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Krishan Kumar vs The State Of Rajasthan

Supreme Court28 August 2018Vineet Saran · R. Banumathi

Ratio decidendi

The rule this decision rests on

Where an order of acquittal recorded after a full-fledged trial is sought to be set aside, the High Court must afford the acquitted person an opportunity of hearing before setting aside such acquittal; the absence of procedural safeguards such as notice and hearing to the acquitted person vitiates the order.

Written by Miss Lucy from the judgment below, not taken from a headnote.

Judgment

As delivered

1

REPORTABLE IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA

CRIMINAL APPELLATE JURISDICTION

Criminal Appeal No(s). 1088 of 2018 (arising out of SLP(Crl.)No.7914 of 2015)

KRISHAN KUMAR Appellant(s)

VERSUS

THE STATE OF RAJASTHAN & ANR. Respondent(s)

J U D G M E N T

BANUMATHI, J. :

1. Leave granted.

2. This appeal arises out of an order dated 24.08.2015 of the

High Court of Rajasthan at Jaipur in S.B. Criminal Misc. Bail

Application No.3953 of 2015 in which the High Court has set aside

the order of acquittal of the appellant and remitted the matter

back to the trial court for de novo trial only on the ground that

the prosecutrix was not examined before the trial court.

3. We have heard Mr. Tripurari Rai, learned counsel appearing

for the appellant, Mr. Abhishek Gupta, learned counsel for the

applicant-prosecutrix and Mr. Anish Maheshwari, learned counsel

for the respondent-State.

4. Learned counsel for the appellant has submitted that the High

Court while considering the bail application in S.B. Criminal

Misc. Bail Application No.3953 of 2015 filed by one Satish, even Signature Not Verified

without issuing notice to the appellant herein who was acquitted Digitally signed by MAHABIR SINGH Date: 2018.08.30 17:56:38 IST Reason:

by the trial court on the ground of absence of evidence, chose to

set aside the order of acquittal. It was further submitted that 2

order of acquittal was recorded by the trial court after a full-

fledged trial and while so setting aside the acquittal the High

Court should have given an opportunity of hearing to the

appellant.

5. We find force in the submission of learned counsel for the

appellant. At this juncture, Mr. Abhishek Gupta, learned counsel

appearing for the applicant-prosecutrix, has submitted that

against the order of acquittal of the appellant, the prosecutrix

has also filed an appeal i.e. S.B. Crl. Misc. Application NO.198

of 2016 in S.B. Criminal Appeal No.802 of 2016 which is stated to

be pending before the High Court.

6. In such view of the matter and since opportunity has not been

afforded to the appellant, the impugned order is set aside and the

matter is remitted to the High Court for fresh consideration. The

appeal is accordingly disposed of.

7. We request the High Court to afford sufficient opportunity to

the appellant herein in S.B. Crl. Appeal No.802 of 2016 and to the

prosecutrix while considering the matter afresh and decide the

same expeditiously in accordance with law.

..........................J. (R. BANUMATHI)

..........................J. (VINEET SARAN) NEW DELHI, AUGUST 28, 2018.

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