Citation : 2017 Latest Caselaw 7597 Bom
Judgement Date : 27 September, 2017
osk J-Criminal Appeal-154-2014.odt
IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY
CRIMINAL APPELLATE JURISDICTION
CRIMINAL APPEAL NO. 154 OF 2014
Kalam Gulab Patel ]
Aged about 31 years, Occ.Agriculturist, ]
At present undergoing sentence of life ]
imprisonment at Kolhapur Central Prison, ]
as Convict Prisoner No. C-5784 ]
R/o. Navin Padali (Kese), Ta.Karad, ]
District : Satara. ] ... Appellant.
V/s.
The State of Maharashtra ]
Through P.I. Police Station Karad City, ]
Tal. Karad, District : Satara. ] ... Respondent.
• Mr.Yug Mohit Chaudhry for the Appellant.
• Mr.Arfan Sait, A.P.P. for the Respondent-State.
CORAM : SMT. V.K. TAHILRAMANI & DR. SHALINI PHANSALKAR-JOSHI, J.J.
DATED : 27 th SEPTEMBER, 2017.
JUDGMENT (PER : DR. SHALINI PHANSALKAR-JOSHI, J.) :-
1] This appeal is directed against the judgment and order
passed by Additional Sessions Judge, Karad, District Satara, in
Sessions Case No. 27 of 2010 on 28/02/2013, thereby convicting the
Appellant for the offence under Section 302 and 201 of the Indian
osk J-Criminal Appeal-154-2014.odt
Penal Code (IPC) and sentencing him to suffer R.I. for life and to pay
fine of Rs.5000/- in default of payment of fine to suffer R.I. for 6
months on the first count; and R.I. for three years and to pay fine of
Rs.3000/- in default of payment of fine to suffer R.I. for 4 months on
the second count.
2] Brief facts of the prosecutions case can be stated as
follows :-
Deceased Sikandar Ismail Patel was the uncle of
informant PW-8 Ajmir Jahangir Patel. Deceased was residing along
with his brothers PW-6 Mahamad Ismail Patel, Jahangir Ismail Patel
and Ahmad Ismail Patel at Old Padali, Tq. Karad, District Satara;
whereas Appellant, who is the cousin brother of the deceased, was
residing at the distance of 2 k.m. at New Padali, Tq. Karad, District
Satara. The lands of Appellant and the deceased were adjacent to
each other. The land of the deceased was irrigated through Lift
Irrigation Scheme. About 5 to 6 years prior to the incident,
Appellant had demanded the water of Lift Irrigation of the deceased
to his sugar-cane field. However, the deceased refused to give such
water and therefore, the relations between Appellant and the
deceased were not cordial.
osk J-Criminal Appeal-154-2014.odt 3] On 26/12/2009 at about 9.00 p.m. to 9.15 p.m., PW-8
Ajmir Jahangir Patel was going to the place of Panja ( Tabut), at that
time, on the road, near the old school, Old Padali (Kese), Tq.Karad,
Dist. Satara, he saw Appellant was assaulting the deceased with iron
pipe by falling him on ground. The deceased was shouting loudly.
Thereupon, Appellant inflicted several blows of axe on the neck of
the deceased. Seeing it, PW-8 Ajmir Jahangir Patel got frightened. By
that time hearing the shouts, his father Jahangir Ismail Patel and
uncle PW-6 Mahamad Ismail Patel also rushed there. During this
time, Appellant had separated the head of the deceased and carrying
that head by holding it with hair in one hand and carrying axe and
iron pipe in another hand Appellant started running on the road
shouting that he will not spare any one ( "Kisiko Choudunga Nahi").
Appellant threw away that decapitated head of the deceased at the
distance of 200 to 250 ft. by the side of the road.
4] After witnessing this incidence, PW-8 Ajmir Jahangir
Patel went to Police Station at Karad. PW-10 P.I. Mahadev Dhere has
recorded the complaint of PW-8 Ajmir Jahangir Patel, vide Exh.62,
and on his complaint registered C.R. No.389 of 2009 against
Appellant for the offence under Section 302 and 201 of IPC. Then,
osk J-Criminal Appeal-154-2014.odt
PW-10 P.I. Dhere and police staff went to the spot of incident. There
he conducted the inquest panchanama vide Exh.35, of the dead body
and the decapitated head, and sent the same for postmortem
examination. On the same night, he prepared the spot panchanama
vide Exh.43 and from the spot he collected the blood mixed soil,
battery (torch), plastic tambya i.e. pressed pot, turkish towel, iron
pipe and other incriminating articles. Thereafter, he arrested
Appellant and seized the clothes on his person under panchanama
Exh.72. On the next day, he recorded the statements of about eight
witnesses including that of PW-6 Mahamad Ismail Patel. As per the
opinion received from the Medical Officer, the various injuries found
on the person of the deceased were caused due to the blows of the
axe. During the course of investigation, at the instance of Appellant,
the axe was seized under panchanama Exh.74. All the seized
Muddemal Articles were sent to Chemical Analyzer and after
completion of usual investigation, PW-10 P.I. Dhere has filed Charge-
sheet in the Court against Appellant.
5] On committal of the case to the Sessions Court at Karad,
the Trial Court framed Charge against Appellant vide Exh.27. The
Charge was read-over and explained to Appellant. Appellant pleaded
osk J-Criminal Appeal-154-2014.odt
not guilty and claimed to be tried, raising the defence of denial and
false implication. In the alternate, the plea of insanity or
unsoundness of mind was also advanced.
6] In support of its case, the Prosecution examined in all 10
witnesses and on appreciation of their evidence, the Trial Court was
pleased to hold the guilt of Appellant to be proved beyond reasonable
doubt for both the offences and convicted and sentenced him as
aforesaid. At this stage, it may be stated that, the Trial Court did not
accept the plea of insanity as raised by Appellant on count that there
was no sufficient evidence on the record produced to that effect.
7] In this appeal, we have heard, learned counsel for
Appellant, who has mostly advanced the submission on the plea of
insanity, by pointing out that there is ample evidence on record to
that effect, including the medical case papers of Appellant, while he
was in Magistrate Custody and in jail, immediately after the
incident. According to learned counsel for Appellant, the burden
lying on the Appellant to prove his plea of unsoundness of mind is
not heavy, in comparison with the burden lying on the prosecution to
prove the case beyond reasonable doubt. The Accused can
probabilize his defence on preponderance of probability and in this
osk J-Criminal Appeal-154-2014.odt
case, according to him, the Appellant has discharged the said
burden. Therefore, the Trial Court should have accepted his plea and
acquitted the Appellant.
8] Per contra, learned A.P.P. has supported the judgment of
the Trial Court by submitting that there is a difference between
medical insanity and legal insanity. The Accused has to prove legal
insanity and not medical insanity. He has urged that every person
suffering from mental decease is not ipso-facto exempted from
criminal liability. In the instant case, according to him, the evidence
on record does not prove or probabilize the defence of unsoundness
of mind raised by Appellant and hence, the Trial Court has rightly
rejected the same.
9] In our considered opinion, before adverting to these rival
submissions advanced on the plea of unsoundness of mind of
Appellant, it would be useful to refer to the evidence on record as
adduced by the prosecution to prove the guilt of Appellant. The
prosecution has, though examined as many as 10 witnesses, the
main reliance of the prosecution is on the evidence of two eye-
witnesses, namely, PW-8 the informant Ajmir Jahangir Patel and
PW-6 Mahamad Ismail Patel. PW-8 Ajmir Jahangir Patel is the eye-
osk J-Criminal Appeal-154-2014.odt
witness to the actual incident of assault on the deceased at the hands
of Appellant. His evidence clearly goes to prove that on that night at
about 9.15 p.m. when he had gone to Tabut, on the way, near old
school, he found that Appellant was assaulting the deceased with
iron pipe and thereafter, with the axe. His evidence further proves
that Appellant has, by inflicting several blows of axe on the neck of
the deceased, separated the head and started running away with the
said head in his hand and shouting that he will not spare any one
("Kisiko Choudunga Nahi"). According to his evidence, hearing the
shouts of Appellant, his father Jahangir Ismail Patel and uncle PW-6
Mohamad Ismail Patel came near the spot and found dead body of
the deceased, with head separated, lying there.
10] This evidence of PW-8 Ajmir Jahangir Patel is amply
corroborated from the evidence of PW-6 Mahamad Ismail Patel,
brother of the deceased. He was residing jointly with the deceased
and another brother Jahangir Ismail Patel. According to him, at
about 9.00 p.m., on that day, deceased went to answer nature's call
near the river taking along with him plastic water pot and torch.
Deceased was wearing baniyan and lungi. PW-8 Ajmir Jahangir Patel
had at that time gone to see the Tabut near old school. This witness
osk J-Criminal Appeal-154-2014.odt
has then heard the noise of shouts. Therefore, he and his brother
Jahangir Ismail Patel came out of the house and they saw the
Appellant carrying human head severed from the body holding in
one hand and carrying axe and iron pipe in another hand. The
Appellant was found running and shouting that he will not spare any
one ("Kisiko Choudunga Nahi"). According to his evidence, he and
his brother Jahangir Ismail Patel rushed on the road after the
Appellant went ahead and they saw PW-8 Ajmir Jahangir Patel was
crying near the school. They went there and found the dead body of
Sikandar lying in the pool of blood decapitated with the head. They
confirmed from Ajmir that it was the dead body of their brother
Sikandar. They found decapitated head of Sikandar thrown by the
Appellant at the distance of about 200 to 250 ft. Thereafter, PW-8
Ajmir Jahangir Patel went to Police Station and lodged the complaint
against the Appellant.
11] In our considered opinion, the evidence of both these eye
witnesses is more than sufficient to prove the manner in which the
incident has taken place and the involvement of the Appellant
therein. Though, both the witnesses are cross-examined at the
length, nothing worthwhile is elicited in their cross examination to
osk J-Criminal Appeal-154-2014.odt
disbelieve them in any way. Moreover, their cross-examination is
mostly directed to prove the plea of unsoundness of mind.
12] In addition to this evidence of two eye-witnesses directly
implicating the Appellant, there is also corroborating circumstantial
evidence like the recovery of the axe at the instance of the
Appellant, proved through the evidence of PW-4 panch Vijay
Pandurang Sawant. The spot panchanama then proves the presence
of blood stained soil and the articles of the deceased lying there; it is
proved through the evidence of PW-3 panch Shivaji Shinde. Further
the evidence of PW-5 Dr.Dhondiram Dattu Jadhav, who has
conducted the autopsy and found several injuries on the body of the
deceased and his head severed with those injuries. According to his
opinion, the cause of the death was neurogenic shock due to sudden
decapitation of head due to hard and sharp object.
13] As a matter of fact, this ocular and circumstantial
evidence proving the occurrence of the incident is not seriously
challenged by learned counsel for the Appellant, as the main plank of
his submission is on the alternate the plea of unsoundness of mind.
14] Section 84 of IPC provides that, "Nothing is an offence osk J-Criminal Appeal-154-2014.odt
which is done by a person who at the time of doing it, by reason of
unsoundness of mind, is incapable of knowing the nature of the act,
or that he is doing what is either wrong or contrary to law."
15] Thus, to meet the requirements of Section 84 of IPC, it
must be shown that:
"i. at the time of doing the act, the Accused was of unsound mind;
ii. and because of his unsound mind, the Accused:
a) did not know the nature of the act, or
b) did not know that the act is wrong, or
c) did not know that the act is contrary to law."
16] The law is fairly well settled that whenever the Accused
wants to rely upon this exception, the burden of proof is upon him, in
view of Section 105 of the Evidence Act. However, the burden lying
on the Accused is much lighter than the burden placed on the
prosecution of proving the guilt of the Accused beyond reasonable
doubt. The Accused has to merely discharge the Civil burden of
proving his case on the balance of probabilities. Moreover, the fact
that the Accused has pleaded an exception or a defence does not in
any way relieve the prosecution of discharging its original burden of
proving that the accused has committed the offence as charged.
osk J-Criminal Appeal-154-2014.odt 17] Learned counsel for the Appellant has in this respect
relied on the judgment of the Apex Court in the case of Dayabhai
Thakkar Vs. State of Gujrat, AIR 1964 SC 1563 , wherein the Apex
Court has while dealing with the extent of burden lying on the
Accused, when he pleads the defence of insanity held that,
"Even if the Accused was not able to establish conclusively that he was insane at the time he committed the offence, the evidence placed before the Court by the Accused or by the prosecution may raise reasonable doubt in the mind of the Court as regards one or more of the ingredients of the offence including mens rea of the Accused and in that case the Court would be entitled to acquit the Accused on the ground that the general burden of proof resting on the prosecution was not discharged."
18] In the instant case, therefore, the Court has to see
whether the Appellant has brought on record sufficient material,
may be from the evidence led by the prosecution itself that makes it
reasonably possible to entertain a reasonable doubt that he was
suffering from unsoundness of mind at the relevant time. In other
words, this Court has to ask itself whether the plea of unsoundness
of mind, as raised by the Appellant can reasonably be ruled out in
osk J-Criminal Appeal-154-2014.odt
the facts and circumstances of this case. If this Court entertains, a
reasonable doubt about the unsoundness of mind of the Accused at
the time of incident, the Appellant would be entitled to acquittal as
then it has to be held that he has discharged the burden lying upon
him of proving his plea on preponderance of probabilities.
19] Learned A.P.P. has relied upon the judgment of the Apex
Court in the case of Surendra Mishra vs. State of Jharkhand, 2011
Cri.L.J. 1161, to submit that in order to seek exoneration from
liability, the Accused has to prove not only medical insanity but also
legal insanity. It is submitted that, as held in this authority, the term
insanity carries different meaning in different contexts and
describes varying degrees of mental disorder. Every person who is
suffering from mental disease is not ipso facto exempted from
criminal liability. The mere fact that the Accused is conceited, odd,
irascible and his brain is not quite all right, or that the physical and
mental ailments from which he suffered had rendered his intellect
weak and affected his emotions or indulges in certain unusual acts,
or had fits of insanity at short intervals or that he was subject to
epileptic fits and there was abnormal behavior or the behavior is
queer are not sufficient to attract the application of Section 84 of the
osk J-Criminal Appeal-154-2014.odt
IPC.
20] In this case, the Apex Court has also considered its
earlier decision in case of Hari Singh Gond vs. State of Madhya
Pradesh, (2008) 16 SCC 109, in which it has been held as follows;
"Section 84 lays down the legal test of responsibility in cases of alleged unsoundness of mind. There is no definition of 'unsoundness of mind' in IPC.
The courts have, however, mainly treated this expression as equivalent to insanity. But the term 'insanity' itself has no precise definition. It is a term used to describe varying degrees of mental disorder. So, every person, who is mentally diseased, is not ipso facto exempted from criminal responsibility. A distinction is to be made between legal insanity and medical insanity. A court is concerned with legal insanity, and not with medical insanity."
21] Keeping in mind this legal position if the evidence on
record is scrutinized, then in our considered opinion, there is more
than sufficient material produced on record by the Appellant to
prove his plea of legal insanity or unsoundness of mind.
22] In the instant case, the incident has taken place on
26/12/2009 at night time. The very manner in which it has taken
osk J-Criminal Appeal-154-2014.odt
place shows that apparently there was no immediate motive, genesis
or the cause for the Appellant to commit such brutal murder of his
cousin brother Sikandar. The only cause tried to be attributed to him
by PW-6 Mohamad Ismail Patel and PW-8 Ajmir Jahangir Patel is
that, about 5 to 6 years prior to the incident, the Appellant had
demanded the water for his sugar-cane field from the Lift Irrigation
Scheme of the deceased and the deceased had refused to give such
water. According to their evidence, the Appellant was therefore,
angry with the deceased. However, in the first place, this incident
has taken place about 5 to 6 years before the incident; and secondly,
in his cross-examination PW-8 Ajmir Jahangir Patel has admitted
that, at the time of incident, the Appellant was having his own
pipeline and water supply from irrigation scheme in his field. He has
further admitted that, during this period of 5 to 6 years, there was
no quarrel at all between the Appellant and the deceased.
23] Thus, whatever incident of demanding the water and the
deceased refusing to give the same has happened, it was about 5 to 6
years prior to the incident and, thereafter, there was not a single
quarrel between them and, at the time of incident, the Appellant was
having his own water supply to the field. Therefore, as rightly
osk J-Criminal Appeal-154-2014.odt
submitted by learned counsel for the Appellant, in the instant case,
there does not appear to be any motive as such or any immediate
cause or genesis for the Appellant to commit the murder of his
cousin brother and that too in the manner in which he has done so.
While adjudicating the plea of insanity, the aspect of motive assumes
significance, the absence of motive being one of the important
pointers to suggest that the offence was committed under
unsoundness of mind.
24] In this case, both these eye witnesses who are close
relatives of the deceased have categorically admitted in their cross-
examination that the Appellant did not have any enmity with the
deceased or his family. As a matter of fact, PW-6 Mohamad Ismail
Patel has further admitted that there was nothing to fear from the
Appellant, nor they suspected that the Appellant or somebody will
kill the deceased. Thus, the complete absence of any rational motive,
immediate cause or genesis on the part of the Appellant to launch
such a merciless attack on the deceased is a relevant factor
rendering probable his plea of unsoundness of mind.
25] Another material aspect to be considered for testing this
plea of insanity is the way the attack was made and the conduct on
osk J-Criminal Appeal-154-2014.odt
the part of the Appellant at the time of the attack and thereafter. It is
pertinent to note that the Appellant has made assault on the
deceased on the road near the old school where the religious
festivities were conducted. As admitted by PW-6 Mohamad Ismail
Patel and PW-8 Ajmir Jahangir Patel, the place of incident was in full
view of the passersby. There was electric light near the spot of the
offence. Not only this, but at the time of assault, the Appellant was
screaming loudly. After severing the head of the deceased, the
Appellant picked up the head in one hand and axe and iron pipe in
another hand and ran down on the main road screaming loudly for a
distance of 50 to 60 ft.. Thereafter, he dropped the head and iron
pipe by the side of the road at the distance of 200 to 250 ft.. Infact
the Appellant was screaming so loudly that PW-6 Mohamad Ismail
Patel and his brother who were inside house at the distance of 150 ft.
from the road heard the screams and came outside to see what was
happening. At that time, the clothes of the Appellant were drenched
in blood. The Appellant did not make any attempt to take off his
blood stained clothes or to hide them. The Appellant was arrested at
about 1.00 a.m. i.e. almost 4 hours after the incident and still he was
wearing the same clothes. Thus, it can be seen that the Appellant has
made no attempt to conceal the incident or his involvement therein.
osk J-Criminal Appeal-154-2014.odt
No person can normally after committing such merciless attack by
iron pipe and axe inflicting several blows decapitating the head,
thereafter will carry the head screaming loudly attracting the
attention of the villagers. It clearly indicates that the Appellant was
at the relevant time not in his senses to be aware of the
consequences and gravity of his action, thereby implying the
absence of mens rea.
26] It is also pertinent to note that the Appellant was also
shouting that he will not spare any one ("Kisiko Choudunga Nahi").
There is nothing on record to show that he has enmity with any
other person for him to give such shouts.
27] Then the cross-examination of PW-8 Ajmir Jahangir
Patel reveals that 10 to 12 blows with iron pipe were given to the
deceased on front side and back side of neck and after giving those
blows by iron pipe, the Appellant kept aside the iron pipe and picked
up the axe. He again assaulted the deceased with axe for about 5
minutes without taking any break. Needless to state, even after the
head was separated from the trunk in the first assault itself, the
Appellant had continued his assault and infliction of blows, thereby
clearly indicating that the Appellant has totally lost control of
osk J-Criminal Appeal-154-2014.odt
himself.
28] In this respect the cross-examination of PW-6 Mohamad
Ismail Patel, the cousin brother of the Appellant, goes to prove that
since beginning the conduct of the Appellant was paranoid. He was
suspecting that some person had played back magic ( Jadu tona)
against him and therefore, his wife have left him within 7 to 8 days
after the marriage.
29] There is also medical evidence proving that the mental
condition of the Appellant was not at all sound during the relevant
period. It is a part of record that while the Appellant was in jail in
Magistrate Custody, on the count of his abnormal conduct, he was
referred by Superintendent, Satara District Prison to the Medical
Officer, Government Hospital, Satara for the treatment of his mental
illness and the said hospital has advised that he be sent to Regional
Mental Hospital, Yerwada. Accordingly on 16/02/2010, he was
referred to Mental Hospital at Yerwada with observations by Medical
Officer that "his behaviour was abnormal. He was not taking food and
he was suffering from Schizophrenia and insomnia". There he was
kept under observation for 10 days and then as per the order passed
by the Court he was admitted to Yerwada Mental Hospital on
osk J-Criminal Appeal-154-2014.odt
25/02/2010. His case papers of the said hospital dated 03/03/2010
reveal the observations made by the Medical Officer to the effect that
"his conduct was affected. He was suspicious, fearful, suffering from
auditory hallucinations, delusions of black magic etc.".
30] As per the observations made by the Medical Officer of
Regional Mental Hospital, Yerwada on 03/03/2010, the brother of
the Appellant had corroborated the findings that the Appellant was
suffering from suspicion and fearful affect in the said Mental
Hospital. The Appellant was subjected to six rounds of electro
convulsive treatment from February 2010 to March 2010. The
record of Government Hospital, Satara also shows that the Appellant
was given a daily dose of Phenargan and Serenace injection from
08/02/2010 to 16/02/2010, which medicines are used to treat
aggressive psychosis, mental illness and psychotic disorder.
31] The evidence on record further proves that in May 2011
also the Appellant was again sent to Regional Mental Hospital,
Yerwada for further treatment. The psychiatric assessment report of
the Appellant is produced on record. It was done by B.J. Medical
College and Sasoon General Hospitals, Pune and it shows that, "he
was suffering from psychomotor retardation, non-spontaneous
osk J-Criminal Appeal-154-2014.odt
speech and dysphoric restricted affect. His thinking revealed ill
elaborated fearfulness, ideas of persecution and depressive features
with suicidal ideas". The observations of the Superintendent of the
Medical Officer of B.J. Medical College and Sasoon General Hospital,
Pune, which are produced at page 146 also reveal that he was
expressing wish to die and suffering from restlessness and vague
fearfulness. His conduct was abusive, assertive and depressed.
32] Thus, Medical Record in this case also goes to prove that
even before the Charge-sheet was submitted in the Court on
15/03/2010, the Appellant was under treatment for psychosis and
for mental illness from 08/02/2010 and only after being subjected to
6 rounds of electric convulsive shocks, he was discharged from the
mental hospital on 20/03/2010. Even thereafter also he was
exhibiting the same symptoms in the year 2011.
33] Thus, the symptoms displayed by the Appellant, as spelt-
out in his Medical Record and as deposed to by the witnesses are
sufficient to probabilize his plea that at the time of incident, he was
suffering from unsoundness of mind. At-least from the evidence on
record his plea of insanity cannot be ruled out. There is definitely a
reasonable doubt to that effect. Hence, it cannot be said that the
osk J-Criminal Appeal-154-2014.odt
prosecution has succeeded in proving its case against the Appellant
beyond reasonable doubt. This appeal, therefore, needs to be allowed,
as the Appellant deserves to be acquitted on this plea of
unsoundness of mind as per the provisions of Section 334 of CrPC.
34] When the acquittal is recorded u/s.334 of CrPC, we have
to follow the provisions of Section 335 of CrPC. The provisions of
Section 335 of CrPC reads as follows;
"335. Person acquitted on such ground to be detained in safe custody.
(1) Whenever the finding states that the accused person committed the act alleged, the Magistrate or Court before whom or which the trial has been held, shall, if such act would, but for the incapacity found, have constituted an offence,-
(a) order such person to be detained in safe custody in such place and manner as the Magistrate or Court thinks fit; or
(b) order such person to be delivered to any relative or friend of such person.
(2) No order for the detention of the accused in a lunatic asylum shall be made under clause (a) of sub-section (1) otherwise than in accordance with such rules as the State Government may have made under the Indian Lunacy Act, 1912 (4 of 1912).
(3) No order for the delivery of the accused to a relative or friend shall be made under clause (b) of sub-section (1), except upon the application of such relative or friend and on his giving security to the satisfaction of the Magistrate or Court that the
osk J-Criminal Appeal-154-2014.odt
person delivered shall-
(a) be properly taken care of and prevented from doing injury to himself or to any other person;
(b) be produced for the inspection of such officer, and at such times and places, as the State Government may direct.
(4) The Magistrate or Court shall report to the State Government the action taken under sub-
section (1)."
35] In order therefore to ascertain the present mental
condition of the Appellant, we had called for latest Medical Report
from Central Jail, Kolhapur. The Superintendent of Kolhapur Central
Jail has, accordingly, referred the Appellant to the Civil Hospital at
Kolhapur where the psychiatric evaluation of the Appellant was
done and it was reported that at present his behaviour is stable.
36] Even then, by way of abundant precaution, in view of the
provisions of Section 335 of CrPC we think it fit to handover the
Appellant in the safe custody of his brother Harun Gulab Patel, who
has made an application for the said purpose under Section 335(3)
of CrPC. He has undertaken to properly take care of the Appellant
and preventing him from doing injury to himself or to any other
person. He has also assured that the mother, sister and three
brothers of the Appellant who are having affection and love for him,
osk J-Criminal Appeal-154-2014.odt
are supportive of him and they will provide the social and family
support to him to enable him to lead as normal a life as possible.
37] In view thereof, as per the provisions of Section 335(3)
CrPC, the Superintendent of Central Jail, Kolhapur where the
Appellant is lodged needs to be directed to handover the custody of
the Appellant to his brother Harun Gulab Patel.
38] The Appeal is, accordingly, allowed. The Appellant is
acquitted under Section 334 of CrPC for the offence punishable
under Section 302 and 201 of IPC on the plea of unsoundness of
mind at the time of incident, under the Exception available under
Section 84 of IPC. His bail bond stands cancelled.
39] The Superintendent of Kolhapur Jail is, however,
directed to handover the custody of the Appellant to his brother
Harun Gulab Patel.
40] The copy of this order be sent to the State Government,
as contemplated under Section 335(4) of CrPC.
(DR. SHALINI PHANSALKAR-JOSHI, J.) (SMT. V.K. TAHILRAMANI, J.)
Publish Your Article
Campus Ambassador
Media Partner
Campus Buzz
LatestLaws.com presents: Lexidem Offline Internship Program, 2026
LatestLaws.com presents 'Lexidem Online Internship, 2026', Apply Now!