STATE OF RAJASTHAN Vs. PHOOL CHAND
LAWS(RAJ)-2008-7-51
HIGH COURT OF RAJASTHAN
Decided on July 25,2008

STATE OF RAJASTHAN Appellant
VERSUS
PHOOL CHAND Respondents

JUDGEMENT

- (1.) HON'ble BHAGWATI, J.- This criminal appeal is directed against the judgment dated 31st of October, 1995 rendered by the Additional Sessions Judge No. 2, Alwar, whereby the accused-respondents namely; Phool Chand and Chhote Lal @ Ram Singh have been acquitted in the offences under Sections 365, 366, 367 and 323 of IPC and the accused-respondents namely; Badri, Ramesh, Jagdish and Lahri have been acquitted in the offences under Sections 365, 366, 376, 368 and 323 of the Indian INDIAN PENAL CODE, 1860.
(2.) THE nub of the prosecution story as unfolded by PW. 3 Ramhet is, as under:- That on 24th August, 1994 at about 7-8 AM, the complainant's uncle Rewad Ram (PW. 1) and aunt Smt. Mangi Devi (PW. 2) went to Alwar for the treatment of his aunt. No sooner did they reach near the Railway crossing at Malakhera, Jagdish, Chhote Lal and Phool Chand residents of Bandikui (Dausa) came there along with 4-5 other persons. THEy all restrained them from going. THEy made his uncle Rewad Ram and aunt Smt. Mangi Devi to sit in a Jeep and took towards Bandikui. While going they had alarmed the complainant that they will set Rewad Ram and Smt. Mangi Bai free only when their man is given back to them. THE complainant apprised with this incident his father. THEreafter he along with his father went to the Police Station Malakheda and submitted a written-report Ex. P. /1 whereupon the Police lodged F. I. R. Ex. P/12 and commenced investigation. The Investigating Officer recorded the statements of the witnesses acquainted with the facts and circumstances of the case, prepared site-plan Ex. P/11, recovered Smt. Mangi Devi vide memo Ex. P/8 and Rewad Ram vide memo Ex. P/9, prepared site-plan of the place of recovery Ex. P/6, arrested accused Chhote Lal @ Ram Lal vide memo Ex. P/13, Ramesh Chand vide memo Ex. P/14, and after usual investigation filed a charge-sheet against the accused-respondents in the Court. The accused-respondents were charged for the aforesaid offences who denied the guilt and claimed trial. The prosecution has examined as many as 15 witnesses to prove its case. All the accused-respondents have claimed innocence in their statements under Section 313, Cr. P. C. On completion of trial, the accused-respondents were not found guilty of the charges and thus, acquitted, as indicated hereinabove. Heard the submissions advanced by the learned Public Prosecutor appearing for the State, learned counsel for the accused-respondents and with their assistance scanned the prosecution evidence as also the relevant material available on the record. Vide Medical Examination Report Ex. P/16 of Smt. Mangi Devi, PW/15, Dr. Mahendra Kumar Gupta found the injuries on her body as under:- 1. blackish bruise- 3 cm x 1 cm on right side cheek and lower lip near and below right angle of mouth. 2. No marks of any strain or external injury detected on lower part of abdomen, public region and inner aspect of both thighs. 3. No marks of any injury on the private parts, hymen was old torn.
(3.) PW. 15 Dr. Mahendra Kumar Gupta while examining the prosecutrix Smt. Mangi Devi recorded the history as per her narration. He has stated on oath before the Court that as per prosecutrix, Smt. Mangi Devi and her husband were abducted on 24th of August, 1994 at about 8. 00 AM by 5-7 persons and taken forcibly in a Jeep to Bandikui. In the night of 24th of August, 1994, Lahri, Jagdish and Ramesh ravished her one after another in succession forcibly against her will. On 25th of August, 1994 the Police recovered them. Since then, she has not taken any bath. She has two daughters and one son and lives with her husband. Dr. Gupta, further stated that he did not find any sign of rape having committed on her body. Turning to the statement of PW. 2 Smt. Mangi Devi recorded by the Court, it is found that she was taking her husband to Alwar for treatment who was suffering from fever. When they reached near the Railway crossing, Malakhera, Ramhet, the son of her husband's elder brother joined them. Meanwhile, one Jeep of green colour arrived there, wherein 4-5 persons namely; Jagdish, Ramesh, Badri Prasad and Lahri were present. They all alighted from the Jeep and assaulted upon them. It is alleged that the accused Lehri caught-hold of her hands, Jagdish gripped her legs and Ramesh caught-hold her back and dragged her into the Jeep. Her husband was also made to sit in the same Jeep. Ramhet fled away from there on account of fear. On the way, her husband became serious so they were first taken to the Hospital where they got his treatment. The witnesses has further stated that they came out of the hospital and took another road to reach at bus stand. They concealed themselves in side the bus but inside the bus, 3-4 persons were already sitting, who got them down from the bus and again, forcibly put them into the same Jeep. One Chhote Lal took them to his house at Bandikui. Finally in the night, they were taken to village Panditpura and till night they remained at Panditpura. It was raining heavily. There was one hut, wherein both of them were detained. The prosecutrix has further stated that at about 4. 00 in the morning Jagdish, Ramesh and Lahri came there and they dragged her to one field of `bajra' where all the three accused-persons ravished her one after another in succession after penetrating their penis into her vagnia. This act they did without her consent and against her will. In her searching cross-examination the manner in which the witness has depicted the incident per se seems to be improbable. She has further stated that she sustained injuries on her wrist and jaw. Her all the clothes were torn. She became unconscious and thereafter, she was brought back to her husband in the hut in unconscious state only. When police came they all fled away from there. ;


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