Rajnish Vasudeva v. State of Punjab and Others

oo o 253o o INoTHEoHIGHoCOURToOFoPUNJABoANDoHARYANAoo AToCHANDIGARHo o ooCRM-M-51518-2022o(O&M)o DateoofoDecision:o11.04.2023o o o RAJNISHoVASUDEVAo oooooooooooo…Petitionero Versuso STATEoOFoPUNJABoANDoOTHERSo …Respondentso o CORAM:oo HON'BLEoMR.oJUSTICEoHARSHoBUNGERo o Presento:o Mr.oR.oC.oSharma,oAdvocateo o o forotheopetitioner.o o o HARSHoBUNGER,oJ.oo o o o Petitionerohasofiledotheopresentopetition,ounderoSectiono482oofo theoCodeoofoCriminaloProcedure,oforosettingoasideotheoimpugnedoorderodatedo

01.08.2022o(AnnexureoP-4),opassedobyolearnedoAdditionaloSessionsoJudge,o Kapurthalaoasowelloasoorderodatedo07.09.2016o(AnnexureoP-2)opassedobyo learnedo Judicialo Magistrateo Isto Class,o Kapurthala,o video which,o complainto No.6416o datedo 03.02.2012o (Annexureo P-1)o filedo byo theo petitionero undero Sectionso323,o324,o342,o349,o427,o452,o506,o148oando149oofotheoIndianoPenalo Codeo(45oofo1860)ohasobeenodismissedoquaorespondentsoNo.2otoo12.oo

2.o o Succinctly,otheopresentopetitionerofiledoaocomplaintobeforeotheo stCourto ofo Judicialo Magistrateo 1 o Class,o Kapurthala,o statingo thato theo complainantoandoaccusedoareoresidentsoofoHarnamoNagar,oKapurthala,owhereo theo complainanto iso runningo ao Charitableo Institutiono namelyo "Himanshuo VasudevaoHealthoSolution"oforotreatingotheoailingoandosickopeople,odueotoo whichothereowasoheavyorushoasotheoinstitutionostartoatoabouto8oti'oClockotillooooooooooooo 2023.05.09 18:54 1/11

oo o 5oO'oclockoinodifferentobatches.oItowasostatedothatoalthoughotheocomplainanto hadomadeoproperoarrangementoforotheosittingoofotheopersonsoinotheostreetobuto theoaccusedopersonsoalwaysotauntedotheopeopleoandoabusedotheocomplainant.o Itowasoallegedothatoono12.07.2011,otheoaccusedopersonsoalong-withocertaino GoondaoelementsoenteredotheoHealthoInstitutionoatoabouto3.30op.m.,oandoino theo absenceo ofo theo petitioner-complainant,o theyo startedo abusingo theo staffmembersoworkingooverothereoandotheocomplainant.oItowasostatedothatotheo fatheroofotheocomplainanto(agedoabouto95oyears)owasoresidingoonotheofirsto flooroofotheosaidobuildingandolateronotheoaccusedopersonsoalsooabusedoando pulledohisfatherofromobedoandodraggedohimouptootheostairsoandothreatenedotoo killohim.oItowasoallegedothatotheomaidoservantonamelyoRamoWantiowhoocameo outsideofromotheokitchenofromotheosecondofloororaisedohueoandocryoandotooko awayotheofatheroofotheocomplainantointootheoroomoandowhichosheolockedo fromoinside.oAllotheoaccusedostartedobeatingotheodooroandothenogaveodandao blowsoonotheodooroandoextendedothreats.oThenotheoaccusedopersonsoareostatedo toohaveocomeodownoandoinotheopresenceoofostaffomembersonamelyoSunilo Kumar,o Gurmito Kaur,o Amandeepo Kaur,o Manju,o Hena,o Chandra,o Sukha,o Manjuo Sharmao ando ino theo presenceo ofo publico startedo throwingo awayo machinesomeantoforotheotreatmentoofotheoailingopersons.oItowasoallegedothato theybrokeooneomachineowhileotheopublicothereosavedotheootheromachines.oIto isofurtheroallegedothatotheoaccusedoalong-withosticksoalsoocarriedoawayofiveo machinesoandowhileoleavingotheyothreatenedotheostaffomembersothatotheyowillo alsookillotheocomplainantoandoifotheostaffomembersoreportedothisomatterotootheo policeotheyowillofaceodireoconsequences.oItowasostatedoinotheocomplaintothato theomatterowasoreportedotootheopoliceohoweveronooactionowasotakenoandoono theocontrary,otheopoliceoofficialsowhooareoinoconnivanceowithotheoaccusedo 2023.05.09 18:54 2/11

oo o persons,ogotoregisteredofalseoFIRoagainstotheopetitioner-complainantoundero Sectionso452/34,o323/324oIPC.oAccordingly,otheopetitionerofiledoaocomplainto againstothemounderoSectionso323/324/342/379/427/452/o506/148/149oIPC.oo

3.o o Theopetitioneroexaminedohimselfoandootherowitnessesonamelyo Ramwati,oAmandeepoKumaroandoChandra,oinosupportoofoitsocase.oo

4.o o Theo trialo Courto aftero appreciatingo theo evidenceo ono record,o dismissedo theo complainto filedo byo theo petitionero video itso judgmento datedo

07.09.2016.o

5.o o Theo petitionero challengedo theo abovesaido judgmento datedo

07.09.2016obyofilingoaorevisionopetitionounderoSectiono397oCr.P.C.obeforeo theo Courto ofo Additionalo Sessionso Judge,o Kapurthala;o howevero theo saido revisionopetitionoalsoocameotoobeodismissedobyolearnedoAdditionaloSessionso Judge,oKapurthalaovideoitsojudgmentodatedo01.08.2022.oo

6.o o Now,otheopetitionerohasofiledotheoinstantopetitionounderoSectiono 482oCr.P.C.oimpugningotheoorderodatedo07.09.2016o(AnnexureoP-2)opassedo byo theo trialo Courto ando alsoo theo ordero datedo 01.08.2022o (Annexureo P-4)o passedobyolearnedoAdditionaloSessionsoJudge,oKapurthala.o

7.o o Iohaveoheardolearnedocounseloforotheopetitioneroandoperusedotheo paper-book.o

8.o o Hereo ito wouldo beo appropriateo too refero too fewo judicialo pronouncements.oo

9.o o Ino 'Mrinalo Daso &o otherso v.o Theo Stateo ofo Tripura,o 2011(9)o SCCo 479',o Hon'bleo Supremeo Court,o aftero lookingo intoo manyo earliero judgments,ohasolaidodownoparameters,oinowhichointerferenceocanoobeomadeoinoo o o 2023.05.09 18:54 3/11

oo o aojudgmentoofoacquittal,obyoobservingoasounder:oo o "Anoorderoofoacquittaloisotoobeointerferedowithoonlyo whenothereoareo"compellingoandosubstantialoreasons",o forodoingoso.oIfotheoorderoiso"clearlyounreasonable",oitoiso ao compellingo reasono foro interference.o Wheno theo trialo Courtohasoignoredotheoevidenceooromisreadotheomaterialo evidenceoorohasoignoredomaterialodocumentsolikeodyingo declaration/reportoofoballisticoexpertsoetc.,otheoappellateo courtoisocompetentotooreverseotheodecisionoofotheotrialo Courtodependingoonotheomaterialsoplaced."oo

10.o o InoStateoofoRajasthanov.oNaresho@oRamoNaresh,o2010(1)RCRo (Criminal)o128,oHon'bleoApexoCourtolaidodownothato"Anoorderoofoacquittalo shouldonotobeolightlyointerferedowithoevenoifotheocourtobelievesothatothereoiso someoevidenceopointingooutotheofingerotowardsotheoaccused..."oo

11.o o Ino'AllarakhaoK.oMansuriov.oStateoofoGujarat,o2002(1)oRCRo (Criminal)o748',oHon'bleoSupremeoCourtoheldothatowhere,oinoaocase,otwoo viewsoareopossible,otheooneowhichofavoursotheoaccused,ohasotoobeoadoptedobyo theoCourt.oo

12.o o Comingo too theo factso ofo thiso case,o theo trialo courto aftero appreciatingotheoevidenceoonorecord,odismissedotheocomplaintofiledobyotheo petitionerobyoobservingoasounder:o "4.o Iohaveoheardotheocontentionsoofold.ocounseloforotheo complainantoandohaveogoneothroughotheocaseofile.oTheo maino contentiono ofo theo complainanto iso thato allo theo accusedo ino connivanceo witho eacho othero committedo offenceo punishableo undero Sectionso 323/324/342/379/427/452/506/148/149o ofo Indiano Penalo Code.oHowever,ocomplainantohasoexaminedohimselfoaso CW1,o Ramwatio aso CW2,o Amandeepo Kumaro aso CW3,o Chandrao aso CW4o too proveo hiso assertion.o Perusalo ofo testimonyoofohisowitnessesoitohasocomeoonorecordothato 2023.05.09 18:54 4/11

oo o neithero complainanto noro hiso witnesseso haveo seeno theo accusedocausingoinjuriesoonotheopersonoofofatheroofotheo complainant.oTheoallegationsoofotheocomplainantoareothato ono 12.7.2011o ato abouto 3.30o p.mo accusedo abusedo ando pulledotheofatheroofotheocomplainantowhooiso95oyearsoofo ageoandoallotheoaccusedopulledohimodownofromobedoando draggedohimoupotootheostairsoandoalsoogaveothreatotookillo him.o However,o ito haso noto comeo ono recordo thato 11o accusedopulledotheofatheroofotheocomplainantofromotheo thirdo flooro ando whoo draggedo himo pulledo upo too stairs.o Moreover,oRamwatiowhooisoservantoofotheocomplainanto hasocategoricallyostatedoinoherostatementothatosheowaso workingoinotheokitchenowhenosheoheardonoiseofromotheo groundoflooroandosonoofoDwarkaocomeoupotoofirstoflooro andoorallyoabusedofatheroofocomplainantoandothrowohimo fromobed.oSheowasoworkingoinotheosecondoflooroandowheno sheoreachedotheospotofatheroofocomplainantowasoalreadyo lyingo ono theo flooro ando theno sheo layedo fathero ofo complainantoonotheobedoandolockedohimowhichoclearlyo showsothatosheohasonotowitnessedotheooccurrenceoasosheo wasoworkingoonosecondofloor.oSheoonlyoheardotheonoiseo andosheocomeodownoandosawofatheroofotheocomplainanto ono theo floor.o Sameo iso theo versiono ofo CW3o Amandeepo Kaurowhoowasoworkingoonotheogroundoflooroandohadonoto witnessedotheooccurrenceoonofirstofloor.oMoreover,ofathero ofocomplainantowasoofo95oyearsoofoageoatotheotimeoofo incidentoandofellofromotheobedocouldobeoononaturaloevento atotheoageoofo95oyears.oMoreover,othereoisonooparticularo injuryopleadedooroprovedoonotheopersonoofofatheroofotheo complainant.oThereoisonooavermentotootheoeffactothatoheo sustainedoanyoinjuryoatotheotimeoofodragging.oMoreover,o theo allegationo ofo draggingo too theo stairso iso selfo contradictoryo aso Ramwatio foundo fathero ofo theo complainantoonotheofloorooforoomonotonearotheostairs.o Thereoisonoomedicalorecordoofoanyoinjuryosustainedobyo 2023.05.09 18:54 5/11

oo o fatheroofotheocomplainant.oNoodocumentoofodoctor/MLRo hasocomeoonorecordonoroanyodoctorohasobeenoexaminedo tooproveotheosame.oFurtheroinjuredohasonotocomeoforwardo too proveo thiso version.o Neithero anyo reasono haso beeno mentionedobyotheocomplainantoforononoexaminationoofo thisokeyowitnessonoroanyodocumentohasocomeoonorecordo showingo theo complainanto inabilityo too examineo thiso witness.o Hence,o noo offenceo punishableo undero Sectionso 323oando324oIPCoisomadeoout.oo

5.o Asoperotheodiscussionoaboveoandotheostatementoofo Ramwatioservantoofocomplainantowhenosheoreachedoono firstofloorosheoherselfolockedofatheroofotheocomplainantoino theoroom.oHence,onoooffenceopunishableounderoSectiono 342oIPCoisomadeoout.oo

6.o Thereo iso noo primao facieo evidenceo ono recordo too showothatowhichoaccusedocriminallyointimidatedofatheroofo complainantonoroanyowordingoparticularohasocomeoono recordowhichowasousedoanyoofotheoaccusedotoothreateno theofatheroofotheocomplainantoorootheroemployeesoofotheo complainant.o Hence,o noo offenceo punishableo undero Sectiono506oIPCoisomadeoout.oo

7.o Thereoisoalsooallegationomadeobyocomplainantothato someo machineso wereo stolenobyotheo accused.o However,o complainantohasoprimaofacieofailedotooproveoonorecordo whicho particularo machineo waso stolen.o Thereo areo onlyo generalo allegationso thato someo machineso wereo brokeno andosomeowereostolen.oHowever,ocomplainantohasofailedo tooproveoonorecordohisoownershipoandopossessionoofotheo articlesoallegedotoobeostolen.oNooproofoofostolenoarticleso andototaloabsenceoofoanyodetailoaboutomachinesowhicho wereostolen.oHence,onoooffenceopunishableounderoSectiono 379oIPCoisomadeoout.oo

8.o Ino lighto ofo aboveo discussion,o complainanto haso failedotooproveothatoaccusedoenteredointootheopremisesoofo theo complainanto ando committedo anyo offence.o Ito iso 2023.05.09 18:54 6/11

oo o admittedocaseoofotheocomplainantothatoheoisorunningoao CharitableoInstitutionoinotheomemoryoofohisosonowhoowaso mysteriouslyomurdered,owhereoheoisotreatingotheoailingo ando sicko peopleo ando thiso serviceo providedo freeo too theo public.o Hence,o theo groundo flooro ofo theo houseo ofo theo complainanto waso openedo too public.o Eveno if,o accusedo wereopresentoonotheogroundofloorothenoitocannotobeoheldo thato theyo haveo trespassedo theo premiseso againsto theo wishesoofotheocomplainant,owhoohimselfohasoopenedotheo groundofloorotootheopublic.oHence,onoooffenceopunishableo underoSectiono452/148/149oIPCoisomadeoout.oo

9.o Moreover,o theo complainanto haso himselfo broughto ono recordo theo caseo FIRo No.110o ofo 23.6.2011,o undero Sectiono 452/323/324/506/427/34o IPC,o PSo City,o Kapurthala,o titledo aso "Stateo Vs.o Rajnisho Vasudevao &Anr."o decidedo ono 29.07.2016,o whicho clearlyo showso thatothereoisopreviousoenmityobetweenotheoparties.oTheo presentocomplaintoseemsotoobeocounteroblastoofosaidoFIRo lodgedoagainstohim…"o

13.o o Further,o theo Revisionalo Courto haso againo re-examinedo ando appreciatedotheoevidenceoonorecordoandodismissedotheorevisionopetitionofiledo byotheopetitionerovideojudgmentodatedo01.08.2022,obyoholdingoasounder:-o "…Theo recordo aftero hearingo theo argumentso haso beeno perusedoandoitoisofoundothatotheogroundsoofotheorevisiono asoperoversionoofotheorevisionist/ocomplainantoareothatoono

12.07.2011oatoabouto3:40oP.M.otheorespondents/oaccusedo hado enteredo intoo hiso charitableo instituteo runo byo himo undero theo nameo ando styleo aso "Himanshuo Vasudevao Healtho Soluction"o ando hado hurledo abuseso too staffo membersoworkingothere,hadodraggedoandothrashedotoohiso 95oyearsooldofather,ohadodamagedotheoproperty,ostoleno awayofiveomachinesoandothreatenedotheostaffomembersotoo faceo direo consequenceso ifo reportedo theo mattero too theo policeo ando theo staffo memberso hado movedo twoo 2023.05.09 18:54 7/11

oo o applicationsobeforeopoliceobutotoonooavail.oTheolearnedo counselo foro theo revisionist/complainanto haso arguedo aso perogroundsooforevisionothatotheoorderounderorevisionoiso wrongoinolawoandoisocontraryotootheofactsoofotheocaseoando theolearnedotrialocourtohasothusoerredoinonotosummoningo theorespondents/accusedowhenothereowasolotoofosaidooralo ando documentaryo evidenceo whicho haso provedo thato theo respondents/accusedo hado committedo offenceso undero sectionso323/324/342/379/o427/o452/506/148/149oofoIPCo andotheolearnedotrialocourtohadowronglyoheldothatonooanyo sucho offenceo waso committedo byo ignoringo sufficiento evidenceo broughto ono theo recordo byo theo revisionist/complainanto ando theo learnedo courto hado erroneouslyo disbelievedo theo evidenceo producedo byo theo revisionist/complainantoandohasovehementlyoarguedothato thereowasosufficientogroundoforoproceedingofurtherowitho theocomplaintoagainstotheorespondents/accusedobecauseo atothatostageotheolearnedotrialocourtohadotooseeoonlyothiso muchoasotoowhetheroanyoprima-facieocaseoforoissuanceoofo processoagainstotheorespondents/oaccusedowasomadeoouto oro not,o aso pero preliminaryo evidenceo ledo byo theo revisionist/complainantoonotheorecordothenobyoexaminingo himselfoandobyoexaminingomaterialowitnessesoandofromo theirotestimonyoitoisoclearothatoaoprima-facieocaseohaso beenomadeooutotooputotheorespondents/accusedoonotrialo ando lastlyo prayero haso beeno thato theo impugnedo order,o beingononspeakingoandocontraryotootheolaw,oisoliableotoo beosetoasideotooproceedoagainstotheorespondents/accusedo asoperoviewsotakenoinoShingaraoSinghoVs.oStateoofoPunjabo 2000(1)oRCR(Crl.)o123,oSmt.oRakeshoDevioVs.oStateoofo UPo2002o(2)oRCR(Crl.)o157,oLajwanito@oBimlaoVs.oStateo ofo Haryanao ando Otherso 2014(1)o RCRo (Crl.)o 929,o ando Sibuo Vs.o Mohindero Singho 2002(1)o RCRo (Crl.)o 165,o referredo byo theo learnedo counselo foro theo revisionist/complainantoinosupportoofotheosaidocaseoofotheo 2023.05.09 18:54 8/11

oo o revisionist/ocomplainant.oTheocontentionoofotheolearnedo counseloforotheorespondents/oaccusedoonotheootherohando iso thato noo anyo primao facieo caseo againsto theo respondents/accusedoisomadeooutofromotheofaceoofofactso andoevidenceoadducedoonorecordoandotheocomplaintowaso liableo too dismissedo ando waso rightlyo dismissedo ando ino termsoofowhich,otheorecordohasobeenoperusedoandoitoiso foundo thato noo anyo primao facieo caseo aso allegedo ino theo complainto byo theo revisionist/complainanto was/iso madeo outo againsto theo respondents/o accused,o aso observedo ino detailoinotheoimpugnedoorderotootheoeffectothatothereowaso nooanyoevidenceothatosomeoofohisomachinesowereostoleno byo theo respondents/accusedo ando theo revisionist/complainanto hado alsoo failedo too prima-facieo establishoasotoowhichosuchomachineohadobeenostolenobyo theo respondents/accusedo becauseo thereo wereo onlyo generaloallegationsothatosomeomachinesowereostolenoando someowereobrokenoandotheorevisionist/ocomplainantohado failedotooproveohisoownershipooveroallotheosaidoallegedo machinesoandoasoperoallegations,ohisooldoagedofatherowaso draggedo upo too stairso buto thereo iso noo anyo medicalo evidenceo ono theo recordo too establisho hiso sucho pleao becauseoifoao95oyearsooldomanowasomadeofallenofromotheo bedo ando waso alsoo draggedo foro someo distance,theno heo mustohadosufferedosomeoinjuriesoinotheoshapeoofoabrasiono oro scratcheso ando resultingo ofo which,o theo offenceo punishableounderosectiono379,323,324oofoIPCowasonoto madeooutoandotheogroundoflooroofotheopremisesoofotheo charitableoInstitutionorunobyotheorevisionist/complainanto foro treatingo theo publico ato largeo freeo ofo costo ino theo memoryoofohisosonomysteriouslyomurdered,owasoopenoforo publicobyo theorevisionist/complainanto ando theooffenceso punishableounderosectiono452/148/149oofoIPCowasonoto madeooutoandotheoFIRono.128oregisteredounderosectionso 325/34oofoIPCoinotheopoliceostationoCityoKapurthalaowaso 2023.05.09 18:54 9/11

oo o againstotheorevisionist/complainantoandoothersoandotheo sameoshowsothatotheocomplaintocaseowasocounteroblastoofo theosameoandootheroFIRono.110oregisteredounderosectionso 323/324/452/506/34o ofo IPCo alsoo ino theo policeo stationo Cityo Kapurthalao clearlyo showso thato revisionist/complainantowasonourishingogrudgeoagainsto theo accused/respondentso ando theo complainto waso noto tenableotooproceedoagainstotheorespondents/accused…"o

14.o o UponoconsideringotheofindingsoreturnedobyotheolearnedoCourtso belowo ono theo touchstoneo ofo theo legalo positiono aso indicatedo ino foregoingo paras,o Io doo noto findo anyo illegalityo oro infirmityo witho theo impugnedo judgment(s)/order(s),oapparentoonotheofaceoofotheosame,owhichomayocalloforo anyointerferenceobyothisoCourt.oNooevidenceohasobeenoledotooshowothatowhicho ofotheoparticularomachinesoofopetitioner-complainantowereostolen.oPetitioner-complainantohadofailedotooproveohisoownershipoquaotheoallegedomachines.o Further,onoomedicaloevidenceohasobeenoledotoosubstantiateothatotheooldoagedo fatheroofotheopetitioner-complainantowasodraggedouptoostairs.oStillofurther,oaso perotheoownocaseoofopetitioner-complainant,otheogroundoflooroofotheopremiseso ofopetitioner-complainantowasoopenotoopublicoandoevenoifotheorespondent-accusedowereopresentoonotheogroundofloorothenoitocannotobeoheldothatotheyo trespassedotheopremises.o

15.o o Theoimpugnedojudgment(s)/order(s)oareocertainlyonotoperverseo oro havingo beeno passedo ino violationo ofo settledo principleso ofo criminalo jurisprudence.oNooproceduraloirregularityooroillegalityohasobeenopointedoout.o Impugnedo judgment(s)/order(s)o areo basedo upono propero appraisalo ando appreciationoofoevidenceoandoasoperolaw.o

16.o o Therefore,othereoisonoomeritoinotheopresentopetitionoandotheosameoo o 2023.05.09 18:54 10/11

oo o isoaccordinglyodismissed.o

17.o o Allopendingoapplication/s,oifoany,oshallostandoclosed.o o o thAprilo11 ,o2023o o o o o o (HARSHoBUNGER)o gurpreeto o o o o o o o JUDGEo o Whetherospeaking/reasoned:o o o Yes/Noo Whetheroreportable:o o o o Yes/Noo o 2023.05.09 18:54 11/11