Sanjay Bhalkar Vs State of Maharashtra On 13 January 2020
Sanjay Bhalkar Vs State of Maharashtra On 13 January 2020
Sanjay Bhalkar Vs State of Maharashtra On 13 January 2020
BENCH AT AURANGABAD
VERSUS
…..
Advocate for Petitioners : Mr. S. G. Ladda And Mr. S. S.
Khivansara.
APP for respondent-State : Mr. A. A. Jagatkar.
…..
WITH
CRI.APPLN.NO.3620/2019 IN CRI.WP/1764/20149
VERSUS
JUDGMENT :
intervention.
charge under Section 302 read with 34 of Indian Penal Code in the
said case. The prosecution has examined P.W.18 Dr. Kailash Zine
petition that, the post mortem report is exhibited as Exhibit 216 and
Exhibit 217. P.W.18 Dr. Kailash Zine had brought file of treatment
papers of the deceased and produced it before the Court before the
2015 and during treatment he died on the same day around 16.05
those papers. When the questions were asked, the learned Special
Public prosecutor had taken objection that, the said witness has no
upheld the said objection and has not allowed the witness to answer
certificate Exhibit 218. It is stated that, the defence had not put any
the learned Judge ought not to have restricted and prevented the
Though the Judge may come to a conclusion that, the question is not
the said question may become relevant at the later stage, and
Gujrat And Another, reported in (2001) 3 Supreme Court Cases 1 : 2001 Supreme
Court Cases (Cri) 417, it was requested to the Court that, all the
on considered. But then rejecting the prayer of the advocate for the
defence to put certain questions will not amount to fair trial and,
hence, prayer is made for setting aside the impugned order and
direction have been sought to the trial Court to record all the
examination.
Kulkarni for the informant who filed application No.3620 of 2019 for
intervention.
mortem report Exhibit 216 and also the contents of the treatment
treatment was given and why certain treatment was not given. The
concerned witness, and taking into consideration the fact that they
the witness is not the author of that document nor he had given
the scope of the evidence of the said witness i.e. P.W.18 is restricted
Exhibit 217 and certificate Exhibit 218. Any first aid or immediate
treatment was not under the supervision of the witness nor he has
objection was sustained, that means the questions were not allowed
said question has then been disallowed by the learned Judge. The
and take away the vital right of the accused to bring truth on record
Judge that, in view of the procedure laid down in Bipin Panchal’s case
that, the witness had specifically stated that, he had not given
the document could not have been put to the said witness. Those
learned advocate for the defence. Therefore, the learned Judge was
Public Prosecutor. Learned Advocate for the accused persons can not
ask any question which is not relevant. The Court has power to
objections are raised and then Courts are required to consider those
would show that, he has stated that he had conducted the autopsy
chief the post mortem report, the sketch appended to it and the
death certificate came to be exhibited. When it was the turn for the
box, on the request of the learned advocate for the accused, he had
produced the treatment papers. Pursis to that effect has been filed
at Exhibit 222.
7. Learned advocate for the defence has pointed out Serial No.5
column of the post mortem report Exhibit 216 and then it was stated
that, when a dead body is sent for autopsy, it would be with a report
states that,
“As per police inquest and requisition letter, the deceased had alleged
history of assault at Hrideya farm, Jatwada Road, Aurangbad on
14/03/2015 at 12.45 hrs and sustained injuries and became
unconscious was brought to GMCH, Aurangabad. He was admitted in
Truama ward for treatment. During treatment he died on 14-04-2015 at
16.05 p.m.”
Thus, the said answer was based on the police inquest and
requisition letter.
produced by the said witness P.W.18 Dr. Kailash, they were not
exhibited when the learned advocate for accused had started the
clearly seen from the record i.e. the deposition part, that the form of
learned advocate for the accused was wrong. When the witness had
and if at all there was no attempt on the part of the police to seize
those documents, the witness could not have been held in any way
responsible for the non production of the document. But then the
question was asked, “Is there anything to be hide from the papers which you
have brought today ?”. Learned advocate for the accused ought to have
seen that if there was anything to hide, the witness would not have
produced it, but then since the document was produced, there was
said that the form of the question was wrong. The objection that was
respect of the scope of the witness on the ground that the witness
had not given the treatment and he had no knowledge about the
knowledge of that document and in any way it could not have been
are not relevant and cannot be put to the witness. Here the learned
Sessions Judge could not have put entire shutter down in respect of
putting forth the questions but then he was supposed to consider the
question it could not have been travelled beyond the limits laid down
State of Bihar and Others, reported in AIR 1998 SC 1850 : 1998 Criminal Law
Thus it is clear that, though the relevancy and admissibility are used
P.W.18 told that, he had gone through the papers i.e. the admission
papers of the deceased with the hospital. But then again the
question is asked, “Do you have any difficulty to answer questions relating to
these documents ?”, and the witness answered that, “He had not given
treatment to the patient.” Then again the question is asked, “Do you want to
say that you did not understood the contents of these documents ?”. Thereafter,
the Court disallowed the said question on the ground that since the
witness has already stated that he had not given the treatment to
order on such objection. But the fall out of the above practice is this:
Suppose the trial court, in a case, upholds a particular objection and
excludes the material from being admitted in evidence and then
proceeds with the trial and disposes of the case finally. If the appellate
or revisional court, when the same question is re-canvassed, could take
a different view on the admissibility of that material in such cases the
appellate court would be deprived of the benefit of that evidence,
because that was not put on record by the trial court. In such a situation
the higher court may have to send the case back to the trial court for
recording that evidence and then to dispose of the case afresh. Why
should the trial prolong like that unnecessarily on account of practices
created by ourselves. Such practices, when realised through the course
of long period to be hindrances which impede steady and swift progress
of trial proceedings, must be recast or re-moulded to give way for better
substitutes which would help acceleration of trial proceedings.”
11. It can be seen that the main point that was required to be
stated that the Trial court can make a note of objection when an
means, the discretion is given to the Trial Court to take note of such
objection and to record the objected part of the oral evidence. Now
When the above said procedure was suggested or laid down, the
Hon’ble Supreme Court has not made it compulsory that all the
reported in 2012 SCC Online Del 2047 : (2012) 3 DLT (Cri) 471.
“14. Under the scheme of Evidence Act, Chapter X deals with the
examination of the witnesses. Different kinds of responsibility are cast
on the judge in different provisions of this Chapter while recording
evidence. Then the Courts also have extensive powers for protecting the
witnesses from the questions not lawful in cross examination as set out
in Sections 146 to 153, Evidence Act. Under Section 136, the Judge has
not only to satisfy that the evidence that was to be led was relevant but,
in what manner if proved, would be relevant. It was only if he was
satisfied that the evidence, if proved, would be relevant, that he could
admit the same. If it is his duty to admit all the relevant evidence, it is
no less his duty to exclude all irrelevant evidence. Section 5 of the Act
also declares that "evidence may be given in any suit or proceedings of
the existence or non-existence of every facts in issue and of such other
15. Section 137 gives a statutory right to the adverse party to cross-
examine a witness. Section 138 only lays down the three processes of
examination to which a witness may be subjected. It does not deal with
the admissibility of the evidence. It also provides that the examination
and cross-examination must relate to relevant facts, but the cross-
examination need not be confined to the facts to which the witness
testified in his examination-in-chief. Under this Section, the cross-
examination can go beyond the facts narrated in examination-in- chief,
but all such questions must relate to relevant facts. It is not that under
the right of cross examination, the party will have the right to ask
reckless, irrelevant, random and fishing questions to oppress the
witness. The "relevant facts" in cross examination of course have a
wider meaning than the term when applied to examination-in-chief. For
instance, facts though otherwise irrelevant may involve questions
affecting the credit of a witness, and such questions are permissible in
the cross examination as per Section 146 and 153 but, questions
manifestly irrelevant or not intended to contradict or qualify the
statements in examination-in-chief, or, which do not impeach the credit
of a witness, cannot be allowed in cross examination. It is well-
with the well-established norm that a witness must be put that much of a
case as concerns that particular witness.
19. As per Section 151 and 152, the questions which are apparently
indecent or scandalous or which appear to be intended to insult or
annoy or are offensive in form, are forbidden. Such questions may be
put either to shake the credit of witness or as relating to the facts in
issue. If they are put merely to shake the credit of the witness, the court
has complete dominion over them and to forbid them even though they
may have some bearing on the questions before the court. But, if they
relate to the facts in issue or are necessary to determine the facts in
issue existed, the court has no jurisdiction to forbid them. The court
cannot forbid indecent or scandalous questions, if they relate to the
facts in issue. It is because what is relevant cannot be scandalous.”
and settled law, noted by the Delhi High Court is hereby endorsed
and would make it clear that, the Court has to control and have
12. Further decision in Inder Sain v. CBI Sector 30-A, Chandigarh, (CRR
No.2251 of 2018 decided by Hon’ble Punjab and Haryana High Court on 06-08-2018)
gives summary of those very provisions of the Evidence Act and the
facts" in cross examination has a wider meaning than the term when
applied to examination-in-chief. For example, facts though otherwise
irrelevant may involve questions affecting the credit of a witness but
only such questions are permissible in the cross- examination as per
provision of Sections 146 and 153 of the Evidence Act. The irrelevant
question or not intended to contradict or qualify the statements in
examination-in-chief, or, which do not impeach the credit of a witness,
the same cannot be allowed in cross-examination. Irrelevant cross-
examination not only adds to the litigation, but wastes public time. The
Court is not to act as a silent spectator when evidence is being
recorded. The Court has full power to prevent continuing irrelevant
questions and repetition in cross-examination and also to prevent any
abuse of right of cross-examination. The Court is having power to
control the cross-examination apart from the Evidence Act as also the
Code of Criminal Procedure. Section 146 of the Evidence Act though
relaxes the ambit of cross-examination and permits the putting of
questions relating to the trustworthiness of the witness, but such
questions must be relevant for the purpose of impeaching the credibility
of the witness.
It has been held in various judgments of Hon'ble the Apex Court as
well as of this Court that trial Judge is the best Judge to decide the
relevancy of questions put by the defence counsel during cross-
examination of a witness.”
Thus, it has been reiterated in Inder Sain’s case above that, the trial
Court is the best judge to decide the relevancy of the questions put
addition to what has been covered in the above decisions One more
intentionally vague questions are put or they are asked in loud voice
Court to see that the witness understands the questions and then it
1944 SCC OnLine MP 78 : AIR 1944 Nag 320 : 1945 Cri LJ 601, it is observed
that,
Umedchand Parikh, reported in 1954 SCC OnLine Bom 145 : (1955) 57 Bom LR
that ;
“No doubt cross-examination is one of the most important processes for the
elucidation of the facts of a case and all reasonable latitude should be
allowed, but the Judge has always a discretion as to how far it may go or
how long it may continue. A fair and reasonable exercise of his discretion
by the Judge will not generally be questioned”.
“While Courts will not ordinarily interfer with the proper exercise of the
right of cross-examination the Courts have the power and authority to
control the cross-examination of a witness”.
the prosecution; but then agree to the submission that the cross-
explained from the learned advocate for the accused orally and then
allow him to put the said question to the witness. On any count
216, sketch Exhibit 217 and certificate Exhibit 218. It is, therefore,
again clarified that neither the learned advocate for the accused has
Judge shall also not restrict him in putting questions in the cross to
down in Bipin Panchal’s case (Supra), and it is specifically laid down that,
bear those advantages which have been laid down in para No.15 of
16. Application for intervention stands allowed and with the above-
said observations the writ petition is disposed of and also with the
evidence.
vjg/-.