KARTIK MALHARversusSTATE OF BIHAR

                          KARTIK MALHAR                                     A
                                v.
                          STATE OF BIHAR

                         NOVEMBER 15, 1995

          [KULDIP SINGH AND S. SAGHIR AHMAD, JJ.]                           B

      Evidence Act, 1872-Section 134-Conviction on basis of statement of
a single witness-Whether sustainabl~Held, yes, provided evidence is reli-
able, unshaken and consistent with case of prosecution-Three eye wit-
nesses-Two witnesses turned hostile-Conviction on basis remaining           c
witness-Sustainable.

      Section 3-/nterested witness-Witness must have direct interest in
having the accused convicted for some animus or reason-Close relative who
is a natural witness-Not an interested witness.
                                                                            D
      Indian Penal Code, 186(}-Section 302-Conviction-Legality of-Ap-
preciation of evidenc~Widow of deceased had seen whole of incident-She
accompanied infonnant and his wife to police station-Infonnant and his
wife tumed hostil~Statement of widow fully corroborated-Conviction
recorded on basis of her statement--Legally sustainable.                    E
      The appellant was convicted u/s 302 IPC and sentenced to life
imprisonment as the Sessions Judge as also the High Court were of the
view that the evidence of PW2, the widow of the deceased clearly estab-
lished that the appellant had given 'Pharsa' blows to the deceased on his
head and scapular region which resulted in his death at the spot. The Trial F
Court and the High Court, on a scrutiny of the evidence recorded, came
to the conclusion that the informant and his wife, closely related to all the
three accused, including the appellant in order to protect them, they had
deliberately turned hostile. In this process, two of the accused were ac·
quitted. This appeal had been filed against the judgment of conviction G
recorded by the two Courts below.

      The appellant contended that in the particular facts and circumstan·
ces of the case, it was not open to the Sessions Judge or the High Court
to rely upon the statement of the widow of the deceased so as to convict
the appellant for the offence u/s 302 IPC and that since two of the eye H
                                   239
    240                   SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1995] SUPP. 5 S.C.R.

A   witnesses had turned hostile, it would not be safe to maintain. the convic-
    tion on the statement of PW2 alone as she was the widow of the deceased
    and was, consequently, a highly interested witness.

          Dismissing the appeal, this Court

B          HELD : 1.1. Conviction can be recorded on the basis of the statement
    of single eye witness provided his credibility is not shaken by any adverse
    circumstances 3ppearing on the record against him and the Court, at the
    same time, is convinced that he is a truthful witness. The Court will not
    then insist on corroboration by any other witness particularly as the
C   incident might have occured at a time or place when there was no pos-
    sibility of any other eye witness being present. Indeed, the Courts insist on
    the quality and not on the quantity of evidence. [245-A-B]

           Vadivelu Thevar v. State of Madras, AIR (1957) SC 614; Ramratan
    and Ors v. State of Rajasthan, A.l.R. (1962) SC 424; Guli Chand and Others
D   v. State of Rajasthan, A.l.R. (1974) S.C. 276; Radii v. State of Rajasthan,
    A.LR. (1976) S.C. 560; Vanula Bhushan @ Vahuna Krishnan v. State of
    Tamil Nadu, A.I.R. (1989) S.C. 236 and Jagdish Prasad v. State of M.P.,
    A.LR. (1994) S.C. 1251, relied on.

          1.2. The instant case did not strictly fall within the category of those
E
    cases where only one witness is present and the case of the prosecution is
    sought to be proved by the statement of that witness alone. Here, three of
    the witnesses were produced but two of them turned hostile leaving the
    third alone and, therefore, on the established principle, if the remaining
    eye witness is found to be trustworthy, it becomes the duty of the Court to
F   convict the accused. [247-G-H; 248-A]

          1.3. A close relative who is a natural witness cannot be regarded as
    an interested witness. The term 'interested' postulates that the witness
    must have some direct interest in having the accused somehow or other
G   convicted for some animus or for some other reason. The ground that the
    witness being a close relative and consequently, being a partisan witness,
    should not be relied upon, had no substance. (247-C-D; 249-C]

          Mst. Dalbir Kaur & Ors. v. State of Punjab, AIR (1977) SC 472; Dalip
    Singh v. State of Punjab [1954) SCR 143; Guli Chand & Ors. v. State of
H                                           v:
    Rajasthan, AIR (1974) SC 276; Masatti State of U.P., [1964)- 8 SCR 133     =
          KARTIKMALHARv. STATE[S.SAGHIRAHMAD,J.]                        241

AIR (1965) SC 202 and State of Punjab v. Jagi,r Singh, AIR (1973) SC 2407, . A
relied on.

       1.4. The High Court and the Sessions Judge both had considered all
the circumstances of the case and had come to the conclusion that widow
of the deceased PW2 was present at the spot from the very beginning and
had seen the whole of the incident. She was also found to have accom-          B
panied the informant PWl to the police station where the report was
lodged in her presence. She was the first to object to the beating of her
husband in the first round. She also noticed that the appellant went back
to his house and came again on the spot with a "Pharsa" by which he gave
the fatal blows to the deceased. Though two of the alleged eye witnesses       C
had turned hostile her statement was fully corroborated by other cir-
cumstances of the case including the medical evidence. [249-D-FJ

      CRIMINAL APPELLATE JURISDICTION : Criminal Appeal No.
1363 of 1995.
                                                                               D
     From the Judgment and Order dated. 14.12.90 of the Patna High
Court in Crl. A. No. 305 of 1988 (R).

      Ram Nand Nath for the Appellant.

      The Judgment of the Court was delivered by                               E
      S. SAGHIR AHMAD, J. Leave granted.

      The well-known maxim that "Evidence has to be weighed and not
counted" has been given statutory placement in section 134 of the Evidence
Act which provides as under :                                                  F

        "134. No particular number of witness shall in any case be required
        for the proof of any fact."

      This section marks a departure from the English law where a number       G
of statutes still prohibit convictions for certain categories of offences on
the testimony of a single witness. This difference was noticed by the Privy
Council in Mohamed Sugai Esa Marnasah Rer Ala/ah v. The King, A.LR.
(1946) P.C. 3 wherein it was laid down as under :

        "It was also submitted on behalf of the appellant that assuming the H
    242                  SUPREME COURT REPORTS (1995] SUPP. 5 S.C.R.

A           unsworned evidence was admissible the court could not act upon
            it unless it was corroborated. In England, where provision has been
            made for the reception of unsworned evidence from a child, it has
            always been provided that the evidence must be corroborated in
            some material particular(ly)? implicating the accused. But in the
            Indian Act there is no such provision and the evidence is made
B           admissible whether corroborated or not. Once there is admissible
            evidence a court can act upon it; corroboration unless required by
            statUte goes only to the weight and value of the evidence. It is a
            sound rule in practice not to act on the uncorroborated evidence
            of a child, whether sworn or unsworned but, this is a rule of
c           prudence and not of law."

         The Privy Council decision was considered by this Court in Vadivelu
    Thevar v. The State of Madras, A.LR. (1957) S.C. 614 in which it was
    observed as under : -

D           "On a consideration of the relevant authorities and the provisions
            of the Evidence Act. the following propositions may be safely
            stated as firmly established :

            (1) As a general rule, a court can and may act on the testimony
            of a single witness though uncorroborated. One credible witness
E           outways the testimony of a number of other witnesses of indifferent
            character.

            (2) Unless corroboration is insisted upon by statute, courts should
            not insist on corroboration except in cases where the nature of the
            testimony of the single witness itself requires as a rule of prudence,
F
            that corroboration should be insisted upon for example, in the case
            of a child witness, or of a witness whose evidence is that of an
            accomplice or of an analogues character.

            (3) Whether corroboration of the testimony of a single witness is
G           or is not necessary, must depend upon facts and circumstances of
            each case and no general rule can be laid down in a matter like
            this a much depends_ upon the judicial discretion of the Judge
            before whom the case comes.

               In view of these considerations, we have no hesitation in holding
H           that the contention that in a murder case, the Court should insist
    KARTIK MALHAR v. STATE [S. SAGHIR AHMAD, J.]                    243

  upon plurality of witnesses, is much too broadly stated. Section 134 A
  of the Indian Evidence Act, has categorically laid it down that no
  particular number of witnesses shall, in any case, be required for
  the proof of any fact'. The Legislature determined, as long ago as
  1872 presumably after due consideration of the pros and cons, that
  it shall not be necessary for proof or disproof of a fact, to call any
  particular number of witnesses."                                       B

This Court further observed as under :

  "It is not seldom that a crime has been committed in the presence
  of only one witness, leaving aside those cases which are not of
  uncommon occurrence where determination of guilty depends                C
  entirely on circumstantial evidence. If the Legislature were to insist
  upon plurality of witnesses, cases where the testimony of a single
  witness only could be available in proof of the crime, would go
  unpunished. It is here that the discretion of the presiding judge
  comes into play. The matter thus must depend upon the cir-               D
  cumstances of each cases and the quality of the evidence of the
  single witness whose testimony has to be either accepted or
  rejected. If such a testimony is found by the court to be entirely
  reliable, there is no legal impediment to the conviction of the
  accused person on such proof. Even as the guilt of an accused may
  be proved by the testimony of a single witness, the innocence of         E
  the accused person may be established on the testimony of the
  single witness, even though a considerable number of witnesses
  may be forth coming to testify to the truth of the case for the
  prosecution. Hence, in our opinion, it is a sound and well-estab-
  lished rule of law that the Court is concerned with the quality and
  not with the quantity of the evidence necessary for proving or           F
  disproving a fact, Generally speaking, oral testimony in this context
  may be classified into three categories.

  namely:

  (1) wholly reliable :                                                    G

  (2) wholly unreliable :

  (3) neither wholly reliable nor wholly unreliable.

       In the first category of proof, the Court should have no H
    244                  SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1995] SUPP. 5 S.C.R.

A           difficulty in coming to its conclusion either way - it may convict or
            may acquit on the testimony of a single witness, if it is found to
            be above approach of suspicion of interestedness, incompetence
            of subordination. In the second category, the court equally has no
            difficulty in coming to its conclusion. It is in the third category of
            cases, that the court has to be circumspect and has to look for
B           corroboration in material particulars by reliable testimony, direct
            or circumstantial. There is another danger in insisting on plurality




c
            of witnesses. Irrespective of the quality of-the oral evidence of a
            single witness, if courts were to insist on plurality of witnesses in
            proof of any fact, they will be indirectly encouraging subordination
            of witnesses. Situations m~y arise and do arise where only a single
                                                                                     -
            person is available to give evidence in support of a disputed fact.
            The court naturally has to weigh carefully such a testimony and if
            it is satisfied that the evidence is fasiable and free from all taints
            whi~h tend to render oral testimony open to the suspicion, it
            becomes its duty to act upon such testimony. The law reports
D
            contain many precedents where the court had to depend and act
            upon the testimony of a single witness in support of the prosecu-
            tion."

           The above decision has since been followed in Ramratan and Others
E   v. The State of Rajasthim, A.LR. (1962) S.C. 424; ·culi Chand and Others
    v. State of Rajasthan, A.LR. (1974) S.C. 276; Badri v. State of Rajasthan, .
    A.LR. (1976) S.C. 560; Vanula Bhushan @ Venuna Klishnan v. State of
    Tamil Nadu, A.LR. (1989) S.C. 236 and in Jagdish Prasad v. State of M.P.,
    A.LR. (1994) S.C. 1251.
F
        Some other cases of this Court in which the question of sole witness
  constituting the basis of conviction or otherwise has been considered are
  State of Hmyana v. Manoj Kumar, [1994) 1 SCC 495; Brij Basi Lal v. State
  of M.P., [1991) Suppl. 1SCC200; Jai Prakash v. State, Delhi Administration,
  [1991] 2 SCC 379; Peodireddi Subbareddi v. State of Andhra Pradesh, AIR
G (1991) SC 1356; Java Ram Shiva Tagore v. State of Maharashtra, [1991]
  Suppl. 2 SCC 677 AIR (1991) SC 1735;Anil Pukhan v. State of Assam, AIR
  (1993) SC 1462 and Ram Kumar v. State of U.P., AIR (1992) SC 1602.

          On a conspectus of these decisions, it clearly comes out that there
H has been no departure from the principles laid down in Vadivelyu Thevar's
          KARTIK MALHAR v. STATE [S. SAGHIR AHMAD, J.]                 245

case (supra) and, therefore, conviction can be recorded on the basis of the A
statement of single eye witness provided his credibility is not shaken by any
adverse circumstances appearing on the record against him and the Court,
at the same time, is convinced that he is a truthful witness. The Court will
not then insist on corroboration by any other eye witness particularly as
the incident might have occurred at a time or place when there was no
                                                                              B
possibility of any other eye witness being present. Indeed, the Courts insist
on the quality, and, not on the quantity of evidence.

      Let us now turn to the instant case of which the facts have been set
out by the High Court in its judgment dated December 14, 1990 which
indicate that Genua Malhar (co-accused) was father-in-law of the inform- C
ant, namely, Marhu Malhar (PWl) while Kartaik Malhar, who is the
appellant before us, and Barju Malhar (another co-accused) were his
brothers-in-law and sons of Genua Malhar who also had a daughter,
namely, Rajo Bala Devi (PW6), married, incidentally to the informant.
Marhu Malhar whose sister, namely, Lalmani Devi is married to Barju D
Malhar, Lalmani Devi had, allegedly deserted Barju Malhar and was living
with his brother, Marhu Malhar (PWl) with whom Barju Malhar would,
often, pick up quarrel and threaten them with dire consequence.

      On 1.10.1987, at about 6.00 P.M., a stranger came to the house of
Marhu Malhar (PWl) and inquired from his brother, Banoran Malhar, E
about the whereabouts of one Sukhdeo but his brother pleaded ignorance.
The stranger thereafter went to the house of Barju Malhar but soon came
back and fell the deceased (Bahoran Malhar) down which was seriously
objected to by deceased's wife, Fulmani (PW2). It was then that Kartik
Malhar went back to his house and suddently came again at the spot with p
a "Pharsa" in his hand. He gave "Pharsa" blows on the hand and left scabula
of Banoran Malhar, who sustained grievous injuries and died on the spot.
At the time of assault, Genua Malhar and Barju Malhar were also present
on the spot and were, allegedly, all the time, instigating Kartik Malhar.

      Three persons, namely, Genua Malhar, Kartik Malhar (appellant)         G
and Barju Malhar were challaned on the report lodged by. Marhu Malhar
(PWl) at 10.00 P.M. on 1.10.1987 at P.S. Bundu. This report was lodged
by Marhu Malhar in the present of his wife, Rajo Bala Devi (PW6) and
the widow of the deceased, namely, Fulmani (PW2), as both the ladies had
gone to the police station with Marhu Malhar.                                H
    246                  SUPREME.COURT REPORTS (1995] SUPP. 5 S.C.R.

A          Three eye witnesses were produced by the prosecution at the trial
    but two of them, namely. Marhu Malhar (PWl) and his wife, Rajo Bala
    Devi (PW6) turned hostile with the result that the prosecution was left with
    only one eye witness, namely, Smt. Fulmani, wife of the deceased in support
    of its case.
B
          The Trial Court (Sessions Judge, Ranchi) and the High Court both,
    on a scrutiny of the evidence recorded at the trial, came to the conclusion
    that PWl. Marhu Malhar and his wife, Rajo Bala Devi (PW6), were closely


c
    related to all the three accused, including the appellant, and in order to
    protect them, they had deliberately turned hostile. In this process, two of
    the accused, namely, Genua Malhar and Barju Malhar were acquitted but
                                                                                   -
    the appellant was convicted under Section 302. IPC and sentenced to life
    imprisonment as the Sessions Judge as also the High Court were of the
    view that the evidence of Fulmani (PW2) clearly established that the
    appellant had given "Pharsa" blows to the deceased on his head and
D   scapular region which resulted in his death at the spot. The basis of
    conviction was thus the statement of Fulmani, wife of the deceased.

           Learned Counsel for the appellant has strenuously contended that in·
    the particular facts and circumstances of the case, it was not open to the
    Sessions Judge or the High Court to rely upon the statement of Fulmani
E   (PW2) so as to convict the appellant for the offence under section 302,
    IPC. It is also contended that since two of the eye witnesses had turned
    hostile, it would not be safe to maintain the conviction on the statement of
    Fulmani (PW2) alone as she was the widow of the deceased and was,
    consequently, a highly interested witness.
F
          We have already discussed above that it is open to the Courts to
   record a conviction on the basis of the statement of a single witness
   provided the evidence of that witness is reliable, unshaken and consistent
   with the case of the prosecution. The case of the prosecution cannot be
   discarded merely on the ground that it was sought to be proved by only
.G one eye witness, nor can it be insisted that the corroboration of the
   statement of that witness was necessary by other eye-witnesses. The instant
   case, it may be pointed out, does not strictly fall within the category of
   those cases where only one witness is present and the case of the prosecu-
   tion is sought to be proved by the statement of that witness alone. Here,
                                                                                   -
H three of the witnesses were produced but two of them turned hostile
              KARTIKMALHARv. STATE[S.SAGHIRAHMAD,J.]                           247

    leaving the third alone and, therefore, on the principles already discussed, A
    if the remaining eye witness is found to be trustworthy, it becomes the duty
    of the Court to convict the accused as observed by this Court in Vadivelu
    Thevar's quoted below :

            "But, where there are no such exceptional reasons operating, it
            becomes the duty of the court to convict, if it is satisfied that the     B
            testimony of a single witness is entirely reliable. We have, therefore,
            no reasons to refuse to act upon the testimony of the first witness,
            which is the only reliable evidence in support of the prosecution."

          As to the contention raised on behalf of the appellant that the witness C
    was the widow of the deceased and was, therefore, highly interested and
    her statement be discarded, we may observe that a close relative who is a
    natural witness regarded as an interested witness. The term "interested"
    postulates that the witness must have some direct interest in having the
    accused somehow or the other convicted for some animus or for some
    other reason. InMst. Dalbir Kaur and Others v. State of Punjab, AIR (1977) D
    SC 472, it has been observed as under :

            "Moreover a clause relative who is a very natural witness cannot
            be regarded as an interested, witness. The term 'interested postu-
            lates that the person concerned must have some direct interest in         E
            seeing that the accused person is somehow or the other convicted
            either because he had some animus with the accused or for some
            other reason. Such is not the case here."

          In Dalip Singh v. State of Punjab, [1954] SCR 145 = AIR (1953) SC
    364. It has laid down as under :                                                  F

            "A witness is normally to be considered independent unless he or
            she springs from sources which are likely to be tainted and that
            usually means unless the witness has cause such as enmity against
            the accused, to wish to implicate him falsely. Ordinarily, a close G
            relative would be the last to screen the real culprit and falsely
            implicate an innocent person. It is true, when feelings run high and

-           there is personal cause for enmity, that there is tendency to drag
            in an innocent person against whom a witness has a grudge along
            with the guilty, but foundation must be laid for such a criticism
            and the mere fact of relationship for from being a foundation is H
    248                   SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1995] SUPP. 5 S.C.R.

A           often a sure guarantee of truth. However, we are not any sweeping
            generalisation. Each case must be judged on its own facts. Our
            observations are only made to combat what is so often but forward
            in cases before us as a general rule of prudence. There is no such
            general rule. Each case must be limited to and be governed by its
            own facts."
B
          This decision has since been followed in Guli Chand and Others v.
    State of Rajasthan, AIR (1974) SC 276 in which Vadevelu Thevar's case
    (supra) was also relied upon.

C          We may also observe that the ground that the witness being a close
    relative and consequently, being a partisan witness, should not be relied
    upon, has no substance. This theory was repelled by this Court as early as
    inDilip Singh's case (supra) in which this Court expressed its surprise over
    the impression which prevailed iP_ the minds of the members of the Bar
    that relatives were not independent witnesses. Speaking through Vivian
D   Bose, J., the Court observed:

            "We are unable to agree with the learned Judges of the High Court
            that the testimony of the two eye-witnesses requires corroboration.
            If the foundation for such an observation is based on the fact that
            the witnesses are women and that the fate of seven men hangs on
E
            their testimony, we know of no such rules. If it is grounded on the
            reason that they are closely related to the deceased we are unable
            to concur. This is a fallacy common to many criminal cases and
            one which another Bench of this Court endeavoured to dispel in
            Ramesliwar v. The State of Rajasthan, [1952] SCR 377 = AIR 1952
F           SC 54. We find, however, that it unfortunately still persists, if not
            in the judgments of the Courts, at any rate in the arguments of
            counsel."

          In this case, this Court further observed as under :

G           "A witness is normally to be considered independent unless he or
            she springs from sources which are likely to be tainted and that
            usually means unless the witness has cause such as enmity against
            the accused, to wish to implicate him falsely. Ordinarily, a close
            relative would be the last to screen the real culprit and falsely
                                                                                    -
H           implicate an innocent person. It is true, when feelings run high and
          KARTIKMALHAR v. STATE (S. SAGHIR AHMAD, J.]                      249

        there is personal cause for enmity, that there is tendency to drag A
        in an innocent person against whom a witness has a grudge along
        with the guilty, but foundation must be laid for such a criticism
        and the mere fact of relationship far from being a foundation is
        often a sure guarantee of truth."

  . Again, in Masalti v. State of U.P., [1964] 8 SCR 133          AIR (1965)      B
SC 202, this Court observed :

         "But it would, we think, be unreasonable to contend that evidence
        ·given by witnesses should be discarded only on the ground that it
         is evidence of partisan or interested witnesses ....... The machanical   C
         rejection of such evidence on the sole ground that it is partisan
         would invariably lead to failure of justice."

       To the same effect is the decision of this Court in State of Punjab v.
Jagir Singh, AIR (1973) SC 2407.
                                                                                  D
       The High Court and the Sessions Judge both have considered all the
circumstances of the case and have come to the conclusion that Fulmani
was present at the spot from the very beginning and had seen the whole of
the incident. She was also found to have accompanied the informant.
Marhu Malhar (PWl), to the police station where the report was lodged             E
in her presence. She was the first to object to the beating of her husband
in the first round. She also noticed that the appellant went back to his
house and came again at the spot with a "Pharsa" by which he gave the
fatal blows to the deceased. Though two of the alleged eye- witnesses had
turned hostile, her statement was fully corroborated by other circumstances
of the case including the medical evidence.                                       F

     The appeal, in our opinion, lacks merit and is consequently dis-
missed.

R.A.                                                       Appeal dismissed.