Madras High Court

Epu:Gpf;Fg;Gltpy;Iy/ Vdnt. ... vs Mathivanan on 3 December, 2021

                                                                              Crl.O.P.No.23069 of 2021
                                                                          in Crl.A.No.SR34871 of 2021

                                  IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS

                                                   DATED: 03.12.2021

                                                        Coram

                                      The Honourable Mr. Justice P.N.PRAKASH
                                                         and
                                     The Honourable Mrs. Justice R.HEMALATHA

                                              Crl.O.P.No.23069 of 2021
                                            in Crl.A.No.SR34871 of 2021

                     State represented by
                     The Inspector of Police,
                     Eravancheri Police Station,
                     Thiruvarur District.
                     (Crime No.20 of 2009)                                  ... Petitioner

                                                          Vs.
                     1.Mathivanan

                     2.Kalaiyarasan

                     3.Iyappan

                     4.Jegan @ Jayaprakash

                     5.Vimal @ Vimalraj

                     6.Mani @ Super @ Sivaprakasam

                     7.Anand @ Anandbabu

                     8.Raja                                                 ... Respondents

                     Page 1 of 11


https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis
                                                                                        Crl.O.P.No.23069 of 2021
                                                                                    in Crl.A.No.SR34871 of 2021

                                  Petition filed under Section 378(3) Cr.P.C. seeking to grant leave to

                     file an appeal to this Court against the judgment and order of acquittal dated

                     03.02.2017 passed in S.C.No.61 of 2013 on the file of the District and

                     Sessions Court, Thiruvarur.



                                           For Petitioner        : Mr.R.Muniyapparaj
                                                                   Govt. Advocate (Crl.Side)



                                                            ORDER

[Made by P.N.PRAKASH, J.]

This criminal original petition has been filed by the petitioner/State

seeking to grant leave to appeal to this Court against the judgment and order

of acquittal of the respondents/accused dated 03.02.2017 passed in

S.C.No.61 of 2013 on the file of the District and Sessions Court, Thiruvarur.

2. Challenging the acquittal of the respondents/accused, the

petitioner/State has filed the present appeal against acquittal with a delay of

1029 days, which, this Court, by order dated 26.11.2021 in

https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis Crl.O.P.No.23069 of 2021 in Crl.A.No.SR34871 of 2021

Crl.M.P.No.12167 of 2021 in Crl.A.No.SR34871 of 2021, condoned the

same and took up the main appeal for consideration.

3. It is the case of the prosecution that during the local body

elections, there was an intra party quarrel between the accused party and the

deceased party, in which, one Kesavalu is supposed to have been assaulted

by the accused party, resulting in the death of the former.

4. The prosecution case rests on the evidence of one of the injured

witnesses viz., Ramesh (PW1), who is also a party man.

5. The trial Court has carefully considered the evidence of Ramesh

(PW1) and has returned the following findings in paragraph nos. 24, 25, 26,

34 and 35:

“24/ m/rh/1 mtuJ FWf;F tprhuizapy;

KUifad; kfs; mdpjh. ma;ahW (v) buj;jdrghgjp. rpthde;jk;. gj;khtjp Mfpnahh; jd; kPJ g[fhh; bfhLj;J. jdf;F vjpuhf 3-

2008. 99-2008. 126-2008. 86-2011 kw;Wk; 56-2016

https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis Crl.O.P.No.23069 of 2021 in Crl.A.No.SR34871 of 2021

vd;w Fw;w vz;fspy; tHf;F gjpt[ bra;ag;gl;Ls;sij xg;gf [ ;bfhz;Ls;shh;/ ,tuJ rhl;rpaj;jpypUe;J m/rh/1f;F gy;ntW vjphpfs; cs;sdh; vd;gJk;. M/rh/1 gpur;ridf;Fhpa xU egh; vd;gjhft[k; bjhpa tUfpd;wJ/ vdnt. mtiu vjphpfs; jhd; jhf;fpdhh;fs; vd;gjhf m/rh/1My; vLj;Jiuf;fg;gLfpd;w Tw;W re;njfj;jpw;F ,lkhdjhfnt cs;sJ/ 25/ nkYk;. m/rh/1 mtuJ rhl;rpaj;jpy; jd;id btl;oaJ tpky; kw;Wk; b$fd; vd;Wk;. gpd;dh; vjphpfspy; ahUk; vd;id btl;ltpy;iy vd;Wk;. gpd;dpl;L jd;id btl;oaJ b$fd;

                                  kw;Wk;          Fkhh;          vd;W         khwp.            khwp
                                  rhl;rpakspj;Js;shh;/           m/rh/1d;     rhl;rpaj;jpd;go
                                  rk;gt         ,lj;jpy;          MW         egh;fs;          jhd;
                                  ,Ue;jpUf;fpwhh;fs;/             mth;fspy;           m/rh/1My;
                                  Fwpg;gplg;gl;l          ,e;j         nkw;fz;l            egh;fs;
                                  ,Ue;jhh;fs;         vd;why;.         mth;fsJ            bgaiu
                                  uhn$e;jpud;.                    n$hrg;                  brhy;yp

bjhpe;Jbfhz;ljhf m/rh/1 rhl;rpakspj;Js;sJ cz;ikbadpy;. rk;gt ,lj;jpy; jh';fs; ,y;iy vd;gjhf uhn$e;jpuDk;. n$hrg;g[k; rhl;rpakspj;Js;sJ Kuz;ghLilajhf fhzg;gLfpwJ/ rk;gt ,lj;jpy; ,y;yhj egh;fs; vjphpfspd; bgah;fis vt;thW

https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis Crl.O.P.No.23069 of 2021 in Crl.A.No.SR34871 of 2021

vLj;Jiuf;f Koa[k;/ rk;gt ,lj;jpy; ,Ue;jjhf vLj;Jf;bfhz;lhy; mth;fs; gpwH;rhl;rpfshdjw;F vd;d fhuzk; vd;gJ nghd;w tpdhf;fSf;F muRj;jug;g[ jf;f tifapy; tpsf;fkspf;f jtwptpl;lJ/ 26/ nkYk;. m/rh/1 mtuJ rhl;rpaj;jpy; nfrntYit btl;oaJ kzp (v) rptg;gpufhrk; vd;W Twptpl;L. tpky; vd;gth; btl;oajhf khw;wpf; TWfpwhh;/ m/rh/1My; mtiu btl;oath;fs; ahh; vd;gijna bjspthf brhy;y Koahj epiyapy;. mnj rkaj;jpy; btl;Lg;gl;l nfrntYit btl;oa egh;fs; ahh; vd;gij vt;thW bjspthf ,e;ePjpkd;wj;jpw;F vLj;Jiuf;f ,aYk;/ vdnt. m/rh/1d; rhl;rpak; muRj;jug;g[ tHf;if vjphpfSld;

                                  ,izf;fpd;w tpjkhf mikatpy;iy/
                                  /////////
                                              34/     nkYk;       kjpthzd;            kw;Wk;        mtuJ
                                  ez;gh;fs;             Mfpa           vjph;fs;       xd;W          nrh;e;J
                                  unkic&nah.                     nfrntYitnah                       bfhiy
                                  bra;antz;Lbkd;W                      rjpj;jpl;lk;       jPl;o.     mjd;
                                  gpd;               tpisthfj;jhd;                 Fw;w             rk;gtk;
                                  eilbgw;wjhf                   muRj;jug;gpy;          Iak;          jphpgw
                                  epU:gpj;fg;gltpy;iy.                  vdnt.       ,e;j           tHf;fpd;
                                  g[yd;              tprhuizapy;            Vw;gl;Ls;s              gy;ntW

https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis Crl.O.P.No.23069 of 2021 in Crl.A.No.SR34871 of 2021

Kuz;ghLfSk;. gpwH; Fw;w m/rh/1d; Fw;w mDrhpj;J gpwH; ,t;tHf;fpd; muRj;jug;gpy; vd;gjhfnt g[yd; tprhuizapYk;. fhzg;gLk; Vw;gl;Ls;s rk;gtj;jpw;fhd epU:gpf;fg;glhj Fw;w ,y;yhj Rkj;jg;gl;Ls;s epU:gpf;fg;glhj vdnt. xd;W nfrntYitf; nehf;fpy; bra;jjhfnth m/rh/1I jtpu kw;w rhl;rpfs; rhl;rpfshfptpl;l epiyapYk;. ,t;tHf;fpd; rk;gtj;jpw;F chpa xnu rhl;rpahd rhl;rpankKd;Df;Fg; gpd; Kuzhf rk;gtj;ija[k;. muRj;jug;g[ tHf;ifa[k; mikahj epiyapy;. kw;w rhl;rpfs; rhl;rpfshfptpl;Ls;s epiyapy;. vjphpfs; kPjhd Fw;wr;rhl;L Iak; jphpgw epU:gpf;fg;gltpy;iy ,e;ePjpkd;wk; fUJfpd;wJ/ 35/ vdnt. ,t;tHf;fpd; nkw;fz;lthW m/rh/1d; rhl;rpaj;jpYk; Kuz;ghLfSk;. Mtz';fspy; gy;ntW FiwghLfSk;. Fw;w Kd;tpnuhjk; bjspthf epiyapYk;. m/rh/1I jtpu ntW rk;gtj;ij neuo fz;Qqw;w rhl;rpfs; epiyapYk;. ,t;tHf;fpd; vjphp kPJ Fw;wr;rhl;Lf;fs; Iak; jphpgw epiyia Vw;gLj;JfpwJ/ vjphpfs; rl;ltpnuhj fyf Fk;gyhf To m/rh/1 unkic& jhf;fpanjh. bfhiy bra;antz;Lbkd;w xd;WToajhfnth. bfhiy muRj;jug;gpy; Iak; jphpgw

https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis Crl.O.P.No.23069 of 2021 in Crl.A.No.SR34871 of 2021

epU:gpf;fg;gltpy;iy/ vdnt. nkw;fz;lthW Vw;gLk; re;njf';fspd; gyd;fis vjphpf;F rhjfkhf;fpl ,e;ePjpkd;wk; jPh;khdpf;fpwJ/”

6. We find that the reasonings given by the trial Court are not

perverse or opposed to the evidences on record.

7. It is trite that the appellate Court should be slow in interfering

with the judgment and order of acquittal and when two views are possible on

the evidence available on record, the view that favours the accused merits

acceptance.

8. In this context, it may be apposite to refer to the judgment of

the Supreme Court in V. Sejappa vs. State1, wherein, the Supreme Court,

has broadly catalogued the parameters to be borne in mind by the Court

while dealing with an appeal against acquittal. The said parameters laid

down by the Supreme Court are profitably extracted hereunder:

“23. . . . . . Suffice it to say that this Court has

1 (2016) 12 SCC 150

https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis Crl.O.P.No.23069 of 2021 in Crl.A.No.SR34871 of 2021

consistently held that in dealing with appeals against acquittal, the appellate court must bear in mind the following:

(i) There is presumption of innocence in favour of an accused person and such presumption is strengthened by the order of acquittal passed in his favour by the trial court;

(ii) The accused person is entitled to the benefit of reasonable doubt when it deals with the merit of the appeal against acquittal;

(iii) Though, the powers of the appellate court in considering the appeals against acquittal are as extensive as its powers in appeals against convictions but the appellate court is generally loath in disturbing the finding of fact recorded by the trial court. It is so because the trial court had an advantage of seeing the demeanour of the witnesses. If the trial court takes a reasonable view of the facts of the case, interference by the appellate court with the judgment of acquittal is not justified. Unless the conclusions reached by the trial court are palpably wrong or based on erroneous view of the law or if such conclusions are allowed to stand, they are likely to result in grave injustice, the reluctance on the part of the appellate court in interfering with such conclusions is fully justified; and

(iv) Merely because the appellate court on reappreciation and re-evaluation of the evidence is

https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis Crl.O.P.No.23069 of 2021 in Crl.A.No.SR34871 of 2021

inclined to take a different view, interference with the judgment of acquittal is not justified if the view taken by the trial court is a possible view. The evenly balanced views of the evidence must not result in the interference by the appellate court in the judgment of the trial court.”

In such view of the matter, this is not a fit case to grant leave to appeal

against acquittal of the respondents/accused and accordingly,

Crl.O.P.No.23069 of 2021 is dismissed. Ex consequenti, Crl.A.No.SR34871

of 2021 stands rejected.

                                                                                 (P.N.P.,J.)    (R.H.,J.)
                                                                                       03.12.2021
                     nsd