Manju Devi Vs The State of Rajasthan
Manju Devi Vs The State of Rajasthan
Manju Devi Vs The State of Rajasthan
2019
Court: Supreme Court of India
Jurisdiction: Criminal Appellate
Accusation: Facing trial for offences under Sections 302, 304-Band 498-
A of the Indian Penal Code (‘IPC’) due to the death of his wife under
unnatural circumstances in Nigeria.
Cause of Death:
But during trial, the medicial Board could not state definite opinion of
death therefore they consulted Dr. I. Yusuf, Department of Pathology,
Aminu Kanu Teaching Hospital, Nigeria, who had first conducted the
post-mortem of the dead-body of the appellant's daughter in Nigeria, so
that he may be examined as a medical witness. It was also submitted in
the alternative that the evidence of the said doctor may be recorded
through video-conferencing. Though photocopy of the post-mortem
report prepared in Nigeria was also presented. The appellant filed a
criminal miscellaneous petition before the High Court of Judicature for
Rajasthan at Jodhpur but the petition was dismissed as the court said
that it was the discretion exercised by the Trial Court and it called for no
interference.
Decision:
In the present case too, where the witness Dr. I.Yusuf is residing in
Nigeria, in order to avoid inconvenience to the witness as also to the
parties, issuing of commission and recording his evidence through video-
conferencing appears to be a viable alternative; and the Trial Court need
to take all the requisite steps so as to ensure that his evidence comes on
record with least inconvenience and/or burden to the parties and the
witness.
The Trial Court shall now take all the necessary measures for
ensuring the examination of the witness concerned by issuing
commission and/or recording his statement through video-
conferencing and shall also ensure expeditious proceedings so as
to conclude the matter at the earliest.
Source : https://indiankanoon.org/doc/99927826/