Himachal Pradesh High Court: Anoop Chitkara, J., dismissed an appeal filed challenging the acquittal of the accused of the commission of offences of criminal defamation, insult, threat and causing simple injuries.
A criminal complaint had been filed by one brother-in-law against the other stating that both their houses were adjacent to each other and in between, there was government land which was being used as a compound and a common path by both the parties. The complainant alleged that the accused kept on trying to encroach upon this government land and the complainant prevented him of doing the same but finally, the accused was successful in encroaching upon the land upon which complainant filed an application before the Tehsildar and they scheduled a demarcation. Before the demarcation could take place the accused started building pillars on the government land adjacent to the wall of the house of the complainant to which he objected but instead of stopping the work the accused got furious and hurled abuses on him followed by catching hold of his neck and pushing him and he fell off the stairs suffering injuries. The complainant further alleged that the accused proclaimed that the complainant’s mother had brought her daughter-in-law (his wife), in dowry to which the complainant warned him of using defamatory words. The Court had framed charges against the accused under Sections 323, 500, 504 and 506(1) of the Penal Code. The Court after examining all the witnesses from both the parties dismissed the complaint thus the instant appeal.
The Court while dismissing the appeal based it partly on the cross-examination of the witnesses where it was admitted that the accused had demolished the pillars when the scuffle came up which showed that the quarrel had come to an end and it could not be ruled out that the accused had also filed numerous complaints against the complainant and he had brought this matter after a month when the matter was settled earlier itself. The complaint and the evidence brought on record proved that the case suffered from major contradictions and the accused could be given the benefit of doubt and the court found that the judgment of the trial Court was well reasoned and was based on complete, correct and proper appreciation of evidence. [Kanshi Ram Panchhi v. Amar Chand, 2020 SCC OnLine HP 33, decided on 03-01-2020]
