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Pritam Chauhan v. State of Delhi

Criminal Appeal · Neutral citation not assigned (Criminal Appeal No. 1272 of 2014)Decided 1 Jul 2014
Criminal Appeal No. 1272 of 2014
Justice Sudhansu Jyoti Mukhopadhaya · Justice Ranjan Gogoi

Background

Pritam Chauhan inflicted multiple knife wounds on Sunder Singh, causing extensive muscle damage and a severed finger nerve requiring surgery. The High Court altered an attempted murder conviction to causing grievous hurt with a dangerous weapon, imposed two years' rigorous imprisonment and ordered Rs. 50,000 compensation. His Supreme Court appeal principally sought a lower sentence or treatment of the injuries as simple hurt.

Decision Breakdown

The Supreme Court dismissed the appeal and upheld the conviction under Section 326 and the two-year sentence. Medical testimony and the victim's corroborated account established serious injuries falling within the statutory definition of grievous hurt. The appellant had gone home to obtain the knife and then struck repeatedly, making the imprisonment proportionate to the proved conduct. His offer to pay more compensation did not justify reducing that sentence because the compensation power operates independently of the penal provision governing punishment. He was directed to serve the remaining sentence.

Lesson Learnt

Offering additional compensation does not automatically replace a justified prison sentence. The seriousness of the injury and manner of the assault remain central to both the offence classification and proportionate punishment.

Official source (sci.gov.in)View Judgment (PDF)

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