Grover, J. - (1.) These appeals are by special leave from a judgment of the Allahabad High Court Devendra Singh appellant in Cr. A. 77/70 was tried by the Additional Sessions Judge, Aligarh, under Ss. 302 and 324 read with S.34, Indian Penal Code. He was convicted and sentenced to death under S. 302. He was also convicted under S. 324 read with S. 34 of the Indian Penal Code and sentenced to rigorous imprisonment for 6 months. Navin Dutt and Pravin Dutt. who are brothers and who are appellants in Cr. A. 135/70 were tried for offences under the aforesaid sections and were convicted and sentenced to imprisonment for life and to rigorous imprisonment for 6 months respectively. Similarly Shiv Kumar appellant in the same appeal was tried and sentenced to imprisonment for life and to rigorous imprisonment for one year for offences under Sections 302 and 324 read with Section 34. In each case the sentences of imprisonment were ordered to run concurrently. The High Court confirmed the sentence of death awarded to Devendra Singh. It also confirmed the convictions of the other appellants under S. 302 and S. 324 read with S. 34 The appeals of the other appellants were also dismissed. The version as given by Virendra Singh P. W. 1 in the first information report of the occurrence which took place on March 27, 1968 at Aligarh may be succinctly noticed. According to him he left his room for a walk at about 7 p. m in the evening. When he reached near the coal depot of K. D. Gautam in Vishnupuri, Navin Dutt son of K. D. Gautam called him from behind and admonished him against misbehaviour. On enquiry as to what was meant by misbehavior Navin started abusing him. On this there was some exchange of hot words. Navin caught hold of him by his neck and started beating him. Navin's brother Pravin also came there. He was given a beating by the two brothers and a third person who was with them. In the meantime Devendra Singh brother-in-law of Aidal Singh Surendra Bhardhwaj and Shiv Kumar Sharma arrived there. Krishnapal Singh Tyagi recognised him and made an attempt to save him. Thereafter Virendra Singh went to Manmohan Suman and told him the details relating to the incident near the coal depot. Virendra Singh brought Manmohan Suman to the coal depot for having a settlement of the unfortunate dispute which had arisen. Thereafter Suman and Virendra Singh went to the station for having a cup of tea. After having tea they went to the room of Santosh Kumar who was busy talking to Daya Shankar Sharma, Babu Ram Yadav and Netra Pal Singh who were present in his room. Santosh Kumar said that he had gone with some friends to Virendra Singh's room and he had an altercation with the mother and the sister Usha of Navin and Pravin who were also present there. At about 10 p.m. Virendra Singh accompanied by Santosh Kumar Baburam Yadav and Daya Shankar Sharma came in front of the coal depot. All the four appellants came there and said "Salas should be beaten." The words in Hindi are "Maro salon ko." Upon this Devendra Singh caught hold of Santosh Kumar by his neck and then fired a pistol shot at his abdomen. Shiv Kumar assaulted Daya Shankar with a knife which caused an abrasion near the elbow and tore his bush-shirt, Santosh Kumar died as a result of injuries received from the pistol shot.
(2.) When Virendra Singh appeared as P. W. 1 he gave some more details which furnished the reason for the quarrel between the appellants on the one hand and Virendra Singh Santosh Kumar and their companions on the other on the fateful evening. The real reason was that some days prior to the incident Usha who was also a student of the Dharam Samaj College was going back home from the College. Some boys were standing at the gate along with Virendra Singh who called her "Usha Delux'. She apparently complained about it to Navin and Pravin who were her brothers and it was for that reason that Navin admonished Virendra Singh on the evening of the occurrence and asked him to stop doing "badtamizi". It is unnecessary to mention the other additional matters except two. One was that Santosh Kumar had told him about the row which he had on the same evening with Usha and her mother in the presence of Navin and Pravin. Virendra Singh had been told that both the women had called him and his companions "goondas". The other is that before the shot was fired by Devendra Singh, Navin pointing out towards the complainant party said to Devendra Singh "kill the salas" (Salon ko mardo) .
(3.) Learned counsel for Devendra Singh has made an attempt to find fault with the medical evidence. It has been pointed out that according to Dr. G. D. Agrawal P. W. 4 the area which was blackened and scorched was not given. The doctor had clearly stated that Santosh Kumar deceased had gunshot wound with inverted margins on the upper and middle part of abdomen above the navel. The wound was directed slightly upwards, backwards horizontal, piercing the stomach wall and coming out on back part. In cross-examination he could not say definitely as to the distance from which firearm might have been used but it was probable that it had been used while it was touching the body. The criticism on behalf of the appellant is that the area which was blackened and scorched was not given in a precise manner by the doctor. The doctor, however, explained it by saying, "I have not mentioned the area of blackening around the injuries which may mean that there might not have been any area of it and scorching and blackening might have been on the wound alone." We do not consider that there is any force or substance in the suggestion that according to the medical evidence the pistol was not fired from close proximity to the abdomen.;