Supreme Court Reduces Sentence for Attempt to Murder Conviction, Clarifies That Maximum Punishment Under Section 307 IPC Cannot Exceed 10 Years if Life Imprisonment is Not Imposed

Court’s Decision

The Supreme Court of India partially allowed the appeal and reduced the appellant’s sentence under Section 307 IPC from 12 years rigorous imprisonment (RI) to 7 years RI. The Court held that if life imprisonment is not imposed under Section 307 IPC, the maximum sentence can only be 10 years. The High Court’s decision to impose 12 years RI exceeded the statutory limit, making it legally unsustainable.

However, the appellant’s conviction and sentences under other sections, including Section 498A IPC (for cruelty towards wife) and Section 324 IPC (for causing hurt to his wife), were upheld. The Supreme Court also directed that all sentences would run concurrently as per the High Court’s order.

Facts

• The appellant had been working abroad but lost his job and returned home. Due to his inability to secure employment, he turned to alcohol and subjected his wife and children to continuous harassment.
• As a result, his wife left him and moved in with her mother, who was financially stable and capable of taking care of her daughter and grandchildren.
• The appellant believed that his mother-in-law had instigated his wife to leave him.
• With premeditation, the appellant took a billhook (a sharp-edged weapon), went to his mother-in-law’s shop, and attacked her.
• When his wife tried to intervene to protect her mother, she was also injured.
• Following the incident, the appellant was charged under multiple provisions of the Indian Penal Code (IPC):
  • Section 307 IPC (Attempt to Murder) – for attacking both his wife and mother-in-law.
  • Section 498A IPC (Cruelty towards Wife) – for continuously harassing his wife.
  • Section 294(b) IPC (Obscene Acts) – for abusive conduct.
  • Section 506(II) IPC (Criminal Intimidation) – for threats against his wife and mother-in-law.

Trial Court Judgment:

The trial court convicted the appellant and imposed the following punishments:

• Life Imprisonment under Section 307 IPC (for attempting to murder his mother-in-law).
• Three years RI under Section 498A IPC (with a fine of ₹30,000).
• Three years simple imprisonment (SI) under Section 324 IPC (for injuries to his wife).
• Seven years RI under Section 506(II) IPC.

High Court Judgment (Appeal)

• The High Court reduced the life imprisonment sentence to 12 years RI under Section 307 IPC.
• The conviction under Section 506(II) IPC was set aside.
• The conviction and sentences under Sections 498A IPC and 324 IPC were confirmed.
• The sentences were ordered to run concurrently.

Supreme Court Appeal

• The appellant challenged only the quantum of sentence, arguing that the 12-year RI imposed by the High Court exceeded the statutory maximum allowed under Section 307 IPC.

Issues

1. Whether the High Court’s sentence of 12 years RI under Section 307 IPC exceeded the statutory maximum limit.
2. Whether the High Court was legally justified in imposing more than 10 years RI under Section 307 IPC after choosing not to impose life imprisonment.
3. What should be the appropriate sentence under the facts and circumstances of the case?

Petitioner’s Arguments

• The appellant contended that Section 307 IPC provides only two sentencing options:
  • Life imprisonment, or
  • A maximum of 10 years RI along with a fine.
• Since the High Court chose not to impose life imprisonment, it could not legally impose a sentence beyond 10 years.
• Judicial precedents prohibit an appellate court from imposing a higher sentence than what the law permits.
• Reliance was placed on two Supreme Court precedents:
  1. Jagat Bahadur v. State of Madhya Pradesh (1966) 2 SCR 822 – which held that an appellate court cannot impose a punishment beyond the competence of the trial court.
  2. Amit Rana @ Koka v. State of Haryana (2024 SCC OnLine SC 1763) – which ruled that if life imprisonment is not imposed under Section 307 IPC, the maximum sentence cannot exceed 10 years RI.

Respondent’s Arguments

• The prosecution opposed any reduction in the sentence, arguing that:
  • The attack was premeditated and grievous.
  • The appellant carried a weapon to the crime scene, making his intent to kill evident.
  • The injuries to the mother-in-law were serious.
  • The High Court was justified in imposing 12 years RI because the nature of the crime demanded a stringent punishment.

Analysis of the Law

Statutory Interpretation of Section 307 IPC

• Section 307 IPC provides two forms of punishment:
  • Life imprisonment, or
  • A maximum of 10 years RI and a fine.
• If the court opts not to impose life imprisonment, then the sentence cannot exceed 10 years.

Precedent Analysis

1. Jagat Bahadur v. State of Madhya Pradesh (1966)
   • Held that an appellate court cannot impose a punishment exceeding what the trial court could have imposed.
2. Amit Rana @ Koka v. State of Haryana (2024 SCC OnLine SC 1763)
   • Clarified that if life imprisonment is not imposed under Section 307 IPC, the maximum sentence permissible is only 10 years RI.
   • The Supreme Court in the present case applied this precedent and found that the High Court had erred in imposing 12 years RI.

Court’s Reasoning

• The appellant had premeditated the attack, as evidenced by his decision to carry a billhook to the shop.
• The mother-in-law suffered grievous injuries, but the injuries to the wife were ultimately classified as simple injuries.
• Since the High Court chose not to impose life imprisonment, it could not exceed the statutory limit of 10 years RI.
• The Supreme Court observed that given the nature of the crime and the relationships involved, a sentence of 7 years RI would be sufficient.
• The sentence under other IPC provisions remained unchanged, and all sentences were to run concurrently.

Conclusion

• The Supreme Court reduced the appellant’s sentence under Section 307 IPC from 12 years RI to 7 years RI.
• The convictions under Sections 498A IPC and 324 IPC remained unchanged.
• All sentences were directed to run concurrently.
• The appeal was partly allowed.

Implications

1. Clarification on Sentencing Under Section 307 IPC
   • The judgment reinforces that if life imprisonment is not imposed, the sentence under Section 307 IPC cannot exceed 10 years.
   • High Courts and trial courts must adhere strictly to these sentencing guidelines.
2. Binding Precedent for Future Cases
   • This ruling sets a strong precedent that an appellate court cannot exceed the statutory maximum while modifying a sentence.
   • Courts handling attempt to murder cases will now be bound by this decision.
3. Impact on Judicial Discipline
   • The Supreme Court’s intervention ensures that sentencing remains within statutory limits.
   • The judgment also prevents arbitrary enhancements of punishment at the appellate level.

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