Open iDraf
Vasanta v. State Of Maharashtra

Vasanta
v.
State Of Maharashtra

(Supreme Court Of India)

Criminal Appeal No. 515 Of 1976 (Criminal Appeals No. 60 And 80 Of 1974) | 02-02-1983


1. The appellant in the first instance was convicted by the trial Court under S. 304, Part 2, I.P.C. and sentenced to imprisonment for five years' rigorous imprisonment. In the High Court appeals were filed both by the accused-appellant as also by the State. The High Court dismissed the appeal of the accused but allowed the appeal filed by the State and altered the conviction of the appellant from one under Section 304, part 2, I.P.C. to that under S. 302, I.P.C. and sentenced the appellant to imprisonment for life. Hence this appeal before us. The facts have been narrated in the judgment of the High Court and it is not necessary to repeat the same. It appears that there was some verbal altercation as a result of which the deceased had caught the hand of the accused, whereupon the accused assaulted the deceased with a knife with very great force according to medical evidence. In view of the medical evidence and injuries received by the deceased the case squarely falls within four corners of S. 302, I.P.C. Mr. Lalit, however, submits that the case falls under Section 304, Part 2, I.P.C. in view of serious altercations between the parties as held by the trial Court. We are, however, unable to agree with this contention because there is nothing to show that the alteration was of such a serious nature which could cause sudden provocation. Secondly, the nature of injury, namely, the stab on the chest which resulted in the fracture of the 6th rib and injured the heart and the lung and which according to the doctor was given with great force showed that it was most cruel and therefore the case squarely falls under S. 302, I.P.C. We are in complete agreement with the High Court that the offence falls Section 302, I.P.C. and the appellant was therefore, rightly convicted by the High Court. The accused, who is now on bail will be taken into custody to serve the remaining part of the sentence. There is not merit in the appeal which is accordingly dismissed.

2. Appeal dismissed.

Advocates List

U. R. Lalit, P. H. Parekh, D. K. Chhaya, M. N. Shroff, V. N. Ganpule, Advocates.

For Petitioner
  • Shekhar Naphade
  • Mahesh Agrawal
  • Tarun Dua
For Respondent
  • S. Vani
  • B. Sunita Rao
  • Sushil Kumar Pathak

Bench List

HON'BLE JUSTICE O. CHINNAPPA REDDY

HON'BLE JUSTICE SYED M. FAZAL ALI

Eq Citation

1983 CRILJ 693

1983 (1) CRIMES 728 (SC)

1983 (1) SCALE 871

LQ/SC/1983/40

HeadNote

Criminal appeal — Conviction — Alteration of sentence by the High Court from Section 304, Part 2, IPC to Section 302, IPC — Accused stabbed the deceased on the chest with great force, leading to the fracture of the 6th rib and injury to the heart and lung — Trial Court convicted the accused under Section 304, Part 2, IPC, and sentenced him to five years' rigorous imprisonment — High Court upheld the conviction but enhanced the sentence to life imprisonment — Held, alteration of the sentence by the High Court was justified as the offense fell under Section 302, IPC, and the accused was rightly convicted under that provision — Appeal dismissed.