1

NON-REPORTABLE
IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA
CRIMINAL APPELLATE JURISDICTION
CRIMINAL APPEAL NO.1022 OF 2009
With
CRIMINAL APPEAL NO.1023 of 2009
Ashi Devi & Ors. .. Appellan!s"
vers#s
Sae !NCT $% Delhi" .. Resp$n&en!s"
J U D G M E N T
C. NAGAPPAN J.
1'$h he appeals have (een pre%erre& a)ains he
*#&)+en an& %inal $r&er &ae& ,-.1.,../ passe& (0
he Hi)h C$#r $% Delhi a Ne1 Delhi in Cri+inal
Appeal N$./-, $% ,..2.
,
,The appellans in Cri+inal Appeal N$.1.,, $% ,../ S+.
Ashi Devi3 S+. M#nni Devi an& S+. Sheela 4 Lali
1ere a55#se& n$s.23 6 an& 1. respe5ivel0 an& he
appellans in Cri+inal Appeal N$.1.,- $% ,../ U&a0
Ra+3 O+ Pra7ash3 8ishan an& 8ish$ri 1ere a55#se&
n$s.,3 93 : an& / respe5ivel0 in he Sessi$ns 5ase in
SC N$.92 $% ,..1 $n he %ile $% A&&ii$nal Sessi$ns
J#&)e3 Ne1 Delhi. The appellans al$n) 1ih hree
$hers 1ere rie& %$r he 5har)es #n&er Se5i$ns
12;<-/9<226 rea& 1ih Se5i$n 12/ IPC an& he Trial
C$#r %$#n& he+ )#il0 $% he $%%en5e #n&er Se5i$n
-;/ rea& 1ih Se5i$n -2 IPC an& Se5i$n 226 rea&
1ih Se5i$n -2 IPC an& 5$nvi5e& an& senen5e&
he+ ea5h $ #n&er)$ 1 0ear ri)$r$#s i+pris$n+en
%$r he $%%en5e #n&er Se5i$n 226 IPC an& $ pa0 a %ine
$% Rs.1...<= ea5h3 in &e%a#l $ #n&er)$ si+ple
i+pris$n+en %$r - +$nhs an& %#rher senen5e&
ea5h $% he+ $ #n&er)$ ri)$r$#s i+pris$n+en %$r -
0ears %$r he $%%en5e #n&er Se5i$n -;/ IPC an& $ pa0
-
a %ine $% Rs.,9...<= ea5h3 in &e%a#l $ #n&er)$ si+ple
i+pris$n+en %$r 1 0ear an& &ire5e& he senen5e $
r#n 5$n5#rrenl0. Challen)in) he 5$nvi5i$n an&
senen5e seven a55#se& pre%erre& appeal in Cri+inal
Appeal N$./-, $% ,..2 an& he Hi)h C$#r &is+isse&
he appeal (0 5$n%ir+in) he 5$nvi5i$n an& senen5e
passe& (0 he Trial C$#r. A))rieve& (0 he sa+e he0
have pre%erre& he presen appeals.
-The pr$se5#i$n 5ase in (rie% is ha P>11 S+. Pra7ash
8a#r an& her s$n P>/ Ja)*i Sin)h 1ere r#nnin)
5r$57er0 sh$ps in pre+ises n$s. T=9: an& T=9;
Ta7ri1alan3 ill 1$ +$nhs pri$r $ he ri$s $% 1/62
an& he a55#se& pers$ns 1ere resi&in) in he
nei)h($#rh$$& $% he sai& sh$ps an& a%er he ri$s
he0 1ere in%$r+e& ha heir sh$ps ha& (een l$$e&
an& s$+e pers$ns are $55#p0in) he sa+e an& $n
,..11.1/62 P>11 S+. Pra7ash 8a#r visie& he sh$p
an& %$#n& )$$&s l$$e& an& he a55#se& pers$ns in
p$ssessi$n $% he sh$ps an& &espie her persisen
2
5$+plains p$li5e &i& n$ re)iser an0 5ase an& 1hen
Jain A))ar1al C$++iee 1as 5$nsi#e& he0 %ile&
a%%i&avis a($# he in5i&en an& $n is &ire5i$n a
F.I.R. 1as re)isere& a)ains a55#se& pers$ns in
Jan#ar0 1//- an& 5har)e shee 5a+e $ (e %ile&. The
Trial C$#r %$#n& he a55#se& )#il0 $% he $%%en5es
an& 5$nvi5e& an& senen5e& he+ as narrae& a($ve
an& he appeal pre%erre& 5a+e $ (e &is+isse& an&
5hallen)in) he sa+e he presen appeals have (een
%ile&.
2Shri Ash$7 8#+ar Pan&a3 learne& seni$r 5$#nsel
appearin) %$r he appellans in ($h he appeals3
5$nen&e& ha here 1as &ela0 $% nine 0ears in
l$&)in) he F.I.R. an& here 1as n$ $5#lar esi+$n0 $
he $55#rren5e an& he pr$se5#i$n has n$ pr$ve&
he 5har)es an& he 5$nvi5i$n an& senen5e i+p$se&
$n he appellans are n$ s#saina(le an& lia(le $ (e
se asi&e. Per 5$nra3 Shri 8. Ra&ha7rishnan3 seni$r
5$#nsel appearin) %$r he resp$n&en=Sae3
9
5$nen&e& ha he $55#rren5e $$7 pla5e as
a%er+ah $% #n%$r#nae assassinai$n $% %$r+er
Pri+e Miniser In&ira ?an&hi (0 her $1n Si7h
($&0)#ar&s an& Si7h 5$++#ni0 (e5a+e he ar)e $%
assa#l an& heir h$#ses an& sh$ps 1ere ransa57e&
an& l$$e& an& here 1as lar)e s5ale vi$len5e an& he
Ri$ C$++issi$n 5$n&#5e& en@#ir0 an& iss#e&
&ire5i$n %$r re)iserin) he 5ases an& herea%er he
F.I.R. 5a+e $ (e re)isere& in he presen 5ase an&
he &ela0 has (een sais%a5$ril0 eAplaine& (0 he
pr$se5#i$n an& h$#)h here is n$ $5#lar esi+$n0
he pr$se5#i$n has pr$ve& he 5har)es (0 a&&#5in)
5ir5#+sanial evi&en5e an& he 5$nvi5i$n an&
senen5e i+p$se& $n he a55#se& are s#saina(le an&
nee&s n$ iner%eren5e.
9I is 7n$1n %a5 ha here 1as lar)e s5ale vi$len5e
ar)ein) he Si7h 5$++#ni0 1hen he %$r+er Pri+e
Miniser 1as assassinae& (0 her $1n ($&0)#ar&s in
1/62. The 5r$57er0 sh$ps r#n (0 P>11 S+. Pra7ash
:
8a#r an& her s$n P>/ Ja)*i Sin)h 1ere als$ ransa57e&
an& in spie $% heir 5$+plains $ he p$li5e n$ F.I.R.
1as re)isere& an& $nl0 1hen Jain A))ar1al
C$++iee 1as 5$nsi#e& he0 )$ an $pp$r#ni0 $
%ile a%%i&avis a($# he in5i&en an& &ire5i$n 5a+e $
(e iss#e& %$r re)iserin) he F.I.R. an& in he pr$5ess
he &ela0 $% nine 0ears has $55#rre&. The C$#rs
(el$1 have hel& ha he &ela0 has (een reas$na(l0
an& sais%a5$ril0 eAplaine& (0 he pr$se5#i$n an&
&ela0 (0 isel% 5ann$ (e a )r$#n& %$r &is(elievin) an&
&is5ar&in) he pr$se5#i$n 5ase. In $#r vie1 als$
here is sais%a5$r0 eAplanai$n 1hi5h &eserves
a55epan5e.
:The ri$s spearhea&e& a Delhi an& &#rin) van&alis+ he
$55#rren5e ha& a7en pla5e an& here is n$ $5#lar
esi+$n0. The pre+ises n$.T=9: an& T=9; (el$n)e& $
P>1. In&er Sin)h an& his 1i%e P>11 S+. Pra7ash
8a#r an& heir s$n P>/ Ja)*i Sin)h. The0 have
esi%ie& a($# he r#nnin) $% he 5r$57er0 sh$ps in
;
he sai& pre+ises. P>1, Pre+ 8#+ar an& P>12 Ra*
Pal 8h#rana 1ere &ealin) 1ih 1h$lesale (#siness $%
5r$57er0 an& he0 have esi%ie& a($# s#ppl0 $%
5r$57er0 $ M<s. Ja)*i Cr$57er0 H$#se r#nnin) in he
sai& pre+ises an& inv$i5e 5$pies have als$ (een
+ar7e&. I san&s esa(lishe& ha P>/ Ja)*i Sin)h
an& his +$her P>11 S+. Pra7ash 8a#r 1ere r#nnin)
5r$57er0 (#siness in he sai& sh$ps.
;I is he esi+$n0 $% P>11 S+. Pra7ash 8a#r ha she
visie& he sh$p $n ,..11.1/62 an& %$#n& a55#se&
pers$ns in $55#pai$n $% he sh$ps an& 1hen
@#esi$ne&3 he0 hreaene& her $ )$ a1a0 $her1ise
she 1$#l& (e 7ille&. P>s / $ 11 have %ile& in&ivi&#al
a%%i&avis a($# he $55#rren5e (e%$re he Jain
A))ar1al C$++iee an& have als$ &ep$se& in he
en@#ir0. C$pies $% he a%%i&avis an& sae+ens are
+ar7e& as &$5#+ens in he presen 5ase. 'esi&es
P>1. In&er Sin)h als$ %ile& s#i %$r p$ssessi$n $% he
sai& pre+ises a)ains he a55#se& an& $(aine& a
6
&e5ree. In %a5 he a55#se& have s@#aere& $n he
pr$per0 an& he Hi)h C$#r passe& $r&er &ae&
6.1,.,..2 &ire5in) he S.H.O. $ re+$ve he a55#se&
%r$+ he pre+ises in er+s $% he $r&er passe& (0 he
Trial C$#r an& a%er he &e5ree $% he Civil C$#r he
p$ssessi$n 1as han&e& $ver $ he 5$+plainans. The
Trial C$#r %$#n& ha he a55#se& respasse& in$ he
pre+ises (0 (rea7in) $pen he l$57s an& l$$e& he
)$$&s an& hel& he+ )#il0 %$r he $%%en5es #n&er
Se5i$n -;/ an& Se5i$n 226 IPC. The sai& %in&in) is
(ase& $n pr$per appre5iai$n $% evi&en5e $n re5$r& as
ri)hl0 hel& (0 he Hi)h C$#r.
6Ta7in) a&vana)e $% he ri$s he appellans (r$7e $pen
he l$57s $% he sh$ps an& l$$e& he )$$&s an&
5$nin#e& $ (e in ille)al p$ssessi$n $% he sh$ps %$r
nearl0 1$ &e5a&es. The Trial C$#r $(serve& ha an0
lenien vie1 a)ains he a55#se& pers$ns in
senen5in) shall a+$#n $ p#in) pre+i#+ $n he
5ri+e an& he Hi)h C$#r has reierae& he sa+e. In
/
$#r vie1 he 5$nvi5i$n an& sen5en5e i+p$se& $n he
appellans are 5$rre5 an& pr$per. H$1ever3 he
learne& seni$r 5$#nsel appearin) %$r he appellans
plea&e& %$r lenien50 in senen5e3 5$nsi&erin) he a)e
$% he %irs appellan S+. Ashi Devi3 in Cri+inal
Appeal N$.1.,, $% ,../. In he Me+$ran&#+ $%
Appeal herein her a)e is +eni$ne& as 66. As $n &ae
she is a)e& /- 0ears. The *ail 5eri%i5ae &ae&
1.2.,../ saes ha she 1as a&+ie& $ Tihar Jail $n
9.,.,../. This C$#r )rane& (ail $ her (0 $r&er
&ae& 1-.9.,../. The a($ve sh$1s ha she has
#n&er)$ne a par $% he senen5e. C$nsi&erin) her $l&
a)e 1e are in5line& $ +$&i%0 he senen5e a1ar&e&
$ her
/>e a55$r&in)l0 &ire5 ha he senen5e $% - 0ears ri)$r$#s
i+pris$n+en %$r he 5$nvi5i$n #n&er Se5i$n -;/ IPC
an& $ne 0ear ri)$r$#s i+pris$n+en %$r he 5$nvi5i$n
#n&er Se5i$n 226 IPC i+p$se& $n Appellan N$.1 S+.
Ashi Devi shall san& re&#5e& $ he peri$& alrea&0
1.
#n&er)$ne (0 her. The 5$nvi5i$n an& senen5es
i+p$se& $n $her appellans shall re+ain #nalere&.
Cri+inal Appeal N$.1.,, $% ,../ is h#s all$1e& in par
an& $ he eAen in&i5ae& a($ve. Cri+inal Appeal
N$.1.,- $% ,../ is &is+isse&.
!!!!!!!!!!!.J.
"J#$%i&h 'i($h )h*h#+,
!!!!!!!!!!!J.
"C. N#$#--#(,
N*. D*/hi0
J1(* 9 2012