SHRI HARENDRA NATH BORAH v. STATE OF ASSAM

Citation: [2007] 1 S.C.R. 1211

Court: Supreme Court of India

Bench: ARIJIT PASAYAT, S.H. KAPADIA

Case summary

SHRI HARENDRA NATH BORAH v. STATE OF ASSAM.pdf

Judgment text

SHRl HARENDRA NATH BORAH v. STATE OF ASSAM JANUARY 24, 2007 [DR. ARIJIT PASAYAT AND S. H. KAPADIA, JJ. ] Indian Penal Code, 1860. Sections 299 & JOO-Distinction between 'murder' and culpable homicide not amounting to 'murder '-Held, in the scheme of/PC culpable homicide is genus and 'murder' its specie-All 'murder' is 'culpable homicide' but not vice-virsa- 'Culpable homicide' sans special characteristics ofmurder is 'culpable homicide not amounting to murder'- In the facts, conviction altered from Section 302 to Section 304 Part /. Sections 299(b) & 300(2)-Distinction-Held, the 'intention to cause death' is not an essential requirement of Section 300(2)-/ntention of causing bodily injury coupled with offender's knowledge of the likehood of such injury causing death of the particular victim, is sufficient to bring the killing within the ambit of Section 300(2)-Section 299(b) does not postulate any knowledge on the part of the offender.

Sections 299(b) & 300(3)-Distinction-Held, the distinction lies between a bodily injury likely to cause death and a bodily injury sufficient in the ordinary course of nature to cause death-Difference is one of the degree ofprobability of death resulting from the intended bodily injury- For cases to fall within clause (3), it is not necessary that the offender intended to cause death-Section 300(3) is applicable if there is intention to inflict that particular bodily injury which in the ordinary course of nature is sufficient to cause death. Sections 299(c) & 300(4)-Distinction-Held, Sections 299(c) & 300(4) both require knowledge of the probability of the act causing death-Section 300(4) is applicable where knowledge of offender as to probability of death approximates to a practical certainty. Prosecution alleged that truck driver-F was assaulted by appellant- y 1212 SUPREl\1E COURT REPORTS [2007] I S. C. R. \police personnel at 11 p. m.

as a result of which F became senseless and the appellant left him on the road and returned to the police station, F was brought to hospital for treatment and was referred to another hospital and on way to the hospital his condition became serious and he died. Trial Court convicted appellant for commission of offence under Section 302 Indian Penal Code, 1860 and sentenced him to imprisonment for life which was also upheld by the High Court in appeal. Hence this appeal by the accused .. police personnel. ( Partly allowing the appeal, the Court HELD : 1. The crucial question is as to which was the appropriate provision to be applied. In the scheme of the Indian Penal Code, 1860 culpable homicide is genus and 'murder' its specie. All 'murder' is 'culpable homicide' but not vice-versa. Speaking generally, 'culpable homicide' sans 'special characteristics of murder is culpable homicide not amounting to murder'.

For the purpose offixing punishment, proportionate to the gravity of the generic offence, the IPC practically recognizes three degrees of culpable homicide. The first is, what may be called, 'culpable homicide of the first degree'. This is the gravest form ofculpable homicide, which is defined in Section 300 IPC as 'murder'. The second may be termed as 'culpable homicide of the second degree'. Thus is punishable under the first part of Section 304 IPC. Then, there is 'culpable homicide of the third degree'. This is the lowest type of culpable homicide and the punishment provided for it is also the lowest among the punishments provided for the three grades. Culpable homicide of this degree is punishable under the second part of Section 304 IPC. [Para 7] [1216-E-GJ 2. The academic distinction between 'murder' and 'culpable homicide not amounting to murder' has always vexed the Courts.

The safest way of approach to the interpretation and application of these provisions seems to be to keep in focus the keywords used in the various clauses of Sections 299 and 300 IPC. [Para 8) [1216-H, 1217-A] 3. 1. Clause ~b) of Section 299 IPC corresponds with clauses (2) and (3) ofSection 300 IPC. The distinguishing feature of the mens rea requisite .... ( under clause (2) is the knowledge possessed by the offender regarding the particular victim being in such a peculiar condition or state of health that the internal harm caused to him is likely to. be fatal, notwithstanding the SHR! HARENDRA NATH BORAH v. STATE 1213 fact that such harm would not in the ordinary way of nature be sufficient to cause death of a person in normal health or condition. It is noteworthy that the 'intention to cause death' is not an essential requirement ofclause (2).

Only the intention of causing the bodily injury coupled with the offender's knowledge of the likelihood ofsuch injury causing the death of the particular victim, is sufficient to bring the killing within the ambit of this clause. This aspect of clause (2) is borne out by illustration (b) appended to Section 300. Clause (b) of Section 299 does not postulate any such knowledge on the part of the offender. Instances ofcases falling under clause (2) of Section 300 can be where the assailant causes death by a fist blow intentionally given knowing that the victim is suffering from an enlarged liver, or enlarged spleen or diseased heart and such blow is likely to cause death of that particular person as a result of the rupture of the liver, or spleen or the failure of the heart, as the case may be.

If the assailant had no such knowledge about the disease or special frailty of the victim, nor an intention to cause death or bodily inj1Jry sufficient in the ordinary course of nature to cause death, the offence will not be murder, even if the injury which caused the death, was intentionally given. (Paras 9 and IOI (1218-CJ 3. 2. In clause (3) of Section 300 JPC, ir. stead of the words 'likely to cause death' occurring in the corresponding clause (b) ofSection 299, the words "sufficient in the ordinary course of nature to cause death" have been used. Obviously, the distinction lies between a bodily injurY. likely to cause death and a bodily injury sufficient in the ordinary course of nature to cause death. The distinction is fine but real and if overlooked, may result in miscarriage ofjustice. The difference between clause (b) of Section 299 and clause (3) of Section 300 is one of the degree of probability of death p resulting from the intended bodily injury.

To put it more broadly, it is the degree ofprobability ofdeath which determines whether a culpable homicide is of the gravest, medium or the lowest degree. The word 'likely' in clause (b) of Section 299 conveys the sense of probable as distinguished from a mere possibility. The words "bodily injury..... sufficient in the ordinary course of nature to cause death" mean that death will be the "most probable" result to the injury having regard to the ordinary course of nature. For cases to fall within clause (3), it is not necessary that the offender intended to cause death, so long as the death ensues from the intentional bodily injury or injuries sufficient to cause death in the ordinary course of nature. Under clause thirdly of Section 300 IPC, y culpable homicide is murder, if both the following conditions are satisfied \- : i. e. (a)that the act which cause!

' death is done with the intention of causing death or is done with the intention ofcausing a bodily injury; and (b) that the injury intended to be inflicted is sufficient in the ordinary course of nature to cause death. It must proved that there was an intention to inflict that particular bodily injury which, in the ordinary course of nature, was sufficient to cause death, viz. , that the injury found to be present was the injury that was intended to be inflictt'd. r [Paras 10, 11 and 14] [1218-H, 1219-A, 1221-A-C) Rajwant and Anr. v. State ofKera/a, AIR (1966) SC 1874 and Virsa Singh v. State ofPunjab, AIR (1958) SC 465, relied on. 3. 3. Clause (c) ofSection 299 and clause (4) Section 300 both require knowledge of the probability of the act causing death.

It will be sufficient to say that clause (4) of Section 300 would be applicable where the knowledge of the offender as to the probability of death of a person or persons in general as distingui5ihed from a particular person or persons - being caused from his imminently dangerous act, approximates to a practical certainty. Such knowledge on the part of the offender must be of the highest degree of probability, the act having been committed by the offender without any excuse for incurring the risk ofcausing death or such injury as aforesaid. [Para 16) (1221-D-F] Andhra Pradesh v. Rayavarapu Punnayya and Anr. , [19761 4 sec 382, Abdul Waheed Khan@ Waheed and Ors. v. State ofAndhra Pradesh, (2002) 7 SCC 175, Augustine Saldanha v. State of Karnataka, [2003) 10 SCC 472 and Thangiya v. State of T. N. , [2005) 9 SCC 650, referred to. 4.

The inevitable conclusion is that the case at hand is not covered under Section 302 IPC and on the other hand the case is covered under Section 304 Part I IPC. The conviction is accordingly altered. Custodial sentence of 10 years would meet the ends of justice. [Para 19] [1222-B) ·" CRIMINAL APPELLATE JURISDICTION : Criminal Appeal No. I07 of 2007. ~ From the Final Judgment and Order dated 5. 6. 2006 ofthe Gauhati High Court in Criminal Appeal No. 33/2005. ' Rana Mukherjee, Azim H. Laskar, Anand and Abhijit Sengupta for the Appellant. Monita Orion (for M/s. Corporate Law Group) for the Respondent. The Judgment of the Court was delivered by DR. ARIJIT PASAYAT, J. : 1. Leave granted. 2. Challenge in this appeal is to the judgment of the Guwahati High Court upholding appellant's conviction under Section 302 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860 (in short the 'IPC') and sentence of imprisonment for life as awarded by the learned Sessions Judge, Dhemaji. 3.

Accusations which led to the trial of the appellant are essentially as follows: One Premlal Verma lodged a written complaint to the Superintendent of Police, East Siang, Arunachal Pradesh on 29. 9. 2000 alleging that on 26. 9. 2000 one Fekan Das (hereinafter referred to as the 'deceased') was driving a Truck No. AS-25/641. At about 11. 00 p. m. when the truck reached Ruksing Gate, the police personnel of Jonai Police Station came there in three wheeler and assaulted the deceased. The deceased became senseless and the police left him on the road and returned to the police station. It was further alleged that the deceased was. brought to the Pasighat General Hospital for treatment. On 28. 9. 2000, he was referred to Dibugarh for treatment and on 29. 9. 2000 on way to the hospital his condition became serious and he died while being brought to Pasighat. 4. The aforesaid information was registered. The investigation was undertaken and charge sheet was placed.

The accused was absconding and, /therefore, no test identification parade could be held. On conclusion of investigation, the Investigating Officer submitted the charge sheet indicating commission of offence punishable under Section 302 IPC. Charge was framed after he was arrested. In order to substantiate its accusations 16 witnesses were examined. The accused pleaded innocence. On analysis of the evidence tendered, the Trial Court found the accused guilty and convicted and sentenced as aforesaid. An appeal was preferred before the High Court. The main stand of the accused-appellant was that the evidence of the eye witnesses cannot be relied upon as there was delay in lodging.. the FIR, and conviction was vitiated. Further no sanction was obtained as required under Section 197 ofthe Code ofCriminal Procedure, I973 (in short the 'Code'). The stand of the respondent-State on the other hand was that the evidence of PWs. 5, 6 and 7 had clearly established the accusations.

It was s11bmitted that the deceased was assaulted without any fault on his part. Further, it was pointed out that since the appellant, a police personnel was involved there was effort on the part of the other officials not to accept ... the information given and ultimately the grievance was made before the Superintendent of Police. The High Court found that the evidence of the three witnesses who were stated to be eye witnesses left no manner of doubt that the accused was guilty. Therefore, the appeal was dismissed. 5. Learned counsel for the accused submitted that even ifthe accusations are accepted in toto, the offence under Section 302 IPC is not made out. 6. Learned counsel for the respondent on the other hand supported the judgment and the. convic_tion and sentence as passed by the Trial Court and affirmed by the High Court. 7. The crucial question is as to which was the appropriate provision to be applied.

In the scheme of the IPC culpable homicide is genus and 'murder' its specie. All 'murder' is 'culpable homicide' but not vice-versa. Speaking generally, 'culpable homicide' sans 'special characteristics of murde1 is culpable homicide not amounting to murder'. For the purpose of fixing punishment, proportionate to the gravity of the generic offence, the IPC practically recognizes three degrees of culpable homicide. The first is, what may he called, 'culpable hor11icide of the first degree'. This is the grave:it form of culpable homicide, which is defined in Section 300 as 'murder'. The second may be termed as 'culpable homicide of the second degree'. This is punishable under the first part of Section 304. Then, there I is 'culpable. homicide ofthe third degree'. This is the lowest type ofculpable 1.. homicide and the punishment provided for it is also the lowest among the ' punishments provided for the three grades.

Culpable homicide ofthis degree is punishable under the second part of Section 304. { 8. The academic distinction between 'murder' and 'culpable homicide i not amounting to murder' has always vexed the Courts. The confusion is caused, if Courts losing sight of the true scope and meaning of the terms used by the legislature in these sections, allow themselves to be drawn into minute abstractions. The safest way of approach to the interpretation and applicatio~ of these provisions seems to be to keep in focus the keywords used in the various clauses of Sections 299 and 300. The following comparative table will be helpful in appreciating the points of distinction between the two offences.

Section 299 Section 300 A person commits culpable homicide Subject to certain exceptions if the act by which the death is culpable homicide is murder caused is done - if the act by which the death is caused is done - INTENTION (a) with the intention of causing (l) with the intention of death; or causing death; or (b) with the intention of causing (2) with the intention of such bodily injury as is likely causing such bodily injury to cause death; or as the offender knows to be likely to cause the death of the person to whom the harm is caused; or (3) With the intention of causing bodily injury to any person and the bodily injury intended to be inflicted is sufficient in the ordinary course of nature to cause death; or KNOWLEDGE **** (c) with the knowledge that the act (4) with the knowledge that is likely to cause death. the act is so imminently ·..... dangerous that" it must in all probability cause.

death or such bodily injury as is likely to cause death, and without any excuse for incurring the risk· ·of causing death . or; ! )UCh injury as ·is· mentioned above. 9. Clause (b) of Section 299 corresponds with clauses (2) and (3) of Section 300. The distinguishing feature of the mens rea requisite. under clause (2) is the knowledge possessed by the offender regarding the particular victim being in such a peculiar condition or state ~f he~lth that the internal harm caused to him is likely to be fatal, notwithstanding the fact that such harm would not in the ordinary way of nature be sufficient to cause death of a person in normal health or condition. It is noteworthy that_ the 'intention to cause death' is not an essential requirement of clause (2); Only the intention of causing the bodily injury coupled with the offender's knowledge of the likelihood of such injury causing the death of the particular victim, is sufficient to bring the killing within the ambit of this clause.

This aspect of clause (2) is borne out by illustration (b) appended to Section 300. 10. Clause (b) of Section 299 does not postulate any such knowledge on the part of the offender. Instances of cases falling under clause . (2) of Section 300 can be where the assailant causes death by . a fist blow intentionally given knowing . that the victim is suffering from an enlarged liver, or enlarged spleen or diseased heart and such blow is likely to cause death of that particular person as a result of the rupture of the liver, or .. spleen or the failure of the heart, as the case may be. If the assailant h~d-""' • no such knowledge about the disease or special frailty of. the victim, nor an . intention to cause death or bodily injury sufficient in the ordinary course of nature to cause death, the offence will not be murder, even if the injury which caused the death, was intentionally given.

In clause (3) ofSection 300, instead of the words 'likely to cause death' occurring in the corresponding clause (b) of. Section 299, the words "sufficient in the ordinary course of nature. ! O cause death" have been :·sed. Obviously, the distinction lies. between a bodily injury likely to cause death and a bodily injury sufficient in the ordinary course of nature to cause death. The distinction is fine but real and if overlooked, may result in miscarriage of justice. The difference between clause (b) of:Section 299 and clause (3) of Section 300 is one of . the degree o(probabilitY of death resulting from the intended bodily injury. To P. ut it more broadly, it is the degree of probability of death which determines ·whether ;i culpable homicide is of the gravest, medium or the lowest degr~e. The-word 'likely' in clause (b) of Section 299 conveys the sense of probaqle as distinguished from a mere possibility. \fhe words ''j)odily injury.......

sufficient in the ordinary course of nature to cause death" mean that death will be the "most probable" result of the injury, having •regard to the -ordinary course of nature. 11. For cases to fall within clause (3), it is not necessary that the offender intended to cause death, so long as the death ensues from the intentional bodily injury or injuries sufficient to cause death in the ordinary course of nature. Rajwant and Anr. v. State ofKera/a, AIR (1966) SC 1874 is an apt. ~llustration of this point. Ii, In Virsa Singh v. State ofPunjab, AIR (1958) SC 465, Vivian Bose, J. speaking for the Court, explained the meaning and scope of clause (3). It was observed that the prosecution must prove the following facts before it can bring a ca5e under Section 300, "thirdly". First, it must establish quite objectively, that a bodily injury is present; secondly the nature of the injury must be proved. These are purely objective investigations.

Thirdly, it must be proved that there was an intention to inflict that particular injury, that is to say, that it was ~ot accidental or . unintentional or that some other kind of injury was intended. Once these three elements are proved to be present, the enquiry proceeds further, and fourthly it must be proved that the injury of the type just described made up of the three elements set out above was sufficient to cause death in the ordinary course of nature. This part of the enquiry is purely objective and inferential and has nothing to do with the intei:ition'of the offender. 13. The ingredients of clause "Thirdly" of . Section 300, IPC were bro~ght out by the illustrious Judge in his terse language as follows: "To put it shortly, the prosecution must prove the following facts before it can bring a case under Section 300, "thirdly''. First, it must establish, quite objectively, that a bodily injury is present. Secondly, the nature of the injury must be proved.

These are purely objective investigations. Thirdly, it must be proved that there was an intention to inflict that particular bodily injury, that is to say that it was not accidental or unintentional, or that some other kind of injury was intended. Once these three elements are proved to be present, the enquiry proceeds further and, Fourthly, it must be proved that the injury of the type just described made up of the three elements set out above is sufficient to cause death in the ordinary course of n"ture. This part of the enquiry is purely objective and inferential and has nothing to do with the intention of the offender. " The learned Judge explained the third ingredient in the following words (at page 468): "The question is not whether the prisoner intended to inflict a serious injury or a trivial one but whether he intended to inflict the injury that is proved to be present.

If he can show that he did not, or if the totality of the circumstances justify such an inference, then of course, the intent that the section requires is not proved. But if there is nothing beyond the injury and the fact that the appellant inflicted it, the only possible inference is that he intended to inflict it. Whether he knew of its seriousness or intended serious consequences, is neither here or there. The question, so far as the intention is concerned, is not whether he intended to kill, or to inflict an injury of a particular degree of seriousness but whether he intended to inflict the injury in question and once the,existence of the injury is proved the intention to cause it will be presumed unless the evidence or the circumstances warrant an opposite conclusion. " 14. These observations ofVivian Bose, J. have become locus classicus.

The test laid down by Virsa Singh 's case (supra) for the applicability of clause "Thirdly" is now ingrained in our legal system and has become part ofthe rule oflaw. Under clause thirdly ofSection 300 IPC, culpable homicide is murder, if both the following conditions are satisfied: i. e. (a) that the act which causes death is done with the intention of causing death or is done with the intention of causing a bodily injury; and (b) that the injury intended to be inflicted is sufficient in the ordinary course of nature to cause death. It must be proved that there was an intention to inflict that particular bodily injury which, in the ordinary course of nature, was sufficient to cause death, viz. , that the injury found to be present was the injury that was intended to be inflicted. 15.

Thus, according to the rule laid down in Virs~ Singh 's case, even if the intention of accused was limited to the infliction of a bodily injury sufficient to cause death in the ordinary course ofnature, and did not extend to the intention of causing death, the offence would be murder. Illustration (c) appended to Section 300 clearly brings out this point. 16. Clause (c) ofSection 299 and clause (4) ofSection 300 both require knowledge of the probability of the act causing death. It is not necessary for the purpose of this case to dilate much on the distinction between these corresponding clauses. It will be sufficient to say that clause (4) of Section 300 would be applicable where the knowledge of the offender as to the probability of death of a person or persons in general as distinguished from a particular person or persons being caused from his imminently dangerous act, approximates to a practical certainty.

Such knowledge on the part of the offender must be of the highest degree of probability, the act having been committed by the offender without any excuse for incurring the risk of causing death or such injury as aforesaid. 17. The above are only broad guidelines and not cast iron imperatives. In most cases, their observance will facilitate the task of the Court. But sometimes the facts are so intertwined and the second and the third stages so telescoped into each other that it may not be convenient to give a separate treatment to the matters involved in the second and third stages. 18. The position was illuminatingly highlighted by this Court in State ofAndhra Pradesh v. Rayavarapu Punnayya and Anr. , [1976] 4 SCC 382, Abdul Waheed Khan @ Waheed and Ors. v. State of Andhra Pradesh, '! "'' [2002] 7 sec 175,AugustineSaldanha v. State ofKarnataka, [2003] 10 sec 472) and in Thangiya V. State ofTN. , [2005] 9 sec 650. 19.

When the factual background of the case is analysed on the touchstone of principles set out above, the inevitable conclusion is that the ' case at hand is not covered under Section 302 IPC and on the other hand . the case is covered under Section 304 Part I IPC. The conviction is accordingly altered. Custodial sentence of l0 years would meet the ends of justice. 20. The appeal is allowed to the aforesaid extent. A. K. T. Appeal partly allowed.