P.Guna v. State Represented by
Case brief
What is this about?
Madras High Court criminal appeal CRL A No.87 of 2019, decided 16-02-2026 (P. Velmurugan & M. Jothiraman JJ.) - reversal of trial Court acquittal (2018) in Cr.No.149/2011, Killai Police Station, Cuddalore; convictions under Section 324 IPC, Section 342 IPC (concurrent sentences) and Section 304(I) IPC; fines of Rs.1,000/- with default clauses; set-off under Section 428 Cr.PC; sentence suspended till expiry of appeal time with police direction to secure convicts thereafter; eyewitness testimony and specific overt acts proved by medical records; counsel's fifteen-year-delay plea for lesser punishment based on State of Bihar v. Ramdaras Ahir, 1985 Cri LJ 584 (Supreme Court) distinguished as factually inapplicable; references to accident register Ex.P7 and postmortem report Ex.P8 raised in counsel's submission.
What did the court decide?
Acquittal of respondents 2 and 3 reversed: Gopinath (A1) convicted under Section 324 IPC (3 years RI + Rs.1,000 fine, default 3 months RI) and under Section 342 IPC (1 year RI + Rs.1,000 fine, default 1 month simple imprisonment), sentences concurrent; Thirugnanamurthy (A2) convicted under Section 304(I) IPC (10 years RI + Rs.1,000 fine, default 6 months RI). Period already undergone set off under Section 428 Cr.PC. Sentences suspended till expiry of appeal time; failing appeal or stay thereafter, police to secure the two convicts for judicial custody. Outcome for respondents 4 to 12 is not stated in the order.