivero Ranjeeto Singho ando attendanto Sunilo Kumaro aso accusedo ino theo FIRo ino question.oAggrievedobyotheodefectiveoinvestigationocarriedooutobyotheo investigatingo agency,o theo complainanto hado theno approachedo theo NationaloCommissionoforoProtectionoofoChildoRights,owhichoinoturnohado markedo hiso complainto too Superintendento ofo Police,o Kurukshetra.o Learnedo counsel,o whileo drawingo theo attentiono ofo thiso Courto too theo Enquiryo Report,o whicho haso beeno annexedo aso Annexureo P-2,o haso vehementlyo arguedo thato ito findso mentionedo thereino thato theo privateo respondentso hado alsoo beeno negligento ino performingo theiro dutieso ando complainantohadoalsoobeenoadvisedobyotheoEnquiryoOfficerotoomoveotheo Courtoofolawoagainstothem.oLearnedocounselohasovehementlyoassertedo thatotheohighhandednessoofotheopoliceowasoobviousofromotheofactothatoito hadoignoredotheoEnquiryoReporto(AnnexureoP-2)obyonotoevenomakingoito k 3k

3.k Learnedo counselo has,o stillo furthero submittedo thato theo complainantowhileosteppingointootheowitnessoboxoduringotrialoasoPW-13,o hadoreferredotootheoEnquiryoReportoandodetailedotheoroleoplayedobyoeacho ofotheoprivateorespondentsowithorespectotootheoaccidentoinoquestion.oAso perotheoreportoofotheoEnquiryoOfficero(AnnexureoP-2)odatedo26.08.2016,o theo Junioro Wingo Classo Teacher,o respondento No.2-Alpanao Guptao waso responsibleo foro queuingo upo allo theo studentso uptoo theo areao whereo theo Schoolobusesowereoparkedoandotooseeothemooffoinotheirorespectiveobuses.o However,o respondento No.2o hado beeno negligento aso sheo hado neithero handedooverotheocustodyoofotheodeceasedochildotootheoattendantoofotheo Schoolobusonorowasosheopresentoanywhereoinotheoareaowhereotheovehicleso wereoparked.oFurthermore,orespondentoNo.4o–oSanjeevoKumarohadobeeno assignedotootakeocareoofotheoCCTVocamerasowhichowereoinstalledowithino theoSchoolopremises.oHowever,oono23.07.2016,owhenotheopoliceodirectedo theoSchooloauthoritiesotooproduceotheoCCTVofootage,oitowasofoundothato 60ominutesorecordingoofotheoCCTVofootage,ocoveringotheoaccidentoino questionohadonotobeenorecordedoinotheocamera.oNotoonlyothis,otheoCCTVo cameraoinstalledoinotheooffendingobusowasoalsoofoundotoobeonot-working.o Thus,olearnedocounselohasoassertedothatoSanjeevoKumaro-orespondento No.4ohadoalsoobeenogrosslyonegligent.oLearnedocounselohasostillofurthero submittedothatosimilarlyoRupindero–orespondentoNo.5oasowelloasoAnilo Puruthio–orespondentoNo.6,owhootooowereoassignedodutiesoinotheoVano areaoandotoomakeotheochildrenoboardotheoSchoolobusesowhileoensuringo theirosafety,ohadobeenonegligent.oFurthermore,othereowasonoomaterialoono k 4k recordo whicho couldo showo thato theo drivero ando theo attendanto ofo theo offendingobusowereomedicallyofit.oStillofurther,osinceothereohadonotobeeno anyopoliceoverificationoofoboth,otheodriveroandoattendantoofotheooffendingo bus,oRitaoGoyaloPrincipalo–orespondentoNo.1ohadoalsoobeenonegligentoino dischargingoheroduties.oLearnedocounselohasovehementlyoassertedothato theo culpabilityo ofo theo respondento No.1o –o Ritao Goyal,o Principalo waso evidentofromotheofactothatoitowasoonoherodirectionsothatobloodoofotheo deceasedochildohadobeenoremovedofromotheoplaceoofoaccident.oo

4.k Quao respondento No.7o –o R.K.o Aggarwal,o Managero ofo theo SchooloManagementoCommittee,olearnedocounselohasosubmittedothatoheo toooowedoaodutyotooensureothatotheostaffoofotheoSchoolowasoadheringotoo allo theo safetyo normso ando othero rules,o particularlyo witho respecto too studentsoofotheoprimaryoclasses.oo

5.k LearnedocounselohasovehementlyoarguedothatotheotrialoCourt,o whileopassingotheoimpugnedoorder,ohadoerredoinoholdingothatothereowaso noodirectoconnectionobetweenotheoactsoofotheoprivateorespondentsoandotheo accidentowhichohadooccurred,oevenothoughoitowasoabundantlyoclearothato hadotheoprivateorespondentsobeenoalertoandonotonegligent,otheoaccidentoino question,owouldohaveobeenoaverted.oLearnedocounselohasosubmittedothato theotrialoCourtohadoalsooerredoinonototakingocognizanceoofotheoEnquiryo Reporto(AnnexureoP-2)owhereinoalsooitohadobeenofoundothatotheoprivateo respondentsohadobeenototallyonegligentowhileoperformingotheiroduties.oo

6.k Learnedo counselo has,o stillo further,o vehementlyo submittedo thatotheopetitionerowasonotoseekingotoosummonotheoprivateorespondentso k 5k forobeingovicariouslyoliableoforotheodeathoofohisosonoDavisoGirdhar,obuto forobeingodirectlyoliableounderoSectiono304-AoIPC,oasoitowasosolelyoono accountoofotheironegligenceothatoaofiveoyearooldochildohadolostohisolife.oIto wasosubmittedothatoSectiono304-AoIPC,ounderowhichotheoFIRohadobeeno registered,odoesonotoprovideoforoeitheromens-reaooroevenoknowledge,obuto itotalksoonlyoaboutoanoactoofonegligence.oWhenoaochildoisosentotootheo School,o aso longo aso heo iso withino theo fouro wallso ofo theo School,o heo iso deemedotoobeoinotheocustodyoofotheoSchooloManagement,oandothus,otheo SchooloManagementoandootherostaffooweoaodutyoofocareoofotheohighesto degreeotowardsotheochild.oIfoanythingohappensotootheochildowithinotheo Schoolopremises,odueotootheonegligenceoofotheoSchooloManagementooro theo staff,o aso haso beeno allegedo ino theo caseo ino hand,o theyo cannoto beo permittedotoogooscot-free.oLearnedocounselohasotherefore,oarguedothatoino theofactsoandocircumstances,othereocouldobeonoomanneroofodoubtothatotheo privateorespondentsobeingoguardiansoofotheodeceasedochild,ohadoshowno blatantodisregardotootheoonerousodutyocastouponothem,ocoupledowithotheo factothatoafterotheoaccidentoinoquestion,otheoconductoofotheoManagemento asowelloasotheoSchoolostaffowasomostoappalling,oasotheyohadonotoeveno botheredotooremoveotheoSchoolobagofromotheoshouldersoofotheodeceasedo evenoafteroheohadobeenorun-overobyotheooffendingobus.oo

7.k Learnedo counselo appearingo foro theo petitioner,o whileo concludingohisosubmissions,ohasosubmittedothatothoughotheoaccidentoino questiono waso dreadful,o however,o theo trialo Courto waso erroneouslyo convincedothatoitowasoonlyoonoaccountoofotheonegligenceoofotheodriveroofo k 6k theooffendingobusoandoitsoattendant,othatotheodeceasedohadometohisoend.o Learnedocounselohasoassertedothatotheocaseoofotheoprivateorespondents,oino theoaboveomentionedocircumstances,ocouldonotohaveobeenosegregatedo fromo theo alreadyo challanedo accused,o moreo soo wheno admittedlyo theo accidentoinoquestionohadooccurredoinsideotheoSchoolopremises.oo

8.k Perocontra,olearnedoStateocounseloalongowitholearnedosenioro counselo appearingo ono behalfo ofo theo privateo respondents,o whileo controvertingo theo submissionso madeo byo theo counselo opposite,o haso submittedothatotheoissueoandoallegationsoagainstotheoprivateorespondentso haveobeenoagitatedotimeoandoagainobyotheocomplainant.oWhileodrawingo theo attentiono ofo thiso Courto too Annexureso R-5o ando R-6,o ito haso beeno submittedothatotheopetitionerohadoearlieroalsooapproachedothisoCourtoforo reinvestigationo ofo theo caseo ino hando byo wayo ofo CRM-Mo No.1971o ofo 2017,owhereinotoo,oheohadoraisedosimilaropleas.oHowever,otheopetitionero hado noto pressedo theo aforesaido petition,o whicho accordinglyo hado beeno dismissedoasowithdrawn.oItohasobeenofurtherosubmittedothatoevenoatotheo timeoofoframingoofocharges,otheopetitionerohadoyetoagainoraisedotheosameo pleas,owhichoareobeingoraisedobeforeothisoCourt,obutoinovain.oNow,oyeto again,owhenotheotrialowasoatoitsofagoend,oafterotheoprosecutionoevidenceo hado concluded,o theo petitionero waso attemptingo too againo resurrecto theo sameoallegationsoagainstotheoprivateorespondents.oo

9.k Learnedo senioro counselo haso vehementlyo arguedo thato ao perusaloofotheoFIRoinoquestion,owhichoasoperotheoadmittedocaseoofotheo complainanto himself,o waso lodgedo promptly,o thereo waso noo allegationo k 7k mucholessobyowayoofoaowhisperoagainstoanyoofotheoprivateorespondents.o Noodoubt,otheocomplainantowhileosteppingointootheowitnessobox,ohado reliedouponoEnquiryoReportodatedo26.08.2016,ohoweveroaoperusaloofotheo saido Enquiryo Reporto whicho waso preparedo byo DSPo Shahabad,o Kurukshetra,orevealedothatonothingohadobeenostatedothereinoaboutotheo roleoplayedobyotheoprivateorespondentsowithorespectotootheoaccidentoino question.oRatherotheoEnquiryoOfficer,oDSPoShahabadohadoonlyostatedotoo theoextentothatoinotheoCCTVofootageoproducedobeforeohim,oattendanto Sunilo Kumaro couldo beo seeno takingo theo deceasedo childo fromo hiso classroomoandoleavingohimoinotheoverandah.oLearnedoseniorocounsel,o stillofurtherosubmitsothatoanotheroSchoolodriverobyotheonameoofoRanbiro Singh,o whoo waso ano eye-witnesso too theo accidento ino question,o whileo steppingointootheowitnessoboxoasoPW-21,ohadodeposedothatotheodeceasedo onoseeingotheoSchoolobusohadohimselforushedotowardsoit.oHeosubmitso thatotheoEnquiryoReportoreliedouponobyotheocomplainant,owasonotoevenoao partoofotheochallan,oandoevenoinotheoEnquiryoReportoonlyotheodriveroando attendantoofotheooffendingobusowereofoundotoobeonegligentoinocausingotheo accidentoinoquestion.oThus,othereowasonoomaterial,omucholessocogent,oono recordotooevenoremotelyosuggestothatotheoprivateorespondentsohadoinoanyo mannerobeenoinvolvedoinotheocrimeoinoquestionooroevenointentionallyo facilitatedotheosame.oLearnedoseniorocounselohasovehementlyoarguedothato theolearnedocounseloforotheopetitionerowasoseekingotoopropoundoaonewo principleoofocriminalojurisprudence,owhereinoanoactocommittedobyoano individualo ino personamo wouldo giveo riseo too vicariouso liabilityo ofo hiso k 8k employers.oHeohasoassertedothatotheoargumentsomadeobyotheocounselo oppositeo thato becauseo theo privateo respondentso hado beeno negligento ino performingotheiroofficialoduties,otheyoalsoobeoheldoresponsibleoforotheo deathoofotheodeceased,owhoohadobeenoallegedlyocrushedotoodeathobyotheo offendingobus,owasonotoonlyounheardoof,obutocouldonotobeosustainedoino theoeyesoofolaw,oasoitopertainedotoooffencesounderotheoIndianoPenaloCodeo ando noto vicariouso liabilityo foro ano offenceo undero theo Negotiableo InstrumentsoAct,o1881.oo

10.k Whileoplacingorelianceoupono'ShamoSunderovs.oStateoofo Haryana'o1989oAIRo(SC)o1982,o'HiraoLaloHarioLaloBhagwatiovs.o CBIoNewoDelhi'o2003oAIRo(SC)o2545oando'ShivoKumaroJatiaovs.o StateoofoNCToofoDelhi'o2019oAIRo(SC)o4463,olearnedoseniorocounselo hasofurtherocontendedothatoatobest,othoughonotoadmitted,oitocanobeoaocaseo ofonegligenceounderotheoCiviloLaw,oforowhichotheoremedyoavailableotoo theo petitionero wouldo beo too seeko damages,o whicho hado alreadyo beeno resortedotooasoitowasoaomatterooforecordothatoheohadoinstitutedoaosuitoforo recoveryoofodamagesoagainstotheoprivateorespondents;osinceosummoningo ofoaopersonotoofaceotrialowasoaoseriousomatter,oaopenalostatuteohadothusotoo beostrictlyoconstrued.oFurthermore,obyonoostretchoofoimagination,ocouldo theoactsoofoomissionsoattributedotootheoprivateorespondents,oevenoinotheo EnquiryoReport,ocouldobeosaidotoobeosuchothatoitowasotheyowhoocausedo theodeathoofotheodeceased.oo

11.k Learnedoseniorocounselohasolastlyoassertedothatoevenoifotheo petitionero waso seekingo too summono theo privateo respondentso undero k 9k Sectiono304-AoIPC,onoomaterialohadobeenobroughtoforthowhichocouldo evenoestablishoproximate,omucholessoaodirect,oconnectionobetweenoactso ofotheoprivateorespondentsoandotheodeathoofotheodeceased,oDavisoGirdhar.oo

12.k Iohaveoheardolearnedocounseloforotheopartiesoandoperusedotheo relevantomaterialoonorecord.o

13.k Beforeo proceedingo further,o ito wouldo beo relevanto hereo too reproduceotheoprovisionsoofoSectiono319oCr.P.C.o o "319.oPowerotooproceedoagainstootheropersonsoappearingo toobeoguiltyoofooffence:-oo

(1)oo Where,oinotheocourseoofoanyoinquiryointo,oorotrialoofo anooffence,oitoappearsofromotheoevidenceothatoanyopersono notobeingotheoaccusedohasocommittedoanyooffenceoforowhicho suchopersonocouldobeotriedotogetherowithotheoaccused,otheo Courto mayo proceedo againsto sucho persono foro theo offenceo whichoheoappearsotoohaveocommitted.o

(2)oo Whereo sucho persono iso notoattendingo theo Court,o heo mayobeoarrestedoorosummoned,oasotheocircumstancesoofotheo caseomayorequire,oforotheopurposeoaforesaid.o

(3)oo AnyopersonoattendingotheoCourt,oalthoughonotoundero arrestoorouponoaosummons,omayobeodetainedobyosuchoCourto forotheopurposeoofotheoinquiryointo,oorotrialoor,otheooffenceo whichoheoappearsotoohaveocommitted.o

(4)oo WhereotheoCourtoproceedsoagainstoanyopersonoundero sub-sectiono(1),othen-o

(a)otheoproceedingsoinorespectoofosuchopersonoshallo beocommencedoafresh,oandotheowitnessesoreheard;o

(b)osubjectotootheoprovisionsoofoclauseo(a),otheocaseo mayo proceedo aso ifo sucho persono hado beeno ano accusedopersonowhenotheoCourtotookocognizanceoofo k 10k theo offenceo upono whicho theo inquiryo oro trialo waso commenced."o o

14.k Thus,o whato flowso fromo ao meticulouso readingo ofo theo provisionoofoSectiono319oCr.P.C.oisothatoifoatotheotimeoofoinquiryoorotrial,o itoappearsofromotheoevidenceoledobeforeotheotrialoCourtothatoaopersono othero thano theo accused,o whoo alreadyo standso challanedo byo theo investigatingoagency,ohasoalsoocommittedoanooffence,otheopowersoundero Sectiono319oCr.P.C.ocanocertainlyobeoinvokedobyotheoCourtotoosummono suchoperson(s)oasoanoadditionaloaccusedobecauseotheoobjectobehindothiso provisionoisotooensureothatonooone,owhooappearsoguilty,oescapesotrialoino relationotoothatoguilt.oo

15.k Sinceo theo powero undero Sectiono 319o Cr.P.C.o iso ano extraordinaryo discretionaryo powero vestedo ino theo Courts,o ito haso too beo exercisedowithoaogreatodealoofocircumspectionoandodueocaution,oonlyoino casesowhereotheofactsoandocircumstancesosoowarrant.oInothisoregard,oito wouldobeoappositeotooreferotootheoratiooofolawolaidodownobyoaofive-Judgeo BenchoofotheoHon'bleoSupremeoCourt,oino'HardeepoSinghov.oStateoofo Punjab'o2014(3)oSCCo92,owhereinoitohasobeenoheldoasounder:oo o o "98.o Powero undero Sectiono 319o Cr.P.C.o iso ao discretionaryo ando ano extra-ordinaryo power.o Ito iso too beo exercisedo sparinglyo ando onlyo ino thoseo caseso whereo theo circumstanceso ofo theo caseo soo warrant.o Ito iso noto too beo exercisedobecauseotheoMagistrateoorotheoSessionsoJudgeoiso ofotheoopinionothatosomeootheropersonomayoalsoobeoguiltyoofo committingo thato offence.o Onlyo whereo strongo ando cogento evidenceo occurso againsto ao persono fromo theo evidenceo ledo k 11k beforeotheocourtothatosuchopoweroshouldobeoexercisedoando notoinoaocasualoandocavalieromanner.oo o o 99.oThus,oweoholdothatothoughoonlyoaoprimaofacieocaseo isotoobeoestablishedofromotheoevidenceoledobeforeotheocourto notonecessarilyotestedoonotheoanviloofoCross-Examination,oito requiresomuchostrongeroevidenceothanomereoprobabilityoofo hisocomplicity.oTheotestothatohasotoobeoappliedoisooneowhicho isomoreothanoprimaofacieocaseoasoexercisedoatotheotimeoofo framingoofocharge,obutoshortoofosatisfactionotooanoextentothato theoevidence,oifogoesounrebutted,owouldoleadotooconviction.o Inotheoabsenceoofosuchosatisfaction,otheocourtoshouldorefraino fromo exercisingo powero undero Sectiono 319o Cr.P.C.o Ino Sectiono319oCr.P.C.otheopurposeoofoprovidingoifo'itoappearso fromotheoevidenceothatoanyopersononotobeingotheoaccusedo hasocommittedoanyooffence'oisoclearofromotheowordso"foro whicho sucho persono couldo beo triedo togethero witho theo accused."oTheowordsousedoareonoto'forowhichosuchopersono couldobeoconvicted'.oThereois,otherefore,onooscopeoforotheo Courto actingo undero Sectiono 319o Cr.P.C.o too formo anyo opinionoasotootheoguiltoofotheoaccused."o o

16.k Theo petitionero haso soughto summoningo ofo theo privateo respondentsotoofaceotrialounderoSectiono304-AoIPCoalongowithotheoothero accused,oi.e.otheodriveroandoattendantoofotheooffendingobus.oItowouldoalsoo be,o thus,o relevanto too discusso theo necessaryo constituentso ofo offenceo punishableo undero Sectiono 304-Ao IPC,o whicho dealso witho culpabilityo arisingooutooforashoandonegligentoactoleadingotootheodeathoofoaoperson.oo o "304-A.oCausingodeathobyonegligence:oo Whoeverocausesotheodeathoofoanyopersonobyodoingoanyo rashooronegligentoactonotoamountingotooculpableohomicide,o k 12k shallobeopunishedowithoimprisonmentoofoeitherodescriptiono foroaotermowhichomayoextendotootwooyears,oorowithofine,ooro withoboth."oo o o Tooproveonegligenceounderocriminalolaw,otheoprosecutiono mustothusoprove:o

(i)k theoexistenceoofodutyoo

(ii)k breachoofodutyocausingodeathoo

(iii)k breacho ofo theo dutyo musto beo characterizedo aso grosso negligence.oo

17.k InoorderotooholdoaopersonoliableounderoSectiono304-AoIPC,o theoamountoandodegreeoofonegligenceowouldobeotheodecisiveofactoroando unlessothereoiso'grossooroveryohighodegreeoofonegligence',oonotheopartoofo accused,otheoprosecutionoisoboundotoofail.oNegligence,owhichocouldonoto beo saido too beo grosso oro ofo ao veryo higho degree,o mayo beo ao groundo too proceedoagainstotheonegligentopersonounderoCivilolawoforodamages,obuto ito wouldo noto ino anyo mannero makeo himo liableo foro punishmento undero Criminalolaw.oTheowordo'gross'othough,odoesonotofindomentionedoino Sectiono304-AoIPC,obutoitoisonowowellosettledothatotheoexpressiono'rasho andonegligentoact'ohasotoobeoqualifiedobyotheowordo'grossly'.oo

18.k Further,o foro invitingo theo mischiefo ofo ano offenceo undero Sectiono 304Ao IPC,o deatho musto beo theo directo resulto ofo theo allegedo negligentoactoofotheoaccusedoandomereoremoteonexusobetweenotheotwoo wouldonotobeosufficientotooconstituteoanooffence.oFurthermore,onegligento k 13k actomustobeoproximateoandoefficientocauseoofotheodeath,owithoutothereo beingonegligenceoonotheopartoofoanyootheroperson(s).oo

19.k Comingotootheocaseoinohand,otheoquestionsowhichoariseoforo theoconsiderationoofothisoCourtoare:oo

(i)k Whetherotheodeathoofodeceasedowasocausedobyoanyonegligento acto ono theo parto ofo theo privateo respondents,o i.e.o causao causans?oo o o Causaocausans,oinolegaloparlance,oisousedotooidentifyo theomainooroproximateocauseothatocanobeoheldotoobeolegallyo responsibleoforoanoinjury,oharmoasoaoconsequenceoofosucho act.o

(ii)k Whetherotheosaidonegligentoactocanobeotermedotoobeo'grosslyo negligentooroofoaoveryohighodegree'otooattractotheomischiefoofo anooffenceounderoSectiono304-AoIPC?oo

20.k TheoFIRoinoquestionowasolodgedoatotheoinstanceoofopetitionero RavioKumaro(i.e.otheofatheroofotheodeceased).oAsoperotheoallegationso levelledo byo theo petitioner,o hiso sono wento too attendo theo schoolo ino theo morning.oAtoabouto12:30op.m.,owhenoheowasonearotheoplaygroundoofotheo school,otheooffendingobusodrivenobyoaccusedoRanjitoSinghoinoaorashoando negligentomanner,otookoaoturnoandohitohisoson,oasoaoresultoofowhichoheo receivedoinjuriesoandolater-on,osuccumbedotoothem.oAfterocausingotheo accident,obothotheodriveroandoattendantoofotheooffendingobusofledoawayo fromotheospot.oApartofromotheoabove,oneitheroanyootheroallegationsowereo levelledo ino theo FIRo againsto anyo ofo theo privateo respondents,o noro anyo k 14k suspicionoraisedoquaotheoinvolvementoofoanyothirdoperson,omucholess,oofo theoprivateorespondents.oSimilarly,owhileosteppingointootheowitnessoboxo asoPW-13,otheopetitionerodidonotoallegeoanyonegligenceoonotheopartoofotheo privateorespondents.oo

21.k Theopetitioner,owhileomovingoanoapplicationounderoSectiono 319oCr.P.C.,osoughtotoosummonotheorespondentsoonlyoonotheogroundothato theyowereonegligentoinotheirodutiesoasotheodeceasedowasostudyingoinotheiro schooloandostillofurther,oduringoschoolohours,otheyobeingoguardiansoofo theodeceasedowereodutyobondotootakeocareoofohimoandoensureohisosafety.o Therefore,oonoaccountoofotheironegligenceotowardsotheodeceased,otheyo tooowereoliableoalongowithoco-accusedoRanjitoSinghoandoSuniloundero Sectiono304-AoIPC.o

22.k Learnedo counselo foro theo petitionero haso noto disputedo thato evenoasoperohisoownoversionogivenoinotheoFIR,otheodeceasedowasohitobyo theooffendingobusobeingodrivenobyoaccusedoRanjitoSingh.oTherefore,oitoiso evidentothatoevenoasoperotheopetitionerohimself,otheodirectocauseoofodeatho ofotheodeceasedowasotheoallegedorashoandonegligentodrivingoofotheodrivero ofotheooffendingobusoandoallegedonegligenceoofoattendantoSunil.oo

23.k ThisoCourtodoesonotofindoanyomeritoinotheosubmissionsomadeo byotheolearnedocounseloforotheopetitionerothatoclass-teacherorespondento No.2o –o Alpanao Guptao hado beeno negligento aso sheo hado failedo too accompanyotheostudentsotootheobusoandoensureotheirosafety.oItowouldobeo relevantotooreferotootheodepositionoofoPW-12oDSPoGurmailoSingh,owhicho haso beeno attachedo aso Annexureo R-2,o whoo conductedo theo enquiryo k 15k (AnnexureoP-2).oDuringohisodeposition,oheocategoricallyostatedothatoheo visitedotheoplaceoofoaccidentoandojoinedoallotheowitnessesoincludingotheo Principalo ando othero employees/staffo ofo theo School.o Besides,o duringo enquiryo heo alsoo collectedo CCTVo footageo ofo theo dayo ofo accidento i.e.o

22.07.2016,owhichowereoinstalledobothoinotheoclassroomoasowelloasoinotheo verandahoofotheoSchool.oHeodeposedothatoinotheoCCTVofootage,oitowaso clearlyo visibleo thato accusedo Sunilo waso takingo theo deceasedo fromo hiso classroomoandothereafter,oheohadoleftohimoinotheoverandah,oafterowhicho theo deceased,o whoo waso ao five-yearo oldo child,o rano towardso theo playground.o Therefore,o ino theo aboveo factso ando circumstances,o respondentoNo.2o–oAlpanaoGuptaocannotobeosaidotoohaveobeenogrosslyo negligentoinoanyomannerounderotheocriminalolaw.oo

24.k Besidesotheoclass-teacher,orespondentoNo.2o–oAlpanaoGupta,o theopetitionerohasoalsoosoughtotoosummonotheootheroprivateorespondents,o whooareoPrincipal,oHeadmistressoasowelloasotheoentireoManagement/staffo ofotheoSchooloforoallegedlyobeingonegligent,odueotoowhichohisosonohado lostohisolife.oTheopetitioneroisothus,oessentiallyotryingotoomakeoallotheo privateorespondentsovicariouslyoliableoforotheoallegedoactsoofodriveroando attendantoofotheooffendingobus,owhichocannotobeopermittedounderotheo criminalolaw.oThisoCourtoconcursowithotheosubmissionsomadeobyotheo learnedoseniorocounseloappearingoonobehalfoofotheoprivateorespondentso thatotheoconceptoofovicariousoliabilityoisoalienotoocriminalojurisprudence.o Theoprivateorespondents,oi.e.otheoPrincipal,oHeadmistress,otheoManagingo Committeeo ando theo othero Schoolo staff,o whoo haveo beeno arraignedo aso k 16k privateorespondents,ocannotobeoheldovicariouslyoliableoforotheoallegedo actsoofosomeoemployeesoofotheoSchool.oFurther,oevenoifotheosubmissionso madeobyotheolearnedocounseloforotheopetitioner,oasonoticedoinoprecedingo paragraphsoofothisojudgment,oareotoobeoaccepted,otheoallegedonegligento actsoofotheoprivateorespondentsocannotobeosaidotoobeoproximate,omucho lessoefficientocauseoofodeathoofotheodeceased,onorocanotheodegreeoofo negligenceoonotheiropartobeosaidotoobeosoohighoorogrossosooasotooholdo themoliableounderoSectiono304-AoIPC.oo

25.k Itoneedsotoobeoreiteratedothatotheostandardoofoprooforequiredo foronegligenceounderoCriminalolawoisomuchohigherothanotheostandardoofo prooforequiredounderotheoCivilolaw.oTherefore,oinotheolightoofotheoaboveo discussion,obothotheoquestionsoframedoinoparaoNo.19,oareoansweredoino theonegative.oo

26.k ThisoCourt,othus,odoesonotofindoanyoillegalityooroperversityo inotheoimpugnedoorderodatedo09.08.2022opassedobyolearnedoAdditionalo SessionsoJudge,oKurukshetra.oTheorevisionopetition,obeingodevoidoofoanyo merit,o standso dismissed.o However,o ito iso madeo clearo thato anythingo observedohereinaboveo shallo notobeo construedotoobeo ano expressionoofo opinionoonotheomeritsoofotheocase.o o o o o (MANJARIooNEHRUooKAUL)o JUDGEo Septembero19,o2023o rpsoooooo Whetherospeaking/reasonedoo o Yes/Noo Whetheroreportableo o o Yes/Nook