LexSURINDER KUMAR AND ANR. versus STATE OF HARYANA
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A SURINDER KUMAR AA')) ANR. v. STATE OF HARYANA APRIL 28, 1992 B (KULDIP SINGH AND M. FATHIMA BEEVI, JJ.] Indian Penal Code, 1860: Sections 34, 302 and 498-A~eath on account of bum injurie~g C declaration made by deceased in hospital before Judicial Magistrate-Doctor certifying that patient remained conscious at the time of recording of state- ment-Whether there was any infirmity in recording of dying declara- tion-Conviction based on such dying declaration-Whether justified. The first appellant's second wife died of bum injuries sustained by D her. The first appellant and his son from his first wife were tried for the murder of the deceased and also for subjectint; her to cruelty. The trial court convicted both of the them under sections 302 and 498-A read with S~ion 34 of the Indian Penal Code on the basis of the dying declaration made by the deceased before the Judicial Magistrate. The High Court, on E appeal, maintained their conviction and sentence under Section 302 ~d with Section 34 Indian Penal Code but acquitted them of the offence under Section 498-A read with Section 34. In the appeal, by special leave, on behalf of the appellants-accused it was contended that the statement made by the deceased before the F doctor, who had admitted her in the hospital, giving cause of her death as burn injuries sustained by her while cooking food on gas stove was the earliest version and amounted to a dying declaration, and there being two contradictory statements made by the deceased, the dying declaration recorded by the Magistrate was not worthy of credit and conviction of the G appellants could not be based on it. Dismissing the appeal, this Court, HELD : 1.1. The conviction of the appellants is based on the dying declaration made by the deceased in the hospital before a Judicial H Magistrate. The doctor certified that the patient remained conscious 910 --- J _.. SURINDER KUMAR v. STATE 911 during the period her statement was recorded. The Judicial Magistrate A recorded a certificate that the statement of the deceased was recorded by him and it contained true version of her statement and she had thumb marked the same. In view of the doctor's certificate, there is no infirmity in the recording of the dying declaration by the Magistrate and the same inspires confidence. [912 C-D] 1.2. It was the first appellant who brought his wife, deceased, to the hospital and be remained present while the deceased was examined by the doctor. It is nowhere mentioned in the record that what was recorded by B the doctor was stated by the deceased. Therefore, what was recorded by the doctor could not be the version of deceased herself. Had it been so, the C doctor may not have used the word "alleged" while recording that the patient received injuries while cooking food on gas-stove. The doctor, did not mention anywhere of the record about the state of mind of the deceased, whether she was conscious or not. It is more probable that what was recorded by the doctor was at the instance of the husband who was accompanying his wife at the time of Ker examination by him. Therefore, D the courts below have rightly rejected the defence plea that what was recorded by the doctor was at the instance of the deceased. The trial court has also rightly rejected the evidence of defence witnesses. There is no infirmity in the judgments of the courts below. (912 G-H, 913 A-CJ CRIMINAL APPELLATE JURISDICTION : Criminal Appeal No. 150of1992. From the Judgment and Order dated 21.8.1991 of the Punjab and Haryana High Court in Criminal Appeal No. 210-DB of 1989. U.R. Lalit, B.S. Katia! and S. Muralidhar for the Appellants. Ms. lndu Malhotra for the Respondent. The follo\\ing order of the Court was delivered : E F Sheema, second wife of appellant Surinder Kumar, sustained 70 per G cent burn injuries in an occurrence which took place on May 16, 1987 and ultimately succumbed to those injuries on May 22, 1987. Surinder Kumar and his son Sanjiv from his first wife were tried for the murder of Sheema and also for subjecting her to cruelty. The trial court convicted both of them under Sections 302/34 and 498-A/34 of the Indian Penal Code. They H 912 SUPREME COURT REPORTS . (1992) 2 S.C.R. A were sentenced for life and a fine of Rs. 500 on the first count and rigorous imprisonment for two years and a fine of Rs. 200 on the second count. The High Court, on appeal, maintained their convictio
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