25.02.2026 vs Of on 16 March, 2026

    0
    46
    ADVERTISEMENT

    Himachal Pradesh High Court

    Reserved On: 25.02.2026 vs Of on 16 March, 2026

                                                                                           2026:HHC:7170
    
          IN THE HIGH COURT OF HIMACHAL PRADESH, SHIMLA
    
                                                  Cr. Revision No.436 of 2015
    
    
    
    
                                                                                       .
                                                  Reserved on: 25.02.2026
    
    
    
    
    
                                                  Date of Decision: 16.03.2026.
    
        State of H.P.                                                                    ...Petitioner
    
    
    
    
    
                                                Versus
    
    
    
    
                                                        of
        Mohan Lal                                                                     ...Respondent
    
        Coram
        Hon'ble Mr Justice Rakesh Kainthla, Judge.
                            rt
        Whether approved for reporting?1 No.
    
        For the Petitioner/State                    :     Mr   Prashant    Sen,                  Deputy
    
                                                          Advocate General
        For the Respondent                          :     Mr Karan            Sharma,        Advocate,
                                                          vice   Mr            Atharv         Sharma,
    
    
                                                          Advocate.
    
    
        Rakesh Kainthla, Judge
    

    The present revision is directed against the judgment

    dated 12.03.2015, passed by learned Additional Sessions Judge-I,

    SPONSORED

    Kangra at Dharamshala, H.P. (Circuit Court at Nurpur) (learned

    Appellate Court), vide which the judgment dated 25.03.2010 passed

    by learned Judicial Magistrate, First Class, Court No. 1, Nurpur,

    District Kangra, H.P. (learned Trial Court) was upheld. (Parties shall

    1
    Whether reporters of Local Papers may be allowed to see the judgment? Yes.

    ::: Downloaded on – 16/03/2026 20:33:11 :::CIS

    Page |2
    2026:HHC:7170

    hereinafter be referred to in the same manner as they were arrayed

    before the learned Trial Court for convenience.)

    .

    2. Briefly stated, the facts giving rise to the present

    petition are that the police presented a challan before the learned

    Trial Court against the accused for the commission of an offence

    punishable under Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). It

    of
    was asserted that the victim is the informant’s son. The victim

    was aged 6 years and was studying in class two. The informant left
    rt
    his home to purchase medicine for his wife on 11.06.2009. He

    returned to his home and found that his sons were not present. He

    searched for them. The victim met him on the way, and he was

    crying. The informant asked the victim about the reason for

    crying, and he replied that the accused had taken him to a mango

    orchard and had sexually penetrated his anus. The informant

    asked the accused as to why he had done so. The accused

    assaulted the informant. The informant narrated the incident to

    the Ward Punch, Ram Lal (PW-1). He also narrated the incident to

    Pardhan, Sat Pal(PW-6), who expressed his inability to do

    anything in the matter. The informant went to the police station

    and reported the matter to the police. The police registered the

    F.I.R. (Ext.PW-2/A). Inspector/SHO Kamljeet Singh (PW-11) filed

    ::: Downloaded on – 16/03/2026 20:33:11 :::CIS
    Page |3
    2026:HHC:7170

    an application (Ext.PW-11/A) for medical examination of the

    victim. Dr Shiv Darshan Singh (PW-12) examined the victim and

    .

    found abrasion marks in the perianal region. He sealed the

    victim’s knickers and handed it over to the police official

    accompanying the victim. He issued the MLC (Ext.PW-12/A).

    Inspector/SHO Kamaljeet (PW-11) went to the spot and prepared

    of
    the site plan (Ext.PW-11/B). He arrested the accused and filed an

    application (Ext.PW-11/D) for medical examination of the accused.

    rt
    Dr Ashutosh Joshi (PW-5) examined the accused and found that

    there was nothing to suggest that the accused was incapable of

    performing sexual intercourse. He issued the report

    (Ext. PW-5/A). He preserved the pants of the accused, sealed it in a

    parcel and handed over the parcel to the police official

    accompanying the accused. The case property was sent to SFSL,

    Junga, and the result (Ext.PA) was issued, stating that human

    blood was found on the victim’s knickers. Suresh Kumar (PW-4)

    issued an age certificate (Ext.PW-4/A) of the accused.

    Inspector/SHO Kamaljeet Singh (PW-11) filed an application

    (Ext.PW-11/E) for obtaining the birth certificate of the victim. Raj

    Kumar (PW-7) issued the birth certificate (Ext.PW-7/A).

    Statements of witnesses were recorded as per their version and

    ::: Downloaded on – 16/03/2026 20:33:11 :::CIS
    Page |4
    2026:HHC:7170

    after completion of the investigation, the challan was was

    prepared and presented before the learned Trial Court.

    .

    3. The learned Trial Court found sufficient reasons to

    summon the accused. When the accused appeared, he was charged

    with the commission of an offence punishable under Section 377

    of the IPC, to which he pleaded not guilty and claimed to be tried.

    of

    4. The prosecution examined twelve witnesses to prove its

    case. Ram Lal (PW-1) was the Ward Punch to whom the incident
    rt
    was narrated. The victim’s father (PW-2) and mother (PW-3)

    were told about the incident. Suresh Kumar (PW-4) issued the

    birth certificate of the accused Mohan Lal. Dr Ashutosh Joshi

    (PW-5) medically examined the accused. Sat Pal (PW-6) was the

    Pardhan. Raj Kumar (PW-7) issued the victim’s birth certificate.

    The victim (PW-8) narrated the incident. HC Bir Singh (PW-9)

    was working as MHC with whom the case property was deposited.

    HHC Ranjeet Singh (PW-10) carried the case property to SFSL

    Junga. Inspector Kamaljeet (PW-11) investigated the matter. Dr

    Shiv Darshan Singh (PW-12) examined the victim.

    5. The accused, in his statement, recorded under Section

    313 of Cr.P.C., denied the prosecution’s case in its entirety. He

    ::: Downloaded on – 16/03/2026 20:33:11 :::CIS
    Page |5
    2026:HHC:7170

    claimed that he was innocent, and witnesses deposed against him

    because of the enmity. He did not produce any evidence in his

    .

    defence.

    6. Learned Trial Court held that the victim admitted in his

    cross-examination that he was making the statement at his

    father’s instance. Dr Shiv Darshan (PW-12) admitted that the

    of
    injury noticed by him could be caused by scratching the anus with

    the finger. The relationship between the victim’s father and the

    accused was
    rt strained. They had civil litigation. Sat Pal

    (PW-6), Pardhan, had asked the father of the accused to keep

    forty bags of cement, but he declined, which led to the

    deterioration of the relationship between the victim’s father and

    Sat Pal. The parcel produced before the Court did not have a legible

    seal impression, and the integrity of the case property was not

    established; hence, the learned Trial Court acquitted the accused

    of the charged offence.

    7 Being aggrieved by the judgment passed by the learned

    Trial Court, the State filed an appeal which was decided by the

    learned Additional Sessions Judge-I, Kangra, at Dharamshala, H.P.

    (learned Appellate Court). Learned Appellate Court concurred

    ::: Downloaded on – 16/03/2026 20:33:11 :::CIS
    Page |6
    2026:HHC:7170

    with the findings recorded by the learned Trial Court that the

    victim’s testimony was not reliable. He admitted that he was

    .

    tutored by his father. The Medical Officer admitted that the injury

    noticed by him could have been caused by scratching the anus.

    Learned Trial Court was justified in doubting the prosecution’s

    case; hence, the appeal was dismissed.

    of

    8. Being aggrieved by the judgments passed by the

    learned Courts below, the State has filed the present revision
    rt
    asserting that the learned Courts below failed to properly

    appreciate the statements of the victim and his father. These

    statements proved the prosecution’s case beyond a reasonable

    doubt. They were corroborated by the medical evidence.

    Therefore, it was prayed that the present revision be allowed and

    the judgments passed by the learned Courts below be set aside.

    9. I have heard Mr Prashant Sen, learned Deputy Advocate

    General, for the petitioner-State and Mr Karan Sharma, learned

    vice counsel representing the respondent/accused.

    10. Mr Prashant Sen, learned Deputy Advocate General, for

    the petitioner-State, submitted that the learned Courts below

    erred in appreciating the evidence on record. The victim’s

    ::: Downloaded on – 16/03/2026 20:33:11 :::CIS
    Page |7
    2026:HHC:7170

    testimony proved the prosecution’s case. His testimony was

    corroborated by the testimonies of his father, Ward Punch and

    .

    Pardhan. Learned Courts below rejected the statements of

    prosecution witnesses because of the enmity, but the enmity is a

    double-edged weapon: while it furnishes a motive for false

    implication, it also furnishes a motive for the commission of a

    of
    crime. In the present case, enmity furnished a motive for the

    commission of the crime. Therefore, he prayed that the present
    rt
    revision be allowed and the judgments passed by the learned

    courts below be set aside.

    11. Mr Karan Sharma, Advocate, vice counsel representing

    the respondent/accused, submitted that the learned Courts below

    have properly appreciated the material on record. They have

    rightly held that the victim was tutored and his testimony could

    not be accepted. There is no infirmity in the findings recorded by

    the learned Courts below, and this Court should not interfere with

    the concurrent findings of fact. Therefore, he prayed that the

    present revision be dismissed.

    12. I have given considerable thought to the submissions

    made at the bar and have gone through the records carefully.

    ::: Downloaded on – 16/03/2026 20:33:11 :::CIS

    Page |8
    2026:HHC:7170

    13. It was laid down by the Hon’ble Supreme Court in

    Malkeet Singh Gill v. State of Chhattisgarh, (2022) 8 SCC 204: (2022)

    .

    3 SCC (Cri) 348: 2022 SCC OnLine SC 786 that the revisional court is

    not an appellate court and it can only rectify the patent defect,

    errors of jurisdiction or the law. It was observed at page 207: –

    “10. Before adverting to the merits of the contentions, at
    the outset, it is apt to mention that there are concurrent

    of
    findings of conviction arrived at by two courts after a
    detailed appreciation of the material and evidence brought
    on record. The High Court in criminal revision against
    rt
    conviction is not supposed to exercise the jurisdiction like
    the appellate court, and the scope of interference in revision
    is extremely narrow. Section 397 of the Criminal Procedure

    Code (in short “CrPC“) vests jurisdiction to satisfy itself or
    himself as to the correctness, legality or propriety of any
    finding, sentence or order, recorded or passed, and as to the
    regularity of any proceedings of such inferior court. The

    object of the provision is to set right a patent defect or an
    error of jurisdiction or law. There has to be a well-founded
    error which is to be determined on the merits of individual

    cases. It is also well settled that while considering the same,
    the Revisional Court does not dwell at length upon the facts

    and evidence of the case to reverse those findings.

    14. This position was reiterated in State of Gujarat v.

    Dilipsinh Kishorsinh Rao, 2023 SCC OnLine SC 1294, wherein it was

    observed:

    “13. The power and jurisdiction of the Higher Court under
    Section 397 Cr. P.C., which vests the court with the power to
    call for and examine records of an inferior court, is for the
    purposes of satisfying itself as to the legality and regularity
    of any proceeding or order made in a case. The object of this

    ::: Downloaded on – 16/03/2026 20:33:11 :::CIS
    Page |9
    2026:HHC:7170

    provision is to set right a patent defect or an error of
    jurisdiction or law or the perversity which has crept into
    such proceedings. It would be apposite to refer to the
    judgment of this court in Amit Kapoor v. Ramesh Chandra,

    .

    (2012) 9 SCC 460, where the scope of Section 397 has been

    considered and succinctly explained as under:

    “12. Section 397 of the Code vests the court with the
    power to call for and examine the records of an

    inferior court for the purposes of satisfying itself as to
    the legality and regularity of any proceedings or order
    made in a case. The object of this provision is to set

    of
    right a patent defect or an error of jurisdiction or law.
    There has to be a well-founded error, and it may not
    be appropriate for the court to scrutinise the orders,
    rtwhich, upon the face of it, bear a token of careful
    consideration and appear to be in accordance with the
    law. If one looks into the various judgments of this

    Court, it emerges that the revisional jurisdiction can
    be invoked where the decisions under challenge are
    grossly erroneous, there is no compliance with the
    provisions of law, the finding recorded is based on no

    evidence, material evidence is ignored, or judicial
    discretion is exercised arbitrarily or perversely. These
    are not exhaustive classes but are merely indicative.

    Each case would have to be determined on its own
    merits.

    13. Another well-accepted norm is that the revisional
    jurisdiction of the higher court is a very limited one and
    cannot be exercised in a routine manner. One of the inbuilt

    restrictions is that it should not be against an interim or
    interlocutory order. The Court has to keep in mind that the
    exercise of revisional jurisdiction itself should not lead to
    injustice ex facie. Where the Court is dealing with the
    question as to whether the charge has been framed properly
    and in accordance with law in a given case, it may be
    reluctant to interfere in the exercise of its revisional
    jurisdiction unless the case substantially falls within the

    ::: Downloaded on – 16/03/2026 20:33:11 :::CIS
    P a g e | 10
    2026:HHC:7170

    categories aforestated. Even the framing of a charge is a
    much-advanced stage in the proceedings under the CrPC.”

    15. It was held in Kishan Rao v. Shankargouda, (2018) 8 SCC

    .

    165: (2018) 3 SCC (Cri) 544: (2018) 4 SCC (Civ) 37: 2018 SCC OnLine

    SC 651 that it is impermissible for the High Court to reappreciate

    the evidence and come to its conclusions in the absence of any

    perversity. It was observed at page 169:

    of
    “12. This Court has time and again examined the scope of
    Sections 397/401 CrPC and the grounds for exercising the
    revisional jurisdiction by the High Court. In State of Kerala v.

    rt
    Puttumana Illath Jathavedan Namboodiri, (1999) 2 SCC 452:

    1999 SCC (Cri) 275, while considering the scope of the

    revisional jurisdiction of the High Court, this Court has laid
    down the following: (SCC pp. 454-55, para 5)

    5. … In its revisional jurisdiction, the High Court can call
    for and examine the record of any proceedings for the

    purpose of satisfying itself as to the correctness, legality
    or propriety of any finding, sentence or order. In other
    words, the jurisdiction is one of supervisory jurisdiction

    exercised by the High Court for correcting a miscarriage
    of justice. But the said revisional power cannot be

    equated with the power of an appellate court, nor can it
    be treated even as a second appellate jurisdiction.

    Ordinarily, therefore, it would not be appropriate for the

    High Court to reappreciate the evidence and come to its
    own conclusion on the same when the evidence has
    already been appreciated by the Magistrate as well as the
    Sessions Judge in appeal, unless any glaring feature is
    brought to the notice of the High Court which would
    otherwise tantamount to a gross miscarriage of justice.
    On scrutinising the impugned judgment of the High
    Court from the aforesaid standpoint, we have no
    hesitation in coming to the conclusion that the High

    ::: Downloaded on – 16/03/2026 20:33:11 :::CIS
    P a g e | 11
    2026:HHC:7170

    Court exceeded its jurisdiction in interfering with the
    conviction of the respondent by reappreciating the oral
    evidence. …”

    13. Another judgment which has also been referred to and

    .

    relied on by the High Court is the judgment of this Court in

    Sanjaysinh Ramrao Chavan v. Dattatray Gulabrao Phalke,
    (2015) 3 SCC 123: (2015) 2 SCC (Cri) 19. This Court held that
    the High Court, in the exercise of revisional jurisdiction,

    shall not interfere with the order of the Magistrate unless it
    is perverse or wholly unreasonable or there is non-
    consideration of any relevant material, the order cannot be

    of
    set aside merely on the ground that another view is
    possible. The following has been laid down in para 14: (SCC
    p. 135)
    “14. … Unless the order passed by the Magistrate is
    rt
    perverse or the view taken by the court is wholly
    unreasonable or there is non-consideration of any

    relevant material or there is palpable misreading of
    records, the Revisional Court is not justified in setting
    aside the order, merely because another view is possible.
    The Revisional Court is not meant to act as an appellate

    court. The whole purpose of the revisional jurisdiction is
    to preserve the power in the court to do justice in
    accordance with the principles of criminal jurisprudence.

    The revisional power of the court under Sections 397 to
    401 CrPC is not to be equated with that of an appeal.

    Unless the finding of the court, whose decision is sought
    to be revised, is shown to be perverse or untenable in law
    or is grossly erroneous or glaringly unreasonable or

    where the decision is based on no material or where the
    material facts are wholly ignored or where the judicial
    discretion is exercised arbitrarily or capriciously, the
    courts may not interfere with the decision in exercise of
    their revisional jurisdiction.”

    14. In the above case, also a conviction of the accused was
    recorded, and the High Court set aside [Dattatray Gulabrao
    Phalke v. Sanjaysinh Ramrao Chavan, 2013 SCC OnLine Bom
    1753] the order of conviction by substituting its own view.

    ::: Downloaded on – 16/03/2026 20:33:11 :::CIS

    P a g e | 12
    2026:HHC:7170

    This Court set aside the High Court’s order, holding that the
    High Court exceeded its jurisdiction in substituting its
    views, and that too without any legal basis.

    16. This position was reiterated in Bir Singh v. Mukesh

    .

    Kumar, (2019) 4 SCC 197: (2019) 2 SCC (Cri) 40: (2019) 2 SCC (Civ)

    309: 2019 SCC OnLine SC 13, wherein it was observed at page 205:

    “16. It is well settled that in exercise of revisional
    jurisdiction under Section 482 of the Criminal Procedure

    of
    Code, the High Court does not, in the absence of perversity,
    upset concurrent factual findings. It is not for the Revisional
    Court to re-analyse and re-interpret the evidence on record.

    17. As held by this Court in Southern Sales & Services v.
    rt
    Sauermilch Design and Handels GmbH, (2008) 14 SCC 457, it is
    a well-established principle of law that the Revisional Court

    will not interfere even if a wrong order is passed by a court
    having jurisdiction, in the absence of a jurisdictional error.
    The answer to the first question is, therefore, in the
    negative.”

    17. The present revision has to be decided as per the

    parameters laid down by the Hon’ble Supreme Court.

    18. The victim is the only witness to the incident. The

    learned Courts below rejected his testimony on the ground that he

    was tutored. Hence, it is necessary to re-appreciate his statement.

    19. The victim stated that he knew the accused. The

    accused had sexually penetrated his anus. He cried, but nobody

    came, and he did not narrate the incident to any person. He was

    permitted to be cross-examined as he had resiled from his earlier

    ::: Downloaded on – 16/03/2026 20:33:11 :::CIS
    P a g e | 13
    2026:HHC:7170

    statement. He admitted that he and his brother were present at

    home. He denied that the accused came to his home and told him

    .

    to accompany him to the mango orchard. He denied that he had

    accompanied the accused to the orchard. He admitted that the

    accused removed his knickers in the orchard and sexually

    penetrated his anus. He admitted that he cried, and his anus

    of
    started bleeding. He admitted that he came to the house, and he

    was crying. He admitted that his father met him on the way and
    rt
    he had narrated the incident to him. He admitted that his father

    had taken him to the Police Station and hospital. He stated in his

    cross-examination by the defence that his father was present in

    the Court. He admitted that he was making the statement at the

    instance of his father that the accused had taken him to the

    orchard where he (accused) had removed his knickers and sexually

    penetrated his anus.

    20. The statement made by the victim in the cross-

    examination that he was making the statement at his father’s

    instance that the accused had taken him to the orchard where he

    (the accused) had removed his knickers and sexually penetrated

    his anus shows that he was tutored to state this fact. It was laid

    down by the Hon’ble Supreme Court in Chhagan Dame v. State of

    ::: Downloaded on – 16/03/2026 20:33:11 :::CIS
    P a g e | 14
    2026:HHC:7170

    Gujarat, 1995 SCC (Cri) 182, that where a child witness is found to

    be tutored, no reliance can be placed upon his testimony. It was

    .

    laid down by the Hon’ble Supreme Court in Digamber Vaishnav v.

    State of Chhattisgarh, (2019) 4 SCC 522: (2019) 2 SCC (Cri) 300: 2019

    SCC OnLine SC 316 that evidence of a child witness must be

    evaluated carefully, as the child may be swayed by what others tell

    of
    him and he is an easy prey to tutoring. It was observed at page

    529:

    rt

    22. This Court has consistently held that evidence of a child
    witness must be evaluated carefully, as the child may be

    swayed by what others tell him, and he is an easy prey to
    tutoring. Therefore, the evidence of a child witness must
    find adequate corroboration before it can be relied upon. It
    is more a rule of practical wisdom than law.

    [See Panchhi v. State of U.P. [Panchhi v. State of U.P., (1998) 7
    SCC 177: 1998 SCC (Cri) 1561], State of U.P. v. Ashok Dixit [State
    of U.P. v. Ashok Dixit, (2000) 3 SCC 70: 2000 SCC (Cri) 579]

    and State of Rajasthan v. Om Prakash [State of
    Rajasthan v. Om Prakash, (2002) 5 SCC 745: 2002 SCC (Cri)

    1210].]

    21. This position was reiterated in State of M.P. v. Balveer

    Singh, (2025) 8 SCC 545: 2025 SCC OnLine SC 390, wherein it was

    observed at page 587:

    “43. From the above exposition of law, it is clear that the
    evidence of a child witness for all purposes is deemed to be
    on the same footing as any other witness, as long as the
    child is found to be competent to testify. The only
    precaution which the court should take while assessing the

    ::: Downloaded on – 16/03/2026 20:33:11 :::CIS
    P a g e | 15
    2026:HHC:7170

    evidence of a child witness is that such a witness must be a
    reliable one due to the susceptibility of children by their
    falling prey to tutoring. However, this in no manner means
    that the evidence of a child must be rejected outrightly at

    .

    the slightest of discrepancy, rather what is required is that

    the same is evaluated with great circumspection. While
    appreciating the testimony of a child witness, the courts are
    required to assess whether the evidence of such a witness is

    its voluntary expression and not borne out of the influence
    of others, and whether the testimony inspires confidence. At
    the same time, one must be mindful that there is no rule

    of
    requiring corroboration to the testimony of a child witness
    before any reliance is placed on it. The insistence of
    corroboration is only a measure of caution and prudence
    that the courts may exercise if deemed necessary in the
    rt
    peculiar facts and circumstances of the case.

    ******

    67.10. The evidence of a child witness is considered tutored
    if their testimony is shaped or influenced at the instance of
    someone else or is otherwise fabricated. Where there has
    been any tutoring of a witness, the same may possibly

    produce two broad effects in their testimony: (i)
    improvisation or (ii) fabrication.

    (i) Improvisation in testimony whereby facts have been
    altered, or new details are added inconsistent with the

    version of events not previously stated, must be
    eradicated by first confronting the witness with that part

    of its previous statement that omits or contradicts the
    improvisation by bringing it to its notice and giving the

    witness an opportunity to either admit or deny the
    omission or contradiction. If such omission or
    contradiction is admitted, there is no further need to
    prove the contradiction. If the witness denies the
    omission or contradiction, the same has to be proved in
    the deposition of the investigating officer by proving that
    part of the police statement of the witness in question.

    Only thereafter, may the improvisation be discarded
    from evidence or such omission or contradiction be

    ::: Downloaded on – 16/03/2026 20:33:11 :::CIS
    P a g e | 16
    2026:HHC:7170

    relied upon as evidence in terms of Section 11 of the
    Evidence Act.

    (ii) Whereas the evidence of a child witness which is
    alleged to be doctored or tutored in toto, then such

    .

    evidence may be discarded as unreliable only if the

    presence of the following two factors has to be
    established being as under:

    â–ª Opportunity of tutoring of the child witness in

    question–whereby certain foundational facts
    suggesting or demonstrating the probability that a
    part of the testimony of the witness might have been

    of
    tutored have to be established. This may be done
    either by showing that there was a delay in recording
    the statement of such a witness or that the presence
    of such a witness was doubtful, or by imputing any
    rt
    motive on the part of such a witness to depose falsely,
    or the susceptibility of such a witness in falling prey

    to tutoring. However, a mere bald assertion that there
    is a possibility of the witness in question being
    tutored is not sufficient.

    â–ª Reasonable likelihood of tutoring–wherein the

    foundational facts suggesting a possibility of
    tutoring, as established, have to be further proven or
    cogently substantiated. This may be done by leading

    evidence to prove a strong and palpable motive to
    depose falsely, or by establishing that the delay in

    recording the statement is not only unexplained but
    indicative and suggestive of some unfair practice or
    by proving that the witness fell prey to tutoring and

    was influenced by someone else either by cross-
    examining such witness at length that leads to either
    material discrepancies or contradictions, or exposes a
    doubtful demeanour of such witness rife with sterile
    repetition and confidence-lacking testimony, or
    through such degree of incompatibility of the version
    of the witness with the other material on record and
    attending circumstances that negates their presence
    as unnatural.”

    ::: Downloaded on – 16/03/2026 20:33:11 :::CIS

    P a g e | 17
    2026:HHC:7170

    22. In the present case, the victim admitted that he was

    .

    making the statement regarding sexual penetration at his father’s

    instance. This is the core of the prosecution’s case, and any

    admission regarding tutoring of the core of the prosecution’s case

    will make the prosecution’s case doubtful.

    of

    23. The informant admitted in his cross-examination that

    the accused is the son of Bansi. He admitted he had partition
    rt
    proceedings pending against Bansi. He admitted that Sat Pal

    (PW-6) had a dispute with the father of the accused. Thus, the

    learned Courts below had rightly held that the testimonies of

    prosecuting witnesses were required to be seen with due care and

    caution because of the enmity, and once there was an admission of

    tutoring, the learned Courts below were justified in doubting the

    prosecution’s case.

    24. A heavy reliance has been placed upon the evidence of

    the Medical Officer, who had found abrasion on the perianal

    region. Dr Shiv Darshan Singh (PW-12) admitted in his cross-

    examination that the abrasion could have been caused by

    scratching the region with the finger. Thus, the medical evidence

    ::: Downloaded on – 16/03/2026 20:33:11 :::CIS
    P a g e | 18
    2026:HHC:7170

    does not provide unequivocal corroboration of the prosecution’s

    version.

    .

    25. Dr Ashutosh Joshi (PW-5) did not find any

    scratch/injury on the penis of the accused. He specifically stated

    that he had not found any blood or injury on the penis of the

    accused. The presence of the injury would have corroborated the

    of
    victim’s version regarding sexual penetration by the accused, and

    its absence will make the prosecution’s case suspect.

    26.
    rt
    The other witnesses examined by the prosecution had

    not witnessed the incident. The victim told his father about the

    incident, and he told the other people. They are not eyewitnesses,

    and at best their testimonies could have been used to corroborate

    the victim’s testimony, but once the victim’s testimony is found to

    be not credible, the testimonies of other witnesses will not prove

    the prosecution’s case.

    27. Therefore, there is no infirmity in the judgment of the

    learned Courts below requiring any interference from this Court.

    28. No other point was urged.

    29. In view of the above, the present revision fails and is

    dismissed. Pending applications, if any, also stand disposed of.

    ::: Downloaded on – 16/03/2026 20:33:11 :::CIS

    P a g e | 19
    2026:HHC:7170

    30. In view of the provisions of Section 437-A of the Code

    of Criminal Procedure (Section 481 of Bhartiya Nagarik Suraksha

    .

    Sanhita, 2023) the respondent/accused is directed to furnish bail

    bonds in the sum of ₹25,000/- with one surety of the like amount

    to the satisfaction of the learned Trial Court which shall be

    effective for six months with a stipulation that in the event of a

    of
    Special Leave Petition being filed against this judgment or on

    grant of the leave, the respondent/accused on receipt of notice
    rt
    thereof shall appear before the Hon’ble Supreme Court.

    31. A copy of the judgment, along with records of the

    learned Courts, be sent back forthwith.

    ( Rakesh Kainthla )
    16 March, 2026.

    th
    Judge
    (ravinder)

    ::: Downloaded on – 16/03/2026 20:33:11 :::CIS

    [ad_1]

    Source link

    LEAVE A REPLY

    Please enter your comment!
    Please enter your name here