State vs Jabbar Singh on 15 January, 2025

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Delhi District Court

State vs Jabbar Singh on 15 January, 2025

                   IN THE COURT OF MS. AMBIKA SINGH :ASJ-02
                   WEST DISTRICT, TIS HAZARI COURT : NEW DELHI

                                 STATE VS. JABBAR SINGH AND ORS
                                      CNR No. DLWT-01-000471-2011
SC No.                                 57534/2016
FIR NO.                                34/2011
PS                                     Mayapuri
Date of commission of offence          24.04.2011
Name of complainant                    Shiv Raj Singh
Name of accused person.                (1) Jabbar Singh
                                       S/o Late Sh. Sita Ram

                                       (2) Mukesh Kumar Yadav
                                       S/o Late Sh. Kashi Ram Yadav

Offence complained of                   395/397/412/34   IPC & 27 Arms
                                       Act
Plea of the accused                    Pleaded not Guilty
Arguments heard/ order reserved        15.01.2025
Final order                            Acquitted
Date of such order                     15.01.2025

Brief statement of the reasons for the decision:

     1.            In brief, the allegations against all the accused
          persons are that on 24.04.2011 at about 11:15 PM at WH-
          88, Writers Safe       Heart Pvt Ltd., Phase-1, Maya Puri,
          Delhi, accused persons committed dacoity of single barrel
          gun, six rounds and one mobile phone and at the time of
          committing the said dacoity, country made katta was used
          and hurt was caused and thereby accused persons
          committed offence u/s 395/397/34 IPC and 27 Arms Act.
          Further, on 21.08.2011 from the residence of accused
                                                                      Digitally signed
                                                                      by AMBIKA
                                                             AMBIKA SINGH
                                                                    Date:
                                                             SINGH 2025.01.18
FIR No. 34/2011                                                     15:32:08
                                                                      +0530


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PS Mayapuri
          Jabbar Singh situated at village Daud Ganj, PS Ali Ganj,
         Distt. Eta, U.P. accused Jabbar Singh dishonestly received
         certain stolen property i.e. one mobile phone make Nokia
         2600 (IMEI No. 35433700666-24770) without SIM,
         knowing that the same has been transferred by the
         commission of dacoity and on 21.06.2011 from the
         residence of accused Mukesh Kumar Yadav situated at
         village Daud Ganj, PS Ali Ganj, Distt. Eta, U.P. accused
         Mukesh Kumar Yadav dishonestly received certain stolen
         property i.e. one barrel gun (SBBL Gun), without chap
         belonging to Shiv Raj Singh Yadav, knowing that the same
         has been transferred by the commission of dacoity and
         both the said accused persons committed the offence u/s
         412 IPC. It is pertinent to note that accused Yaseen is
         already PO and CCL 'G' and 'BBY' have already declared
         as juvenile and proceedings against the accused Jalil have
         already been abated.
    2.             After considering the material on record and hearing
         the Ld. Addl. PP and accused persons, a prima facie case
         for      the       offence   punishable   under   section       U/s
         395/397/412/34 IPC and 27 Arms Act was made out
         against the accused persons to which they pleaded not
         guilty and claimed trial.

    3.             In order to prove its case, the prosecution has
         examined 15 witnesses:-

    4.             PW-1 ASI Saran Mal has proved the FIR Ex. PW1/A

FIR No. 34/2011
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PS Mayapuri
          and endorsement on it which is Ex. PW1/B.

    5.             PW-2 Sh. Shiv Raj Singh Yadav has deposed that he
         was on duty at WH-88 Writers Safeguard Pvt Ltd Phase-I
         Mayapuri. He further deposed that on 24.04.2011 at about
         11/11.15 PM, 5-6 persons came there by the side of wall
         and out of those persons, one person asked from him about
         the way of Ram Mandir. He started to give the directions
         for Ram Mandir. The person to whom he was telling about
         the direction of Ram Mandir, pushed him with such a force
         that he fell down on the floor with chair and the gun
         alongwith Patta (Belt in which there were six cartridges)
         which was being carried by him, was also snatched away.
         He further deposed that he does not remember if there was
         any cartridge in the Gun or not. At the time of incident, he
         was on duty at the gate of the office and Harender was
         also on duty in the basement of the office. Just before the
         incident Balram alongwith one another person who was
         from Distt Etah came there to fetch water. At the time of
         incident Harender, Balram and the above mentioned third
         person ( From Etah) were inside the room and he was on
         duty at the gate of office. All those 5-6 persons forced him
         inside the room where Balram, Harender and other person
         were present and thereafter they bolted the room from
         inside. All those 5-6 persons started to beat them. He
         somehow let free himself from the clutches of accused
         persons and rushed upstairs towards the roof of the

FIR No. 34/2011
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PS Mayapuri
          building. Out of those accused person, one accused
         followed him, however, he could not succeed to apprehend
         him and after having reached on roof he immediately
         bolted the door of the roof. He was in perplexed condition
         and made the call to the PCR at 100 number. He has
         further deposed that he also raised the noise and when
         nobody came forward he started to throw the Gamlas
         ( Flower Pots) on the vehicles which were parked near the
         building. He thrown those flower pots with the intension
         that the attentions of the persons may be turned towards
         them. After about 10-15 minutes of making call, PCR
         official reached there while blowing the Siren. On hearing
         the Siren, the accused persons run away from there. He
         has further deposed that on the arrival of police, he went
         down stairs and he narrated the incident to police. Local
         police officials also reached there. Balram, Harender and
         the above mentioned third persons were taken to a hospital
         by Police official, for their medical examination. He did
         not get himself medically examined at hospital as he was
         only slapped by the accused persons and did not sustain
         any grievous            injuries.   His statement Ex PW2/A was
         recorded with regard to incident. The accused persons
         were demanding the keys of the basement of the company
         from him while beating him as the cash of the company
         was lying there. However they could not succeed to get the
         keys. He has further deposed that there was a CCTV


FIR No. 34/2011
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PS Mayapuri
          Camera which covered the whole incident. He also pointed
         the place of occurrence to the police who drew a site plan
         Ex PW2/B. During investigation, he came to know that the
         police got recovered his Gun and five cartridges. Later on
         he got released by Gun on Superdari, the photograph of
         which are available on record vide photographs Ex P.1 to
         P.3 and correctly identified the same and he also correctly
         identified the case property i.e. Ex P.4 to P.6, P-7, P-8. He
         was cross examined by ld. defence counsel and he deposed
         as under "My duty hours were from 8:00 PM to 8:00 A.M.
         On the day of incident, there were 3 & 4 more persons.
         Harinder was on duty on that day. I am not able to recall
         the name of other persons who were present at the time of
         incident. There were 6-7 persons who committed offence
         on that day. There was sufficient light at the spot. I had
         called the police on 100 number. Police had reached at the
         spot within 10-15 minutes after making the call. I had
         visited police station twice or thrice in connection with the
         present case. Police had recorded my statement on the
         spot, on the day of incident. My statement was also
         recorded in the police station. I do not remember the
         name and designation of the police official who recorded
         my statement. It is wrong to suggest that my statement
         was not recorded at the spot. It is correct that police had
         prepared the site plan at my instance. Police had recorded
         the statement of all the persons present at the spot at the


FIR No. 34/2011
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          time of incident, in my presence. But I do not remember
         the names of the persons whose statements were recorded
         by the police.          It is wrong to suggest that police had not
         recorded the statement of any of the persons in my
         presence. Police had not called me at the police station
         after the arrest of the accused. It is wrong to suggest that
         no such incident had ever occurred in my presence. It is
         wrong to suggest that the license of my gun is forged one.
         It is wrong to suggest that I am deposing falsely".

    6.             PW-3 Ct. Aditya Kumar has deposed against the
         accused CCL 'BBY' and trial of the said accused has
         already been separated.

    7.             PW-4 Ct. Bir           Singh has deposed that on
         24/24.04.2011 at 11.30 PM, he alongwith SI Dinesh went
         to spot i.e. WH-88, Mayapuri, Phase-II, where SI Dinesh
         recorded the statement of complainant Sh. Shiv Raj Singh.
         He prepared the rukka and sent him to PS for registration
         of FIR. He got the FIR registered and came back to the
         spot with the copy of FIR and original rukka. He handed
         over the same to the IO. IO directed him to get medical
         done of Shiv Raj Singh and two other persons. He took
         them to DDU hospital and got their medical done. When
         he came to the spot, IO prepared the site plan in his
         presence and made inquiries from the guards of the
         company present at the spot. He was cross examined by
         ld. defence counsel, he deposed as under;- "IO might have

FIR No. 34/2011
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          received the information. I cannot tell by what mode he
         had received the information. IO had made the departure
         entry while leaving from PS alongwith me but I cannot tell
         its number. IO had not got issued any arm before leaving
         the PS from the spot.       I cannot tell the names of the
         persons with whom IO made the inquiries. We went on
         foot. Other police staff was present at the spot but no one
         accompanied us from the PS. Three-four police persons
         were there but I cannot tell their names.           I do not
         remember who else went with me for medical examination
         of injured person. I went for getting medical examination
         done through TSR whose number I do not remember now.
         We left th hospital at around 4.45 am and reached at the
         spot at 5.00 am. Rukka was handed over to me at about
         1.15 am. There was street light at / near the spot.               I
         cannot tell the number of the electricity pole. I do not
         know whether IO had shown any electricity pole in the site
         plan.       It is wrong to suggest that I did not join the
         investigation on the fateful day. It is wrong to suggest that
         I did not go to the spot. It is wrong to suggest that no site
         plan was prepared in my presence. It is wrong to suggest
         that I am deposing falsely".

    8.             PW-5 SI Charan Singh has deposed that on
         18.06.2011, at about 4:00 PM, a secret informer came and
         informed him that one accused Jabbar Singh involved in
         incident of robbery dated 24.04.2011 would come near

FIR No. 34/2011
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PS Mayapuri
          Appollo Hospital, Shine Bagh, Sarita Vihar at the office of
         ZEB Security and if raid be condcuted, he could be
         apprehended. He reached PS Maya Puri and met IO/Insp.
         R.N. Chaudhary. He informed him regarding the said
         secret information. Thereafter, he alongwith him and Ct.
         Jai Singh and Shiv Sagar reached near Appolo Hospital,
         Sarita Vihar. Two secret informers met them and again
         said secret informer did not came to his office as secret
         informer informed the information by phone in his office.
         He has further deposed that Insp. R.N Chaudhary sent one
         secret informer with Ct. Jai Singh to office of ZEB
         Security. He alongwith IO, Ct. Shiv Sagar and one secret
         informer started waiting for accused Jabbar Singh near
         Apolo Hospital. At about 6:30 PM, one person was found
         coming on foot from Ashram towards Apolo Hospital. The
         said person was having one double barrel gun hanging on
         his one shoulder and he was having a bag hanging on
         another shoulder. He has further deposed that the secret
         informer pointed towards him stating that he is accused
         Jabbar Singh. On his identification, he was stopped. IO
         interrogated him. Initially, he was not disclosing his name
         properly and correctly. On sustain interrogation, he told his
         name as Jabbar Singh and accused Jabbar Singh confessed
         regarding the incident of present case. Accused Jabbar
         Singh was arrested vide memo Ex. PW5/A and his
         personal search Ex. PW5/B and recording his disclosure


FIR No. 34/2011
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PS Mayapuri
          statement Ex. PW5/C. Witness correctly identified accused
         persons present in the court on that day. He was cross
         examined by ld. defence counsel, he deposed as under "We
         reached the spot from PS Maya Puri in the Santro Car of
         Inspector R. N. Chaudhary. I do not remember its
         registration number. We reached at the spot at about 5:30
         PM. When Accused was apprehended and arrested some
         passer byes were passing from the road. IO/Ins. R N
         Chaudhary requested some passer byes to join the
         investigation but none joined stating there genuine
         grounds. Double barrel gun was on right shoulder of
         accused and the bag was on the left shoulder. Disclosure
         statement of accused was recorded at the spot. Perhaps I
         had not told in my statement that initially accused was not
         giving his name properly and correctly. When accused was
         arrested he was wearing pant and shirt, however, I do not
         remember its colour. I do not remember the make of
         double barrel gun. It is wrong to suggest that accused
         Jabbar Singh was not arrested from the above said place
         or that accused was arrested from his native place Ali
         Ganj, Eta, U.P. It is wrong to suggest that I did not visit
         the spot on 18.06.2011 or that all the documents were
         prepared in the police station which were signed by me
         later on. It is wrong to suggest that signature of accused
         was taken on a blank paper in the police station and later
         on converted in an arrest memo at PS. It is wrong to


FIR No. 34/2011
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PS Mayapuri
          suggest that I am deposing falsely".

    9.             PW-6 Sh. Harender Yadav has deposed on
         11.04.2011, he was working as Security Guard at WH-88.
         He joined the said job on the same day. He was employee
         of ZEB Security. On 24.04.2011 at about 10.30 PM, his
         duty was in the basement of premises of WH-88. Another
         security Guard Shiv Raj Singh was deputed as Security
         Guard on the main gate. At about 10.30 PM, he came on
         the ground floor from the basement for urination. At that
         time, he put lock on the basement. Prior to coming out
         from basement, he kept his double barrel gun in the
         basement. Duty of Security Guard Shiv Raj to keep
         vigilance outside the premises as well as inside the
         premises as many vehicles used to be parked outside the
         premises. He has further deposed that when he returned
         after urination, he found one Sunder Pal (he was residing
         in the adjacent village of Shiv Raj) and one other person
         whose name he does not remember now. They were talking
         to each other, he also joined them. At about 11.00 PM, two
         persons came near to them and they asked from Shiv Raj
         Singh about the way of Ram Mandir, and in pursuance to
         that Shiv Raj Singh told the way for Ram Mandir. In the
         meanwhile two more person also reached there. Those two
         persons who came later on, pushed Shiv Raj due to which
         Shiv Raj fell on the ground from the chair. He has further
         deposed that at that time Shiv Raj was carrying a gun and

FIR No. 34/2011
State Vs. Jabbar Singh and ors                       Page No. 10 of 56
PS Mayapuri
          he fell alongwith the Gun. As soon as, Shiv Raj fell on the
         ground one assailant out of four assailants snatched the
         gun of Shiv Raj. Thereafter, all the four assailants pushed
         him, Shiv Raj, Sunder Pal and one other person who was
         talking with them, inside the premises while giving
         beatings to them. The assailants also gave beatings to them
         by gun of Shiv Raj which was snatched by them. He has
         further deposed that the four assailants also came inside
         the premises. When one of their companion (whose name
         he does not remember) resisted one of the assailant hit him
         by the butt of gun of Shiv Raj due to which he received
         injury on his head above the eye. Due to injury, the said
         companion set on the floor by holding his head. Thereafter
         all the four assailants gave beatings to them and in the
         meanwhile Shiv Raj fled towards the roof of the factory
         through stairs and he closed the door of the room from his
         side.       He has further deposed that thereafter, all the
         assailants dragged him and Sunder Pal towards basement
         and they were demanding key of basement. In the
         meanwhile, Shiv Raj thrown the flower pot ( Gamla) from
         the roof due to which he and Sunder Pal freed themselves
         from their clutches and he threw the keys of basement
         towards electric wire. He has further deposed that out of
         those four assailants one was having pistol (Tamancha)
         and one was having screw driver. One assailant was
         wearing checkdar shirt and one assailant had tied cloth on


FIR No. 34/2011
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PS Mayapuri
          his face. Shiv Raj made a call to the police from the roof
         and police reached at the spot. One or two more assailants
         also joined the four assailant when initially those four
         assailants were pushing them inside the premises. Hearing
         the siren of police all the assailants fled away from the spot
         while taking away the gun of Shiv Raj. He has further
         deposed that when the assailants were fleeing from the
         spot, the tied cloth on the face of one assailant fell on the
         ground and as such he had seen his face also. Thereafter,
         police took him, Shiv Raj, Sunder Pal and one another
         companion Bal Ram whose name now he recollect. He
         has further deposed that in the morning of 25.04.2011, they
         all the four return at the spot from the hospital. Then police
         made inquires from him in detail and recorded his
         statement. On 30.07.2011, he went to Tihar Jail to identify
         the accused persons. TIP of accused Mukesh is shown to
         the witness and which he identified his signatures at point
         A in which it           is mentioned that witness is unable to
         identify the accused. The said proceeding is exhibited as
         Ex PW6/B. Witness can not identify the accused Jabbar
         Singh and Mukesh Kumar Yadav as when the assailants
         pushed them inside the factory as they switched off the
         light and as such he could not see their faces.

    10.            PW-7 Sh. Sunder Pal has deposed that first time
         visited Delhi in the year 2011 to visit his Mausi's son
         Dharamvir. Dharamvir was residing in a room in the area

FIR No. 34/2011
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PS Mayapuri
          of Mayapuri in front of a bank. Dharamvir was working as
         a gun man in the said bank. He does not remember the date
         & month of incident, however, it was of 2011. On the date
         of incident Dharamvir was not present in Delhi as he had
         gone to his native place. In the year 2011, at about 10-11
         PM, he went to the bank for taking water as one water
         filter was installed there. One Shiv Raj Singh was deputed
         there as gun man. He was talking with 2-3 other persons.
         He was standing inside of the main gate. One person in
         muffled face came there and asked about way of Ram
         Mandir from Shiv Raj. At the same time, 15-20 persons, all
         of sudden came there and started beating them. They
         pushed him, Shiv Raj and his (Shiv Raj's) 2-3 other
         companions inside the factory and they also came inside.
         He has further deposed that they gave him beatings in such
         a manner that he became unconscious. The assailants were
         having screw driver and pistols (katta). The assailants also
         gave beatings to other security guards. Assailants snatched
         the gun of gunman Shiv Raj. Somehow Shiv Raj fled
         towards roof of the factory. Shiv Raj thrown some
         objects/brick from roof for gathering attention of public
         persons. Shiv Raj had made a call to police and police
         came after some time but prior to that the assailants ran
         away from there. The assailants also robbed mobile phone
         make Nokia of PW-7. Police made inquiries from him and
         recorded his statement. Witness correctly identified the


FIR No. 34/2011
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PS Mayapuri
          case property i.e. mobile phone which is Ex. PW7/A. He
         could not identify the accused persons and deposed that he
         could not identify them as hey were in muffled face.

    11.            PW-8 Sh. Balram has deposed that in the year 2011,
         he had come to Delhi in search of a job. His co-villager Sh.
         Shiv Raj was working as guard in the area of Mayapuri
         and he was residing along with his two associates. The
         name of one of them was Harinder. He does not remember
         the name of another one. He further deposed that on
         25.04.2011, it was Saturday, he was present in the room of
         Shiv Raj. Harinder had gone to drink water outside the
         room. Other persons were also in the room. At about 11:00
         PM, two boys came and they inquired from Shiv Raj about
         the way which goes to Ram Temple. In the meantime, two
         other boys came and one of them hit a piece of stone and
         another gave a leg blow to Shiv Raj. Shiv Raj fell down
         and one of the boys snatched the gun of Shiv Raj. All the
         four boys started beating all of them and they started
         asking for keys of bank. He has further deposed that he
         retaliated and faced them and in order to save themselves
         he made one of them fall on the ground. Rest five started
         beating PW-8 again asked Shiv Raj to go upstairs. The
         assailants were having country made pistols (katta) in their
         hands. They were showing the weapons and cartridges to
         them. The cartridges were made of bronze. Shiv Raj went
         upstairs and he bolted the door from inside. One of the

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          assailant hit PW-8 with the butt of the gun. The police had
         reached there by that time. He heard the sound of siren of
         police but police did not came to the spot. He has further
         deposed that Shiv Raj threw the flower pots from the roof
         of the bank. The flowers pots fell on the vehicles which
         were parked there and after hearing the sound police came
         inside the bank. Police took him to the hospital in police
         van. Witness could not identify the accused persons. He
         was cross examined by ld. defence counsel and he deposed
         as under "I had come to Delhi one day prior to the
         incident. I did not know the associates of Shiv Raj. I knew
         only Shiv Raj. Total 6 persons had come to the spot. Two
         persons were outside the bank and there was vehicle. The
         entire incident was covered by CCTV Cameras which were
         installed there. I had asked the police to check the footage
         of CCTV Cameras. Police had checked the same. I do not
         know whether police had recorded the facts about the
         CCTV Camera in my statement. I had seen six boys in the
         bank. Two persons were standing outside and one person
         must be in the vehicle. In this way robbers must be 9 in
         number. I had told this fact to the police. At this stage, the
         statement of the witness being recorded U/s 161 Cr.PC is
         read over to him and after hearing the same he stated that
         it is correct that the number of robbers as 9 is not
         mentioned in my statement recorded. My statement was
         recorded in the police station. I do not remember the


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PS Mayapuri
          names of police officials who took me to the hospital in a
         Maruti Van. I do not remember the registration number of
         Maruti van. Vol. I am almost illiterate. After the incident I
         went to police station about 3 times in connection with this
         case. It is wrong to suggest that I was not present at the
         spot on the day of incident. It is wrong to suggest that I
         did not suffer any injury. It is wrong to suggest that none
         of the accused persons who are present in the court had
         ever robbed me".

    12.            PW-9 Ct. Shiv Sagar      has     deposed that on
         18.06.2011, he along with Ct. Jai Singh had joined the
         investigation with IO/Insp. R. N. Chaudhary in present
         case. When they were present at the gate of the police
         station Mayapuri SI Charan Singh posted in the special
         staff west district at that time also joined them. Thereafter,
         they all reached at the main gate of Apollo Hospital,
         Mathura Road, Delhi where two informers met them. IO
         directed Ct. Jai Singh to go to the office of ZEB security
         office along with one informer and the remaining police
         officials including himself were waiting for accused Jabbar
         Singh. He has further deposed that at about 6:30 PM, one
         person came from Ashram side on foot. He was carrying a
         double barrel gun in his shoulder and was also carrying a
         mobile phone in his hand. He was apprehended by the IO
         on the pointing out of the informer. Accused revealed his
         name as Jabar Singh who is present in the Court on that

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          day and correctly identified.          Thereafter, accused was
         medically examined by the IO in DDU Hospital. Witness
         cross examined by ld. defence counsel and he deposed as
         under "I had not called any public witness from the nearby
         area in my presence to join the investigation. It is wrong to
         suggest that I had not joined the investigation in this case
         or that no documents mentioned above were prepared in
         my presence or that I have signed the said documents at
         PS Mayapuri. It is wrong to suggest that I am deposing
         falsely".

    13.            PW-10 ASI Murari Lal has deposed that on
         21.06.2011,             he alongwith HC Mahender, Ct. Krishan
         Mundey joined the investigation with IO of this case and
         took accused Jabbar Singh who was on police remand in
         this case and reached village Kamalpur, District Mainpuri,
         UP at about 05.30 PM. Thereafter, at about 05.30 PM,
         accused Mukesh Kumar Yadav was arrested from his
         house who was present inside his house. Accused Mukesh
         got recovered a single barrel gun without Chap (Wooden
         handle) from his room. Accused Mukesh told that the said
         gun was robbed by them from Mayapuri in this case and
         interrogated by the IO. Thereafter, accused Mukesh were
         arrested vide arrest memo Ex.10/A and his personal search
         was got conducted vide memo Ex.PW-10/B. His disclosure
         statement was recorded vide Ex.PW-10/C. Single barrel
         gun was taken into possession vide seizure memo Ex.PW-

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          10/D. Thereafter, they alongwith accused persons reached
         at Village Daudganj, District Eta, UP, where accused
         Jabbar got recovered one mobile phone make Nokia of
         black colour from iron box lying in the last room of his
         house and accused Jabbar told that the said mobile phone
         was robbed by accused and his associates in this case. The
         mobile phone was taken into possession by the IO vide
         seizure memo Ex.PW-10/E. He has further deposed that
         thereafter, they came back to Delhi and reached Delhi on
         22.06.2011. Thereafter, accused persons were taken to
         DDU Hospital where they were medically examined and
         thereafter, accused persons were produced before Ld MM
         and IO obtained PC remand of co-accused Mukesh and
         thereafter accused persons led them to the place of
         occurrence and co-accused Mukesh pointed out the place
         of occurrence vide pointing out memo Ex.PW-10/F.
         Thereafter, accused persons were brought to PS Mayapuri
         and were kept in lockup. He has further deposed that on
         23.06.2011, he again joined the investigation in this case
         with HC Mahender and Ct. Krishna Mundey. Accused
         persons took them to Anand Vihar ISBT, in search of other
         co-accused persons. Secret informer met there. Thereafter,
         they alongwith informer started waiting for the arrival of
         co-accused persons and at about 10.30 PM one person
         reached there and he surrendered himself before the IO in
         his presence and he revealed his name as Bir Bhan. (CCL


FIR No. 34/2011
State Vs. Jabbar Singh and ors                       Page No. 18 of 56
PS Mayapuri
          'BBY') was declared juvenile during trial). Witness
         correctly identified the case property Ex. PX-1. He was
         cross examined by ld. defence counsel and he deposed as
         under;- "We left Delhi for recovery alongwith the accused
         in Innova Car, however, I do not remember the registration
         number of the said car. It was a private vehicle. At
         Kamalpur IO had not asked any public person there to
         join the investigation at the time of recovery of the gun and
         mobile phone. It is wrong to suggest that I had not
         accompanied the IO to Kamalpur or Daudganj with the
         accused persons. It is further wrong to suggest that
         nothing was disclosed or got recovered by accused
         persons or at the instance. It is further wrong to suggest
         that all the seizure memos were signed by me while sitting
         at PS Maya Puri at the instance of IO. It is further wrong
         to suggest that the case property i.e. gun, chap of gun
         (wooden handle) and mobile phone mentioned above were
         planed upon accused persons by the IO to work out a blind
         case of dacoity. It is further wrong to suggest that both the
         accused persons were lifted from their houses, retained at
         PS Maya Puri and later on falsely implicated in this case.
         It is further wrong to suggest that IO has planed the said
         gun on accused after taking the same from the guard".

    14.            PW-11 SI Mohammed Yubsiroon has deposed
         against the CCL 'BBY' and the said CCL is a juvenile and
         trial of the said accused has already been separated and

FIR No. 34/2011
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PS Mayapuri
          accused Yasin (Since PO).

    15.            PW-12 Sh. Dinesh Kumar has deposed that on the
         intervening night of 24.04.2011 and 25.04.2011 at about
         12:30 am DD no. 35-A and 36-A Ex. PW-12/A and Ex.
         PW-12/B respectively were assigned to him. He alongwith
         Ct. Bir Singh went to the spot i.e. WZ-88, Phase I, Maya
         Puri, Delhi. On Shiv Raj Singh Yadav met him there. He
         made endorsement on the rukka which is Ex. PW-12/C. He
         sent Ct. Bir Singh to PS alongwith rukka to get the case
         registered. He mentioned his request in the rukka itself to
         hand over the investigation to Inspector R.N. Chaudhary.
         After some time Inspector R.N. Chaudhary alongwith Ct.
         Bir Singh came to the spot and he handed over the
         documents to him.

    16.            PW-13 ASI Mahender Singh has deposed that on
         21.06.2011, he alongwith accused Jabbar Singh, HC
         Murari Lal, Ct. Krishan Munde and Insp. R.N. Chaudhary
         went to village Kamalpuri, District Mainpuri, U.P. in the
         search of co-accused Mukesh Kumar Yadav. The co-
         accused Mukesh was found in his house and one single
         barrel gun was recovered from his house. Accused Mukesh
         told that he had robbed the said gun in the area of the
         Mayapuri. The said gun was converted in a sealed parcel
         and the same was seized vide seizure memo already Ex.
         PW10/D. Thereafter, they went to house of accused Jabbar
         Singh at village District Etah, U.P. Accused Jabbar Singh

FIR No. 34/2011
State Vs. Jabbar Singh and ors                        Page No. 20 of 56
PS Mayapuri
          got recovered a mobile from his house. Mobile phone was
         also seized by the IO. Thereafter, they returned to Delhi on
         22.06.2011. Accused Mukesh pointed out the place of
         occurrence.             He was cross examined by Ld. Defence
         counsel and he deposed as under;- "        I am not aware in
         the PS falls Village Kamalpur. After reaching at Village
         Kamalpur, I reached at the house of accused Mukesh
         Kumar Yadav with the help of the police but I do not
         remember today the local PS. The local PS of Village
         Kamalpur was away at a 5-7 KM from the house of the
         said accused. We reached at the house of accused after
         7:00 PM on 21.06.2011. Darkness had started at that time.
         I can not tell the direction of main entrance of the house of
         the said accused, probably it was the direction of Northern
         side. The single barrel gun was got recovered by the
         accused from room of the house of the said accused. I do
         not remember how many room were in the house of the
         said accused but probably 2-3 room were there. I can not
         tell in which room from where the said barrel gun was
         recovered. The gun was lying in the corner of the room in
         the house of the said accused. 2-3 local Police official
         accompanied with us at the time of raid at the house of the
         accused but I can not tell the exact number of the police
         official. The said gun was sealed at the house of the said
         accused. Only said gun was recovered from the house of
         accused Mukesh. After completing the raid of the house of


FIR No. 34/2011
State Vs. Jabbar Singh and ors                            Page No. 21 of 56
PS Mayapuri
          the said accused, we all reached at local PS and then
         proceeded towards district Etah i.e house of accused
         Jabbar but I do not remember the name of village in Etah
         today. It is wrong to suggest that I never visited the house
         of accused Mukesh Kumar Yadav and village Kamalpur
         with accused Jabbar or that no alleged said gun was
         recovered from at his instance. It is wrong to suggest that I
         could not tell the exact number of the local Police official
         accompanied with us at the time of house of the accused
         Mukesh because I never visited Village Kamalpur. I            do
         not know the recovered gun was in working condition or
         not. I do not know the distance from the house of accused
         Mukesh to village of accused Jabbar. IO has not recorded
         the statement of the local witnesses in my presence. It is
         wrong to suggest that I never visited the house of accused
         Jabbar. It is wrong to suggest that I am deposing falsely".

    17.            PW-14 Sh. Dharmender Rana, Ld. Principal
         Registrar, Arms Force Tribunal, R.K. Puram, New Delhi
         has proved the proceedings of TIP of accused Jabbar Singh
         is Ex. PW14/A.

    18.            PW-15 Rtd. Insp. R.N. Chaudhary has deposed that
         in the intervening night of 24/25.04.2011, he was present
         in the police station and at about midnight at about 12:00
         AM, duty officer informed him that a robbery was
         committed at WH-88 Writer Safeguard (P) Ltd. near police
         station Maya Puri, upon which he also reached at the spot.

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PS Mayapuri
          He met SI Dinesh and other staff at the spot. He also met
         victims Shiv Raj Singh Yadav, Harender Yadav, Balram &
         Sunder Pal at the spot. SI Dinesh had prepared tehrir and at
         about 1.15 AM, he sent Ct. Veer Singh along with rukka to
         police station for registration of the FIR. He inspected the
         spot and also made inquiries from the above said victims.
         He has further deposed that at about 2.30 AM, Ct. Veer
         Singh came back at the spot and handed over to him copy
         of FIR and original rukka. He prepared the site plan at the
         instance of complainant Shiv Raj Yadav which is already
         exhibited as Ex. PW2/B. All the above said 4 victims were
         sent to DDU Hospital for their medical examination with
         police staff. Thereafter, he came back to PS and after
         medical examination, police staff brought the above said
         victims to PS, where he made inquiries from them and
         recorded the supplementary statement of Shiv Raj Singh
         Yadav and statements of other injured u/s 161 Cr. P. C. He
         has further deposed that he also collected recording of
         CCTV footage of the spot in pen-drive. He also collected
         dum-data of the spot from all mobile service providers. He
         examined all the previous and present employees of the
         above said company. Accused Jabbar Singh had earlier
         worked with the said company as a security guard,
         however, he did not join the investigation. The mobile
         phone of Sunder Pal was kept on surveillance and the same
         was found active on SIM/mobile No.8445696006 on


FIR No. 34/2011
State Vs. Jabbar Singh and ors                         Page No. 23 of 56
PS Mayapuri
          05.05.2011 and the tower location was showing as Farad
         Khana Village & PO Kurawali District Mainpuri, UP. He
         has further deposed that on 06.05.2011, he along with
         special staff, West reached at Kurawali, District Mainpuri,
         UP and met with Ms. Sonali Verma, who was registered
         owner of the above said SIM. He examined Ms. Sonali
         Verma, who told him that she had given her mobile phone
         for repairing to one person Faeem, who was the owner of
         mobile repairing shop and the said person gave her one
         temporary mobile phone for her used. She further told that
         she had only called once by using the said mobile and
         returned back it to Faeem when her phone was got
         repaired. He has further deposed that thereafter, Ms. Sonali
         Verma along with her father took them to the shop of
         Faeem and he examined Faeem, who told him that the
         mobile phone in question was given to him by unknown
         person for repairing and he returned back the said mobile
         phone to said person after repairing it. He did not get any
         clue regarding robbers after examining the said witness.
         He has further deposed that during the course of
         investigation, he along with SI Charan Singh of special
         staff and other members of special staff visited the village
         of suspect Jabbar Singh on 21.05.2011. However, he was
         not found there. He has further deposed that on 18.06.2011
         on the basis of secret information, accused Jabbar Singh
         was apprehended near Apollo Hospital, Sarita Vihar and


FIR No. 34/2011
State Vs. Jabbar Singh and ors                         Page No. 24 of 56
PS Mayapuri
          interrogated him. On 21.06.2011, he alongwith the police
         staff and accused Jabbar Singh went to PS Kurawali, Distt
         Mainpuri, U.P. The assistance of Local police was also
         taken and thereafter, they went to the village Kamalpur. In
         the Kamalpur, co-accused Mukesh Kumar Yadav was
         arrested from his house. Thereafter, on the instance of co-
         accused Mukesh Yadav, one gun SBBL was recovered
         without chaap from his house. He seized the same vide
         seizure memo already Ex. PW10/D. He has further
         deposed that he alongwith accused Jabbar Singh and co-
         accused Mukesh went to the PS Aliganj, Distt Etha, U.P.
         The assistance of local police was also taken. Thereafter,
         they went to the village Daudganj at the house of accused
         Jabbar Singh wherein accused Jabbar Singh got recovered
         one mobile phone make Nokia 2600 Black Colour. The
         same was seized by him. Thereafter, on the instance of
         co-accused Mukesh Kumar Yadav, they went to the place
         of occurrence. He prepared the pointing out memo of the
         incident while co-accused Mukesh Kumar was in muffled
         face. He has further deposed that on 23.06.2011, one CCL
         'BBY' (since Juvenile) was surrendered to him at ISBT
         Anand Vihar. He arrested him. One live cartridges was
         recovered from him and he was in muffled face and was
         sent to J/C alongwith co-accused Mukesh. He has further
         deposed that on 15.07.2011, co-accused Yasin (since PO)
         was produced in court through production warrant from


FIR No. 34/2011
State Vs. Jabbar Singh and ors                        Page No. 25 of 56
PS Mayapuri
          Etha Jail, U.P. He took permission of the court to
         investigate the accused Yasin. Witness correctly identified
         the accused persons present in the court on that day as well
         as case property Ex. P-1 to P-2, P-4 to P-6, Ex. P-7. He
         was cross examined by Ld. Defence counsel and he has
         deposed as under;- "In this case, total accused persons 8
         out of which 3 were juvenile. I do not know what was the
         fate of the case registered in JJB. It is wrong to suggest
         that I went to the village Kamalpur with the special staff.
         It is correct that I did the arrival entry in the Karawali PS
         and took the assistance of the local police. I reached in the
         afternoon however, I do not remember the exact time. One
         police person from Karawali PS joined in the investigation
         however, I do not remember his name. No public witness
         joined there. The distance from Karawali PS to house of
         the accused is about 8-10 KM. I reached at the house of
         accused Mukesh at around 2:00 PM on 21 st June. The
         direction of accused is east side. I went to inside the front
         room of the house. Accused Mukesh himself recovered the
         gun without chaap. I verified the license. I do not know the
         license was obtained by the owner from Mizoram. I had
         not placed on record the verification of gun license. I have
         not placed the record of departure from the PS Mayapuri
         to Karawali. I do not remember the fate of TIP of accused
         Mukesh Yadav. It is wrong to suggest that the TIP was
         refused on the fact that accused Jabbar Singh was shown


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State Vs. Jabbar Singh and ors                          Page No. 26 of 56
PS Mayapuri
          to the complainant in PS. The mobile phone recovered
         from Jabbar Singh was pertaining to Sundar Lal.
         Statement of Sundar Lal was also recorded by me. No
         ownership document was provided by Sundar Lal to me
         regarding ownership of his mobile phone. Mobile phone
         was recovered without sim. It is wrong to suggest that
         mobile phone has been planted upon the accused Jabbar
         Singh. I alongwith spl staff and other police person went
         to the arrest of accused Jabbar Singh in our govt vehicle.
         It is wrong to suggest that accused Jabbar Singh was
         arrested from his resident situated at Delhi. It is wrong to
         suggest that I had not visited the house of accused
         persons. It is wrong to suggest that the gun, and mobile
         phone was planted upon the accused Jabbar Singh and
         Mukesh Kumar Yadav. The statement of complainant
         Shivraj Singh, Harinder Yadav, Sundal Lal and Balram
         were recorded in PS. It is wrong to suggest that I am
         deposing falsely and accused persons have been falsely
         implicated in the present case".

    19.            Accused Mukesh Yadav has admitted the TIP Ex. P-
         1 (Colly)          in the statement u/s 294 Cr. PC. Both the
         accused persons have also admitted the MLC bearing no.
         7807 of Shivraj Singh, 7808/11 of Harender and 7909/11
         of Balram, all dated 25.04.2011 is Ex. X-2, X-2 & X-3 in
         the statement u/s 294 Cr. PC.



FIR No. 34/2011
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PS Mayapuri
 STATEMENT U/S 313 CR.P.C

    20.            After         completing   the   prosecution    evidence,
         statement of accused u/s 313 Cr. PC were recorded.
         Accused persons have denied the allegations of the
         prosecution. They deposed that they are an innocent and
         they have been falsely implicated in this case. However,
         they did not lead any defence evidence.

         FINAL ARGUMENTS

    21.            I have heard the arguments of ld. counsel for
         accused and ld. Addl. PP at length and perused the record
         carefully.

    22.            It is being argued by Ld. defence counsel that none
         of the PW has able to correctly identify the accused
         persons and even other PWs have turned hostile on the
         aspect of identity of the accused persons, therefore, the
         testimony of PWs is not reliable. Further, the accused
         persons have been acquitted in all other cases in which
         they are initially arrested and have been falsely implicated
         in the present case and the case property has been planted
         upon them.

    23.             On the other hand, Ms. Parul Singh, Ld. Addl. PP
         duly opposed the submissions made on behalf of the
         accused persons with reference to the evidence on record.
         Also, it is argued that the depositions of the prosecution
         witnesses establish beyond doubt that the accused persons


FIR No. 34/2011
State Vs. Jabbar Singh and ors                                Page No. 28 of 56
PS Mayapuri
          had killed the deceased and there is direct evidence to this
         effect Hence, the Ld. Addl. PP for the State has argued that
         accused persons be convicted for the offence under Section
         395/397/412/34 IPC & 27 Arms Act.

         FINDINGS:

    24.            I have carefully examined the testimonies of all the
         prosecution             witnesses.   The   relevant   sections      are
         reproduced below for ready reference.

         Section 395 IPC reads as under:
                   395. Punishment for dacoity.--Whoever
                   commits dacoity shall be punished with
                   2
                     [imprisonment for life], or with rigorous
                   imprisonment for a term which may extend to
                   ten years, and shall also be liable to fine.


         Section 397 IPC reads as under:
                 Robbery, or dacoity, with attempt to cause
             death or grievous hurt:- if, at the time of
             committing robbery or dacoity, the offender uses any
             deadly weapon, or causes grievous hurt to any person,
             or attempts to cause death or grievous hurt to any
             person, the imprisonment with which such offender
             shall be punished shall not be less than seven years.

             Offence u/s 412 IPC states that:
                 Dishonestly receiving property stolen in
             the commission of a dacoity.--Whoever
             dishonestly receives or retains any stolen property, the
             possession whereof he knows or has reason to believe
             to have been transferred by the commission of dacoity,
             or dishonestly receives from a person, whom he knows
             or has reason to believe to belong or to have belonged
             to a gang of dacoits, property which he knows or has
             reason to believe to have been stolen, shall be punished
             with imprisonment for life, or with rigorous


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State Vs. Jabbar Singh and ors                                 Page No. 29 of 56
PS Mayapuri
              imprisonment for a term which may extend to ten years,
             and shall also be liable to fine.


TESTIMONY OF EYE-WITNESSES
    25.            It is the case of the prosecution that on 24.04.2011 at
         about 11:15 PM at WH-88, Writers Safe Heart Pvt. Ltd,
         Phae-1, Mayapuri, Delhi, accused persons committed
         dacoity of single barrel gun, six rounds and one mobile
         phone and at the time of committing the said dacoity,
         country made katta was used and hurt was caused to him.


    26.             PW-2 Shiv Raj Singh Yadav has deposed that on
         24.04.2011 at about 11/11:15 PM, 5-6 persons came there
         by the side of wall and out of those persons, one person
         asked from him about the way of Ram Mandir. He further
         deposed that the person to whom PW-2 was telling about
         the direction of Ram Mandir, pushed him with such a force
         that he fell down on the floor with chair and the gun
         alongwith Patta (Belt in which there were six cartridges)
         was being carried by PW-2, was also snatched away. He
         further deposed that all those 5-6 persons forced him inside
         the room where Balram, Harender and other person were
         present and thereafter, they bolted the room from inside
         and all those 5-6 persons started to beat them. He
         somehow let free himself from the clutches of accused
         persons and rushed upstairs towards the roof of the
         building and out of those accused person, one accused

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State Vs. Jabbar Singh and ors                               Page No. 30 of 56
PS Mayapuri
          followed PW-2, however, he could not succeed to
         apprehend him and after having reached on roof he
         immediately bolted the door of the roof. He was in
         perplexed condition and made the call to the PCR at 100
         number. He further deposed that on hearing the Siren, the
         accused persons run away from there. He further deposed
         that he did not get himself medically examined at hospital
         as he was only slapped by the accused persons and did not
         sustain any grievous injuries and the accused persons were
         demanding the keys of the basement of the company from
         him while beating him as the cash of the company was
         lying there. However they could not succeed to get the
         keys. Witness correctly identified the accused persons and
         case properties. In the TIP proceedings of the accused
         Mukesh Kumar Yadav, PW-2 Shiv Raj Singh Yadav has
         stated in his statement that "I am unable to identify the
         culprit". Hence, PW-2 Shiv Raj Singh Yadav has failed to
         identify the accused Mukesh Kumar Yadad in the TIP
         proceedings. Accused Jabbar Singh has refused to take
         participate in the TIP proceedings. However, in the cross
         examination of PW-2 Shiv Raj Singh Yadav has denied the
         suggestion that no such incident had ever occurred in his
         presence.
    27.              PW-6 Sh Harinder Yadav has deposed that at about
         11.00 PM, two persons came near to him and they asked
         from Shiv Raj Singh about the way of Ram Mandir, in the


FIR No. 34/2011
State Vs. Jabbar Singh and ors                          Page No. 31 of 56
PS Mayapuri
          meanwhile two more person also reached there. Those two
         persons who came later on, pushed Shiv Raj due to which
         Shiv Raj fell on the ground from the chair. He has further
         deposed that at that time Shiv Raj was carrying a gun and
         he fell alongwith the Gun, one assailant out of four
         assailants snatched the gun of Shiv Raj. He further
         deposed that the assailants also gave beatings to them by
         gun of Shiv Raj which was snatched by them. He has
         further deposed that all the assailants dragged him and
         Sunder Pal towards basement and they were demanding
         key of basement. He has not identified the accused Jabbar
         Singh and Mukesh Kumar Yadav and he deposed that
         when the assailants pushed them inside the factory, they
         switched off the light and as such he could not see their
         faces. Despite the cross examination by Ld. PP for the
         State,       PW-6 Harender Yadav could    not identify the
         accused Jabbar Singh and Mukesh Kumar Yadav. In the
         TIP proceedings Ex. PW6/B also, PW-6 has not identified
         the accused Mukesh Kumar Yadav.

    28.            PW-7 Sh. Sunder Pal has deposed that in the year
         2011, at about 10-11 PM, he went to the bank for taking
         water as one water filter was installed there and one Shiv
         Raj Singh was deputed there as gun man, he was standing
         inside of the main gate. He further deposed that one person
         in muffled face came there and asked about way of Ram
         Mandir from Shiv Raj. At the same time, 15-20 persons, all

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State Vs. Jabbar Singh and ors                        Page No. 32 of 56
PS Mayapuri
          of sudden came there and started beating them. They
         pushed him, Shiv Raj and his (Shiv Raj's) 2-3 other
         companions inside the factory and they also came inside.
         He has further deposed that they gave him beatings in such
         a manner that he became unconscious. The assailants were
         having screw driver and pistols (katta). The assailants also
         gave beatings to other security guards. Assailants snatched
         the gun of gunman Shiv Raj. Somehow Shiv Raj fled
         towards roof of the factory. He further deposed that
         assailants also robbed mobile phone make Nokia of PW-7.
         Witness correctly identified the case property i.e. mobile
         phone which is Ex. PW7/A. However, he could not
         identify the accused persons and deposed that he could not
         identify them as they were in muffled face. Despite being
         cross examined by Ld. PP for the State, he failed to
         identify the accused persons.

    29.            PW-8 Sh. Balram has deposed that on 25.04.2011 at
         about 11:00 PM, two boys came and they inquired from
         Shiv Raj about the way which goes to Ram Temple, in the
         meantime, two other boys came and one of them hit a
         piece of stone and another gave a leg blow to Shiv Raj.
         Shiv Raj fell down and one of the boys snatched the gun of
         Shiv Raj. He further deposed that all the four boys started
         beating all of them and they started asking for keys of
         bank. He has further deposed that he retaliated and faced
         them and in order to save themselves he made one of them

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State Vs. Jabbar Singh and ors                         Page No. 33 of 56
PS Mayapuri
          fall on the ground and the assailants were having country
         made pistols (katta) in their hands. He could not identify
         the accused persons. Despite being cross examined by Ld.
         PP for the State, witness has failed to identify the accused
         persons.
    30.            As discussed above, this court has finds that the
         prosecution has failed to prove the offence against the
         accused persons namely Jabbar Singh and Mukesh Kumar
         Yadav beyond shadow of doubt, as the PW-2 Shiv Raj
         Singh Yadav though correctly identify the accused persons
         present in the court on that day, however, he himself was
         not able to identify the accused Mukesh during TIP
         proceedings. Further, none of the PWs has able to identify
         the accused Mukesh during TIP proceedigns. PW-2 Shiv
         Raj Singh Yadav and PW-6 Harender Yadav have not
         identified the accused Mukesh Kumar Yadav in the TIP
         proceedings Ex. P-1 and PW6/B and PW-6 Harender
         Yadav have turned hostile despite being cross examined by
         Ld. PP for the State which creates doubts of the
         prosecution's story.
    31.            It is argued by Ld. defence counsel that there are a
         lot of discrepancies in the testimony of PWs. Only PW-2
         Shiv Raj has supported the case of the prosecution and
         every other public witness have turned hostile. Even PW-2
         Shiv Raj Singh identified the accused persons for the first
         time in the court and he failed to identify the accused


FIR No. 34/2011
State Vs. Jabbar Singh and ors                           Page No. 34 of 56
PS Mayapuri
          Mukesh Kumar in TIP proceedings. Though accused
         Jabbar Singh Kumar refused TIP. Let as first discuss the
         law in the TIP proceedings.
    32.            Section 54A of the CrPC.
            "Section 54A. Identification of person arrested.─ Where
            a person is arrested on a charge of committing an
            offence and his identification by any other person or
            persons is considered necessary for the purpose of
            investigation of such offence, the Court, having
            jurisdiction may, on the request of the officer in charge
            of a police station, direct the person so arrested to
            subject himself to identification by any person or
            persons in such manner as the Court may deem fit.

                 Provided that, if the person identifying the person
            arrested is mentally or physically disabled, such
            process of identification shall take place under the
            supervision of a Judicial Magistrate who shall take
            appropriate steps to ensure that such person identifies
            the person arrested using methods that person is
            comfortable with:

                 Provided further that if the person identifying the
            person arrested is mentally or physically disabled, the
            identification process shall be videographed."

    33.            In Mukesh Singh Vs. The State (NCT of Delhi)
         dated 24.08.2023 passed by the Hon'ble Supreme Court of
         India in Criminal appeal No. 1554 of 2015 held as under;-

            29. This provision for giving directions by the
            Court as to the manner in which test parade is to
            be conducted may be viewed as treating the
            Court as part of the investigating agency.
            Without having any provision like Section 54A


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State Vs. Jabbar Singh and ors                                 Page No. 35 of 56
PS Mayapuri
             there has been so long no difficulty in holding
            test identification parades. There are plenty of
            judicial pronouncements to show the safeguards
            to be followed while holding identification
            parade.
            34. This provision for giving directions by the
            Court as to the manner in which test parade is to
            be conducted may be viewed as treating the
            Court as part of the investigating agency.
            Without having any provision like Section 54A
            there has been so long no difficulty in holding
            test identification parades. There are plenty of
            judicial pronouncements to show the safeguards
            to be followed while holding identification
            parade.
            37. Facts which establish the identity of any
            person or thing whose identity is relevant are,
            by virtue of Section 9 of the Evidence Act,
            always relevant. The term 'identification' means
            proving that a person, subject or article before
            the Court is the very same that he or it is
            alleged, charged or reputed to be. Identification
            is almost always a matter of opinion or belief.
            38. The identification has by itself              no
            independent value. As stated by Viscount
            Haldane L. C. in Rex v. Christie, (1914) A. C.


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             545 (551) (E):-
            "its relevancy is to show that the witness "was able to
            identify at the time and to exclude the idea that the
            identification of the prisoner in the dock was
            anafterthought or a mistake".

            39. Lord Moulton (with whom Viscount
            Haldane L. J. agreed) said at page 558 :
            "Identification is an act of the mind, and the primary
            evidence of what was passing in the mind of a man is
            his own testimony, where it can be obtained."

                   40. During the investigation of a crime
            committed            by   persons   unknown     to     the
            witnesses, the persons arrested on suspicion of
            their complicity in the crime have got to be
            confronted by the investigating authority with
            the witnesses so that they can find out whether
            they are the persons who committed the crime
            or not. Before the investigating authorities send
            up a case to Court, they must be satisfied that
            the persons arrested by them are the persons
            accused of having committed the crime.
            42. Phipson writes in his Law of Evidence,
            Edn. 8, p. 392:-
            "In criminal cases it is improper to identify the accused
            only when in the dock; the police should place him,
            beforehand, with others, and ask the witness to pick him
            out."

            43. A three-Judge Bench of this Court in the



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             case of Rajesh v. State of Haryana, (2021) 1
            SCC 118, had the occasion to consider (i) the
            purpose of conducting a TIP, (ii) the source of
            the authority of the investigator to do so, (iii)
            the manner in which these proceedings should
            be conducted, (iv) the weight to be ascribed to
            identification in the course of a TIP, and (v) the
            circumstances in which an adverse inference
            can be drawn against the accused who refuses to
            undergo the process. After due consideration of
            the aforesaid, this Court summarised the
            principles as follows:-
             "43.1 The purpose of conducting a TIP is that persons
            who claim to have seen the offender at the time of the
            occurrence identify them from amongst the other
            individuals without tutoring or aid from any source. An
            identification parade, in other words, tests the memory
            of the witnesses, in order for the prosecution to
            determine whether any or all of them can be cited as
            eyewitness to the crime.
             43.2 There is no specific provision either in CrPC or
            the Evidence Act, 1872 ("the Evidence Act") which
            lends statutory authority to an identification parade.

                   Identification parades belong to the stage of
            the investigation of crime and there is no
            provision which compels the investigating
            agency to hold or confers a right on the accused
            to claim a TIP.
            43.3 Identification parades are governed in that context
            by the provision of Section 162 CrPC. 43.4 A TIP
            should ordinarily be conducted soon after the arrest of


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             the accused, so as to preclude a possibility of the
            accused being shown to the witnesses before it is held.
            43.5 The identification of the accused in court
            constitutes substantive evidence.
            43.6 Facts which establish the identity of the accused
            person are treated to be relevant under Section 9 of the
            Evidence Act.
            43.7 A TIP may lend corroboration to the identification
            of the witness in court, if so required.
            43.8 As a rule of prudence, the court would, generally
            speaking, look for corroboration of the witness'
            identification of the accused in court, in the form of
            earlier identification proceedings. The rule of prudence
            is subject to the exception when the court considers it
            safe to rely upon the evidence of a particular witness
            without such, or other corroboration.
            43.9 Since a TIP does not constitute substantive
            evidence, the failure to hold it does not ipso facto make
            the evidence of identification inadmissible.
            43.10 The weight that is attached to such identification
            is a matter to be determined by the court in the
            circumstances of that particular case.
            43.11 Identification of the accused in a TIP or in court
            is not essential in every case where guilt is established
            on the basis of circumstances which lend assurance to
            the nature and the quality of the evidence.
            43.12 The court of fact may, in the context and
            circumstances of each case, determine whether an
            adverse inference should be drawn against the accused
            for refusing to participate in a TIP. However, the court
            would look for corroborating material of a substantial
            nature before it enters a finding in regard to the guilt of
            the accused."

             44. In the very same judgment referred to
            above, this Court observed as under;-
            "46. ... In this backdrop, the contention of the
            appellants that the refusal to undergo a TIP is borne out
            by the fact that Sandeep and Rajesh were known to each
            other prior to the occurrence and that PW 4, who is a
            prime eyewitness, had seen Rajesh when he would
            attend the court during the course of the hearings,
            cannot be brushed aside. Consequently, in a case, such
            as the present, the Court would be circumspect about
            drawing an adverse inference from the facts, as they


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             have emerged. In any event, as we have noticed, the
            identification in the course of a TIP is intended to lend
            assurance to the identity of the accused. The finding of
            guilt cannot be based purely on the refusal of the
            accused to undergo an identification parade. In the
            present case, we have already indicated that the
            presence of the alleged eyewitnesses PW 4 and PW 5 at
            the scene of the occurrence is seriously in doubt. The
            ballistics evidence connecting the empty cartridges and
            the bullets recovered from the body of the deceased with
            an alleged weapon of offence is contradictory and
            suffers from serious infirmities. Hence, in this backdrop,
            a refusal to undergo a TIP assumes secondary
            importance, if at all, and cannot survive independently
            in the absence of it being a substantive piece of
            evidence." [Emphasis supplied]

            45. In Munshi Singh Gautam (D) & Ors. v.
            State of M.P., reported in (2005) 9 SCC 631,
            this Court observed as under:-
            "16. ... The whole idea of a test identification parade is
            that witnesses who claim to have seen the culprits at the
            time of occurrence are to identify them from the midst of
            other persons without any aid or any other source. The
            test is done to check upon their veracity. In other words,
            the main object of holding an identification parade,
            during the investigation stage, is to test the memory of
            the witnesses based upon first impression and also to
            enable the prosecution to decide whether all or any of
            them could be cited as eyewitnesses of the crime. The
            identification proceedings are in the nature of tests and
            significantly, therefore, there is no provision for it in the
            Code and the Evidence Act. It is desirable that a test
            identification parade should be conducted as soon as
            after the arrest of the accused. This becomes necessary
            to eliminate the possibility of the accused being shown
            to the witnesses prior to the test identification parade.
            This is a very common plea of the accused and,
            therefore, the prosecution has to be cautious to ensure
            that there is no scope for making such an allegation. If,
            however, circumstances are beyond control and there is
            some delay, it cannot be said to be fatal to the
            prosecution. The evidence of mere identification of the
            accused person at the trial for the first time is from its
            very nature inherently of a weak character. The purpose

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             of a prior test identification, therefore, is to test and
            strengthen the trustworthiness of that evidence. It is,
            accordingly, considered a safe rule of prudence to
            generally look for corroboration of the sworn testimony
            of witnesses in court as to the identity of the accused
            who are strangers to them, in the form of earlier
            identification proceedings. This rule of prudence,
            however, is subject to exceptions, when, for example,
            the court is impressed by a particular witness on whose
            testimony it can safely rely, without such or other
            corroboration. The identification parades belong to the
            stage of investigation, and there is no provision in the
            Code which obliges the investigating agency to hold or
            confers a right upon the accused to claim a test
            identification parade. They do not constitute substantive
            evidence and these parades are essentially governed by
            Section 162 of the Code. Failure to hold a test
            identification parade would not make inadmissible the
            evidence of identification in court. The weight to be
            attached to such identification should be a matter for
            the courts of fact. In appropriate cases it may accept the
            evidence of identification even without insisting on
            corroboration. ..."

            46. In Ramanbhai Naranbhai Patel v. State of
            Gujarat, (2000) 1 SCC 358, after considering the
            earlier decisions this, Court observed:- (SCC p. 369,
            para 20) "20. It becomes at once clear that the
            aforesaid observations were made in the light of the
            peculiar facts and circumstances wherein the police is
            said to have given the names of the accused to the
            witnesses. Under these circumstances, identification of
            such a named accused only in the Court when the
            accused was not known earlier to the witness had to be
            treated as valueless. The said decision, in turn, relied
            upon an earlier decision of this Court in the case of
            State (Delhi Admn.) v. V.C. Shukla [(1980) 2 SCC 665 :
            1980 SCC (Cri) 561 : AIR 1980 SC 1382] wherein also
            Fazal Ali, J., speaking for a three-Judge Bench made
            similar observations in this regard. In that case the
            evidence of the witness in the Court and his identifying
            the accused only in the Court without previous
            identification parade was found to be a valueless
            exercise. The observations made therein were confined
            to the nature of the evidence deposed to by the said


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             eyewitnesses. It, therefore, cannot be held, as tried to be
            submitted by learned counsel for the appellants, that in
            the absence of a test identification parade, the evidence
            of an eyewitness identifying the accused would become
            inadmissible or totally useless; whether the evidence
            deserves any credence or not would always depend on
            the facts and circumstances of each case. It is, of
            course, true as submitted by learned counsel for the
            appellants that the later decisions of this Court in the
            case of Rajesh Govind Jagesha v. State of Maharashtra
            [(1999) 8 SCC 428 : 1999 SCC (Cri) 1452 : AIR 2000
            SC 160] and State of H.P. v. Lekh Raj [(2000) 1 SCC
            247 : 2000 SCC (Cri) 147 : AIR 1999 SC 3916] had not
            considered the aforesaid three-Judge Bench decisions of
            this Court. However, in our view, the ratio of the
            aforesaid later decisions of this Court cannot be said to
            be running Santokh Singh v. Izhar Hussain
            counter to what is decided by the earlier three-Judge
            Bench judgments on the facts and circumstances
            examined by the Court while rendering these decisions.
            But even assuming as submitted by learned counsel for
            the appellants that the evidence of these two injured
            witnesses i.e. Bhogilal Ranchhodbhai and Karsanbhai
            Vallabhbhai identifying the accused in the Court may be
            treated to be of no assistance to the prosecution, the fact
            remains that these eyewitnesses were seriously injured
            and they could have easily seen the faces of the persons
            assaulting them and their appearance and identity
            would well remain imprinted in their minds especially
            when they were assaulted in broad daylight. They could
            not be said to be interested in roping in innocent
            persons by shielding the real accused who had
            assaulted them." [Emphasis supplied]

            47. In Malkhansingh v. State of M.P., (2003) 5
            SCC 746, a three-Judge Bench of this Court
            considered           the   evidentiary   value   of     the
            identification of the appellant in that case by the
            prosecutrix in the Court without holding a TIP
            in the course of the investigation. It was argued


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             before the Court that the identification in Court
            not preceded by a TIP is of no evidentiary
            value. On the other hand, it was argued on
            behalf of the prosecution that the substantive
            evidence is the evidence of identification in
            Court and, therefore, the value to be attached to
            such identification depends on facts and
            circumstances        of   each     case.    The     Court
            ultimately answered as under:-
            "7. It is trite to say that the substantive evidence is the
            evidence of identification in court. Apart from the clear
            provisions of Section 9 of the Evidence Act, the position
            in law is well settled by a catena of decisions of this
            Court. The facts, which establish the identity of the
            accused persons, are relevant under Section 9 of the
            Evidence Act. As a general rule, the substantive
            evidence of a witness is the statement made in court.
            The evidence of mere identification of the accused
            person at the trial for the first time is from its very
            nature inherently of a weak character. The purpose of a
            prior test identification, therefore, is to test and
            strengthen the trustworthiness of that evidence. It is
            accordingly considered a safe rule of prudence to
            generally look for corroboration of the sworn testimony
            of witnesses in court as to the identity of the accused
            who are strangers to them, in the form of earlier
            identification proceedings. This rule of prudence,
            however, is subject to exceptions, when, for example,
            the court is impressed by a particular witness on whose
            testimony it can safely rely, without such or other
            corroboration. The identification parades belong to the
            stage of investigation, and there is no provision in the
            Code of Criminal Procedure which obliges the
            investigating agency to hold, or confers a right upon the
            accused to claim a test identification parade. They do
            not constitute substantive evidence and these parades
            are essentially governed by Section 162 of the Code of
            Criminal Procedure. Failure to hold a test identification


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             parade would not make inadmissible the evidence of
            identification in court. The weight to be attached to
            such identification should be a matter for the courts of
            fact. In appropriate cases it may accept the evidence of
            identification even without insisting on corroboration."
            [Emphasis supplied]

            48. It is well settled that the substantive
            evidence is the evidence of identification in
            court and the test identification parade provides
            corroboration to the identification of the witness
            in court, if required. However, what weight
            must        be       attached   to   the   evidence      of
            identification in court, which is not preceded by
            a test identification parade, is a matte Santokh
            Singh v. Izhar Hussain r for the courts of fact
            to examine.
            49. In Prem Singh v. State of Haryana, (2011)
            9 SCC 689, a two-Judge Bench of this Court
            expressed conflicting opinion, H.S. Bedi, J.

observed in para 19 as under:-

“19. … It must be borne in mind that it is impossible for
an accused to prove by positive evidence that he had
been shown to a witness prior to the identification
parade but if suspicion can be raised by the defence
that this could have happened, no adverse inference can
be drawn against the accused in such a case.”

50. Gyan Sudha Misra, J. while disagreeing
with H.S. Bedi, J. took the view that it is not
open to accused to refuse to participate in the
TIP. The learned Judge observed in para 27 as

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under:-

“27. In my considered view, it was not open to the
accused to refuse to participate in the TI parade nor
was it a correct legal approach for the prosecution to
accept refusal of the accused to participate in the test
identification parade. If the appellant-accused had
reason to do so, specially on the plea that he had been
shown to the eyewitnesses in advance, the value and
admissibility of the evidence of TI parade could have
been assailed by the defence at the stage of trial in
order to demolish the value of the test identification
parade. But merely on account of the objection of the
accused, he could not have been permitted to decline
from participating in the test identification parade from
which adverse inference can surely be drawn against
him at least in order to corroborate the prosecution
case.” [Emphasis supplied]

51. Ultimately, the matter was heard by a three-
Judge Bench in the case titled Prem Singh v.
State of Haryana
, (2013) 14 SCC 88, and the
appeal filed by the convict was allowed.
However, we do not find any discussion in the
said judgment
as regards the issue whether the
accused can refuse to participate in the TIP. This
Court on its own looked into the entire evidence
and ultimately acquitted the appellant accused.

52. In Munna v. State (NCT of Delhi), (2003)
10 SCC 599, this Court took the view that if an
accused himself refused to participate in the
TIP, then it is not open to him to contend that
the statement of the witnesses made for the first

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time should not be relied upon. The Court held
as under:-

“10. In a case where an accused himself refuses to
participate in a test identification parade, it is not open
to him to contend that the statement of the eyewitnesses
made for the first time in court, wherein they
specifically point towards him as a person who had
taken part in the commission of the crime, should not be
relied upon. This plea is available provided the
prosecution is itself responsible for not holding a test
identification parade. However, in a case where the
accused himself declines to participate in a test
identification parade, the prosecution has no option but
to proceed in a normal manner like all other cases and
rely upon the testimony of the witnesses, which is
recorded in court during the course of the trial of the
case.” [Emphasis supplied] It is relevant to note
that in the aforesaid decision, the accused in his
statement under Section 313 CrPC had not
stated that he had been shown to the witnesses
at the police station. In the case on hand, it is
the case of the appellant convict that he along
with other co-accused was shown to the
witnesses not only prior to the conduct of the
TIP but even before the identification in the
Court.

53. In Ravindra Laxman Mahadik v. State of
Maharashtra
, 1997 CriLJ 3833, in a case
involving Section 395 of the CrPC, it was
opined:-

“10. I find merit in Mr. Mooman’s submission that it
would not be safe to accept the identification evidence
of Manda Sahani. Manda Sahani in her examination-
in-chief stated that on the place of the incident, there
was no light. In her cross-examination (para 6) she
stated that it was dark at the place of the incident but,
slight light was emanating from the building situate on
the shore. The distance between the building and the

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place where Manda Sahani and her husband were
looted has not been unfolded in the evidence. The
learned trial Judge has observed that the evidence of
Vinod Sahani is that the incident took place at a
distance of about 100 ft from the Gandhi statue, where
the meeting was held. What he wanted to convey was
that hence there must have been light at the place of
incident. In my view, on the face of the definite
statement of Manda that it was dark as there was only
slight light, and bearing in mind that the incident took
place at 9.30 p.m. in the month of February, 1992, it
would not be safe to conclude that there was sufficient
light on the place of the incident enabling Manda
Sahani to identify the appellant.”

54. In Kanan & Ors. v. State of Kerala, AIR
1979 SC 1127, this Court held:-

“…It is well settled that where a witness Identifies an
accused who is not known to him in the Court for the
first time, his evidence is absolutely valueless unless
there has been a previous T. I. parade to test his powers
of observations. The Idea of holding T. I. parade under
Section 9 of the Evidence Act is to test the veracity of
the witness on the question of his capability to identify
an unknown person whom the witness may have seen
only once. If no T. I. parade is held then it will be
wholly unsafe to rely on his bare testimony regarding
the identification of an accused for the first time in
Court. …” [Emphasis supplied]

55. In Sidhartha Vashisht @ Manu Sharma v.

State (NCT of Delhi), (2010) 6 SCC 1, this
Court noticed the importance of TIP and logic
behind it. It is the practice not borne out of
procedure but out of prudence. In this case, this
Court has exhaustively examined the entire case
law on the subject. It was observed:-

“254. Even a TIP before a Magistrate is otherwise hit

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by Section 162 of the Code. Therefore to say that a
photo identification is hit by Section 162 is wrong. It is
not a substantive piece of evidence. It is only by virtue
of Section 9 of the Evidence Act that the same i.e. the
act of identification becomes admissible in court. The
logic behind TIP, which will include photo identification
lies in the fact that it is only an aid to investigation,
where an accused is not known to the witnesses, the IO
conducts a TIP to ensure that he has got the right
person as an accused. The practice is not borne out of
procedure, but out of prudence. At best it can be
brought under Section 8 of the Evidence Act, as
evidence of conduct of a witness in photo identifying the
accused in the presence of an IO or the Magistrate,
during the course of an investigation.”

56. This Court has further referred to its earlier
decisions which state:-

“256. The law as it stands today is set out in the
following decisions of this Court which are reproduced
as hereinunder:

Munshi Singh Gautam v. State of M.P. [(2005) 9
SCC 631 : 2005 SCC (Cri) 1269] : (SCC pp. 642-45,
paras 16-17 & 19) “16.
As was observed by this Court
in Matru v. State of U.P. [(1971) 2 SCC 75 : 1971 SCC
(Cri) 391] identification tests do not constitute
substantive evidence. They are primarily meant for the
purpose of helping the investigating agency with an
assurance that their progress with the investigation into
the offence is proceeding on the right lines. The
identification can only be used as corroborative of the
statement in court.

(See Santokh Singh v. Izhar Hussain [(1973) 2 SCC
406 : 1973 SCC (Cri) 828]) The necessity for holding an
identification parade can arise only when the accused
are not previously known to the witnesses. The whole
idea of a test identification parade is that witnesses who
claim to have seen the culprits at the time of occurrence
are to identify them from the midst of other persons
without any aid or any other source. The test is done to
check upon their veracity. In other words, the main
object of holding an identification parade, during the
investigation stage, is to test the memory of the
witnesses based upon first impression and also to enable

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the prosecution to decide whether all or any of them
could be cited as eyewitnesses of the crime. The
identification proceedings are in the nature of tests and
significantly, therefore, there is no provision for it in the
Code and the Evidence Act. It is desirable that a test
identification parade should be conducted as soon as
after the arrest of the accused. This becomes necessary
to eliminate the possibility of the accused being shown
to the witnesses prior to the test identification parade.
This is a very common plea of the accused and,
therefore, the prosecution has to be cautious to ensure
that there is no scope for making such an allegation. If,
however, circumstances are beyond control and there is
some delay, it cannot be said to be fatal to the
prosecution.

17. It is trite to say that the substantive evidence is the
evidence of identification in court. Apart from the clear
provisions of Section 9 of the Evidence Act, the position
in law is well settled by a catena of decisions of this
Court. The facts, which establish the identity of the
accused persons, are relevant under Section 9 of the
Evidence Act. As a general rule, the substantive
evidence of a witness is the statement made in court.
The evidence of mere identification of the accused
person at the trial for the first time is from its very
nature inherently of a weak character. The purpose of a
prior test identification, therefore, is to test and
strengthen the trustworthiness of that evidence. It is,
accordingly, considered a safe rule of prudence to
generally look for corroboration of the sworn testimony
of witnesses in court as to the identity of the accused
who are strangers to them, in the form of earlier
identification proceedings. This rule of prudence,
however, is subject to exceptions, when, for example,
the court is impressed by a particular witness on whose
testimony it can safely rely, without such or other
corroboration. The identification parades belong to the
stage of investigation, and there is no provision in the
Code which obliges the investigating agency to hold or
confers a right upon the accused to claim a test
identification parade. They do not constitute substantive
evidence and these parades are essentially governed by
Section 162 of the Code. Failure to hold a test
identification parade would not make inadmissible the

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evidence of identification in court. The weight to be
attached to such identification should be a matter for the
courts of fact. In appropriate cases it may accept the
evidence of identification even without insisting on
corroboration. (See Kanta Prashad v. Delhi Admn. [AIR
1958 SC 350:1958 Cri LJ 698], Vaikuntam Chandrappa
v. State of A.P. [AIR 1960 SC 1340:1960 Cri LJ 1681],
Budhsen v. State of U.P. [(1970) 2 SCC 128:1970 SCC
(Cri) 343] and Rameshwar Singh v. State of J&K
[(1971) 2 SCC 715 : 1971 Cri LJ 638] ) x x x x

19. In Harbajan Singh v. State of J&K [(1975) 4 SCC
480 : 1975 SCC (Cri) 545] , though a test identification
parade was not held, this Court upheld the conviction on
the basis of the identification in court corroborated by
other circumstantial evidence. In that case it was found
that the appellant and one Gurmukh Singh were absent
at the time of roll call and when they were arrested on
the night of 16-12-1971 their rifles smelt of fresh
gunpowder and that the empty cartridge case which was
found at the scene of offence bore distinctive markings
showing that the bullet which killed the deceased was
fired from the rifle of the appellant. Noticing these
circumstances this Court held : (SCC p. 481, para

4) ‘4. In view of this corroborative evidence we find no
substance in the argument urged on behalf of the
appellant that the investigating officer ought to have
held an identification parade and that the failure of
Munshi Ram to mention the names of the two accused to
the neighbours who came to the scene immediately after
the occurrence shows that his story cannot be true. As
observed by this Court in Jadunath Singh v. State of
U.P.
[(1970) 3 SCC 518 : 1971 SCC (Cri) 124] absence
of test identification is not necessarily fatal. The fact
that Munshi Ram did not disclose the names of the two
accused to the villagers only shows that the accused
were not previously known to him and the story that the
accused referred to each other by their respective
names during the course of the incident contains an
element of exaggeration. The case does not rest on the
evidence of Munshi Ram alone and the corroborative
circumstances to which we have referred to above lend
enough assurance to the implication of the appellant.’ “

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34. Therefore, the law is very clear that TIP proceedings
are not substantive piece of evidence, however, they
provide corroboration to the testimonies of the witnesses.
In our case, PW-2 Shiv Raj Singh Yadav and all the other
PWs have failed to identify the accused Mukesh Kumar in
TIP proceedings. In absence of corroboration the testimony
of PW-2 Shiv Raj Singh Yadav is not sufficient to convict
the accused persons, as the testimony is not clear and
coherent on the aspect of the identity of accused persons
which fails to inspire the confidence of the court. In view
of the aforesaid peculiar backdrop of the case, keeping in
mind the fact that PW-6 Harender Yadav, PW-7 Sumer Pal,
PW-8 Balram have not been able to identify even a single
accused, the present court has to be cautious in
scrutinizing the testimony of the prosecution’s witnesses.
There is no explanation from the PW -2 Shiv Raj Singh
Yadav as to why he has not identified the accused in TIP
proceedings. To be made basis of conviction, the testimony
of prosecution’s witness must be irreplaceable and of
pristine quality which is not so presence case. Moreso,
when PW-6 Harender Yadav, PW-7 Sumer Pal, PW-8
Balram have turned hostile. Further, in the light of
judgment as discussed above, the refusal to participate in
the TIP proceedings by accused Jabbar Singh is not a
substantive piece of evidence and conviction can not be
made on the basis of that.

FIR No. 34/2011
State Vs. Jabbar Singh and ors Page No. 51 of 56

PS Mayapuri

35. Coming now to the recovery that is being made
from the accused persons. The recovery witnesses i.e. PW-
10 ASI Murari Lal, PW-13 ASI Mahender Singh, and PW-
15 IO/Ins. R.N. Chaudhary have deposed that case
property i.e. gun without chap was recovered from the
accused Mukesh Kumar Yadav in the presence of PW-
10ASI Murari Lal and mobile phone make Nokia was
recovered from the accused Jabbar Singh in the presence
of PW-13 HC Mahender Yadav at the house of accused
Jabbar Singh at Village Daudganj.

36. It has been argued by the Ld. Defence Counsel that
testimonies of said recovery witnesses i.e. PW-10 ASI
Murari Lal, PW-13 ASI Mahender Singh, and PW-15
IO/Insp. R.N. Chaudhary should not be believed in as they
are the police witnesses and no independent witness has
been joined during the alleged recovery.

37. In these circumstances, the possibility of the case
property being planted one can not be ruled out. There is
no other independent public eye witnesses in the present
case. There is nothing incriminating against the accused
persons on record. In the case of the prosecution, that the
gun without chaap was recovered from the accused
Mukesh Kumar Yadav in the presence of PW-10 ASI
Murari Lal and mobile phone make Nokia was recovered

FIR No. 34/2011
State Vs. Jabbar Singh and ors Page No. 52 of 56
PS Mayapuri
from tgeh accused Jabbar Singh in the presence of PW-13
HC Mahender Yadav. However, it is beyond
comprehension of the court as to why there is no other
independent public person who has witnessed this incident.
No efforts has been by the police officer to make join
public persons in the investigation. Testimony of even the
recovery witness is doubtful as they have not joined a
single public witness while the recovery was made. The
public witnesses are not joined in the investigation. From
the overall testimony of the witness, it appears that no
effort, what to talk of a sincere/vague effort has been
made to join the public persons in the investigation. All
the witnesses examined by the prosecution are the police
witnesses and other eye witnesses have turned hostile.
Although, it can be said that it was a chance recovery but
the incident had occurred on 24.04.2011 at 11:15 PM and
recovery i.e. mobile phone was made at the house of
accused Jabbar Singh and single barrel gun without chap
was recovered from the room of the accused Mukesh
Kumar Yadav and at that time, no neighbours etc was
present and therefore, it can not be said that no public
person would have been available at the spot and even if
the prosecution has not joined public witnesses it was
incumbent upon the prosecution to at least put forward
plausible reasons for not doing so. The failure on the part
of the police personnels goes to suggest that they were not

FIR No. 34/2011
State Vs. Jabbar Singh and ors Page No. 53 of 56
PS Mayapuri
interested in joining the public persons in the police
proceedings. Failure on the part of the police officials to
make sincere effort to join public witnesses for the
proceedings when they may be available creates
reasonable doubt in the prosecution story in view of the
following case law. In the case of Anoop Joshi Vs State
1992 (2) C.C. Case 314(HC), Hon’ble High Court of
Delhi has observed as under:

“It is repeatedly laid down by this court that in such cases, it
should be shown by the police that sincere efforts have been made to
join independent witnesses. In the present case, it is evident that no
such sincere efforts have been made, particularly when we find that
shops were open and one or two shop keepers could have been
persuaded to join the raiding party to witness the recovery being
made from the appellant. In case any of the shopkeepers had
declined to join the raiding party, the police could have later on
taken legal action against such shopkeepers because they could not
have escaped the rigours of law while declining to perform their
legal duty to assist the police in investigation as a citizen, which is
an offence under the IPC.”

38. During the investigation of the case no public
witnesses were joined nor there seems to be any sincere
efforts made in this regard, when it was possible to do so,
which makes the case of the prosecution weak and
suspicion. Since all the witnesses are police personnels
and the necessary safeguards in the investigation have not
been followed by the investigating officer, I am of the
view that chances of false implication cannot be ruled out
at the instance of the police.

FIR No. 34/2011
State Vs. Jabbar Singh and ors Page No. 54 of 56

PS Mayapuri

39. There are a number of cases in which the Hon’ble
Superior Courts have explained as to when it be held that
prosecution had failed to establish its case beyond
reasonable doubts entitling accused to benefit of doubt.

40. In Vijayee Singh v. State of U.P., (1990) 3 SCC 190,
the court quoted Lord Denning and Lord Du Paraq, J. on
the concept of the benefit of reasonable doubt in para
which is reproduced below:

30. Lord Denning, J. in Miller v. Minister of Pensions
[(1947) 2 All ER 372, 373 H] while examining the degree
of proof required in criminal cases stated”: That degree is
well settled. It need not reach certainty, but it must carry a
high degree of probability. Proof beyond reasonable doubt
does not mean proof beyond the shadow of a doubt. The
law would fail to protect the community if it admitted
fanciful possibilities to deflect the course of justice. If the
evidence is so strong against a man as to leave only a
remote possibility in his favour which can be dismissed
with the sentence of course, it is possible but not in the
least probable, the case is proved beyond reasonable doubt.

A very valuable discussion on issue of proof beyond
reasonable doubt and entitlement of behalf of doubt to the
accused is found in the judgment authored by O.
Chinnappa Reddy, J. in K. Gopal Reddy v. State of AP
(1979) 1 SCC 355, wherein reiterating the fundamental
principle of criminal jurisprudence that the accused is

FIR No. 34/2011
State Vs. Jabbar Singh and ors Page No. 55 of 56
PS Mayapuri
entitled to the benefit of any reasonable doubt, the court
placing reliance on the afore noticed enunciation by Lord
Denning in Miller (Supra), elaborated the principles thus:

“9 …To entitle an accused person to the benefit of a doubt
arising from the possibility of a duality of views, the possible view in
favour of the accused must be as nearly reasonably probable as that
against him. If the preponderance of probability is all one way, a
bare possibility of another view will not entitle the accused to claim
the benefit of any doubt. It is, therefore, essential that any view of
the evidence in favour of the accused must be reasonable even as
any doubt, the benefit of which an accused person may claim, must
be reasonable. A reasonable doubt, it has been remarked, does not
mean some light, airy, insubstantial doubt that may flit through the
minds of any of us about almost anything at some time or other; it
does not mean a doubt begotten by sympathy out of reluctance to
convict; it means a real doubt, a doubt founded upon reasons”.

41. Applying the aforesaid principle of law of the facts
and circumstances, of the present case, it is apparently
clear that the prosecution has failed to prove its case
against the accused persons namely Jabbar Singh and
Mukesh Kumar Yadav for the offences punishable u/s
395
/397/412/34 IPC and 27 Arms Act. In view of the
same, as the prosecution established its case, accused
persons namely Jabbar Singh and Mukesh Kumar Yadav
are acquitted for the offences punishable u/s
395/397/412/34 IPC and 27 Arms Act.

42. File be consigned to record room after due
compliance.

                                                                 Digitally
                                                                 signed by
                                                                 AMBIKA
                                                        AMBIKA   SINGH
                                                        SINGH    Date:
                                                                 2025.01.18
                                                                 15:32:18
                                                                 +0530




Announced in the                                   (AMBIKA SINGH)
Open Court on 15.01.2025                         ASJ-02 West THC Delhi



FIR No. 34/2011
State Vs. Jabbar Singh and ors                                       Page No. 56 of 56
PS Mayapuri
 

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