The appellants were charged under sections 302, 307, 147, 148, read with section 149 PPC; and tried before the learned Ist Additional Sessions Judge, Hyderabad, who has convicted appellant Ghulam Hussain under section 302/109 PPC, Yaqoob under section 302 PPC, and both have been sentenced to suffer imprisonment for life and to pay fine Rs. 8,010 or in default to suffer further R.I. For six months, while appellant No. 2 Dando has been convicted under section 326 P.PC and sentenced to suffer R.I. For seven years and fine of Rs. 3,000 in default of payment of fine he was to suffer further R.I. For six months vide judgment dated 26th November, 1987.
The brief facts of the prosecution case are that on 14-5-1972 complainant Mohammad Ramzan lodged F.I.R. At P.S. Tando Jam, district Hyderabad which reads as follow:- "Complaint is that I am Zamindar. About three years, back; I had taken lease of S.Nos. 66, 67 and 75 of Deh Nandhi Wal taluka Hyderabad from one Budho Bhatti for a period of five years, at a rate of Rs. 40 per, acre (per year). This lease document is registered. The lease period will expire on July, 1974, I shall produce that lease document. About four months back, Budho Bhatti has again leased out the same survey numbers of land to Ghulam Hussain Leghari, for a period of five years. The possession of that land is with me. Three months prior to this, Ghulam Hussain Leghari. Tried to take possession of that land from me. I submitted application against Ghulam Hussain to this effect. The case is pending in the Court of Mukhtiar kar. On 8-5-1972, there was date of hearing of that case.
Now the case has been adjourned to 23-5-1972. Ghulam Hussain had given undertaking before the Mukhtiar kar on 8-5-1972 that he would not raise dispute or interfere with possession of land till the final decision of the case. Today, at 9.30 a.m. 1, my son Jan Muhammad, my `marot' (cousin)
Muhammad Ismail and Misri were busy in ploughing S. No. 67. And we had just ploughed half jareb of the land, when Ghulam Hussain Leghari, Sheroo s/o Sadik Bhatti, Sadik 's/o Abu Bakar Bhatti, and Yaqoob s/o Allahyar Bhatti came running there. They were armed with hatchets. On arrival, Ghulam Hussain cut ropes of bullocks, and un-yoked the bullocks from plough. We raised cries. On our cries my Maternal uncle Khan Muhammad and Abid Bhatti came running. Khan Muhammad explained Ghulam Hussain not to pick up quarrel. Ghulam Hussain instigated his companions not to spare us.
At the instigation of Ghulam Austin, Yaqoob Bhatti caused sharp sided below to Khan Muhammad, on his head. Khan Muhammad fell down, on account of receiving below and died there. The rest of the, accused chased us, in order to kill us. On commotion, Dando, servant of Ghulam Hussain Leghari came running having hatchets in his hand. He gave a blunt side hatchet blow on my left arm. I had also a hatchet. I gave a hatchet below to Dando; in my defence. Yaqoob also attempted to attack me. I also gave hatchet blow to Yaqoob in my defence. In the meanwhile, ' persons from village and others came running there.
On seeing them, the accused ran away towards their houses, leaving the witnesses for the care of the dead body at the scene of offence, now I gave come to lodge complaint."
The above F I R. Was recorded by A.S.I. Khursheed Alam P.W.10 and the same has been produced as Ex. 14-D, Since complainant Ramzan had injuries on has person A.S.I. Khursheed after recording the F.I.R. Prepared mashirnama of injuries of Ramzan in presence of Mashirs Khair Mohammad and Haji Ghafoor and the-Mashirnama has been produced as Ex.
28. Thereafter he referred complainant Ramzan to Medical Officer Tando-Jam for examination, treatment and certificate. He then went to the place of incident which was situated in Survey No. 67, where dead body of deceased Khan Mohammad was lying. He prepared such Mashirnama of, Wardat in "presence of Mashirs Madad A.I and Khair Mohammad and the, same has-been produced as Ex.
29. Thereafter he prepared inquest report of dead body and the 4nc ha, been produced as Ex. 30: He sent dead body to L M C Hospital Hyderabad through Zulfiqar A.I Shah for post-- mortem examination. He then examined P.Ws Ghulam Hussain and Murad. On the same day, he arrested accused Yaqoob at police station where he had come to lodge counter F I R. Accused Yaqoob was arrested in presence of mashirs Abbas A.I and Daud. Mashirnama has been produced as Ex.
35. Under the same Mashirnama accused Sadiq, 'Bilawal and Ghulam Hussain were arrested. On the same day accused Ghulam Hussain voluntarily produced hatchet before A.S.I. At P.S. Accused Dando alias Bilawal produced hatchet while accused Sadiq had produced lathi which he secured under mashirnama, which has been produced as Ex.
26. On the same day, he examined P.C. Zulfiqar A.I Shah who had brought blood-stained clothes of the deceased which were recovered under mashirnama and deposited in Malkhana on 15-5-1972; he recorded statements of PWs Ismail, Misri Jan Mohammad and Abbas A.I. On 16-5-1972 he got the statements of the above witnesses recorded under section 164 Cr. P. C.
On 16-5-1972 he arrested accused Sheroo in presence of mashirs Dost Mohammad and Amb and the mashirnama has been produced as Ex. 40, thereafter he handed over the police papers to S.H.O. Who challaned the accused.
A formal charge was framed against the appellants/accused to which they pleaded not guilty.
At the trial prosecution examined complainant Mohammad Ramzan P.W. 1, he has produced lease agreement as Ex. 17-A, and F.I.R. As Ex. 17-B, Mohammad Ismail, an eye-witness, P W. 2 he has produced his 164, Cr. P. C. Statement as Ex. 19, Misri, an eye witness, P.W.3, he has produced his I64 Cr. P.C. Statement as Ex. 21, Jan Mohammad, an eye-witness, P.W. 4, he has produced his 164, Cr.P.C.
Statement as Ex. 23, Mashir Malik Dino Shah P.W. 5, he has produced the Mashirnama of production of hatchets by accused Ghulam Hussain and Dando alias Bilawal, and production of lathi by accused Sadiq as Ex.
26. Mashir Khair Mohammad P.W. 5, he has produced Mashirnama of injuries on the person of complainant as Ex. 28 and Mashirnama of Wardat as $x.29, and inquest report as Ex.30. Tapedar Ghulam Hussain P.W. 7, he has produced the sketch of wardat as Ex. 33, mashir Abbas A.I P.W.8 he has produced the Mashirnama of arrest of accused Yaqoob, Sadiq Bilawal alias Dando as Ex.
35. P.C. Zulfiqar A.I Shah P.W. 9, A.D. Khursheed Aalam P.W. 10, he has produced Mashirnama of arrest of accused Shero as Ex. 40 and chemical report as Ex.
41. Dr. Mohammad Siddique P.W.
11. He has produced the post mortem report as Ex. 43, injury certificate regarding injuries on complainant Mohammad Ramzan as Ex. 44, and final medical certificate as Ex. 45.
After close of the prosecution, the statements of the accused were recorded in which they had denied the allegations. It was further stated by accused Yaqoob that he was innocent. He had a dispute with complainant party over a piece of land which was pending before the Mukhtiar kar, Hyderabad, therefore, due to that dispute they have been falsely implicated. The witnesses are related to the complainant and are interested. However, no witness was examined by them in their defence.
During the trial accused Sher Mohammad s/o Mohd. Sadiq died and, therefore, the judgment was given against the present appellants and co-accused Sadiq. The learned trial Judge while taking into consideration the evidence produced by the prosecution convicted the present appellants as described above while co-accused Sadiq was acquitted.
I have heard Mr. Mohammad Hayat Junejo, learned counsel appearing for the appellants, Mr. S. Murtaza Hussain, learned counsel appearing for. The State, and have gone through the R & P of the case.
It was contended by Mr. Mohammad Hayat Junejo, learned counsel appearing for the appellants that as far as appellant Ghulam Hussain was concerned the only allegation against him was that of instigation and there was no independent corroboration available to prove his participation that it appears to be a case of sudden fight on which accused Yaqoob had also sustained injury and, therefore, each accused will be responsible for his individual act. That appellant Dando alias; Bilawal is alleged to have caused grievous injury to complainant with blunt side of the hatched and, therefore, he was at the most liable under section 325 PPC. He has further contended that complainant Ramzan had died before he could be examined in the Session Courts, and his lower Court deposition which was brought on record was inadmissible in evidence was led by prosecution to prove his death. In support on his contention, he has relied upon A.I.R. 1946 P.C. Page 1 and P.L.D. 1958 S.C. Page 392. He has further contended that as far as appellant Yaqoob was concerned he will be at the most liable under section 304 Part II PPC as there was no intention to kill.
Mr. .S. Murtaza Hussain, learned counsel appearing for the State has contended that the ocular evidence was reliable and the learned trial judge had rightly convicted the appellants. However, he conceded that it was a case of sudden fight and, therefore, each accused will be responsible for his own act. "
I have considered the contentions of the learned counsel. Dr: Mohammad Siddique, P.W.11 has deposed that on 14-5-1972 he was Medical Officer in Medico Legal Section LMCH Hyderabad, on that day he conducted post-mortem on the body of deceased Khan Mohammad son of Feroze. He found the following external injuries on his person:- Incised wound 2" x 1/2" x bone deep op the left Parietal region on its middle.
The injury was anti-mortem and appeared to hate been caused by a sharp cutting weapon such as hatchet: On external examination he found the following damage: --- Haemotoma 2" x 1" was present under the scalp. There was fracture of the left parietal bone 4-1/2 in length. The clotted blood was present, under the duramater. The stomach contained semi- digested food. Rest of the organs were normal.
From external and internal examination, he was of the opinion that the cause of death was shock and intracranial heamorrhage and the injury to brain substance as a result of fracture of left parietal bone due to external injury No.1. This injury was sufficient to cause death in ordinary course of nature. The probable time between injury and death was about 1/2 an hour, and the probable time between the death and post-mortem was about 5 to 6 hours. He produced the post-mortem report as Ex.
43. He has further deposed that on 15-5-1972, he had received injured Mohammad Ramzan son of Jan Mohammad from the same police station for examination, treatment, and certificate. He found the following injury on his person: ---- Swelling of left forearm at its middle and lower part about 2-1/2" x 1" (with suspected fracture of the bone. The nature of injury was kept under observation. This injury appeared to have been caused by some hard substance and probable duration of injury was abort 29 hours. He has produced medical certificate as Ex.
44. According to him he had issued final certificate in respect of the said injury a: grievous as there was fracture of bone. The final certificate has been produced.
From the above medical evidence, the death of deceased Khan Mohammad stands proved.
Medical evidence is further supported by eye--witnesses Mohammad Ismail, Misri and Jan Mohammad. Even the, learned counsel appearing for the appellants has not disputed this fact.
As far as the incident was concerned, complainant Mohammad Ramzan has supported the contents of his F I R. In the lower Court and his deposition was brought on record as Ex.
17. The prosecution story is further supported by eye--witness Mohammad Ismail P.W. 2, Misri P.W. 3, Jan Mohammad P.W. 4, their evidence has not been seriously challenged by Mr. Mohammad Hayat Junejo, learned counsel appearing for the appellants. However, so far as the evidence of complainant Ramzan was concerned the process server was not examined in order to prove the death of complainant Mohammad Ramzan and, therefore, his lower Court deposition was clearly, inadmissible in evidence. In the case of Chainchal Singh v. Emperor A.I.R. 1946 P.C. Page 1, it was observed by their Lordships that:- "Where it is desired to have resource to section 33 of Evidence Act on the, ground that a witness is incapable of giving evidence that fact must be proved and proved strictly."
"We are constrained to observe that there was a flagrant disregard of the provisions of section 33 of Evidence Act in transferring the evidence of the three witnesses to the Sessions record without laying the foundation for that purpose by adducing strict proof that the witnesses were incapable of giving evidence or that their presence could not be secured without an amount of delay or expense which under the circumstances of the case, the Court could justifiably regard as unreasonable."
However, the evidence of other witnesses namely Muhammad Ismail, Misri and Jan Mohammad appears to be straight-forward, natural and reliable. It is further corroborated by medical evidence and injury on the person of Yaqoob. Even the learned counsel for the appellants has not seriously challenged the same, and therefore, I am of the considered view that the prosecution has proved its case beyond reasonable doubt against the appellants Yaqoob and Dando alias Bilawal.
As far as appellant Ghulam Hussain was concerned, the only allegation against him was that of instigation, he is said to have been armed with hatchet but there was no allegation that he caused any injury to the deceased or any other witnesses. As far as allegation of instigation was concerned; according to F.I.R. He had instigated his companions not to spare complainant party.
There is nothing in the words used that he instigated the co-accused to kill deceased Khan Mohammad. Even Khan Mohammad was not present at the time when the incident started. Under these circumstances and the fact that the words used by Ghulam Hussain do not indicate to kill Khan Mohammad, he could not be made responsible for the death of Khan Mohammad, therefore, I allow his appeal, set aside his conviction and sentences, and he is acquitted of the charge. He shall be released forth with if not required in any other case.
As far as Dando alias Bilalwal was concerned, he is said to have caused greivous injury to the complainant Ramzan with blunt side of the hatchet and, therefore, he will be liable under section 325 PPC. He has remained in custody for some time as under-trial prisoner, and for nearly five months after his conviction. Therefore, his conviction is altered from section 326 PPC to section 325 PPC, and his substantive sentence is reduced to one already under gone. The sentence of fine is also reduced from Rs. 3,000 to Rs. 1,000 (One thousand). In default he shall suffer R.I. For three months.
As far as appellant Yaqoob was concerned, he is alleged to have causedone hatchet injury to deceased Khan Mohammad. As observed in the earlier part of this judgment the deceased was not available at the wardat when the fight Started. He came on cries of the complainant and intervened to save the, complainant party when he received the injury. Looking to the nature of injury and opinion of the Medical Officer the appellant can be burdened with the knowledge that the injury was likely to cause death in the ordinary course of nature but there is no evidence to show that he had intention to kill Khan Mohammad.
"Section 302 will apply only if it is beyond doubt established that accused struck the blow with intent to kill deceased. If in the circumstances it is more proper to impute to accused knowledge rather than intention, the offence would fall under section 304 Part II, than under section 302 or section 304 Part I PPC:"
M.Z.S./Y-34/K.