Bombay High Court
Amol Dilip Nehe And Others vs The State Of Maharashtra And Others on 6 May, 2024
Author: R.G.Avachat
Bench: R.G.Avachat
2024:BHC-AUG:9896-DB
1-crappln327.2024.odt
IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY
BENCH AT AURANGABAD
CRIMINAL APPLICATION NO.327 OF 2024
IN
CRIMINAL APPEAL NO.65 OF 2024
1. Amol s/o Dilip Nehe,
2. Kishor s/o Lahanu Nehe,
3. Vasant s/o Lahanu Nehe,
4. Suresh s/o Lahanu Nehe,
5. Sachin s/o Vasant Nehe,
6. Prasad s/o Prakash Nehe,
7. Akash s/o Rohidas Chechare,
8. Mayur s/o Rohidas Chechare,
9. Jagannath s/o Kisan Pandgale ..Applicants
Vs.
The State of Maharashtra ..Respondent
----
Mr.Rajendrraa Deshmukkh, Senior Advocate i/b. Mr.Vishal A. Chavan
and Mr.Devang R. Deshmukh, Advocate for applicants
Ms.U.S.Bhosale, APP for respondent no.1
Mr.H.U.Dhage, Advocate for respondent nos.2 and 3
----
CORAM : R.G.AVACHAT AND
NEERAJ P. DHOTE, JJ.
DATE : MAY 06, 2024
ORDER :
-
This is an application by the convicts for suspension of
sentence awarded by learned Addl. Sessions Judge, Kopargaon, Dist.
Ahmednagar, in Sessions Case No.49 of 2021, vide judgment and order
dated 31.10.2023, for the offences punishable under Sections 302 and
307 r/w. 149, and Section 148 of Indian Penal Code.
2 1-crappln327.2024
2. In short, the case of prosecution is that there is civil
dispute over agricultural land between the informant and his family
on one hand and the applicants and their family, on the other. On
31.12.2020, when the informant (PW 1 - Kishor) and his brother
Gaurav (deceased) were returning on motorbike after attending a
programme, the applicants assaulted the informant and deceased
Gaurav with weapons like sickle, iron rod and spade, etc. Due to the
injuries suffered, the informant's brother Gaurav died. The incident
was reported to the police. Crime came to be registered and the
applicants were tried.
3. Learned senior counsel for the applicants, on
instructions, submits that he is not pressing the application of
applicant no.5 - Sachin s/o Vasant Nehe. He submits that after the
incident, the informant went to the concerned police station,
however, he did not lodge the report. He submits that the informant
lodged the report on the next date in the evening. There was
sufficient time to concoct the story. He submits that a typed report
was filed by the informant to the concerned police station and
therefore, the same cannot be accepted or believed. The weapons
recovered at the instance of the applicants did not bear blood stains.
He submits that the cause of death is shown as injury on head, which
3 1-crappln327.2024
is attributed to applicant no.5, whose application has not been
pressed. He submits that the applicants, except applicant no.5, were
on bail during trial. Learned senior counsel, therefore, urged for
allowing of the application.
4. Learned APP for respondent no.1 and learned counsel for
respondent nos.2 and 3, on the other hand, submits that the case is
based on the testimonies of eye-witnesses. The informant is injured
witness. The applicants assaulted with weapons like sickle, iron rod
and spade, etc. They submit that though the death is due to head
injury, the post mortem report shoes that the injuries are thirteen in
number on the dead body of Gaurav. They submit that the
applicants do not deserve suspension of sentence and bail.
5. Perused the paper book. The incident, as per the report
lodged by PW 1 - Kishor (informant), took place on 31.12.2020 at
around 06.30 p.m. It is not in dispute that there are station diary
entries, which read as under:-
Ex-134 - General Diary Details
यावेळी नोंद घेण्यात येते कि किशोर अनिल कडू , वय 22, धंदा शिक्षण,
रा.तिसगाव प्रवरा, तालुका राहता हे लोहगाव शिवारात गट न ६० मध्ये
जमिनीच्या वादावरून मारामारी झाल्याने पोलीस स्टेशनला आले असता
त्यांची फिर्याद घेणं असताना त्यांनी वाढीव हकीगत सांगत असल्याने त्यांना
खरी परिस्थिती आम्हाला सांगा असे म्हणालो असता व तसेच तुमच्या
फिर्यादीच्या हकिगती संदर्भात मी आमच्या वरिष्ठांना फोन करून कल्पना
देतो व त्यांच्या आदेशाप्रमाने तसेच तुम्ही आमच्या वरिष्ठांशी सदर
4 1-crappln327.2024
घटनेबाबत चर्चा करून बोलून घ्या. त्यांच्या आदेशाप्रमाणे तुम्ही सांगाल
तशी फिर्याद घेत आहे असे म्हणल्यावर किशोर अनिल कडू व त्याचा
सोबत असणारे त्यांचे इतर नातेवाईक म्हणाले आम्हाला आता फिर्याद
द्यावयाची नाही आम्ही गुळवे साहेबांशी बोललो आहे त्यांनी सां गितले कि
आता फिर्याद देऊ नका आपण उद्या सविस्तर फिर्याद देऊ असे आम्हास
सांगितले व आम्हास म्हणाले तुमच्या बद्दल आम्हाला काही राग नाही
आम्ही विचारपूर्व क निर्णय घेऊन आता फिर्याद देत नाही आम्ही आता घरी
जात आहोत. उद्या आम्ही पोलीस स्टेशनला येऊन पाटील साहेबांची भेट
घेऊन त्यांना सविस्तर हकीगत सांगून तक्रार दाखल करू असे
कळविल्याने नोंद.
Ex-135 - General Diary Details
यावेळी पी एम टी हॉस्पिटल लोणी येथून मेमो न २०७१४९२० पेशंट नाव
गौरव अनिल कडू वय २४ वर्ष रा. तिसगाववाडी, ता राहता यास मारामारी
दरम्यान मर लागल्याने त्यास पुढील उपचाराकरिता दाखल केले असून
पुढील तजवीज पोना नेहूल हे करीत आहे
6. From the above station-diary entries, it is clear that
though the informant had gone to the police station, he stated
nothing against the applicants or the incident. What is seen is that
the report is lodged on the following day, i.e. 01.01.2021 at 03.51
p.m. and that too, in typed form. From this, we find substance in the
submission of learned senior counsel for applicants that there is
scope for concoction. The post mortem report shows that the cause
of death is `head injury', which, from the evidence available on
record, is attributed to applicant no.5. The other injuries mentioned
in column no.17 are abrasions and some contusions. Though the
evidence on record show that there was recovery of articles, wooden
rod and iron rods at the instance of the applicants, there are no
blood stains to link the said articles with the crime.
5 1-crappln327.2024
7. Admittedly, the applicants, except applicant no.5, were
on bail during trial. There is no possibility that the appeal will be
heard finally in near future.
8. In view of the above, we proceed to pass the following
order:-
(i) The application of applicant no.5 - Sachin s/o Vasant
Nehe is disposed of as not pressed.
(ii) The application is allowed to the extent of applicant
nos.1 to 4 and 6 to 9.
(iii) During pendency of the appeal, the substantive sentence
of imprisonment imposed against applicant nos.1 to 4 and 6 to 9 by
learned Addl. Sessions Judge, Kopargaon, Dist. Ahmednagar, in
Sessions Case No.49 of 2021, vide judgment and order dated
31.10.2023, for the offences punishable under Sections 302 and 307
r/w. 149, and Section 148 of Indian Penal Code, to stand suspended.
(iv) The applicant nos.1 to 4 and 6 to 9 namely, Amol s/o
Dilip Nehe, Kishor s/o Lahanu Nehe, Vasant s/o Lahanu Nehe, Suresh
s/o Lahanu Nehe, Prasad s/o Prakash Nehe, Akash s/o Rohidas
Chechare, Mayur s/o Rohidas Chechare and Jagannath s/o Kisan
6 1-crappln327.2024
Pandgale be released on bail, on executing P.R. Bond in the sum of
Rs.15,000/- (Rupees Fifteen Thousand) each with one solvent surety
each in the like amount.
[NEERAJ P. DHOTE, J.] [R.G. AVACHAT, J.]
KBP
