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4,090
e43386cc8eb546eabe5427e447ca113d
Hardev Singh and R.K. Agnihotri for the Respondent.
0NONE
4,090
ffbe2e725d0e48bb91aaa91e23de0c22
The Judgment of the Court was delivered by RAY, J.
0NONE
4,090
d4e0eea1ca2042a2a707ad0278756c04
Special leave granted.
0NONE
4,090
ecdb2065aaac4e71a5eb4dcb0087345e
Heard learned counsel for the parties.
0NONE
4,090
d88b930f98d34f1385fb7472475dffa6
The prosecution case, in short, is that to create fear and terror to commit murder and to aggravate tense situation some persons hatched a conspiracy to massacre the general public by placing transistor bombs at public places and also by placing them in public transports as trains, buses etc.
11FAC
4,090
44ea01bd97f04cbf98c8fe24a37a5963
Many explosions took place in May 1985 in Delhi and parts of Uttar Pradesh in consequence whereof many persons were killed in Delhi and some places in Uttar Pradesh.
11FAC
4,090
cd673a5ab45f475b9c67ca28dc190753
Several cases were registered in different police stations of Aligarh, Ghaziabad, Meerut and Khekra etc.
11FAC
4,090
d8d56c9871144c3da2d488aaa0460b59
In Delhi F.I.R. No. 238 of 1985 was registered i.e. State v. Kartar Singh Narang etc. wherein all the accused persons named therein were arrested except one Gurdeep Singh Sehgal who was declared as a proclaimed offender.
11FAC
4,090
2fe8223d725f41709b6dc916df1c080c
The accused Jagjit Singh and Gurvinder Singh turned approvers and they were granted pardon under Section 308 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973.
11FAC
4,090
7be8dc2025e54f2084c962c2dbc101df
They were examined as P.W. 1 and P.W. 2 in the committal case proceeding in the court of Chief Metropolitan Magistrate on December 24, 1985.
11FAC
4,090
e6d2421e99c3461f9fb98f996512d7f7
Both these approvers resiled from their statements in the court of the Committing Magistrate.
11FAC
4,090
f1fe01e56818433fa985c7902ec8a34d
The accused persons were committed to the Court of Sessions to stand their trial for offences under Sections 121, 121A, 153, 153A, 302 and 307 I.P.C. and sections 3, 5 and 6 of Explosives Substances Act.
11FAC
4,090
dd00e52932514e9a9a524eb2a64dde11
PG NO. 1096
11FAC
4,090
40167bb81b384e82a01f27df49c69975
On February 27, 1986, Surjit Kaur, another accused in the Transistor Bomb Case, against whom cases were pending in the Meerut, Ghaziabad and Aligarh Districts of U.P., moved an application under Section 406 of the Code of Criminal Procedure before this Court for transfer of criminal case pending in the court of Meerut to a court in Delhi.
11FAC
4,090
f2f1dcde5197432c918d77c961f16c5e
This Court after hearing Counsel for the State of Uttar Pradesh has directed that criminal cases referred to at Serial Nos. 1, 2, 3 and 5 in paragraph 2 of the transfer petition stand transferred to the Court of the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate, Delhi and shall be tried along with the case instituted in the Court of the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate, Delhi arising out of F.I.R. No. 238 of 1985 of Police Station, Patel Nagar, New Delhi.
11FAC
4,090
c48fbb9074d04a0d831937035d437316
When the matter was taken up in the Court of Sessions, the respondent, Jagjit Singh, the approver moved an application that he cannot be examined as a witness as he had not accepted the pardon and did not support the prosecution version and he was forced to make a wrong statement by the police before the Metropolitan Magistrate.
11FAC
4,090
24e23a1170ed45cc80cd4424cfc94cf7
The application was rejected by the Trial Judge after hearing the arguments of the parties on March 1, 1986.
10RLC
4,090
ee047dbbd3d546b080bc2daac278f9e6
Against this order, a Criminal Revision Petition No. 92 of 1986 was filed by the respondent, Jagjit Singh in the High Court at Delhi.
11FAC
4,090
30552ed75ae943ea813f4389f1538e20
This application was heard by Jagdish Chandra, J who dismissed the petition on August 12, 1986 holding that the mandate of the law requiring that the approver shall be examined both before the Committing Magistrate as well as during trial as a witness, is binding not only on the trial court and the prosecution but also on the approver as well.
11FAC
4,090
ccd7313a83214693be3aaebef2c7fd40
Thereafter, one of the accused person who was a proclaimed offender was arrested and a supplementary challan was filed in the Court of Metropolitan Magistrate, Delhi.
11FAC
4,090
400c21a1f0484556b885607ee42fa04d
The respondent, Jagjit Singh was sought to be examined as an approver by the prosecution, in the said supplementary committal proceeding in F.I.R. No. 238 of 1985.
11FAC
4,090
3bf9e733adfd40d0bf37355010baaec4
The respondent objected to his being summoned as an approver on the ground inter alia that he cannot be examined as a witness in a case though he is figuring as an accused person in other five cases on the same facts and circumstances which are being jointly tried.
11FAC
4,090
046f69dfce784627bc5dbab3c10f13f3
The Chief Metropolitan Magistrate, Delhi dismissed the application by his order dated October 6, 1986.
10RLC
4,090
410b168637344ddb893060f8ca6e1bf3
Against this order the respondent Jagjit Singh filed Criminal Revision Petition No. 221 of 1986.
11FAC
4,090
da0b05b6760345c18d5eccec3557aae8
M.K. Chawla, J after hearing the parties allowed the Revision Petition and directed the State not to examine the respondent-approver as an approver in case F.I.R. No. 238 of 1985.
10RLC
4,090
486877f61fa04b5d886283db6d39e53f
PG NO. 1097
11FAC
4,090
37c495f472f44612801ca1f24069dee9
Aggrieved by this order this appeal by special leave has been filed by State.
11FAC
4,090
3186ff6ff12546b9be83b2a9b7eec558
It has been urged that the statement recorded under Section 164 of the Code of Criminal Procedure was not made by the respondent, Jagjit Singh voluntarily but it was obtained under coercion by the police.
7ARG_RESPONDENT
4,090
a5701dd05cc9463193f600aadad46b79
It has also been contended that he resiled from his statements in the court of the Committing Magistrate and he has not accepted the pardon granted to him by the Magistrate.
7ARG_RESPONDENT
4,090
3af280eb115445e49598a39cff7e6a13
He should be arrayed as an accused in the case F.I.R. No. 238/85 and should be tried as an accused along with other accused in the said case.
7ARG_RESPONDENT
4,090
394be162213c47de98dbb6f876b073ba
This contention is not tenable in as much as the pardon granted to the respondent, Jagjit Singh was accepted by him and other approver, Gurvinder Singh who were examined as P.W. 1 and P.W. 2 in the court of the Committing Magistrate.
6ANALYSIS
4,090
a5779f1744464957892576f4cf42156f
These approvers, of course, resiled from their statement in the court of the Committing Magistrate.
6ANALYSIS
4,090
a72d575bb38a4244a500cd1d0e1aaa31
It has therefore, been submitted that the prosecution cannot examine him as a witness in the said case as he has cast away the pardon granted to him.
7ARG_RESPONDENT
4,090
20845e675c41424c801be90703b306af
This submission, in our considered opinion, is not tenable in as much as sub-section (4) of Section 306 of Code of Criminal Procedure clearly enjoins that a person accepting a tender of pardon has to be examined as a witness in the court of the Magistrate taking cognizance of the offence and in the subsequent trial, if any.
6ANALYSIS
4,090
7f6094c9305941a1a1daecdf345e7fc5
It is therefore, a mandate of the provisions of the said Act to the prosecution to examine the approver to whom pardon has been granted as a witness both in the Committing Court as well as in the trial court
6ANALYSIS
4,090
7d012989a2e34da2a910ccd3479acffc
It does not matter
6ANALYSIS
4,090
0f3e3e20cc8f46cd9c91516c80ece8f4
whether
6ANALYSIS
4,090
b2732d05bc74485f923a84d17e82140f
the approver has resiled from his statement and has not made a full and true disclosure of whole of the circumstances within his knowledge relating to the offence so long as the Public Prosecutor does not certify that in his opinion the approver has either wilfully concealed anything essential or has given false evidence contrary to the condition on which the tender of pardon was made.
6ANALYSIS
4,090
f30cb3f39db14853bfed201691778ae3
It has been next contended that the grant of pardon is in the nature of a contract between the State granting the pardon on the one hand and the person accepting the pardon on the other hand.
7ARG_RESPONDENT
4,090
e505b0cca3824f7eb267d6087dc8a928
As the State has the power to revoke the pardon at any time the approver has also got the reciprocal right to cast away the pardon granted to him.
7ARG_RESPONDENT
4,090
96a7b9f3a6f64fd38e296560ac07c9f5
This submission is also not tenable.
6ANALYSIS
4,090
c8e33fe5d9624d08a559b8b7bc04ae96
The power to grant pardon carries with it the right to impose a condition limiting the operation of such a pardon.
6ANALYSIS
4,090
493e5e877c274223a699268ef15b9029
Hence a pardoning power can attach any condition, precedent or subsequent so long as it is not illegal, immoral or impossible of performance.
6ANALYSIS
4,090
92514c8c35544c37991c5b5cda04fcca
Section 306 clearly enjoins that the approver who was PG NO 1098 granted pardon had to comply with the condition of making a full and true disclosure of the whole of the circumstances within his knowledge relative to the offence and to every other concerned whether as principal or abettor, in the commission thereof.
6ANALYSIS
4,090
2aab9d435dad4b4f9ac40c4890069656
It is because of this mandate, the State can not withdraw the pardon from the approver nor the approver can cast away the pardon granted to him till he is examined as a witness by the prosecution both in the Committing Court as well as in the trial court.
6ANALYSIS
4,090
3d4dea42a3c34b639afdbf4b29b51758
The approver may have resiled from the statement made before the Magistrate in the Committing Court and may not have complied with the condition on which pardon was granted to him, still the prosecution has to examine him as a witness in the trial court.
6ANALYSIS
4,090
39d92d593e554203bcbb01a845863637
It is only when the Public Prosecutor certifies that the approver has not complied with the conditions on which the tender was made by wilfully concealing anything essential or by giving false evidence, he may be tried under section 308 of the Code of Criminal Procedure not only for the offence in respect of which pardon was granted but also in respect of other offences.
6ANALYSIS
4,090
2cb5ddfd30104bf0b13d55d39802bd42
In these circumstances, the question of casting away the pardon granted to an approver and his claim not to be examined by the prosecution as a witness before the trial court is without any substance.
6ANALYSIS
4,090
7beed1196f834512aad83ce7748d19c0
It has been submitted in this connection by citing a decision In re Arusami Goundan, AIR 1959 (Madras) 274 that the accomplice who has been tendered a pardon if at any stage either wilfully conceals material particulars or gives false evidence and thereby fails to comply with the conditions on which pardon was tendered to him and thereby incurs its forfeiture he should not be compelled by the prosecution to be examined as a witness before the trial court.
7ARG_RESPONDENT
4,090
e9797df82d0d4f9e8ef830adf5b1ec86
It has been observed even in the said case that the provisions of Section 337(2) of the old Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898 (5 of 1898) provide that the approver who has been tendered pardon must be examined both in the Committing Court and the Court of Sessions it has been held that: "The obligation to make a full and true disclosure would arise whenever the approver is lawfully called upon to give evidence touching the matter; it may be in the Committing court, or, it may be in he Sessions Court.
4PRE_RELIED
4,090
a978f3b46fa746f0b0410c0c4101e3c5
But, the obligation to make a full and true disclosure rests on the approver at every stage at which he can be lawfully required to give evidence.
4PRE_RELIED
4,090
6cddbe4dabf64db09ad05bab98eb3f04
If at any stage he either wilfully conceals material particulars or gives false evidence he would failed to comply with the conditions on which the pardon was tendered to him and thereby incurred its forfeiture.
4PRE_RELIED
4,090
e42f1ce45ac44c25a5439a9f1b99158b
Neither as a matter of reason or logic, nor as a matter PG NO 1099 of statutory interpretation can it be said that S. 339(1) is dependent on or connected with S. 337(2) in the sense that the approver must be examined both in the Committing Court and the Sessions Court before it can be held that he has forfeited his pardon.
4PRE_RELIED
4,090
dbad812048bf4aaa93a93c2aa9ec1969
It is sufficient if he fails to conform to the conditions on which the pardon has been granted to him at either stage."
4PRE_RELIED
4,090
8cd59619bbda4721a4cd2d342db7d15c
This decision has been considered in Emperor v. Shandino Dhaniparto, AIR 1940 (Sind) 114 wherein it has been held that: "When an accused after accepting pardon denies all knowledge of facts before the Committing Magistrate and the case is committed to Sessions Court the pardon cannot be forfeited before the accused is examined in the Sessions Court.
4PRE_RELIED
4,090
65df00e136c149b7878d48cacc4f301a
Once a pardon is tendered and accepted, S. 337(2) renders it obligatory for the prosecution to examine the approver both in the Committing Magistrate s Court and in the Sessions Court should the case be committed.
4PRE_RELIED
4,090
0584aaf135334d7d83e24ecb5b543aa2
Failure of the prosecution to examine the approver in the Sessions Court vitiates the trial."
4PRE_RELIED
4,090
4cd449a8d4fa4e8b8928f3671087b643
The provisions of Sections 337 and 339 of the old Code of Criminal Procedure are almost in identical terms with the provisions of Sections 306 and 308 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973.
6ANALYSIS
4,090
60492b5c54b7406fa538d53350afd5e5
This submission on a plain reading of these sections, cannot be sustained.
6ANALYSIS
4,090
3ca0f863659e4dc6954c6d146641085c
It has been urged with great vehemence that the appellant, Jagjit Singh was granted pardon with regard to case F.I.R. No. 238 of 1985 whereas his name appears as an accused in the other four cases which have been directed to be tried along with above case wherein the facts are almost similar.
7ARG_RESPONDENT
4,090
d8f11e4a5fe8421f93c05d80c620acd0
The appellant-approver in such circumstances should not be examined by the prosecution as a witness in as much as his evidence may be used in the other criminal cases wherein he figures as an accused.
7ARG_RESPONDENT
4,090
4b946e95f2f144e49dfc181c2ffdfb2b
This is against the protection given by Article 2(3) of the Constitution of India.
7ARG_RESPONDENT
4,090
9f18f19b03f34a7fa0273cd15c7db55a
It has, therefore, been submitted that the order dated April 27, 1987 passed in Revision Petition No. 221 of 1986 directing the State not to examine the approver as a witness should not be set aside.
7ARG_RESPONDENT
4,090
ab753d834f0847f8a0dbbb25d29f93ae
This contention is also not tenable in as much as once an accused is granted pardon under section 306 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, he ceases to be an accused and becomes a witness for the prosecution.
6ANALYSIS
4,090
9eb0d34a7c7e46519fff3a94c5e10fbb
The only condition imposed by the provisions of the Act is that the approver must make a full and true disclosure of the whole of the circumstances within his PG NO 1100 knowledge relating to the offence and to every other concerned, whether as principal or abettor, in the commission thereof.
6ANALYSIS
4,090
a72f67fa405442ad8aa33452a24db3ec
So long as the Prosecution does not certify that he has failed to do so he continues to be a witness and the prosecution is under obligation to examine him as a witness both in the Committing Court as well as in the trial court.
6ANALYSIS
4,090
00845df7bddf4f06839ea2cc29d3921b
This has been made very clear by this Court in the case of A.J. Peiris v. State of Madras, AIR 1954(SC) 616 wherein it has been observed that: ".....We think that the moment the pardon was tendered to the accused he must be presumed to have been discharged whereupon he ceased to be an accused and became a witness."
4PRE_RELIED
4,090
d3cf1e78670b4c5aa75487b37a26461d
We have already held hereinbefore that sub-section 4 of Section 306 casts an obligation on the prosecution to examine the approver both in the Committing Court as well as in the trial court.
6ANALYSIS
4,090
aa87537e0f874c698e52eb10f858af8d
So the appellant who has been granted pardon in case F.I.R. No. 238/85 has to be examined by the prosecution in the trial court no matter that he has resiled from his earlier statement and tried to conceal what was within his knowledge with regard to the offence in question.
6ANALYSIS
4,090
37bc7d59dc724000b30f5e181f1c991b
It will be pertinent to mention here Section 132 of the Indian Evidence Act, 1872 which lays down that: "A witness shall not be excused from answering any question as to any matter relevant to the matter in issue in any suit or in any civil or criminal proceedings, upon the ground that the answer to such question will criminate, or may tend directly or indirectly to criminate, such witness, or that it will expose, or tend directly or indirectly to expose, such witness to a penalty or forfeiture of any kind.
5STA
4,090
50351949ed654475a5be5b2fe5a77178
Proviso-
5STA
4,090
c01e67e90cda4945b69d9b0b1d0ce19c
Provided that no such answer, which a witness shall be compelled to give, shall subject him to any arrest or prosecution, or be against him in any criminal proceeding, except a prosecution for giving false evidence by such answer.
5STA
4,090
b0fe317c23244b4184c85f2e19502ba8
Therefore, a witness is legally bound to answer any question which is relevant to the matter in issue even if the answer to such question is likely to criminate him directly or indirectly.
6ANALYSIS
4,090
0a84d844883c440480de80c64186766e
Proviso to Section 132 expressly provides that such answer which a witness is compelled to give shall not subject him to any arrest or prosecution PG NO 1101 nor the same can be proved against him in any criminal proceeding except a prosecution for giving false evidence by such answer.
6ANALYSIS
4,090
36d76de96abe48a88ffe16b4574a4e9c
The provisions of proviso to Section 132 of the Indian Evidence Act clearly protect a witness from being prosecuted on the basis of the answers given by him in a criminal proceeding which tend to criminate him directly or indirectly.
6ANALYSIS
4,090
cef594425be64558a5e1f7b872d874e8
In view of this provision, the apprehension of the respondent that his evidence as approver will be used against him in the other four criminal cases where he figures as an accused is without any basis.
6ANALYSIS
4,090
16a8a4e2246e4c218e704a3221521f2a
On the other hand, he is absolutely protected from criminal prosecution on the basis of the evidence to be given by him when examined by the prosecution as an approver in the said case.
6ANALYSIS
4,090
12033ea1926b48dabc7690c1d31f78b4
This submission of the respondent is, therefore, not tenable.
6ANALYSIS
4,090
8e0ee27803f14765963bcb6ca3a443fe
It is pertinent to refer in this connection the decision of this Court in Laxmipat Choraria and Ors. v. State of Maharashtra.
4PRE_RELIED
4,090
830893dbb59d4003b6012a2c835373ce
[1968] 2 SCR 626 wherein it has been observed by Hidayatullah, J as he then was that: "....... Under s. 132 a witness shall not be excused from answering any question as to any matter relevant to the matter in issue in any criminal proceeding (among others) upon the ground that the answer to such question will incriminate or may tend directly or indirectly to expose him to a penalty or forfeiture of any kind.
4PRE_RELIED
4,090
de192d8411f040afa99368226ce11d6f
The safeguard to this compulsion is that no such answer which the witness is compelled to give exposes him to any arrest or prosecution or can ii be prove i against him in any criminal proceeding except a prosecution for giving false evidence by such answer."
4PRE_RELIED
4,090
d20ea0cee1e1491498f05197f9ef19e0
So Section 132 of the Evidence Act sufficiently protects him since his testimony does not go against him.
2RATIO
4,090
1ec9d9a5c1a64a8bb423c5c8d6497892
For the reasons aforesaid, the appeal is allowed.
1RPC
4,090
d1f14db1ebff454ba2f13fdc90dc875f
The judgment and order dated April 27, 1987 passed in Revision Petition No. 221 of 1986 is hereby set aside.
1RPC
4,090
8adf1005d8c7458093a3f5599df282ca
R.S.S.
0NONE
4,090
7b623cc12023466fb53214acd31dc1cb
Appeal allowed.
1RPC