# MURUGAN AND ANR v. STATE REP. BY PUBLIC PROSECUTOR, MADRAS, TAMIL NADU ANR - **Citation:** [2008] 13 S.C.R. 1160 - **Court:** Supreme Court of India - **Decided:** 2008-09-30 - **Case number:** Criminal Appeal No. 1278 of 2001 - **Bench:** Dr. Arijit Pasayat, Dr. Mukundakam Sharma - **Source:** https://unisonlegal.in/judgment/supreme-court-of-india/murugan-and-anr-v-state-rep-by-public-prosecutor-madras-tamil-nadu-anr-23699 - **Pages:** 31 ## Headnote c Code of Criminal Procedure; 1973; s .. 378 - Appeal against acquittal - Power of appellate Court - HELD: s. 378 imposes no restriction on powers of appellate Court in dealing with appeals against order of acquittal - While protection given to the accused by criminal D process is not to be eroded, at the same time, uninformed 'r legitimization of trivialities would hamper administration of ~ criminal justice -- In the instant case, grounds of acquittal relied upon by trial court were rightly held by High Court untenable - Analysis made by High Court to se,t aside order of acE quittal passed by trial court does not suffer from any infirmity - Penal Code, 1860 - s. 307. The appellants-accused, namely, A-1 to A-3, were prosecuted for commission of offences punishable ulss F 307 and 3071109 IPC. The prosecution_ case was that a quarrel took place between the mother of PWs 1 and 2 ·an~. the wife of A-3 and PW-2 pacified them. The accused . came to know of the quarrel and got an impression that PW-2, in support of his mother, abused the wife of A-3. The .following morning at about 7.30 A.M., A-1 to A-3 wayG laid PWs 1 and 2 near the well when they were going to take bath. A-3 caught hold of PW-2 from behind his back and A-1 and A-2 attacked him indiscriminately with 'Aruval'. When PW-1 and PW"5 tried to intervene, the accused .th.re~tened· to kill. them. On account of the multiple injuH 1160 > : MURUGAN & ANR. v. STATE REP. BY PUBLIC 1161 ·.PROSECUTOR, MADRAS, TAMIL NADU ANR. ries received, PW-2 fell down and became unconscious. A The accused fled away. PW-1 and PW-5 took the victim to the hospital. The trial court acquitted the accused, but the· High Court convicted them u/s 307 IPC and sentenced them to rigorous imprisonment for four yeas and to pay a ~ fine of Rs.5,000/- each. B In the instant appeal filed by the accused, it was contended for the appellants that an order of acquittal cannot be interfered by the appellate court except for compelling reasons and, in the instant case, the High Court did not keep in view the. parameters of appeal against C acquittal. It was submitted that even if two views were possible, the view supporting the accused had to be accepted and since the trial court had precisely done it, there was no reason for interference. Dismissing the appeal, the Court D HELD: .1 Section 378 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 imposes no restrictions on the powers of the appellate court in dealing with appeals against acquittal. When such an appeal is filed, the High Court has full power E to reappreciate, review and reconsider the evidence at large, the material on which the order of acquittal is founded and to reach its own conclusions on such evidence. Both questions of fact and of law are open to de~ · termination by:the High C-ourt in an appeal against an or~. F der of acquittal. In Chandrappa's* case, this Court has culled out the general principles regarding powers of appellate court while dealing an appeal against order of acquittal. [para 22 and 46] [1174,A-B; 1188,C] *Chandrappa and Ors. v. State of Karnataka 2007(2) G SCR 630=2007 (4) SCC 415.; Sanwat Singh v. State. of Rafasthan (1961) 3 SCR 120; Bhagwan Singh v. State o'f M.P (2002) 4 SCC 85; Harijana ,T;hirupala v. Public Prosecutor, High Courl of A.P 2002 (1) Suppl. SCR 379 = (2002) 6 SCC . 470; Ramanand Yadav v. Prabhu Nath Jha (2003t12 SCC H 1162 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2008) 13 S.C.R. A 606; Kallu v. State of MP (2006) 10 SCC 313; Prandas v. B State AIR 1954 SC 36; Surajpal Singh v. State 1952 SCR 193; Atley v. State of UP AIR 1955 SC 807; Shivaji Sahabrao Bobade v. State of Maharashtra 197 4 (1) SCR 489 = 1973 (2) sec 793 - relied on. Shea Swarup v. R. Emperor (1934) 61 IA 398; Nur Mohd. v. Emperor AIR 1945 PC 151 - referred to. Ajmer Singh v. State of Punjab (1953) SCR 418; Aher Raja Khima v. State of Saurashtra (1955) 2 SCR 1285; M. G c Agarwal v. State of Maharashtra (1963) 2 SCR 405; K. Gopal Reddy v. State of A.P 1979 (2) SCR 265 = (19 ## Text _Characters 0–39,660 of 60,650. This is a partial read: ask again with offset=39660 for what follows._ .• [2008] 13 S.C.R 1160 A MURUGAN AND ANR. V. STATE REP. BY PUBLIC PROSECUTOR, MADRAS, TAMIL NADU ANR. (Criminal Appeal No. 1278 of 2001) B SEPTEMBER 30, 2008 [DR. ARIJIT PASAYAT AND DR. MUKUNDAKAM SHARMA, JJ] c Code of Criminal Procedure; 1973; s .. 378 - Appeal against acquittal - Power of appellate Court - HELD: s. 378 imposes no restriction on powers of appellate Court in dealing with appeals against order of acquittal - While protection given to the accused by criminal D process is not to be eroded, at the same time, uninformed 'r legitimization of trivialities would hamper administration of ~ criminal justice -- In the instant case, grounds of acquittal relied upon by trial court were rightly held by High Court untenable - Analysis made by High Court to se,t aside order of acE quittal passed by trial court does not suffer from any infirmity - Penal Code, 1860 - s. 307. The appellants-accused, namely, A-1 to A-3, were prosecuted for commission of offences punishable ulss F 307 and 3071109 IPC. The prosecution_ case was that a quarrel took place between the mother of PWs 1 and 2 ·an~. the wife of A-3 and PW-2 pacified them. The accused . came to know of the quarrel and got an impression that PW-2, in support of his mother, abused the wife of A-3. The .following morning at about 7.30 A.M., A-1 to A-3 wayG laid PWs 1 and 2 near the well when they were going to take bath. A-3 caught hold of PW-2 from behind his back and A-1 and A-2 attacked him indiscriminately with 'Aruval'. When PW-1 and PW"5 tried to intervene, the accused .th.re~tened· to kill. them. On account of the multiple injuH 1160 > : MURUGAN & ANR. v. STATE REP. BY PUBLIC 1161 ·.PROSECUTOR, MADRAS, TAMIL NADU ANR. ries received, PW-2 fell down and became unconscious. A The accused fled away. PW-1 and PW-5 took the victim to the hospital. The trial court acquitted the accused, but the· High Court convicted them u/s 307 IPC and sentenced them to rigorous imprisonment for four yeas and to pay a ~ fine of Rs.5,000/- each. B In the instant appeal filed by the accused, it was contended for the appellants that an order of acquittal cannot be interfered by the appellate court except for compelling reasons and, in the instant case, the High Court did not keep in view the. parameters of appeal against C acquittal. It was submitted that even if two views were possible, the view supporting the accused had to be accepted and since the trial court had precisely done it, there was no reason for interference. Dismissing the appeal, the Court D HELD: .1 Section 378 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 imposes no restrictions on the powers of the appellate court in dealing with appeals against acquittal. When such an appeal is filed, the High Court has full power E to reappreciate, review and reconsider the evidence at large, the material on which the order of acquittal is founded and to reach its own conclusions on such evidence. Both questions of fact and of law are open to de~ · termination by:the High C-ourt in an appeal against an or~. F der of acquittal. In Chandrappa's* case, this Court has culled out the general principles regarding powers of appellate court while dealing an appeal against order of acquittal. [para 22 and 46] [1174,A-B; 1188,C] *Chandrappa and Ors. v. State of Karnataka 2007(2) G SCR 630=2007 (4) SCC 415.; Sanwat Singh v. State. of Rafasthan (1961) 3 SCR 120; Bhagwan Singh v. State o'f M.P (2002) 4 SCC 85; Harijana ,T;hirupala v. Public Prosecutor, High Courl of A.P 2002 (1) Suppl. SCR 379 = (2002) 6 SCC . 470; Ramanand Yadav v. Prabhu Nath Jha (2003t12 SCC H 1162 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2008) 13 S.C.R. A 606; Kallu v. State of MP (2006) 10 SCC 313; Prandas v. B State AIR 1954 SC 36; Surajpal Singh v. State 1952 SCR 193; Atley v. State of UP AIR 1955 SC 807; Shivaji Sahabrao Bobade v. State of Maharashtra 197 4 (1) SCR 489 = 1973 (2) sec 793 - relied on. Shea Swarup v. R. Emperor (1934) 61 IA 398; Nur Mohd. v. Emperor AIR 1945 PC 151 - referred to. Ajmer Singh v. State of Punjab (1953) SCR 418; Aher Raja Khima v. State of Saurashtra (1955) 2 SCR 1285; M. G c Agarwal v. State of Maharashtra (1963) 2 SCR 405; K. Gopal Reddy v. State of A.P 1979 (2) SCR 265 = (1979) 1 SCC 355; Ramesh Babula/ Doshi v. State of Gujarat 1996 (2) Suppl, SeR 265 = (1996) 9 sec 225; and Allarakha K. Mansuri v. State of Gujarat 2002 (1) SCR 1011 = (2002) 3 sec 57- reD ferred to. ' 1.2 A person has, no doubt, a profound right not to be convicted of an offence which is not established by the evidential standard of proof beyond reasonable doubt. Though this standard is a higher standard, there is, howE ever, no absolute standard. What degree of probability amounts to "proof' is an exercise particular to each case. Doubts would be called reasonable if they are free from a zest for abstract speculation. To constitute reasonable doubt, it must be free from an overemotional response. F Doubts must be actual and substantial doubts as to the guilt of the accused arising from the evidence, or from the lack of it, as opposed to mere vague apprehensions. A reasonable doubt is not an imaginary, trivial or a merely possible doubt, but a fair doubt based upon reason and G common sense. It must grow out of the evidence in the case. While the protection given by the criminal process to the accused is not to be eroded, at the same time, uninformed legitimization of trivialities would make a mockery of administration of criminal justice. [para 47-49] H [1189,C-D; 1189,H; 1190, A-B, 1190,D] MURUGAN & ANR v. STATE REP. BY PUBLIC 1163 PROSECUTOR, MADRAS, TAMIL NADU ANR. "The Mathematics of Proof//" by Glanville Williams, CrimiA nal Law Review, 1979, by Sweet and Maxwell, p.340 - referred to State of UP v. Krishna Gopal 1988 (4) SCC 302; Krishnan and Anr v. State represented by Inspector of Police 2003 (7) ·sec 56 - relied on. B 2.1 In the instant case, the ground of acquittal as recorded by trial Court that there was no reason for PW-7 to obtain complaint from PW-1 when the victim (PW-2) was conscious, is not at all a proper ground. Merely because c P.W.2 was conscious at that time, it cannot be said that the statement should not have been recorded from P.W.1 and the same is doubtful. No law prohibits the police officer from recording complaint relating to the occurrence, ~ and that too, from an eye-witness. Even assuming that 0 P.W.2 was consc;ious, nine serious injuries found on various parts of body of the victim would clearly show that' he could not have been able to give full details to P.W.7. In the circumstances, obtaining of the complaint (Ext. P-1) from P.W. 1 is quite proper. From the evidence of PWs 1,2 and 5, it is clear that PW-2 was indiscriminately attacked E by A-1 and A-2 with 'Aruval;', as a result of which he fell on the ground. [para 7,11 and 12] [1170,F-H; 1170,A] 2.2 The reasoning given by the trial court that PW-1 could not have seen the occurrence, is not based on evi" F dence, According to both P.Ws. 1 and 2, they went one after another to the well to take bath . P.W.5 stated that after hearing the cry of P.W.2, P.W.1 and others came to the scene. This would. not mean that P.W.1 did not accompany P.W.2. As a matter of fact, even according to P.W.5, G P.Ws. 1 and 5 took the victim in a taxi to the Hospital. The occurrence took place in a day light at 7.30 A.M. The house · of the accused and P.Ws. 1 and 2 is situated nearby and· the well also is just two furlongs away from the village. In the circumstances, it cannot be said that P.W. 1 could not H 1164 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2008] 13 S.C.R. A have accompanie!d P.W.2 to take bath. Therefore, this ground of acquittal was rightly hefd by the High Court to be untenable. [para 13-15] [1171,A-DJ 2.3 When the factual position is analysed in the backB ground of the conclusions arrived at by the High Court, the inevitable conclusion is that the High Court's judgment is correct. The analysis made by the High Court to set aside the order does not suffer from any infirmity. [para 16 and 51] [1190,G; 1171,D] c Case Law Reference AIR 1945 PC 151 referred to para 28 AIR 1954 SC 36 relied on para 29 1952 SCR 193 .relied on para 31 ,,. D (1953) SCR 418 referred to para 32 AIR 1955 SC 807 relied on para 33 (1955) 2 SCR 1285 referred to para 34 (1961) 3 SCR 120 relied on para 35 E (1963) 2 SCR 405 referred to para 36 1974 (1) SCR 489 relied on para 37 1979 (2) SCR 265 referred to Para 39 1996 (2) Suppl. SCR 265 referred to para 40 F 2002 (1) SCR 1011 referred to para 41 c2002) 4 sec 85 relied on para 42 2002 (1 t Suppl. SCR 379 relied on para 43 G (2003) 12 sec 606 relied on para 44 (2006) 10 sec 313 relied on para 45 2007(2) SCR 630 relied on para 46 1988 (4) sec 302 relied on para 49 H 2003 (7) sec 56 relied on para 50 fVlURUGAN & ANR. v, STATE RsP. BY PUBLIC 1165 PROSECUTOR, MADRAS, T. NADU ANR. CRIMINALAPPELLATE JURISDICTION: Criminalf'.ppeal A No. 1278 of2001 From the final Judgment and Ordet d?tect--20. 7 .2001 / 17.8.2001 of tne High Court of Judicature at Madras in Crimi- · · nal Appeal No. 223 of 1993 · · K.K. Mani and C.K.R. Lenin Sekar for the Appellant. R. Nedumaran for the Respondents. The Judgment of the Court was delivered by B DR..ARIJIT PASAYAT, J. 1. Challenge in this appeal is to C the judgment of the learned Single Judge of the Madras High Court setting aside the judgment of acquittal recorded by learned .Principal, Assistant Sessions Judge, Tirunelveli. The appellant faced trial·along with one Velliah for alleged commission of offences punishable urider Section 307 and307 readwith Sec- . D ti on 109 of the.lflElian Penal Code, 1860 (in 'short 'IPC'). Though the trial Court found that the prosecution has hot est~blished· the case, in appeal filed by;the State it wo:s held by the High Court that the prosecutioil.established the accusations against . the appellants. But the acquittal so fa_r as the Velliah A3 is cohE cerned, the High Court confirmed the acquittal. 2. Background facts in .a nutshell are as follows: Sankaralingam (PW1),.Ramaiah (PW2) and Paramasivam · (PW6) are brothers. They resi.de at MarugaU PROSECUTOR, MADRAS, T NADU ANR. [DR ARIJIT PASAYAT, J] 3. After completion of investigation charge sheet was filed A and the accused persons faced trial as they denied the accusations. ·Nine witnesses were examined to further the prosecution version. Trial court found the evidence of prosecution witnesses to be not cogent and credible and accordingly directed acquittal. State preferred appeal against acquittal. High Court 8 found that the reasoning indicated by the Trial Court to direct the acquittal cannot be maintained. It is to be noted that the acquittal was directed by the Trial Court, inter alia, on the following grounds: (i) R~_cq,rding of Ex.P-1 statement given by PW.1 by C PW.7 is doubtful. According to PW.3 Doctor, the injured was conscious, when he was admitted in the hospital. PWs. 1 and 7 would state that the complaint was given by PW.1 which was recorded by PW.7, since PW.2 was unconscious. There is no reason as D to why PW.7 had to obtain Ex.P-1 complaint from PW.1, when PW.2 was conscious. (ii) PW.1 gpuld not have seen the occurrence. PW.5, an independent eye witness, would state that PW.1 came to the ·scene only after the occurrence. E Therefore, the evidence of PW.1 is unreliable. (iii) PW.6 stated in the court that he had also seen the occurrence. According to PW.8, ttie investigating officer, PW.6 was not the eye-witness and he did not F give any statement that he saw the occurrence. Therefore, the evidence of PW.6 is unreliable. (iv) PW. 7 head constable recorded Ex.P-1 and the same was written by him. But, in evidence, he would state that he dictated to a constable and the said constable G had written the same. There is no evidence to show that any constable accompanied PW.7. Therefore PW.7 had not recorded Ex.P-1 at the hospital. (v) PW.5 an independent witness, would state that A 1 H 1168 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2008] 13 S.C.R. A and A2 alone were present and attacked PW.2. He did not refer aboutA3. Therefore, A3 could not have been present. Furthermore, A3 produced a certificate alongwith his statement under Section 313 Cr.P.C. to show that during the relevant time, he was working B in the mill in which he was employed. - (vi) Both in Ex. P-1 and in the evidence of PWs.1 and 2, there is a reference about one Thangapandi stating that he was also one of the eye-witnesses. The said eye-witness was not examined. There is no reason C for his non-examination. D (vii) According to PWs.1 and 2, both A 1 and A2 attacked PW.2 indiscriminately. But according_ to PW.5, after first cut, PW.2 ran to a distance of about 50 feet and thereafter, the further·cuts given by the accused with 'Aruval" fell on PW.2 victim. So, there is a contradiction between the evidence of PWs.1 and 2 on the one side .and the evidence of PW.5 o~ the other side. 4. High Court found that the conclusions arrived at by the E Trial Court were not sustainable. After analyzing the evidence . of PWs. 1, 2 and 5 it ~as held that the accusations have been established. Accordingly, the appellants were convicted for the offence punishable under Section 307 IPC and each was sentenced to undergo RI for four years and to pay a fine of Rs.5,000/ F -with default stipulation. 5. In support of the appeal, learned counsel for the appellant submitted that the Trial Court had rightly rejected the prosecution version taking note of the fact that evidence of PWs 1, 2 ancj 5 are irreconcilable. It was also submitted that the eviG dence of PWs. 1, 2 and 5 is contradictory to each other. In any event, it was submitted that the injuries were on non-vital parts and, therefore, Section 307 IPC has no application. Learned counsel for the respondent, on the other hand, supported the judgment of the High Court. H ) MURUGAN & ANR. v. STATE REP. BY ?UBLIC 1169 PROSECUTOR, MADRAS, T. NADU ANR. [DR. ARIJITPASAYAT, J.] 6. PW3- the doctor attached to the Naguneri Government A Hospital, Tenkasi examined PW 2 at about 8.15 a.m. on 3.10.1989. He issued the wound certificate ExP3. He found the following injuries on him: . ·• "i. A bleeding lacerated wound 1 Ocm x 5 cm. x 4cm on medical aspecf of right forearm muscles and (NC) B exposed. ii. A bleeding lacerated wound 3 cm x 1 cm x 1 cm in . middle right forearm. iii. A lacerated bleeding wound in the palman aspect of c 2 cm x 1 cm x 1 cm of right middle and index finger seen and lacerated wound on.the tip of right ring and little finger measuring 1 cm x 1 cm x 1 cm . - . iv. . ''An incised ~ound 3 cm x 2 cm x 1 cm .. in upper D aspect of right arm. v. A bleeding lacerated wounCI in the left shoulder outer to the lateral end of left collar bone 4 crri x 2 cm x 1 cm seen. vi. A bleeding incised wound in the upper part of left ·E I·~- · arm3cmx1cmxYicm. vii. A bleeding indsed wound 15 cm x 6 cm x 4 cm left side of back of chest just below left infrascapular angle. viii. A bleeding incised wound in the palman aspect of F left index middle and ring finger· and. thumb each measured 6 cm x 2 cm x 1 cm fracture of middle finger MCP joint. ix. A bleeding lacerated wound in. the lateral aspect of G left forearm 3 cm x 2 cm x 1 cm. As per the wound certificate Ex.P3, injury No.3 and 9 is grievous in nature and the other injuries are simple injuries. 7. So far as the E)Vidence of PWs. 1, 2 and 5 is concerned, H 1170 SUPREME COl.JRT REPORTS [2008~ 13 S.C.R. A it is clear that P.W.2 was indiscriminately attacked by Al and A2 with 'Aruval'. As a result of those injuries. the viciim (P.W.2) fell on the ground. 8. According to P.W.5, as soon as P.W.2 fell on the ground, he became unconscious and thereafter, the accused persons 8 ran away from the scene. This occurrence took place at about 7.30A.M. and the victim was taken.to the hospital at about 8.15 A.M. P.W.3 Doctor stated that the victim was conscious and the victim stated to him that the he was attacked by three persons c with 'Aruval'. 9. P.W. 3 Doctor further stated that he gave Ex.P-2 intimation to the police, when P.W. 2 was admitted in the hospital. On receipt of Ex.P-2, P.W.7 Head constable rushed to Nanguneri Government hospital. At that time, P.W.1 was present in the D hospital and gave Ex. P-1 statement to P.W.7. 10. It is true that P.W. 7 stated that he obtained Ex.P-1 complaint from P.W.1, when P.W.2 was unconscious. P.W.1 stated that when P.W.2 victim was taken to the hospital, he was in unconscious state and after admitting the victim in the hospital, E P.W. 3 Doctor gave treatment to him. So, when treatment was being given by P.W.3 Doctor, P.yv.7 came and at that time, he was informed by P.W. 1 that P.W. 2 was not in a position to give statement, since he was unconscious. 11. Even assuming that P.W.2 was conscious at that time, F the nine serious injuries found on various parts of the body of the victim would clearly show that he could not have been able to give full details to P.W.7. Under those circumstances, obtaining of Ex. P-1 complaint from P.W. 1 is quite proper. 12. Merely because P.W.2 was conscious at that time, it G cannot be said that the statement should not have been recorded from P.W.1 and the same is doubtful. No law prohibits the police officer from recording complaint relating to the occurrence, that too, from an eye witness. The ground of acquittal as reH corded by trial Court is not at all a proper ground. MURUGAN & ANR. v. STATE REP. BY PUBLIC 1171 > PROSECUTOR, MADRAS, T. NADU ANR. [DR. ARIJIT PASAYAT, J.] 13. Secondly, accordingly to the trial court, P.W. 1 could A not have been seen the occurrence. 14. This again is not the reasoning based on evidence. According to both P.Ws. 1 and 2, they went to take bath in the well one after another. P.W.5 stated that after hearing the cry of J P.W.2, P.W.1 and others came to the scene. This would not mean .. 8 that P.W.1 did not accompany P.W.2. As a matter of fact, even according to P.W.5, P.Ws. 1 and 5 took the victim in a taxi to Naguneri Hospital. 15. The occurrence took place in a day light at 7.30 A.M. c The house of accused and P.Ws. 1 & 2 are situated nearby and the well also is situated just two furlongs away from the village. Under those circumstances, it cannot be said that P.W. 1 could not have accompanied P. W.2 to take bath. Therefore, this ground of acquittal was rightly held by the High Court to be untenable. 0 16. We find that the analysis made by the High Court to set aside the order does not suffer from any infirmity. Learned counsel for the appellant submitted that an appeal against the acquittal cannot be interfered by the Appellate Court except for the compelling reasons. E 17. The appellants have questioned the correctness of the High Court's judgment. According to them, the High Court had not kept in view the parameters of appeal against acquittal. It is submitted that even if two views are possible, the view support_, ing the accused had to be accepted and since the trial Court F had precisely done it and there was no reason to interfere with the judgment of the trial Court. 18. In view of rival submissions of the parties, we think it proper to consider and clarify the legal position first. Chapter G XXIX (Sections 372-394) of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (hereinafter referred to as "the present Code") deals with , appeals. Section 372 expressly declares that no appeal shall lie from any judgment or order of a criminal court except as provided by the Code or by any other law for the time being in H 1172 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2008) 13 S.C.R. A force. Section 373 provides for filing of appeals in certain cases. Section 374 allows appeals from convictions. Section 375 bars appeals in cases where the accused pleads guilty. Likewise, no appeal is maintainable in petty cases (Section 376). 19. Section 377 permits appeals by the State for enhances ment of sentence. Section 378 confers power on the State to present an appeal to the High Court from an order of acquittal. The said section is material and may be quoted in extenso: "378. Appeal in case of acquittal :(1) Save as otherwise c provided in sub-section (2) and subject to the provisions of sub-sections (3) and (5), D E F G H 2 [(a) the District Magistrate may, in any case, direct the Public Prosecutor to present an Appeal to the Court of Session from an order of acquittal passed by a Magistrate in respect of a cognizable and non-bailable offence; (b) the State Government may, in any case, direct the Public Prosecutor to present an Appeal to the High Court from an original or appellate order of an acquittal passed by any Court other than a High Court [not being an order under clause (a)] or an order of acquittal passed by the Court of Session in revision.";]. (2) If such an order of acquittal is passed in any case in which the offence has been investigated by the Delhi Special Police Establishment constituted under the Delhi Special Police Establishment Act, 1946 (25 of 1946) or by any other agency empowered to make investigation into an o1'fence under any Central Act other than this Code, 3 [the Central Government may, subject to the provisions of sub-section (3), also direct the Public Prosecutor to present an Appeal- (a) to the Court of Session, from an order of acquittal passed by a Magistrate in respect of a cognizable and { non-bailable offence; MURUGAN & A~~R. v. STATE REP. BY PUBLIC 1173 ) PROSECUTOR, MADRAS, T. NADU ANR. [DR. ARIJIT PASAYAT, J] (b) to the High Court from an original or ar:ipellate order of A an acquittal passed by a.ny Court Other than a High Court [not being an order under clause (a)] or an order of acquittal passed by the Court of Session in revision]. ~ • (3) No Appeal under sub-section (1) or sub-section (2) J shall be entertained except with the leave of the High Court. B (4) If such (Jn order of acquittal is passed in any case instituted upon complaint and the High Cour~, on an application made to it by the complainant in this behalf, grants special leave to Appeal from the order of acquittal, c the complainant may present such an Appeal to the High Court. (5) No application under sub-section (4) for the grant of special leave to Appeal from an order of acquittal shall be " entertained by the High Court after the expiry of six months, D \ where the complainant is a public servant, and sixty days in every other case, computed from the date of that order of acquittal. (6) If, in any case, the application under sub-section (4) for E the grant of special leave to Appeal from an order of acquittal is refused, no Appeal from that order of acquittal shall lie under sub-section (1) or under sub-section (2). 20. Whereas Sections 379-380 cover special cases of -+ appeals, other sections lay down procedure to be followed by F appellate courts. 21. It may be stated that more or less similar provisions were found in the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898 (hereinafter referred to as "the old Code") which came up for consideration before various High Courts, Judicial Committee of the G Privy Council as also before this Court. Since in the present appeal, we have been called upon to decide the ambit and scope of the power of an appellate court in an appeal against an order of acquittal, we have confined ourselves to one aspe9t only i.e. an appeal against an order of acquittal. H 1174 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2008] 13 S.C.R. A 22. Bare reading of Section 378 of the present Code (appeal in case of acquittal) quoted above, makes it clear that no restrictions have been imposed by the legislature on the powers of the appellate court in dealing with appeals against acquittal. When such an appeal is filed, the High Court has full \. B power to reappreciate, review and reconsider the evidence at large, the material on which the order of acquittal is founded and to reach its own conclusions on such evidence. Both queslions of fact and of law are open to determination by the High Court in an appeal against an order of acquittal. c 23. It cannot, however, be forgotten that in case of acquittal, there is a double presumption in favour of the accused. Firstly, the presumption of innocence is available to him under the fundamental principle of criminal jurisprudence that every person should be presumed to be innocent unless he is proved D to be guilty by a competent court of law. Secondly, the accused having secured an acquittal, the presumption of his innocence is certainly not weakened but reinforced, reaffirmed and strengthened by the trial court. E 24. Though the above principles are well established, a different note was struck in several decisions by various High Courts and even by this Court. It is, therefore, appropriate if we consider some of the leading decisions on the point. 25. The first important decision was rendered by tho JudiF cial Committee of the Privy Council in Sheo Swarup v. R. Emperor (1934) 61 IA 398). In Shea Swarup the accused were acquitted by the trial court and the local Government directed the Public Prosecutor to present an appeal to the High Court from an order of acquittal under Section 417 of the old Code G (similar to Section 378 of the present Code). At the time of hearing of appeal before the High Court, it was contended on behalf of the accused that in an appeal from an order of acquittal; it was not open to the appellate court to interfere with the findings of fact recorded by the trial Judge unless such findings could H not have been reached by him had there not been some per- ) t t MURUGAN & ANR. v. STATE REP. BY PUBLIC 1175 PROSECUTOR; MADRAS, T. NADU ANR. [DR. ARIJIT PASAYAT, J.] versity or incompetence on his part. The High Court, however, A declined to accept the said view. It held that no condition was ·.imposed on the High Court in such appeal. It accordingly reviewed all the evidence in the case and having formed an opinion of its weight and reliability different from that of the trial Judge, recorded an order of conviction. A petition was presented to B His Majesty in Council for leave to appeal on the ground that conflicting views had been expressed by the High Courts in dif· ferent parts of India upon the question whether in an appeal from an order of acquittal, an appellate court had the power to interfere with the findings of fact recorded by the trial ~udge. . c Their Lordships thought it fit to clarify the legal position and accordingly upon the "humble advice of their Lordships", leave was granted by His Majesty. The case was, thereafter, argued. The Committee considered the scheme and interpreting Section 417 of the Code (old Code) observed that there was no 0 indication in the Code of any limitation or restriction on the High ·. Court in exercise of powers as an Appellate Tribunal. The Code also made no distinction as regards powers of the High Court in dealing with an appeal against acquittal and an appeal against conviction. Though several authorities were cited revealing different views by the High Courts dealing with an appeal from an E order of acquittal, the Committee did not think it proper to discuss all the cases. 26. Lord Russel summed up the legal position thus: "There is, in their opinion, no foundation for the view; F apparently supported by the judgments of some courts in India, that the High Court has no power .or jurisdiction to reverse an order of acquittal on a matter of fact, except in ca~e~ in which the lower court has 'obstinately blundered' :-:o · or has 'through incompetence, stupidity or perie.rsity' G reached such 'distorted conclusions as to produce a positive miscarriage of justice', or has in some other way · so conducted or misconducted itself as to 'produce a glaring miscarri~ge of justice, or has been tricked by the defence so as to produce a similar result." H 1176 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2008) 13 S.C.R. • ( A His Lordship, then proceeded to observe: (IA p.404) "Sections 417, 418 and 423 of the Code give to the High Court full power to review at large the evidence upon which the order of acquittal was founded, and to reach the B conclusion that upon that evidence the order of acquittal should be reversed. No limitation should be placed upon that power, unless it be found expressly stated in the Code." 27. The Committee, however, cautioned appellate courts and stated: (IA p.404) c "But in exercising the power conferred by the Code and before reaching its conclusions upon fact, the High Court should and will always give proper weight and consideration to such matters as ( 1) the views of the trial Judge as to the credibility of the witnesses; (2) the D presumption of innocence in favour of the accused, a presumption certainly not weakened by the fact that he has been acquitted at his trial; (3) the right of the accused to the benefit of any doubt; and ( 4) the slowness of an appellate court in disturbing a finding of fact arrived at by E a judge who had the advantage of seeing the witnesses. To state this, however, is only to say that the High Court in its conduct of the appeal should and will act in accordance with rules and principles well known and recognised in the administration of justice." F (emphasis supplied) 28. In NurMohd. v. Emperor(AIR 1945PC 151), the Committee reiterated the above view in Sheo Swarup (Supra) and held that in an appeal against acquittal, the High Court has full G powers to review and to reverse acquittal. 29. So far as this Court is concerned, probably the first decision on the point was Prandas v. State (AIR 1954 SC 36) . j (though the case was decided on 14-3-1950, it was reported only in 1954). In that case, the accused was acquitted by the H trial court. The Provincial Government preferred an appeal which ) MURUGAN & ANR. v. STAfE REP. BY PUBLIC 1177 PROSECUTOR, MADRAS, T. NADU ANR. [DR. ARIJIT PASAYAT, J.] was allowed and the accused was convicted for offences punA ishable under Sections 302 and 323 IPC. The High Court, for convicting the accused, placed reliance on certain eyE:)witc nesses. 30. Upholding the decision of the High Court and follow· B ing the proposition of law in Shea Swarup (supra), a six-Judge Bench held as follows: "6. It must be observed at the very outset that we cannot support the view which has been expressed in several cases that the High Court has no power under Section c 417, Criminal Procedure Code, to reverse a judgment of acquittal, unless the judgment is perverse or the subordinate court has in some way or other misdirected itself so as to produce a miscarriage of justice." (emphasis supplied) D 31. In Surajpal Singh v. State (1952 SCR 193), a twoJudge Bench observed that it ·was well established that in an appeal under Section 417 of the (old) Code, the High Court had full power to review the evidence upon which the order of E acquittal was founded. But it was equally well settled that the presumption of innocence of the accused was further reinforced by his acquittal by the trial court, and the findings of the trial .court which had the advantage of seeing the witnesses and hearing their evidence could be reversed only for very substantial and compelling. reasons. F 32. In Ajmer Singh v State of Punjab (1953 SCR 418) the accused was acquitted by the trial court but was convicted by the High Court in an appeal against acquittal filed by the State. The aggrieved accused approached this Court. It was G contended by him thatthere were "no compelling reasons" for setting aside the order of acquittal and due and proper weight had not been given by the High Court to the opinion of the trial court as regards the credibility of witnesses seen and examined. It was also commented that the High Court committed an H 1178 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2008] 13 S.C.R. A error of law in observing that "when a strong 'prima facie' case is made out against an accused person it is his duty to explain · " the circumstances appearing in evidence against him and he cannot take shelter behind the presumption of innocence and cannot state that the law entitles him to keep his lips sealed". B c , D E F G H Upholding the contention, this Court said: "We think this criticism is well founded. After an order of acquittal has been made the presumption of innocence is further reinforced by that order, and that being so, the trial court's decision can be reversl.d not on the ground that the accused had failed to explain the circumstances appearing against him but only for very substantial and compelling reasons." (emphasis supplied) 33. In Atley v. State of UP (AIR 1955 SC 807) this Court sa.id: "In our opinion, it is not correct to say that unless the appellate court in an appeal under Section 417, Criminal Procedure Code came to the conclusion that the judgment of acquittal under appeal was perverse it could not set aside that order. It has been laid down by this Court that it is open to the High Court on an appeal against an order of 51cquittal to review the entire evidence and to come to its own conclusion, of course, keeping in view the well-established rule-that the presumption of innocence of the accused is not weakened but strengthened by the judgment of acquittal passed by the trial court which had the advantage of observing the demeanour ofwitnesses whose evidence have been recorded in its presence. It is also well settled that the court of appeal has as wide powers of appreciation of evidence in an appeal against an order of acquittal as in the case of an appeal against ' MURUGAN & ANR. v. STATE REP. BY PUBLIC 1179 PROSECUTOR, MADRAS, T. NADU ANR. [DR. ARIJIT PASAYAT, J.] an order of conviction, subject to the riders that the presumption A of innocence with which the accused person starts in the trial court continues even up to the appellate stage and that the appellate court should attach due weight to the opinion of the trial court which recorded the order of acquittal, If the appellate court reviews the evidence, keeping those B principles in mind, and comes to a contrary conclusion, the judgment cannot be said to have been vitiated." (emphasis supplied) 34. In Aher Raja Khima v. State of Saurashtra (1955) 2 c SCR 1285) the accused was prosecuted under Sections 302 and 447 IPC. He was acquitted by the trial court but convicted by the High Court. Dealing with the power of the High Court against an order of acquittal, Bose, J. speaking for the majority (2:1) stated: (AIR p. 220, para 1) "It is, in our opinion, well settled D that it is not enough for the High Court to take a different view of the evidence; there must a/so be substantial and compelling reasons for holding that the trial court was wrong.", J (emphasis· supplied) E 35. In Sanwat Singh v. State of Rajasthan (1961) 3 SCR 120, a three-Judge Bench considered almost all leading decisions on the point and observed that there was no difficulty in applying the principles laid down by the Privy Council and ac- ~ cepted by the Supreme Court. The Court, however, noted that F ~ appellate courts found considerable difficulty in understanding the scope of the words "substantial and compelling. reasons" ' used in certain decisions. It was observed inter-alia as follows: "This Court obviously did not and could not add a condition to Section 417 of the Criminal Procedure Code. The words G were intended to convey the idea that an appellate court '> not only shall bear in mind the principles laid down by the 1 Privy Council but also must give its clear reasons for " coming to the conclusion that the order of acql,Jittal was wrong." H • 1180 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2008]13 S.C.R. A The Court concluded as follows: B c D "9. The foregoing discussion yields the following results: ( 1) an appellate court has full power to review the evidence upon which the order of acquittal is founded; (2) the principles laid down in Shea Swarup case afford a correct guide for the appellate court's approach to a case in disposing of such an appeal; and (3) the different phraseology used in the judgments of this Court, such as, (1) 'substantial and compelling reasons', (i1) 'good and sufficiently cogent reasons', and (iii) 'strong reasons' are not intended to curtail the undoubted power of an appellate court in an appeal against acquittal to review the entire evidence and to come to its own conclusion; but in doing so it should not only consider every matter on record having a bearing on the questions of fact and the reasons given by the court below in support of its order of acquittal in its arriving at a conclusion on those facts, but should also express those reasons in its judgment, which lead it to hold that the acquittal was not justified." 36. Again, in M.G Agarwalv. State of Maharashtra (1963) E 2 SCR 405, the point was raised before a Constitution Bench of this Court. Taking note of earlier decisions, it was observed as follows: F G H "17.