Vasu vs State Of Kerala on 2 July, 2026

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    Kerala High Court

    Vasu vs State Of Kerala on 2 July, 2026

                                                                 2026:KER:48403
                    IN THE HIGH COURT OF KERALA AT ERNAKULAM
    
                                    PRESENT
    
                   THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE A. BADHARUDEEN
    
             THURSDAY, THE 2ND DAY OF JULY 2026 / 11TH ASHADHA, 1948
    
                             CRL.A NO. 606 OF 2007
    
             AGAINST THE JUDGMENT DATED 28.03.2007 IN SC NO.38 OF 2004 OF
    
                  ADDITIONAL SESSIONS COURT (ADHOC-1), MANJERI
    
    APPELLANTS/ACCUSED:
    
         1      VASU, S/O.VELU
                POOLAKKAL HOUSE,
                MEEZHATHOOR MULLIYAKURISSI, MALAPPURAM DISTRICT.
    
         2      MUHAMMED RAFEEQUE, S/O.MUHAMMED ALI
                KUNNANATH HOUSE,PERINTHALMANNA, MALAPPURAM DISTRICT.
    
         3      K.MUHAMMED ALI, S/O.HASSAN, ALLUR HOUSE
                VALAMBUR,MALAPPURAM DISTRICT.
                BY ADV.SRI.BABU S.NAIR
    RESPONDENT/STATE:
               THE STATE OF KERALA REPRESENTED BY
               THE CIRCLE INSPECTOR OF POLICE,
               PERINTHALMANNA POLICE STAION-THROUGH THE PUBLIC
               PROSECUTOR, HIGH COURT OF KERALA,ERNAKULAM,COCHIN-31.
    
                 BY SR.PUBLIC PROSECUTOR SAREENA GEORGE.P
    
    
         THIS CRIMINAL APPEAL HAVING BEEN FINALLY HEARD ON 08.06.2026,
    THE COURT ON 02.07.2026 DELIVERED THE FOLLOWING:
     CRL.A.NO.606 OF 2007               2                     2026:KER:48403
    
    
    
    
                                                                    CR
                                 JUDGMENT
    

    Dated this the 02nd day of July, 2026

    This appeal has been filed by accused Nos.1 to 3 in

    SPONSORED

    S.C.No.38/2004 on the files of the Additional Sessions Court

    (Adhoc-I), Manjeri, challenging the judgment, dated 28.03.2007 in

    the said case.

    2. Heard the learned counsel for the appellants and the

    learned Public Prosecutor, in detail. Perused the verdict impugned

    and the records available.

    3. In this matter, during pendency of this appeal, appellant

    Nos.1 and 2, who were arrayed as accused Nos.1 and 2 passed away

    and therefore, the conviction as against them now stands abated,

    even though the sentence part survives. In view of the above, as

    submitted by the learned counsel for the appellants and the learned

    Public Prosecutor, the present appeal now survives only in respect of

    the conviction and sentence imposed on the 3 rd appellant/3rd accused,
    CRL.A.NO.606 OF 2007 3 2026:KER:48403

    and sentence of fine imposed on appellant Nos.1 and 2/accused

    Nos.1 and 2.

    4. The prosecution case is that, at about 8.30 p.m. on

    06.03.2002, the accused persons who were four in numbers (out of

    which, accused No.4 died during trial of the case), with intention to

    commit murder of one Muhammedali, wrongfully restrained him

    and beat him with intention to do away him when Muhammedali

    refused to pay money to purchase liquor to them. Soon after the

    occurrence, crime was registered based on Ext.P3 FIS given by

    Muhammedali himself on 08.03.2002. Later on the same day, his dying

    declaration (Ext.P9) was recorded by the Judicial First Class Magistrate –

    I, Kozhikode while Muhammedali was undergoing treatment at the

    Medical College Hospital, Kozhikode.

    5. In this case, the learned Sessions Court recorded evidence.

    PW1 to PW12 were examined, Exts.P1 to P15 and MO1 were marked on

    the side of the prosecution. Ext.D1 was marked on the side of the defence

    during cross examination of PW10.

    6. On a meticulous analysis of evidence, the learned Sessions
    CRL.A.NO.606 OF 2007 4 2026:KER:48403

    Judge found that accused Nos.1 to 3 committed offfences punishable

    under Sections 341, 323 as well as 304 of the Indian Penal Code (for

    short, ‘the IPC‘ hereinafter) and sentenced the appellants/accused

    Nos.1 to 3 as under:

    “In the result,

    a) The accused 1 to 3 are sentenced to undergo simple
    imprisonment for 1 month each for the conviction under
    section 341 IPC;

    b) The accused 1 to 3 are sentenced to undergo Rigorous
    Imprisonment for 1 year each for the conviction under
    section 323 IPC;

    c) The accused 1 to 3 are sentenced to undergo Rigorous
    Imprisonment for 10 years each and to pay fine of
    Rs.10,000/- each for the conviction under section 304
    IPC;

    d) In case of default in payment of fine, the accused shall
    undergo Rigorous Imprisonment for 1 year each;

    e) The substantive sentence will run concurrently.

    f) The period of remand undergone, that is from 12-3-

    2002 to 15-4-2002 in the case of 1st accused and from 12-
    3-2002 to 12-4-2002 in the case of accused 2 and 3, the
    period of imprisonment undergone from the date of
    CRL.A.NO.606 OF 2007 5 2026:KER:48403

    sentence on the earlier occasion that is from 5-3-2005 till
    1-2-2007 and the period of remand from 26-3-2007 till
    this day (28-3-2007) are given set off.

    g) M.O.1 being valueless shall be destroyed after period
    of appeal.”

    7. While challenging the verdict impugned, it is submitted by

    the learned counsel for the appellants that in this case, the court

    below mainly found commission of the above offences by the

    appellants/accused Nos.1 to 3 relying on Ext.P9 dying declaration,

    even though the eye witness to the occurrence, who got examined as

    PW9 turned hostile to the prosecution. It is pointed out by the

    learned counsel for the appellants that when the conviction is solely

    relying on the dying declaration, the same should be wholly reliable.

    Otherwise, the same would require corroboration. He has placed

    decision of the Apex Court in K.Ramachandra Reddy & Anr v.

    Public Prosecutor reported in [1976 ICO 453 : AIR 1976 SC

    1994] with reference to paragraph No.6 and in the said judgment,

    the Apex Court considered the law regarding dying declaration which
    CRL.A.NO.606 OF 2007 6 2026:KER:48403

    is admissible under Section 32 of the Indian Evidence Act, 1872 with

    reference to the earlier decision in Khushal Rao v. State of

    Bombay reported in [AIR 1958 SC 22]. Reliance was also placed

    on the decision of the Apex Court in Gopal Singh and another v.

    The State of Madhya Pradesh and another reported in [AIR

    1972 Supreme Court 1557] with reference to paragraph Nos.7 and

    8 to contend that when the dying declaration did not contain the

    complete names of the persons charged with the offence, even

    though it might be held to establish their identity, it was not of such a

    character as to warrant its acceptance without corroboration and,

    therefore, could not form the sole basis for conviction. It is pointed

    out by the learned counsel for the appellants that, even though in

    Ext.P9, the deceased had disclosed the names and fathers’ names of

    accused Nos.1 and 2, he had mentioned only the name of the 3 rd

    accused without mentioning his father’s name and, according to him,

    this omission assumes significance while considering the

    involvement of the 3rd accused merely on the strength of dying
    CRL.A.NO.606 OF 2007 7 2026:KER:48403

    declaration. It is further pointed out that, in the cause title, the 3 rd

    accused is shown as a resident of Allur House, Valamboor Amsom,

    Mele Poopalam. Therefore, the prime contention advanced by the

    learned counsel is that when Ext.P9 dying declaration alone is the

    sole basis for the conviction in the instant case, in the absence of

    adequate particulars regarding the identity of the 3 rd accused in

    Ext.P9, the same cannot be safely relied upon, without corroboration

    and the conviction based thereon requires interference, enlarging

    benefit of doubt on the 3rd appellant/3rd accused.

    8. Repelling this contention, the learned Public Prosecutor

    would submit that in this case, Ext.P9 alone is not the statement

    given by the victim and this crime itself was registered on recording

    the FIS given by the deceased himself, which do form part of Ext.P3

    FIR. According to him, in the FIS, the victim named the accused

    persons as Muhammedali, Vasu, Muhammed Rafeek and Aricha

    Vishwan and reiterated the same in Ext.P9. Therefore, Exts.P3 and

    P9 are admissible in evidence and, consequently, the identity of the
    CRL.A.NO.606 OF 2007 8 2026:KER:48403

    3rd accused as one of the assailants is clearly established among other

    accused persons. Further, the identity of the other accused also

    established. In such circumstances, the argument advanced by the

    learned counsel for the appellants would not sustain and Ext.P9

    dying declaration read along with Ext.P3 can safely be relied upon to

    find commission of the above offences by the appellants as rightly

    found by the trial court.

    9. Adverting to the rival arguments, the points arise for

    consideration are;

    (i) Whether the Sessions Court was right in

    holding that the appellants committed offence punishable

    under Section 341 of the IPC?

    (ii) Whether the Sessions Court was right in

    holding that the appellants committed offence punishable

    under Section 323 of the IPC?

    (iii) Whether the Sessions Court was right in

    holding that the appellants committed offence punishable
    CRL.A.NO.606 OF 2007 9 2026:KER:48403

    under Section 304 of the IPC?

    (iv) Whether the verdict would require interference?

    (v) Whether the sentence imposed on the appellants

    would require interference?

    (vi) The order to be passed?

    Point Nos.(i) to (vi)

    10. In this case, as argued by both sides, the occurrence was at

    8.30 p.m. on 06.03.2002 and the FIS given by the deceased was

    recorded at 17 hrs. on 08.03.2002 while he was at Medical College

    Hospital, Kozhikode. Based on which, Ext.P3 FIR was registered and

    investigation started. In the FIS given by the deceased do form part

    of Ext.P3, the deceased mentioned the names of all the four accused

    persons, as pointed out by the learned Public Prosecutor.

    11. Apart from this, the prosecution relied on Ext.P9 dying

    declaration. It is relevant to note that on the side of the prosecution,

    an eye witness to the occurrence Sri.Thankappan was examined as

    PW9. He was declared hostile to the prosecution as he did not
    CRL.A.NO.606 OF 2007 10 2026:KER:48403

    support the prosecution case regarding the assault on the deceased

    by the accused persons. But, he fully supported the prosecution case

    regarding the post events after the occurrence. According to him,

    when he saw the victim, Muhammedali, he was in a tired condition

    and was asking for water. He further stated that the victim had given

    his phone number to PW9 so that his family could be informed of his

    condition. PW9, in turn, furnished the said phone number at the

    reception counter and requested the reception staff to intimate the

    victim’s condition to his family members. PW9 further stated that he

    gave some water to the victim, which the victim drank. Thereafter,

    two ladies arrived in an autorickshaw, and he, along with some other

    persons, assisted in taking Muhammedali inside the autorickshaw.

    Two days after the occurrence, the police reached the place, and he

    had showed them the spot where Muhammedali was found sitting.

    12. As far as PW10 is concerned, she is the wife of the

    deceased Muhammedali. She supported the prosecution case to the

    extent that known to her, in conformity with the prosecution case.

    CRL.A.NO.606 OF 2007 11 2026:KER:48403

    She deposed that she had received telephonic information at about

    7.00 p.m. requesting her to go to Perinthalmanna. She further

    deposed that then she travelled by bus to Perinthalmanna and hired

    an autorickshaw and proceeded to Sabreena Hotel. Therefrom,

    Muhammedali (deceased) was taken in an autorickshaw. According

    to her, Muhammedali was not immediately admitted in the hospital

    as the Doctors were on strike. On the next day, he was taken to the

    hospital and it was found that her husband was sitting so tired

    without having capacity to move. The victim then stated that he was

    assaulted by Vasu and his friends as he had refused to give them the

    money available in his pocket for consuming alcohol, despite their

    demand. The further version is that her husband died on the 7 th day

    of the occurrence.

    13. In this case, PW1 is the Doctor, who conducted

    postmortem of the deceased Muhammedali and he had issued Ext.P1

    postmortem certificate. The Doctor noted the following injuries:

    CRL.A.NO.606 OF 2007 12 2026:KER:48403

    “External:- 1) lacerated wound 4×0.5 cm x skull deep on
    right half of top of head, Transverse, left end at midline and
    9 cm. Behind the hair margin. The clot in between the edges
    organized and brownish black in Colour.

    Internal:- 1) Brain 1200g, Oedematous, showed patchy
    subarachnoid haemorrhage Brownish over an area 7 x 3
    cm. On top of left cerebral hemisphere And thin
    subarchnoidal haemorrhage brownish over an area 7x 4 on
    Top of right cerebral hemisphere.

    2) Fracture dislocation of cervical vertebra in between C6
    and C7.

    CB vertebra projected interiorly over C7 with laceration
    and Compression of cord.”

    14. PW1 deposed that the deceased succumbed to the injuries

    sustained to his neck and head, and Ext.P1 postmortem certificate

    was proved through him. Although, during cross-examination, it was

    suggested that external injury No.1 could have been caused by a fall,

    PW1 did not agree with the said suggestion. Apart from this

    evidence, the victim was initially examined by PW12, the Assistant

    Surgeon, Government Hospital, Perintalmanna on 07.03.2002 at
    CRL.A.NO.606 OF 2007 13 2026:KER:48403

    9.25 a.m. The doctor noticed that his both legs were paralysed, there

    was absence of reflexes on his lower limbs and left arm and there was

    tenderness on the back of his neck. Ext.P15 is the accident-cum-

    wound certificate issued by PW12 on examining the victim. PW12

    said that he found a contused lacerated wound on the vertex of the

    scalp. Since PW12 felt the condition of the victim was critical he was

    referred for expert treatment. Thus, it appears that this is a case

    where the victim died in consequence of the injuries extracted

    hereinabove as shown in Ext.P1 and as deposed by PW1 as well as

    PW12 supported by Ext.P15 wound certificate. It is true that, as

    argued by the learned counsel for the appellants, while stating the

    names of the persons who attacked the victim on the date of

    occurrence, i.e., 06.03.2002, before the learned Judicial First Class

    Magistrate-I, Kozhikode, the victim stated that he had been attacked

    by Vasu and his friends, namely, Kunnathanu Rafeeq, Muhammedali

    Manathu Mangalam and Aricha Vishwan. In the First Information

    Statement also, the deceased stated the names of the accused with
    CRL.A.NO.606 OF 2007 14 2026:KER:48403

    certainty. Thus, it could be gathered from Ext.P9 read along with the

    FIS do form part of Ext.P3 FIR that accused Nos.1 to 4 were the

    persons who assaulted the victim, which resulted the injuries noted

    in Exts.P1 and P5 and the same caused his death, as stated by PW1.

    Ext.P3 FIR and the FIS attached thereto were tendered in evidence

    through PW3, who supported the same without any ambiguity. Apart

    from his evidence, PW8, the Judicial First Class Magistrate-I,

    Kozhikode, fully supported the recording of Ext.P9 and stated that

    Muhammedali was lying on the bed, was conscious, able to speak,

    and was in a fit state of mind to make the declaration. He further

    deposed that the Doctor had issued a certificate to the effect that the

    deceased was in a fit state of mind to make the declaration. Ext.P4 is

    the inquest report prepared in connection with the postmortem

    proceedings of the deceased. These documents were marked in

    evidence through PW4 and those were not challenged at all during

    cross-examination. PW4 also supported the inquest proceedings as

    an attesting witness to the inquest report.

    CRL.A.NO.606 OF 2007 15 2026:KER:48403

    15. PW11 who conducted investigation prepared Ext.P6

    mahazar, which was supported by the evidence of PW6 also. PW11

    had taken MO1 alleged to be used by the 1 st accused and he had filed

    Ext.P11 report showing the incorporation of Section 323 of the IPC

    and he had arrested the accused after identifying them. Apart from

    that, he had filed Ext.P12 report in order to add Section 302 IPC

    instead of 307 IPC. He also stated that Ext.P14, whereby MO1

    produced before the court proved the contradictions at the instance

    of PW9 with Ext.P10 series.

    16. The crucial question is whether the Sessions Court was

    justified in relying upon Exts.P3 and P9, supported by the other

    evidence on record, to hold that the appellants had committed the

    offences punishable under Sections 341, 323 and 304 of the IPC.

    17. As far as the acceptability of dying declaration, it is

    admissible under Section 32 of the Indian Evidence Act, 1872 and the

    law on the point is well settled as argued by the learned counsel for

    the appellants.

    CRL.A.NO.606 OF 2007 16 2026:KER:48403

    18. In the decision in Jayamma v. State of Karnataka

    reported in [2021 ICO 649], the Apex Court decided the

    evidentiary value of dying declaration and the ingredients necessary

    to accept the same as the sole basis of conviction. Paragraph Nos.14

    and 15 of the said decision are extracted as under:

    “14. Before we advert to the actual admissibility and
    credibility of the dying declaration (Ex.P-5), it will be
    beneficial to brace ourselves of the case-law on the
    evidentiary value of a dying declaration and the sustenance
    of conviction solely based thereupon. We may hasten to add
    that while there is huge wealth of case law, and incredible
    jurisprudential contribution by this Court on this subject, we
    are consciously referring to only a few decisions which are
    closer to the facts of the case in hand. We may briefly notice
    these judgments.

    A. In P.V. Radhakrishna. v. State of Karnataka
    (2003) 6 SCC 443 p. 16:: 2003 ICO 831, this Court
    considered the residuary question whether the
    percentage of burns suffered is a determinative
    factor to affect the credibility of a dying
    declaration and the probability of its recording. It
    was held that there is no hard and fast Rule of
    CRL.A.NO.606 OF 2007 17 2026:KER:48403

    universal application in this regard and much
    would depend upon the nature of the burn, part of
    the body affected, impact of burn on the faculties
    to think and other relevant factor.

    B. In Chacko v. State of Kerala (2003) 1 SCC 112 p.
    3, 4 :: 2002 ICO 658, this Court declined to accept
    the prosecution case based on the dying
    declaration where the deceased was about 70
    years old and had suffered 80 per cent burns. It
    was held that it would be difficult to accept that
    the injures could make a detailed dying
    declaration after a lapse of about 8 to 9 hours of
    the burning, giving minute details as to the
    motive and the manner in which he had suffered
    the injuries. That was of course a case where
    there was no certification by the doctor regarding
    the mental and physical condition of the deceased
    to make dying declaration. Nevertheless, this
    Court opined that the manner in which the
    incident was recorded in the dying declaration
    created grave doubts to the genuineness of the
    document. The Court went on to opine that even
    though the doctor therein had recorded “patient
    conscious, talking” in the wound certificate, that
    CRL.A.NO.606 OF 2007 18 2026:KER:48403

    fact by itself would not further the case of the
    prosecution as to the condition of the patient
    making the dying declaration, nor would the oral
    evidence of the doctor or the investigating officer,
    made before the court for the first time, in any
    manner improve the prosecution case.

    C. In Sham Shankar Kankaria v. State of
    Maharashtra
    (2006) 13 SCC 165 p. 10, 11 :: 2006
    ICO 11846, it was re-stated that the dying
    declaration is only a piece of untested evidence and
    must like any other evidence satisfy the Court that
    what is stated therein is the unalloyed truth and
    that it is absolutely safe to act upon it. Further,
    relying upon the decision in Paniben v. State of
    Gujarat
    (1992) 2 SCC 474 p. 18:: 1992 ICO 144
    wherein this Court summed up several previous
    judgments governing dying declaration, the Court
    in Sham Shankar Kankaria (Supra) reiterated::

    (i) There is neither Rule of law nor of prudence
    that dying declaration cannot be acted upon
    without corroboration. (See Munnu Raja v. State
    of M.P.
    [(1976) 3 SCC 104]);

    (ii) If the Court is satisfied that the dying
    declaration is true and voluntary it can base
    CRL.A.NO.606 OF 2007 19 2026:KER:48403

    conviction on it, without corroboration. (See
    State of U.P. v. Ram Sagar Yadav [(1985) 1 SCC
    552 :: 1985 ICO 232 and Ramawati Devi v. State
    of Bihar [(1983) 1 SCC 211 :: 1983 ICO 339]);

    (iii) The Court has to scrutinise the dying
    declaration carefully and must ensure that the
    declaration is not the result of tutoring,
    prompting or imagination. The deceased had an
    opportunity to observe and identify the assailants
    and was in a fit state to make the declaration.
    (See K. Ramachandra Reddy v. Public Prosecutor
    [(1976) 3 SCC 618 :: 1976 ICO 453]);

    (iv) Where dying declaration is suspicious, it
    should not be acted upon without corroborative
    evidence. (See Rasheed Beg v. State of M.P. [(1974)
    4 SCC 264 :: 1973 ICO 75]);

    (v) Where the deceased was unconscious and
    could never make any dying declaration the
    evidence with regard to it is to be rejected. (See
    Kake Singh v. State of M.P. [1981 Supp SCC 25]);

    (vi) A dying declaration which suffers from
    infirmity cannot form the basis of conviction. (Sec
    Ram Manorath v. State of U.P.
    [(1981) 2 SCC
    654 :: 1981 ICO 68]);

    CRL.A.NO.606 OF 2007 20 2026:KER:48403

    (vii) Merely because a dying declaration does not
    contain the details as to the occurrence, it is not-to
    be rejected. (See State of Maharashtra v.

    Krishnamurti Laxmipati Naidu [1980 Supp SCC
    455]);

    (viii) Equally, merely because it is a brief
    statement, it is not to be discarded. On the
    contrary, the shortness of the statement itself
    guarantees truth. (See Surajdeo Ojha v. State of
    Bihar
    [1980 Supp SCC 769:: 1979 ICO 315]);

    (ix) Normally the court in order to satisfy whether
    the deceased was in a fit mental condition to make
    the dying declaration look up to the medical
    opinion. But where the eyewitness has said that the
    deceased was in a fit and conscious state to make
    the dying declaration, the medical opinion cannot
    prevail. (See Nanhau Ram v. State of M.P. [1988
    Supp SCC 152 : 1988 ICO 429]);

    (x) Where the prosecution version differs from the
    version as given in the dying declaration, the said
    declaration cannot be acted upon. (See State of
    U.P. v. Madan Mohan
    [(1989) 3 SCC 390 : 1989
    ICO 391]);

    CRL.A.NO.606 OF 2007 21 2026:KER:48403

    (xi) Where there are more than one statement in
    the nature of dying declaration, one first in point
    of time must be preferred. Of course, if the
    plurality of dying declaration could be held to be
    trustworthy and reliable, it has to be accepted.
    (See Mohanlal Gangaram Gehani v. State of
    Maharashtra
    [(1982) 1 SCC 700 :: 1982 ICO 84])

    15. It goes without saying that when the dying declaration has
    been recorded in accordance with law, and it gives a cogent
    and plausible explanation of the occurrence, the Court can
    rely upon it as the solitary piece of evidence to convict the
    Accused. It is for this reason that Section 32 of the Evidence
    Act, 1872 is an exception to the general Rule against the
    admissibility of hearsay evidence and its Clause (1) makes the
    statement of the decease admissible. Such statement, classified
    as a “dying declaration” is made by a person as to the cause of
    his death or as to the injuries which culminated to his death or
    the circumstances under which injuries were inflicted. A dying
    declaration is thus admitted in evidence on the premise that
    the anticipation of brewing death breeds the same human
    feelings as that of a conscientious and guiltless person under
    oath. It is a statement comprising of last words of a person
    before his death which are presumed to be truthful, and not
    infected by any motive or malice. The dying declaration is
    CRL.A.NO.606 OF 2007 22 2026:KER:48403

    therefore admissible in evidence on the principle of necessity
    as there is very little hope of survival of the maker, and if
    found reliable, it can certainly form the basis for conviction.”

    19. In the decision in State of Himachal Pradesh v.

    Chaman Lal reported in [2026 INSC 57 : 2026 KHC 6045], in

    paragraph No.16.1, the Apex Court relied on a decision of the Apex

    Court in Khushal Rao‘s case (supra) in the year 1958 and observed

    that it could not be laid down as an absolute rule of law that a dying

    declaration cannot form the sole basis of conviction unless it is

    corroborated that dying declaration as a weak piece of evidence than

    other piece of evidence.

    20. Reading the law settled as discussed, there is no reason to

    disbelieve the reason for the death of Muhammedali and the persons

    who attacked him which led to his death, as stated by him in Exts.P3

    and P9. Therefore, Exts.P3 and P9 can be the sole basis of conviction.

    It is relevant to note that Ext.P9 was recorded by a competent

    Magistrate and the Magistrate deposed before the court fully in
    CRL.A.NO.606 OF 2007 23 2026:KER:48403

    support of Ext.P9, as already narrated above. Be it so, it is held that

    the prosecution successfully proved commission of offences

    punishable under Sections 341, 323 and 304(I) of the IPC by the

    appellants/accused Nos.1 to 3 and the said finding is only to be

    confirmed.

    21. As far the sentence imposed against the 3 rd appellant/3rd

    accused is concerned, the Sessions Court imposed rigorous

    imprisonment for a period of ten years and to pay fine of Rs.10,000/-

    for the offence punishable under Section 304 of the IPC and in

    default of payment of fine, to undergo rigorous imprisonment for a

    period of one year.

    22. Coming to the sentence, the sentence imposed against

    appellant Nos.1 and 2, i.e. accused Nos.1 and 2 are concerned, fine

    alone would survive, since substantive sentence could not be

    imposed against them. Thus, the sentence of fine imposed against

    appellant Nos.1 and 2/accused Nos.1 and 2 also is confirmed, with

    liberty to the prosecution to move, as per law, to recover the fine, if
    CRL.A.NO.606 OF 2007 24 2026:KER:48403

    any, from the property left by appellant Nos.1 and 2/accused Nos.1

    and 2 and inherited by the legal heirs of them.

    23. In the result, the appeal is allowed in part. Further, while

    confirming the sentence imposed for the offences punishable under

    Sections 341 and 323 of the IPC, the sentence imposed against the 3 rd

    appellant/3rd accused for the offence punishable under Section

    304(I) of the IPC is reduced to seven years while maintaining the

    fine, as such, and reducing the default imprisonment for a period of

    three months. The substantive sentence imposed against the 3 rd

    appellant/3rd accused shall run concurrently and the default sentence

    shall run separately. Set off is allowed.

    The order suspending sentence and granting bail to the 3 rd

    appellant/3rd accused stands cancelled and the bail bond executed by

    the 3rd appellant/3rd accused also stands cancelled. The 3 rd

    appellant/3rd accused is directed to surrender before the Sessions

    Court, forthwith to undergo the modified sentence, failing which, the

    Sessions Court is directed to execute the sentence, without fail.

    CRL.A.NO.606 OF 2007 25 2026:KER:48403

    Registry is directed to forward a copy of this judgment to the

    Sessions Court, forthwith, without fail, for information and

    compliance.

    Sd/-

    A. BADHARUDEEN
    JUDGE

    Bb

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