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Balasaheb Maruti Baswant vs The State Of Maharashtra
2025 Latest Caselaw 3958 Bom

Citation : 2025 Latest Caselaw 3958 Bom
Judgement Date : 13 June, 2025

Bombay High Court

Balasaheb Maruti Baswant vs The State Of Maharashtra on 13 June, 2025

Author: Sarang V. Kotwal
Bench: Sarang V. Kotwal
2025:BHC-AS:24504-DB


                                                 :1:                          902-apeal-410-18-J.odt

                       IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY
                            CRIMINAL APPELLATE JURISDICTION

                                    CRIMINAL APPEAL NO.410 OF 2018

            Balasaheb Maruti Baswant                                .....Appellant
                        Versus
            The State of Maharashtra                                .....Respondent
                                                  .....
                                                 WITH
                                   INTERIM APPLICATION NO.490 OF 2023
                                                   IN
                                     CRIMINAL APPEAL NO.410 OF 2018
                                                  .....
                                  INTERIM APPLICATION NO.5341 OF 2024
                                                   IN
                                     CRIMINAL APPEAL NO.410 OF 2018

                                            -----
            Ms. Nasreen Ayubi, Advocate for the Appellant.
            Mr. Avinash A. Naik, APP for the Respondent-State.
                                            -----

                                                CORAM : SARANG V. KOTWAL &
                                                        SHYAM C. CHANDAK, JJ.

                                                DATE     : 13th JUNE, 2025

            ORAL JUDGMENT : [PER SARANG V. KOTWAL, J.]

1. The Appellant has challenged the judgment and order

dated 9.1.2018 passed by the Additional Sessions Judge, Thane in

Sessions Case No.356/2014. The Appellant was convicted for

commission of the offence punishable under Section 302 of IPC and

he was sentenced to suffer life imprisonment and to pay a fine of 1 of 23

Deshmane(PS)

:2: 902-apeal-410-18-J.odt

Rs.10,000/- and in default to suffer RI for three months. The

amount of fine, if recovered, was directed to be paid to the children

of the victim.

2. Heard Ms. Nasreen Ayubi, learned counsel for the

Appellant and Mr. Avinash A. Naik, learned APP for the

Respondent-State.

3. The prosecution case is that the Appellant was residing

with his wife Shobha and two sons Ashish and Atul. The Appellant

was addicted to liquor. On 21.12.2013, when the Appellant came

back to his house, he started scolding his elder son regarding his

non-attendance in the school . The Appellant's wife Shobha tried to

intervene. The Appellant then tied both his sons with dupattas. He

poured kerosene on Shobha and set her on fire. He ran away from

the house. The sons somehow untied the dupattas and tried to

extinguish the fire. One of them, went to their maternal uncle's

place, who was residing in the neighborhood and informed him

about the incident. He came to the spot. They took Shobha - first to

the police station, and then, to the civil hospital. She was admitted

to the hospital in the midnight. The Police Inspector tried to record

her statement in the night but at that time she was not in a position 2 of 23

:3: 902-apeal-410-18-J.odt

to give any statement as she was unconscious. She regained her

consciousness the next morning. The Police Inspector then

informed the S.E.M. Waghmare and requested him to record the

statement. The Police Inspector as well as the Special Executive

Magistrate recorded her dying declarations in the afternoon. She

had suffered injuries to the extent of 94%. Ultimately she

succumbed to her injuries. The statement recorded by the police

was treated as an FIR and the investigation was carried out. The

appellant had absconded. The postmortem examination was

conducted. The cause of death was mentioned as 'Septicemic Shock

in a case of 94% superficial to deep burns'. The spot panchnama

was conducted. The statements of the witnesses were recorded.

The Appellant was arrested after a few days from Barshi, District-

Solapur. At the conclusion of the investigation, the charge sheet

was filed.

4. The prosecution examined 10 witnesses during the

trial. There was direct evidence in the form of depositions of the

Appellant's sons who were the eyewitnesses. There were two

written dying declarations - one was recorded by the Police

Officer; and the other was recorded by the S.E.M.. The doctor, who 3 of 23

:4: 902-apeal-410-18-J.odt

had examined the deceased before recording of the dying

declaration was examined by the prosecution during the trial . The

medical officer who had conducted the postmortem examination

was examined. The articles were sent for Chemical Analysis. The

C.A. reports were produced on record. The investigating officer was

also examined.

5. The defence of the Appellant was of total denial. In

answer to a question put under Section 313 of Cr.P.C. he stated that

he was sleeping in the house at the time of the incident after

consuming liquor. Due to shouts he woke up and saw that his wife

was set on fire. Therefore, he made an attempt to extinguish the

fire and in that attempt had sustained burn injuries to his hand.

Apart from that, the Appellant has not given any explanation as to

why he absconded and as to why he did not tell anybody about the

incident and as to why he did not seek help of the neighbors.

6. The learned trial judge considered the evidence on

record. He accepted the evidence of the eyewitnesses and the

dying declarations; and based on this evidence reached the

conclusion that the Appellant had committed the said offence.

Accordingly, the learned trial Judge convicted and sentenced the 4 of 23

:5: 902-apeal-410-18-J.odt

Appellant as mentioned earlier.

7. The important evidence in this case is that of the

eyewitnesses as mentioned earlier. PW-3 Ashish Basawant is the

elder son of of the Appellant and the deceased. He has stated that

in the year 2013 he, his brother Atul, their parents i.e. the

Appellant and Shobha (deceased) were staying together. In

December 2013 he was studying in the 10 th standard. On the date

of occurrence, his father returned home. He asked PW-3 as to why

he was not attending the school. PW-3 answered that since the

Appellant was consuming liquor every day and was quarreling, he

was not interested in attending the school. The Appellant became

angry and started assaulting him. PW-3's mother (the deceased)

tried to intervene. Therefore the Appellant started assaulting her.

PW-3 asked his father not to assault his mother but the assault was

continued. PW-3 further stated that the Appellant then tied his

hands by a dupatta and tied him to the iron bed. The Appellant

also tied the hands of his brother by another dupatta and tied him

to a cupboard. Shobha was in the kitchen. The Appellant went to

the kitchen. PW-3 smelt kerosene. He somehow untied his hands

and went there. He saw that the Appellant was holding a lit 5 of 23

:6: 902-apeal-410-18-J.odt

matchstick in his hand. The Appellant had already poured kerosene

on his mother Shobha. The Appellant then threw the matchstick on

Shobha's saree. PW-3 tried to extinguish the fire, but, the Appellant

kicked him and did not allow him to douse the fire. PW-3 then

untied the hands of his brother, who went to their grandmother's

house to call her. The Appellant fled away. PW-3 shouted for help.

The neighbors came there. With their help, the fire was

extinguished. PW-3 took his mother to the police station and

thereafter on their advice took her to the hospital. The doctors told

him that his mother had suffered burn injuries to the extent of

94%. The Appellant never visited the hospital to see Shobha. PW-

3's mother Shobha passed away on 24.12.2013. The Appellant did

not attend the last rites. PW-3 later came to know that the

Appellant was arrested at Barshi, District - Solapur.

. In the cross examination, he has deposed that on the

date of the incident, the Appellant had consumed liquor in large

quantity. The dupatta, which was used to tie his hands, was not

handed over to the police. He denied the suggestion that the

Appellant sustained injuries during the incident. He further

explained that after the assault, his mother stood between himself 6 of 23

:7: 902-apeal-410-18-J.odt

and the Appellant and, therefore, the Appellant did not get any

room to escape and in that attempt had sustained injuries. He

further deposed that his statement was recorded on 24.12.2013.

His mother was admitted in the hospital at 12:30 in the midnight

between 20th and 21st December, 2013. He was there throughout

till her death. Within four hours of her admission in the hospital,

she lost her consciousness and regained her consciousness at 7:30

a.m. on the next morning. He used to leave the hospital in the

morning to take bath etc. and used to return within an hour.

According to him, the police visited the hospital on the next day

morning at 8:30 a.m. and then had recorded his mother's

statement. He further stated that his mother was always sad

because the Appellant was addicted to liquor. In the further cross

examination, certain omissions from his police statement were put

to him. He could not explain as to why his police statement did not

mention that his father had tied his hands before going to the

kitchen and that when he himself entered the kitchen the kerosene

was already poured on Shobha. He could not assign any reason as

to why these two facts were not referred in his police statement. He

further admitted that he had not told the police that Shobha had 7 of 23

:8: 902-apeal-410-18-J.odt

stood between himself and the Appellant and therefore the

Appellant had sustained injuries. He denied the suggestion that

Shobha had committed suicide in a fit of anger and that the

Appellant sustained burn injuries on his hand and chest in an

attempt to extinguish the fire.

8. PW-4 Atul Basawant was the other son of the couple,

who was examined as an eye witness to the incident. He had

narrated the incident in the same manner as was narrated by PW-3.

His narration is consistent with the deposition of PW-3. After

narrating the initial part, he deposed that after untying themselves

when they went to the kitchen, they saw that their father was

trying to set their mother on fire by using a matchstick. PW-3 tried

to resist him, but,the Appellant kicked and pushed PW-4. Then the

Appellant set Shobha on fire by using a matchstick. PW-4 further

deposed that he tried to extinguish the fire by pouring water on

her. The fire spread because of her saree. He then opened the

door and ran to call his grand-mother residing nearby. His grand-

mother and maternal uncle immediately rushed to the spot. By

that time, the neighbors had gathered there. The fire was

extinguished by pouring water. In the meantime, the Appellant had 8 of 23

:9: 902-apeal-410-18-J.odt

fled away from the spot. They then took Shobha to the police

station and then she was shifted to the civil hospital. She had

sustained 94% burn injuries. She was in the hospital for four days

and then she succumbed to the injuries.

In the cross-examination, he was asked as to why his

police statement did not mention that he was tied by a rope or that

his father had poured kerosene on Shobha. He was suggested that

his mother set herself on fire and the Appellant tried to extinguish

the fire and in the process suffered burn injuries. According to

him, when he opened the door the Appellant fled away from the

spot by pushing him aside. He denied the suggestion that getting

fed-up because of the Appellant's addiction to liquor, Shobha had

committed suicide.

9. PW-2 P.I. Vikas Babar was the police officer who had

recorded the first dying declaration of the deceased which was

treated as an F.I.R. resulting in registration of C.R. No.1007/2013

at Mumbra Police Station, District-Thane. He deposed that on

20.12.2013, he was attached to Mumbra police station and was on

duty as P.S.O.. At about 1.00 a.m. i.e. in the midnight Shobha's

relatives brought her to the police station. She was in an urgent 9 of 23

: 10 : 902-apeal-410-18-J.odt

need of medical aid. She was immediately taken to the Civil

Hospital for treatment. He himself went to the Civil Hospital for

recording her statement. At that time, the doctor opined that she

was not in a position to give a statement. PW-2 further deposed

that he then issued a letter to the Tahsildar requesting him to

record Shobha's statement. PW-2 himself again went to the Civil

Hospital. At that time the doctor permitted recording of the

statement. Accordingly, PW-2 recorded Shobha's statement at

11.35 a.m. on 21.12.2013. The statement is produced on record at

Exhibit-15. It was treated as an F.I.R.. He deposed that Shobha

stated that, at about midnight, when her husband was scolding her

elder son, she tried to intervene and on that count the Appellant

poured kerosene on her person and set her on fire. She further told

PW-2 that the Appellant then fled away from the spot. Her

relatives and children brought her to the police station after

extinguishing the fire. PW-2 recorded this statement. He obtained

signature of Shobha's mother and Shobha's son on the said

statement. The said dying declaration is produced on record at

Exhibit-15. Based on this statement, he registered the FIR. He

visited the spot of incident and recorded the spot panchnama. He 10 of 23

: 11 : 902-apeal-410-18-J.odt

seized the muddemal articles at the spot, viz., plastic can having

kerosene, clothes of the deceased etc..

In the cross-examination, he stated that he did not

obtain endorsement of the medical officer at the beginning and at

the end of the statement that the injured Shobha was in a position

to give the statement. However, Exhibit-15 clearly shows that there

is an endorsement of the doctor that the patient was able to give

her statement. Therefore, this admission is not correct. He denied

the suggestion that Shobha had set herself on fire.

10. PW-5 Rajratan Waghmare was working as a Talathi at

the relevant time. He received a letter requesting to record

Shobha's statement. On 21.12.2013 he went to the civil hospital,

Thane at about 2.00 p.m.. He met the doctor and asked him

whether the patient was in a position to make a statement. The

doctor made an endorsement on the request letter that the patient

was in a position to make a statement. He recorded Shobha's

statement. On his enquiry, Shobha told him that she made an

attempt to intervene in the quarrel between her husband and her

son and because of that, her husband poured kerosene on her and

set her on fire. Her son and one Samir extinguished the fire and 11 of 23

: 12 : 902-apeal-410-18-J.odt

then brought her to the hospital. PW-5 obtained impression of her

toe on the said statement as her hands were in a bandage. The

dying declaration recorded by PW-5 is produced on record at

Exhibit-22.

In the cross-examination, he admitted that he himself

did not make any endorsement on Exhibit-22 that the patient was

conscious to make statement. He obtained toe impression because

her hands were in bandage. The toe impression did not bear his

identification. There were burn injuries on the face, throat and

neck of Shobha. He denied the suggestion that when he went to

the hospital the patient was unconscious.

11. PW-8 Dr. Ujawala Kendre had examined the injured

Shobha and had given her endorsement that she was in a position

to make a statement. She deposed that on 21.12.2013, when she

was on duty, PW-5 approached her and requested to give her

opinion on Shobha's condition. PW-8 then accompanied PW-5

Waghmare to the burns ward. She examined the patient and gave

her opinion that Shobha was in a position to make a statement.

She gave her endorsement on the form of dying declaration. The

endorsement is produced on record at Exhibit-31. The 12 of 23

: 13 : 902-apeal-410-18-J.odt

endorsement mentions that the patient was conscious oriented and

was able to give statement. The time of the endorsement was 2.00

p.m. on 21.12.2013.

In the cross-examination, she admitted that there was

no endorsement on Exhibit-22 that she was present throughout the

recording of the dying declaration. There was a minor over-writing

on the time which she admitted was changed from 2.05 hours to

2.00 hours.

12. PW-6 Padmini Shinde was Shobha's mother. She has

narrated that Shobha's son Ashish had come to call her after the

incident and had informed PW-6 that the Appellant had poured

kerosene on her, had set her on fire and had fled away. She went

to the house of the Appellant and Shobha. By then Shobha was

already taken to the police station. She deposed that the Appellant

was in a habit of consuming liquor and was addicted to smoking

ganja, cigarette etc.. He used to beat Shobha.

In the cross-examination, she stated that she had not

lodged any complaint against the Appellant.

13. PW-7 Angad Sawant was Shobha's maternal uncle. He

was the brother of PW-6 Padmini. They were residing nearby.

                                                                              13 of 23





                                      : 14 :                        902-apeal-410-18-J.odt

After the incident, Shobha's son came to PW-6 and narrated the

incident. He made enquiry with Shobha's son Ashish, who informed

him about the incident. Then PW-7 and others went to the spot.

They took Shobha to the police station in an auto-rickshaw. PW-7

further deposed that he asked Shobha regarding the incident and at

that time she told him that her husband had poured kerosene on

her and had set her on fire. She further told him that the Appellant

was addicted to liquor and used to quarrel with her over their

children. He further deposed that Shobha was in the hospital for

three days and then she succumbed to her injuries. They

performed her last rites but the Appellant did not attend the last

rites. He deposed that in the past when there used to be quarrels

between the couple, he used to tell the Appellant to behave

properly.

In the cross-examination, he denied the suggestion that

Shobha committed suicide because she was fed up of the

harassment.

14. PW-9 Dr.Nishigandh Rokade had conducted the

postmortem examination. He deposed that Shobha had suffered

94% burn injuries and the cause of death was 'Septicemic Shock in 14 of 23

: 15 : 902-apeal-410-18-J.odt

a case of 94% superficial to deep burns'.

15. PW-1 Hanifa Shaikh was a pancha for spot panchnama,

which was conducted between 1.20 p.m. to 2.20 p.m. on

21.12.2013.

16. PW-10 P.I. Parmeshwar Tawade had conducted the

investigation. He deposed that he had recorded the statements of

the eye witnesses. The Appellant was arrested from Barshi. His

clothes were seized. He was arrested. The panchnama of the

Appellant's person conducted on 5.1.2014 was produced on record

at Exhibit-40. The panchnama mentions that the Appellant had

suffered burn injuries on some parts of right side of his face, nose

and ear. His hands, some part of the chest and neck also had burn

injuries. However, there is no actual medical evidence of his burn

injuries. PW-10 then sent the articles for chemical analysis. The

C.A. reports are produced on record by this witness. The C.A.

reports show that the articles were received in the FSL on

13.1.2014. The learned Judge has not given much importance to

the evidence of C.A. reports because the articles were sent

belatedly. It is also difficult to believe that the Appellant would

continue wearing the same clothes for so many days till 5.1.2014 15 of 23

: 16 : 902-apeal-410-18-J.odt

when the incident had occurred on 21.12.2013.

. This, in short, is the evidence led by the prosecution.

17. Learned counsel for the Appellant submitted that there

is discrepancy between the two dying declarations. There is also

discrepancy between the evidence of the eyewitnesses inter se; and

between their versions and the dying declarations. She submitted

that the Appellant had no intention to commit this offence because

he was angry with his son not attending the school. She submitted

that the Appellant's wife Shobha should have taken the side of the

Appellant in scolding his son for not attending the school. She

submitted that there was a strong possibility that the deceased had

committed suicide because of the quarrels. The eye witnesses who

were sons of the Appellant were deposing against the Appellant

because of the obvious grudge they were holding against him. In

any case the offence would not be the one under Section 302 of

IPC because there was no premeditation or preparation to commit

the offence and the offence had occurred on the spur of the

moment. She submitted that there was discrepancy in the

description of the spot of the incident. Though the evidence of the

eyewitnesses and the dying declarations mentioned that the 16 of 23

: 17 : 902-apeal-410-18-J.odt

incident had taken place inside the kitchen, the spot panchnama

carried out shows that there were signs of the incident taking place

outside the kitchen.

18. Learned APP, on the other hand, submitted that the

evidence led by the prosecution in the form of direct evidence and

in the form of dying declarations is natural and consistent. There is

no discrepancy in these statements. He submitted that there is no

force in the submission that it would be a lesser offence. It is a clear

case of the offence of murder as defined under Section 300 of

I.P.C., which is made punishable under Section 302 of I.P.C.. In

support of his contention in that behalf, he relied on the judgment

of the Hon'ble Supreme Court in the case of Santosh Shankar

Pawar Vs. State of Maharashtra1. He also relied on the another

judgment of the Hon'ble Supreme Court in the case of Anil Kumar

Vs. State of Kerala2. He, therefore, submitted that there is no merit

in the Appeal and it be dismissed.

19. We have considered these submissions. This is a case

where there is a direct evidence of two eye witnesses who were the

sons of the Appellant himself. The sons were sufficiently old to

1 Decided by the Hon'ble Supreme Court in Criminal Appeal No.683/2015 dated 21.4.2015 2 Decided by the Hon'ble Supreme Court in Criminal Appeal No.2697/2023 dated 1.11.2023 17 of 23

: 18 : 902-apeal-410-18-J.odt

understand the proceedings. They have given cogent and clear

evidence. Their evidence is absolutely consistent. Though there is

omission in their police statements in respect of the Appellant tying

them to the bed and the cupboard; the genesis of the incident and

the actual incident of setting Shobha on fire is consistently deposed

by both of them. They are natural witnesses who were present in

the house when the incident had taken place. They had informed

the others. They had extinguished the fire and had taken Shobha to

the hospital. There is no reason to doubt their version. Both of

them have stated that initially the Appellant started scolding PW-3

for not attending the school. The deceased Shobha tried to

intervene. The Appellant got angry and then poured kerosene on

Shobha and set her on fire. Both the sons had consistently deposed

that the Appellant had fled away from the spot. Though the

panchnama at Exhibit-40 shows that the Appellant had suffered the

burn injuries, there is no explanation why the Appellant did not

extinguish the fire and why he did not help others in extinguishing

the fire. The prosecution has sufficiently proved that after the

incident the Appellant had fled away from the spot and that he was

arrested only on 5.1.2014 i.e. after two weeks from the incident, 18 of 23

: 19 : 902-apeal-410-18-J.odt

that too, from a distant place at Barshi. The incident had taken

place in Mumbra District-Thane. Both the sons have consistently

deposed that the Appellant had fled away from the spot instead of

helping them in extinguishing the fire.

20. Apart from the direct evidence, there is evidence in the

form of dying declarations. There is one oral dying declaration and

two written dying declarations of the deceased.

21. PW-7 Angad Sawant, who was the maternal uncle of

the deceased, has spoken about the narration given by Shobha to

him when she was being taken to the hospital. There also she had

clearly stated that the Appellant had set her on fire.

22. PW-2 PI Vikas Babar had recorded the first dying

declaration, which bears an endorsement of the Medical Officer

that the deceased was able to give the statement. Shobha had

described the incident clearly as to how the Appellant had poured

kerosene on her and then had set her on fire. She had stated that

both her sons tried to extinguish the fire, but the Appellant pushed

them away. She ran towards a place where water was kept and her

sons poured water on her person. The Appellant fled away. This

version is consistent with the other evidence.

                                                                           19 of 23





                                      : 20 :                 902-apeal-410-18-J.odt

23. Same is the version mentioned in the dying declaration

recorded by PW-5 Rajaram Waghmare. An endorsement given by

the Dr Kendre is proved at Exhibit 31. The victim had survived for

three more days. There is no reason to disbelieve these two written

dying declarations and an oral dying declaration. The postmortem

notes show that the deceased had suffered 94% burn injuries. All

this evidence is cogent and consistent. Therefore, we are satisfied

that the prosecution has proved beyond reasonable doubt that the

Appellant had set her on fire.

24. The next question is whether the offence would fall

within any of the Exceptions to Section 300 of IPC or whether it

would be an offence of murder. In that connection the learned APP

relied on the aforesaid two judgments.

25. In the case of Santosh Pawar, the facts were that the

accused had suspected the fidelity of his wife. When she tried to

convince him, he assaulted her with fist and kicks. He then poured

kerosene on her and set her ablaze. When the wife started

screaming for help, the Appellant, in order to save her, poured

water on the deceased. The Hon'ble Supreme Court observed that

there was no provocation for the accused to pour kerosene and set 20 of 23

: 21 : 902-apeal-410-18-J.odt

his wife on fire. The act of pouring kerosene, though in a spur of

moment, the same was followed by lighting a match-stick and

throwing it on the deceased and thereby setting her ablaze. Both

the acts are intimately connected with each other and resulted in

causing the death of the deceased and the act of the accused is

punishable for murder. It was further observed that even assuming

that the accused had no intention to cause the death of the

deceased, the act of the accused falls under clause (iv) of Section

300 of IPC that is the act of causing injury so imminently

dangerous where it will in all probability cause death. Any person

of average intelligence would have the knowledge that pouring of

kerosene and setting her on fire by throwing a lighted matchstick is

so imminently dangerous that in all probability such an act would

cause injuries causing death. These observations are squarely

applicable to the case before us.

26. Similarly, in the case of Anil Kumar, the applicability or

otherwise of Exception 4 to Section 300 was considered. It was

observed that the accused in that case could not take advantage of

the 4th Exception only on the pretext that it was not on account of

premeditated mind or was out of a sudden fight or that his 21 of 23

: 22 : 902-apeal-410-18-J.odt

intentions were not bad as he tried his best to douse the fire and to

save the deceased wife. It was further observed by the Hon'ble

Supreme Court that said exception clearly in unequivocal terms

states that it would be applicable where culpable homicide is

committed not only without premeditated mind in a sudden fight

or quarrel but also without the offender taking "undue advantage"

of the situation. It was observed that in the case before the Hon'ble

Supreme Court, the accused therein upon seeing the deceased

drenched in kerosene clearly took advantage of the situation and

lighted a matchstick and threw it upon her so that she could be

burnt. Thus, the accused had taken "undue advantage" of the

situation and, therefore, could not seek benefit of Exception 4 to

Section 300 of IPC to bring the case within the ambit of Part-II of

Section 304 of IPC.

27. For reference, Exception 4 of Section 300 of IPC can be

reproduced as follows :

"300. Murder. - ...........

..................

..................

Exception 4. -- Culpable homicide is not murder if it is committed without premeditation in a sudden fight in the heat of passion upon a sudden quarrel and without

22 of 23

: 23 : 902-apeal-410-18-J.odt

the offender having taken undue advantage or acted in a cruel or unusual manner.

Explanation - It is immaterial in such cases which party offers the provocation or commits the first assault."

28. In the present case also the Appellant before us has

taken "undue advantage" of the situation. He acted in a cruel

manner. He had not tried to douse the fire. He, in fact, prevented

their sons from making an attempt to extinguish the fire. He fled

away from the spot. All this conduct of the Appellant shows that he

cannot take advantage of Exception 4 to Section 300 of IPC to

bring the case within Part II of Section 304 of IPC.

29. As a result of the above discussion, we do not find any

merit in this Appeal. Accordingly the Appeal is dismissed. With

dismissal of the Appeal, the connected Applications are also

disposed of.





                               ( SHYAM C. CHANDAK, J.)                           (SARANG V. KOTWAL, J.)



                               Deshmane (PS)






PRADIPKUMAR PRAKASHRAO
PRAKASHRAO DESHMANE
DESHMANE    Date:
            2025.06.21
            10:59:32
            +0530



                                                                                                              23 of 23





 

 
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