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State Of Kerala,Rep.By vs Jaison ,S/O Antony
2025 Latest Caselaw 9330 Ker

Citation : 2025 Latest Caselaw 9330 Ker
Judgement Date : 6 October, 2025

Kerala High Court

State Of Kerala,Rep.By vs Jaison ,S/O Antony on 6 October, 2025

                                             1
Crl. Appeal No. 2506/2006 & connected case              2025:KER:72638




                  IN THE HIGH COURT OF KERALA AT ERNAKULAM

                                      PRESENT

                  THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE JOHNSON JOHN

          MONDAY, THE 6TH DAY OF OCTOBER 2025 / 14TH ASWINA, 1947

                              CRL.A NO. 2506 OF 2006

       JUDGMENT DATED 22.10.2005 IN SC NO.98 OF 2004 OF ADDITIONAL
      SESSIONS COURT (ADHOC-II), ERNAKULAM

APPELLANT/ACCUSED IN S.C. NO. 98/2004:

             JAISON, AGED 30, S/O.ANTONY, THEKKA VALYAPARAMBATH VEETTIL,,
             NEAR KALLAKASSERI TEMPLE, CHEMMANATHKARA, T.V.PURAM
             PANCHAYATH, VAIKOM TALUK.


             BY ADVS.
             SRI.DHANESH MATHEW MANJOORAN
             SRI.V.A.NAVAS
             Sri. JAYASHANKAR P.G., STATE BRIEF



RESPONDENT:

             STATE OF KERALA, REPRESENTED BY THE CIRCLE INSPECTOR OF
             POLICE, HILL PALACE POLICE STATION, THROUGH THE PUBLIC
             PROSECUTOR, HIGH COURT OF KERALA.

             BY SMT. HASNAMOL N.S., PUBLIC PROSECUTOR

      THIS CRIMINAL APPEAL HAVING BEEN FINALLY HEARD ON 25.09.2025, ALONG
      WITH CRL.A.707/2012, THE COURT ON 06.10.2025 DELIVERED THE
      FOLLOWING:
                                              2
Crl. Appeal No. 2506/2006 & connected case             2025:KER:72638

                  IN THE HIGH COURT OF KERALA AT ERNAKULAM

                                      PRESENT

                  THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE JOHNSON JOHN

          MONDAY, THE 6TH DAY OF OCTOBER 2025 / 14TH ASWINA, 1947

                               CRL.A NO. 707 OF 2012

      JUDGMENT DATED 22.10.2005 IN SC NO.98 OF 2004 OF ADDITIONAL
SESSIONS COURT (ADHOC-II), ERNAKULAM
        CP NO.29 OF 2002 OF ADDITIONAL CHIEF JUDICIAL MAGISTRATE,
ERNAKULAM

APPELLANT/COMPLAINANT:

             STATE OF KERALA, REP. BY PUBLIC PROSECUTOR, HIGH COURT OF
             KERALA, ERNAKULAM.


             BY ADV. SRI. ALEX M. THOMBRA, PUBLIC PROSECUTOR


RESPONDENTS/ACCUSED:

      1      JAISON, S/O ANTONY,
             THEKKA VALIYAPARAMBATH VEETIL, NEAR KALLAKASERI TEMPLE,
             CHEMMANATHAKARA, T.V.PURAM PANCHAYATH, VAIKOM.

      2      BIJU, S/O.VARGHESE, THAZHATHE VEETTIL,, MANAKUNNAM VILLAGE,
             UDAYAMPEROOR DESOM,, ERNAKULAM DISTRICT.

      3      MOHANAN @PHUMBAR MOHANAN
             S/O.PRABHAKARAN,MUTTATHEVELI VEETTIL,, MANAKUNNAM VILLAGE,
             UDAYAMPEROOR DESOM, ERNAKULAM DISTRICT.


             BY ADVS.
             SRI.P.T.JOSE
             SRI.G.SABASTIAN
             SRI.SANJAY THAMPI
             SRI. JAYASHANKAR P.G

      THIS CRIMINAL APPEAL HAVING BEEN FINALLY HEARD ON 25.09.2025, ALONG
      WITH CRL.A.2506 OF 2006, THE COURT ON 06.10.2025 DELIVERED THE
      FOLLOWING:
                                              3
Crl. Appeal No. 2506/2006 & connected case               2025:KER:72638

                                                                  'C.R'


                            JOHNSON JOHN, J.
           ---------------------------------------------------------
               Crl. Appeal Nos.2506 of 2006 & 707 of 2012
            ---------------------------------------------------------
                    Dated this the 6th day of October, 2025

                                 JUDGMENT

These appeals are filed by the State and the first accused in S.C.

No. 98 of 2004 on the file of the Additional Sessions Judge (Adhoc-II),

Ernakulam challenging the judgment dated 22.10.2005. The State is

challenging the acquittal of accused No.1 for the offence punishable

under Section 307 IPC and the acquittal of accused Nos. 2 and 3 for the

offences under Sections 341, 324 and 307 r/w 34 IPC. The first accused

is challenging the conviction and sentence imposed on him for the

offence under Section 324 IPC.

2. The prosecution case is that the accused persons, because of

previous enmity and in furtherance of their common intention, to murder

PW1 and cause hurt to PW2, joined together at a place near Narasimha

Swamy temple at Udayamperoor on 05.08.2001 at about 7.30 p.m. and

accused Nos. 2 and 3 wrongfully restrained PW1, and the first accused

stabbed PW1 with a knife below the left chest with intention to kill him

Crl. Appeal No. 2506/2006 & connected case 2025:KER:72638

and when PW2 intervened, the first accused inflicted a cut injury with

the knife above the ankle portion of the left leg and caused hurt and the

accused are thereby alleged to have committed the offences under

Sections 341, 324 and 307 r/w 34 IPC.

3. Before the trial court, when the accused persons pleaded not

guilty to the charge, the prosecution examined PWs 1 to 16 and marked

Exhibits P1 to P20 and MOs 1 to 5 series. The chemical analysis report is

marked as Exhibit C1 and from the side of the defence, Exhibits D1 to

D3 are marked.

4. After hearing both sides and considering the oral and

documentary evidence on record, the learned Additional Sessions Judge

found the first accused guilty under Section 324 IPC and sentenced him

to undergo imprisonment for two years and the first accused was found

not guilty of the offence under Section 307 IPC and accused Nos. 2 and

3 are found not guilty of the offences under Sections 341, 324 and 307

r/w 34 IPC.

5. Heard Sri. Alex M. Thombra, the learned Public Prosecutor and

Sri. Jayashankar P.G., the learned State Brief-advocate representing the

appellant in Crl. Appeal No. 2506 of 2006 and the respondents in the

Crl. Appeal No. 2506/2006 & connected case 2025:KER:72638

connected appeal, Crl. Appeal No. 707 of 2012.

6. The learned Public Prosecutor argued that the evidence of PWs

1 and 2, injured witnesses, regarding the occurrence and overt acts

committed by the accused persons are not appreciated by the trial court

in the facts and circumstances of the case and that the evidence of

injured witness has greater evidentiary value and unless compelling

reasons exist, their evidence are not to be discarded lightly. It is argued

that for attracting conviction under Section 307 IPC, the court has to see

whether the act, irrespective of its result, was done with the intention or

knowledge and under circumstances mentioned in the Section, as held

by the Apex Court in State of Maharashtra v. Balram Bama Patil

and Others [1983 KHC 367]. It is also argued that the evidence of

PWs 1 and 2 would clearly show that accused Nos. 2 and 3 wrongfully

restrained PW1 at the time of occurrence so as to help the first accused

to stab PW1 and therefore, the findings in the impugned judgment are

liable to be set aside.

7. The learned State Brief, Adv.Jayashankar P.G., representing

the accused persons, argued that there is nothing in the evidence of PWs

1 and 2 to show that the accused persons committed the alleged acts

with pre-meditation and their evidence clearly shows that the alleged

incident occurred after a verbal quarrel between PW2 and the first

Crl. Appeal No. 2506/2006 & connected case 2025:KER:72638

accused and in the absence of satisfactory evidence to show that the

alleged act was done with the intention or knowledge as contemplated

under Section 307 IPC, there is no reason to interfere with the findings

of the trial court in this regard. The learned State Brief also argued

that the evidence of PWs 1 and 2 regarding the involvement and alleged

overt acts of the second and third accused are contradictory and

inconsistent and Exhibit P15, report for adding the name and address of

accused Nos. 2 and 3, is dated 11.08.2001 and in the absence of

independent evidence regarding the involvement of accused Nos. 2 and

3, the trial court rightly acquitted them and there is no reason to

interfere with the findings of the trial court in this regard.

8. Exhibit P10, FIR in this case, was registered by PW13, Head

Constable, on the basis of Exhibit P4 intimation from PW7, Casualty

Medical Officer of Medical Trust Hospital, Ernakulam on 06.08.2001 for

the offence under Section 324 IPC. According to PW13, when he reached

the Medical Trust Hospital, on getting telephone message from the

hospital, the injured was in the operation theatre and there was no other

person having information about the incident and therefore, after

Crl. Appeal No. 2506/2006 & connected case 2025:KER:72638

obtaining Exhibit P4, intimation letter from the doctor, he registered

Exhibit P10, FIR.

9. PW1 deposed that on 05.08.2001, at about 7.30 p.m., while he

was talking to his friend, Anil Kumar, inside the bus waiting shed at

Udayamperoor Madom bus stop, Jaison, fuser Mohanan and Biju came

there and there occurred a verbal altercation between the said persons

and his friend, Anil Kumar, and then the first accused, Jaison, stabbed

him with a knife, uttering to kill him. According to PW1, accused Nos. 2

and 3 caught hold of his hands to help the first accused to stab him with

the knife. PW1 would say that even though the first accused stabbed him

aiming at his left chest, he sustained injuries near his armpit. PW1 also

deposed that when his friend, Anil Kumar, intervened, there occurred

scuffle between Anil Kumar and Jaison and then Anil Kumar fell down

and Jaison inflicted a cut injury with the knife above the ankle of the left

leg.

10. PW1 also deposed that in the previous year, there occurred an

incident in which the accused persons quarrelled with some children near

the bus stop and at that time, the witness supported the said children

and because of that previous enmity, the accused persons attacked

Crl. Appeal No. 2506/2006 & connected case 2025:KER:72638

him.

11. PW2, Anil Kumar, deposed that on 05.08.2001, while he was

talking to PW1 at the bus stop, Jaison, Fuser Mohanan and Biju came

from southern side and on seeing the accused persons, himself and PW1

moved towards the front of the STD booth. According to PW2, the

accused persons reached there and started a verbal altercation with him.

PW2 would say that 6 months before, there occurred a verbal altercation

between Jaison and some children near the SNDP Temple and Jaison was

having enmity towards him for the reason that he has not supported

Jaison at that time. PW2 deposed that during the verbal altercation, Biju

and Mohanan came behind PW1 and caught on his hands from behind

and at that time, Jaison stabbed PW1, Deepu, with a knife. According to

PW2, when he intervened, there occurred a scuffle between him and

Jaison and then Jaison pushed him down and inflicted a cut injury with

the knife above the ankle of his left leg. The evidence of PW2 shows that

on sustaining the cut injury, he ran and entered into Pullukadu temple

and subsequently, he was taken to RCM Hospital by his friends on a

bike.

Crl. Appeal No. 2506/2006 & connected case 2025:KER:72638

12. PWs 3, 4 and 5 are the independent witnesses examined from

the side of the prosecution; but, they turned hostile to the prosecution.

The evidence of PWs 4 and 5 shows that they have not witnessed the

alleged occurrence. The evidence of PW3 shows that he was conducting

a Milma booth near the bus stop and on 05.08.2001, at about 7.30 p.m.,

he heard a commotion there and saw Deepu and Jaison. According to

PW3, Jaison was holding a knife and it appeared to him that there

occurred a scuffle and immediately, he closed the shop and left the

place.

13. PW6 is a witness to Exhibit P2 scene mahazar. PW7 is the

doctor who examined PW1 in the Medical Trust Hospital, Ernakulam on

05.08.2001 at 9.55 p.m. and issued Exhibit P3, wound certificate. The

evidence of PW7 and Exhibit P3 shows that PW1 sustained the following

injuries:

1. Incised wound on the left infra axillary region penetrating into chest cavity-bleeding profusely.

2. Aberration in the left index finger.

3. Pain on deep inspiration.

14. In Exhibit P3, the alleged cause of injury is noted as follows:

'ജയ്‌സൺ എന്നയാൾ കത്തികൊണ്ടു കുത്തിയത് മഠം സ്റ്റോപ്പ് ഉദയംപേരൂർ വെച്ച് 5.8.2001ന് 7.15 pm'

Crl. Appeal No. 2506/2006 & connected case 2025:KER:72638

The evidence of PW7 and Exhibit P3 shows that PW1 was conscious and

oriented and smell of alcohol was present in his breath at the time of

examination.

15. PW8 is the doctor who examined PW2, Anil Kumar in RCM

Hospital, Tripunithura on 05.08.2001 at 7.45 p.m. and issued Exhibit P5,

wound certificate. The evidence of PW8 and Exhibit P5 shows that PW2

sustained a cut injury lower one-third of left leg. In Exhibit P5, wound

certificate, history and alleged cause of injury is noted as 'assault'. In

cross examination, PW8 stated that the alleged cause of injury was

stated by the patient.

16. PW13 deposed that on 06.08.2001, while working in Hillpalace

Police Station as Head Constable, he got telephone message from

Medical Trust Hospital, Ernakulam that a patient by name Deepu, who

sustained stab injuries, is admitted there and accordingly, when he

reached the hospital, the injured Deepu was in the operation theatre and

there was no other person who is aware about the occurrence and

hence, he obtained Exhibit P4, intimation letter from the doctor, and

thereafter, on the basis of Exhibit P4, intimation letter, he registered

Crl. Appeal No. 2506/2006 & connected case 2025:KER:72638

Exhibit P10 FIR.

17. PW15 is the Sub Inspector who conducted the investigation.

According to PW15, he recovered the dress worn by PW2 at the time of

occurrence and the dress worn by PW1 at the time of occurrence as per

Exhibits P12 and P13 mahazars respectively. The report filed by PW15

for adding Section 307 IPC is marked as Exhibit P14. PW15 deposed

that he arrested the first and second accused in this case on 10.08.2001.

According to PW15, the first accused made a statement that he kept the

knife under the bed in the Government Hospital where he was admitted

for treatment and accordingly, as led by the accused, the witness

proceeded to the Government Hospital, Puthenkavu and the accused

took out the knife from the underside of a bed in the hospital and the

same was recovered as per Exhibit P6 mahazar.

18. PW9 is an attestor to Exhibit P6 mahazar. Even though, PW9

admitted his signature in Exhibit P6, his evidence clearly shows that he

has not witnessed the alleged recovery of MO1 and that the accused is

not known to him.

19. The learned State Brief, Adv. Jayashankar P.G., representing

Crl. Appeal No. 2506/2006 & connected case 2025:KER:72638

the accused, argued that the evidence of PW15, Investigating Officer,

regarding the alleged recovery of MO1, knife, on the basis of the alleged

confession statement of the first accused, does not satisfy the

requirements of law, as he has not deposed the exact statement made

by the first accused and the relevant portion of the disclosure statement

is also not produced or marked in evidence.

20. It is well settled that in order to enable the court to safely rely

upon the evidence of the Investigating Officer, it is necessary that the

exact words attributed to an accused, as statement made by him, be

brought on record and, for this purpose, the Investigating Officer is

obliged to depose in his evidence the exact statement and not by merely

saying that a discovery panchnama of weapon of offence was drawn as

the accused was willing to take it out from a particular place, as held by

the Honourable Supreme Court in Ramanand @ Nandlal Bharti v.

State of Uttar Pradesh [2022 KHC 7083]. In paragraphs 53 and 54 of

the said decision, the Honourable Supreme Court held thus:

53. If, it is say of the investigating officer that the accused appellant while in custody on his own free will and volition made a statement that he would lead to the place where he had hidden the weapon of offence along

Crl. Appeal No. 2506/2006 & connected case 2025:KER:72638

with his blood stained clothes then the first thing that the investigating officer should have done was to call for two independent witnesses at the police station itself. Once the two independent witnesses arrive at the police station thereafter in their presence the accused should be asked to make an appropriate statement as he may desire in regard to pointing out the place where he is said to have hidden the weapon of offence. When the accused while in custody makes such statement before the two independent witnesses (panch witnesses) the exact statement or rather the exact words uttered by the accused should be incorporated in the first part of the panchnama that the investigating officer may draw in accordance with law.

This first part of the panchnama for the purpose of S.27 of the Evidence Act is always drawn at the police station in the presence of the independent witnesses so as to lend credence that a particular statement was made by the accused expressing his willingness on his own free will and volition to point out the place where the weapon of offence or any other article used in the commission of the offence had been hidden. Once the first part of the panchnama is completed thereafter the police party along with the accused and the two independent witnesses (panch witnesses) would proceed to the particular place as may be led by the accused. If from that particular place anything like the weapon of offence or blood stained clothes or any other article is discovered then that part of the entire process would form the second part of the panchnama. This is how the law expects the investigating officer to draw the discovery panchnama as contemplated under S.27 of the Evidence Act. If we read the entire oral evidence of the investigating officer then it is clear that the same is deficient in all the aforesaid relevant aspects of the matter.

54. The reason why we are not ready or rather reluctant to accept the evidence of discovery is that the investigating officer in his oral evidence

Crl. Appeal No. 2506/2006 & connected case 2025:KER:72638

has not said about the exact words uttered by the accused at the police station. The second reason to discard the evidence of discovery is that the investigating officer has failed to prove the contents of the discovery panchnama. The third reason to discard the evidence is that even if the entire oral evidence of the investigating officer is accepted as it is, what is lacking is the authorship of concealment. The fourth reason to discard the evidence of the discovery is that although one of the panch witnesses PW - 2, Chhatarpal Raidas was examined by the prosecution in the course of the trial, yet has not said a word that he had also acted as a panch witness for the purpose of discovery of the weapon of offence and the blood stained clothes. The second panch witness namely Pratap though available was not examined by the prosecution for some reason. Therefore, we are now left with the evidence of the investigating officer so far as the discovery of the weapon of offence and the blood stained clothes as one of the incriminating pieces of circumstances is concerned. We are conscious of the position of law that even if the independent witnesses to the discovery panchnama are not examined or if no witness was present at the time of discovery or if no person had agreed to affix his signature on the document, it is difficult to lay down, as a proposition of law, that the document so prepared by the police officer must be treated as tainted and the discovery evidence unreliable. In such circumstances, the Court has to consider the evidence of the investigating officer who deposed to the fact of discovery based on the statement elicited from the accused on its own worth."

21. The learned counsel representing the accused persons pointed

out that the prosecution has no case that any of the hospital staff

witnessed the alleged recovery and no document is produced by the

prosecution to show that the first accused was admitted or treated in

Crl. Appeal No. 2506/2006 & connected case 2025:KER:72638

Government Hospital, Puthenkavu.

22. On an analysis of the evidence of PW15, Investigating Officer,

and PW9, attesting witness to Exhibit P6, I find that the evidence of the

Investigating Officer regarding the recovery of MO1 alleged to be kept

under a bed in a Government Hospital after several days of the alleged

occurrence, is not at all reliable and the same does not satisfy the

requirements of Section 27 of the Indian Evidence Act and hence, cannot

be accepted as legal evidence against the accused persons.

23. The prosecution is challenging the acquittal of the first

accused for the offence under Section 307 IPC. The learned Public

Prosecutor argued that the evidence of PWs 1 and 2 would clearly show

that the first accused committed the act with the intention to kill PW1

and with the knowledge that his act would cause the death of PW1 and

therefore, the trial court ought to have found that the first accused is

guilty of the offence under Section 307 IPC. It is true that to convict an

accused under Section 307 IPC, it is not necessary to show that bodily

injury capable of causing death was inflicted and the question to be

considered is whether the act, irrespective of its result, was done with

Crl. Appeal No. 2506/2006 & connected case 2025:KER:72638

the intention or knowledge and under circumstances mentioned in the

said Section.

24. The learned State Brief representing the first accused argued

that there is no evidence of any pre-meditation and that the evidence of

PWs 1 and 2 would clearly show that the initial verbal altercation was

between PW2 and the accused and only subsequently, the first accused

stabbed PW1. The evidence of PW3 indicates that there occurred a

scuffle between the first accused and PW1 and even as per the

prosecution case, the first accused stabbed PW1 only once and there

was no second attempt from the side of the first accused to stab PW1.

25. It is well settled that when a person sustains injuries in a fight

between two parties in a sudden quarrel, the case does not fall under

Section 307 IPC, as held by the Honourable Supreme Court in Hari

Kishan and State of Haryana v. Sukhbir Singh and others [AIR

1988 SC 2127]. I find no reason to disagree with the finding of the trial

court that the totality of the circumstances does not indicate that the

first accused committed the act with the intention or knowledge

contemplated under Section 307 IPC.

Crl. Appeal No. 2506/2006 & connected case 2025:KER:72638

26. The learned Public Prosecutor argued that the trial court was

not justified in discarding the evidence of PWs 1 and 2 against accused

Nos. 2 and 3. The learned Public Prosecutor invited my attention to the

evidence of PWs 1 and 2 to point out that PWs 1 and 2 categorically

deposed regarding the involvement of accused Nos. 2 and 3 and the

specific overt acts committed by them at the time of occurrence. The

learned State Brief representing the accused argued that the evidence of

PWs 1 and 2 regarding the involvement of accused Nos. 2 and 3 does

not tally with the contemporaneous documents and that their evidence

regarding the involvement and alleged overtacts against accused Nos. 2

and 3 can only be seen as an after-thought or embellishment and there

is no reason to interfere with the finding of the trial court in this regard.

27. As noticed earlier, PW13, Head Constable, registered Exhibit

P10, FIR, on the basis of Exhibit P4, intimation letter from the doctor. In

Exhibit P4, the alleged history is shown as assault by Jaison with a knife

and there is nothing in Exhibit P4 to indicate the involvement of accused

Nos. 2 and 3 in the incident. It is true that if any information disclosing a

cognizable offence is laid before an officer in charge of a police station

Crl. Appeal No. 2506/2006 & connected case 2025:KER:72638

satisfying the requirements of Section 154(1) of Cr.P.C., the said police

officer has no other option except to enter the substance thereof in the

prescribed form, that is to say, to register a case on the basis of such

information.

28. In Lalita Kumari v. Government of Andhra Pradesh [2013

(4) KLT 632 (SC)], the Honourable Supreme Court held that the object

sought to be achieved by registering the earliest information as F.I.R. is

inter alia two fold: one, that the criminal process is set into motion and

is well documented from the very start; and second, that the earliest

information received in relation to the commission of a cognizable

offence is recorded so that there cannot be any embellishment etc.,

later.

29. It is pertinent to note that in Exhibit P10, FIR registered under

Section 324 IPC, the name of accused Nos. 2 and 3 are not shown as

accused persons. In column No. 7 of Exhibit P10, the accused is shown

as 'Jaison', who is the first accused in this case. The evidence of PW15,

Investigating Officer, shows that he arrested accused Nos. 1 and 2 on

10.08.2001 at 2.30 p.m. In cross examination, PW15 admitted that

Crl. Appeal No. 2506/2006 & connected case 2025:KER:72638

when he arrested the second accused, there was no document before

the court to show the involvement of the second accused in this case. It

is also pertinent to note that Exhibit P15 report regarding the name and

address of accused Nos. 2 and 3 is dated 11.08.2001. Even though PW3

was declared hostile to the prosecution, his evidence indicates the

presence of the first accused and a scuffle between the first accused and

PW1 and there is nothing in the evidence of PW3 to indicate the

presence of accused Nos. 2 and 3 at the time of occurrence. Therefore,

considering the delay in recording the statements of PWs 1 and 2 by the

Investigating Officer and the absence of the name of accused Nos. 2 and

3 in the contemporaneous documents, I find no reason to interfere with

the finding of the trial court that accused Nos. 2 and 3 are entitled to the

benefit of reasonable doubt and in that circumstance, I find no reason to

interfere with the acquittal of accused Nos. 2 and 3.

30. The first accused is the appellant in Crl. Appeal No. 2506 of

2006 and he is challenging his conviction and sentence for the offence

under Section 324 IPC. On behalf of the first accused, it is argued that

the trial court has not believed the evidence of PWs 1 and 2 as against

Crl. Appeal No. 2506/2006 & connected case 2025:KER:72638

accused Nos. 2 and 3 and therefore, the trial court is not justified in

accepting the evidence of PWs 1 and 2 against the first accused. It is

also argued that the prosecution has suppressed material facts and the

evidence of PW15, Investigating Officer, regarding the recovery of the

weapon of offence, is not at all reliable and in that circumstance, the

first accused is also entitled for the benefit of reasonable doubt.

31. It is well settled that the evidence of injured witness has

greater evidentiary value and unless compelling reasons exist, their

statements are not to be discarded lightly, as held by the Honourable

Supreme Court in Balu Sudam Khalde v. State of Maharashtra

[(2023) 13 SCC 365]

32. The learned Public Prosecutor argued that the principle

governing "falsus in uno falsus in omnibus" has got no application to the

courts in India and merely because a prosecution witness was not

believed in respect of one accused, the testimony of the said witness

cannot be disregarded against the other accused. The decision of the

Honourable Supreme Court in Ram Vijay Singh v. State of U.P. [2021

(1) KLT OnLine 1159 (SC)] and T. G. Krishnamurthy & Ors. v. State

Crl. Appeal No. 2506/2006 & connected case 2025:KER:72638

of Karnataka & Ors. [2023 LiveLaw (SC) 67], shows that the principle

governing "Falsus in uno, falsus in omnibus" has got no application to

the courts in India and therefore, it is the duty of the court to remove

the chaff from the grain in its pursuit for truth.

33. In this case, the evidence of PWs 1 and 2 regarding the

involvement of the first accused and the overt act committed by him is

corroborated by medical evidence and contemporary documents marked

in evidence. There is no material contradiction or omission in the

evidence of PWs 1 and 2 as against the first accused. Even though, the

evidence of PW15 regarding the recovery of MO1 on the basis of

disclosure statement of the first accused is not reliable, it is pertinent to

note that PWs 1 and 2 identified MO1 as the knife used by the first

accused and further, for convicting an accused, recovery of the weapon

used in commission of an offence is not a sine qua non, as held by the

Honourable Supreme Court in Rakesh v. State of U.P. [2021 (4) KLT

OnLine 1170 (SC)].

34. On a careful re-appreciation of the entire evidence, I find no

reason to interfere with the conviction and sentence imposed on the first

Crl. Appeal No. 2506/2006 & connected case 2025:KER:72638

accused for the offence under Section 324 IPC. Therefore, the conviction

and sentence as against the first accused/appellant is confirmed.

For the above stated reasons, I find no merrit in the present

appeals. In the result, both the above appeals stand dismissed.

sd/-

JOHNSON JOHN, JUDGE.

Rv

 
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