School of Law and Governance

LAW 252 LAW OF EVIDENCE L T P C

Version: 1.1 4 0 0 4
Pre-requisites//Exposure IPC
co-requisites Cr.P.C. & C.P.C.
Semester IV
Programme B.A. LL.B.(H) & B.Sc.LL.B.(H)

Course Description:

This course will be consisted of different aspects of law of evidence. Students are expected to
be expert in this course. The course will be consisted of general issues relating to law of
evidence, relevancy and admissibility of facts, admission & confession, dying declaration,
expert opinion, presumption and rules regarding proof, witness & examination of witness.
However, importance is given upon statutory provisions as well as relevant case laws on the
subject.

Course Objectives:
No one concerned with substantive rights, duties and liabilities can afford to neglect the
adjectival law of procedure and evidence which provide the mechanisms for their
enforcement. For greater understanding of Law of Evidence, the approach of course is
strongly practical. The course offers an opportunity for penetrating in-depth study from an
academic perspective supplementing teaching learning methodology with dynamic trial based
approach.

The aim of the course is that students should acquire proficiency in law of evidence. Student
must have an informed understanding about the theoretical base and practical context of use
of law of Evidence. They must be able to appreciate facts, their relevancy, and examination
of witnesses, examining documents, appreciation of various kinds of evidence and lawyerly
acumen in dealing with all these aspects. Thrust area of course is to inculcate clear arguments
regarding facts and principle of evidence in the potential lawyers.

Pedagogy:
The pedagogy of the course will be as below:
 Class Room Discussion
 Teaching Assignment
 Presentations
 Case Studies

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 Projects
 Seminar
 Panel Discussion

Evaluation Scheme:

 Continuous Assessment 30 Points

 Attendance 5 Points
 Mid-Term 15Points
 End Term 50 Points

Text Books:
 RATANLAL & DHIRAJLAL, LAW OF EVIDENCE, LexisNexis.
 Batuk Lal, Law of Evidence.
 SARKAR ON LAW OF EVIDENCE, LexisNexis.
 MUNIR ON LAW OF EVIDENCE, Universal Law Pub. Co.
Reference Books:
 Peter Murphy, MURPHY ON LAW OF EVIDENCE, Oxford, 10thed.
 PHIPSON’S EVIDENCE.
 THE NEW WIGMORE: A TREATISE ON EVIDENCE, Walter Kluwer.
 Indian Evidence Act, 1870
 Indian Penal Code, 1860
 Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973
 Indian Oath Act, 1969
 Indian Police Act, 1861
 Information Technology Act, 2000
 69th Law Commission Report
 185th Law Commission Report

IMPORTANT NOTE:-

 The topics and cases given above are not exhaustive. The teachers teaching the
course shall be at liberty to add new topics/cases.
 The students are required to study the legislations as amended up-to-date and
consult the latest editions of books.

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Course Contents:

Module I – General Issues Relating to Law of Evidence

 Definitions Facts, Facts in issue, Relevant Fact.

 Evidence: Oral and Documentary.
 Proved, Disproved and Not Proved.
 ‘May Presume’, Shall Presume’ and ‘Conclusive Proof’
 Circumstantial Evidence
 Electronic Evidence

Case Laws:

1. State of Maharashtra v. Prafulla B. Desai(Dr.) (2003) 4 SCC 601

2. R.M.Malkaniv v. State of Maharashtra, AIR 1973 SC 157
3. Yusuf Ali v. State: AIR 1968 SC 147
4. Ziayauddin v. Brijmohan, AIR 1975 SC 1788
5. Grant v. SothWesterm and Country Properties 1975. CH.185
6. Derby v. Weldon (No.9) [1991] 1 WLR 652
7. Rollo v. H.M. Advocate’ 1997 SLT 958
8. Ziyauddin v. Brijmohan (AIR 1988 SC 1788)

9. Bater v. Bater 1950(2) All, ER 458

10. KishenchandMangal v. State of Rajasthan AIR 1982 SC 1511

11. State of UP v. Kishan Gopal AIR 1988 SC 2154
12. SharadBirdhi Chand Sarda v. State of Maharashtra, AIR 1984 SC 1622
13. Hanumant v. State of Madhya Pradesh [1952] S.C.R 1091
14. Pakala Narayana Swami v. Emperor AIR 1939 PC 47
15. All India Anna DravidaMunnetrakazhagam v. L.K. Tripathi, (2009)5 SCC 417
16. Lalliram v. State of M.P. (2008) 10 SCC 6
17. Hukam Singh v. State of Rajasthan, AIR 1977 SC 1063
18. State of U.P. v. Ashok Kuamr Srivastava, (1992) Crl. LJ 1104
19. State of Maharashtra v. Damu s/o GopinathShinde, AIR 2000 SC 1691

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Module II – Relevancy and Admissibility of Facts

 Relevancy & Admissibility, S. 5 & Ss. 5 to 55

 Logically relevant facts; Res gestae – Ss. 5-9,11
 Facts forming part of same transactions, s. 6
 Facts constituting cause, occasion and opportunity, s. 7
 Facts constituting motive and conduct, s. 8.
 Explanatory facts, s. 9
 Special class of relevant facts relating to Conspiracy- section 10
 Plea of alibi, s. 11
 Test Identification Parade (TIP)

Case Laws:

20. Krishan Kumar Malik v. State of Haryana, 2011(6) SC ALE 759

21. GentelaVijayavardhanRao V. State of Andhra Pradesh, AIR 1996 SC 2791
22. S.C. Bahri vs. State of Bihar AIR 1994 SC 2420
23. Sukhar v. State of Uttar Pradesh, AIR 1999 SC 3883
24. BadriRai v. State of Bihar, AIR 1958 SC 953
25. Nathuni Yadav vs. State of Bihar (1978) 9 SCC 238
26. Mohd. Khalid v. State of Bihar (2002) 7 SCC 334
27. JayantibhaiBhenkerbhai v. State of Gujarat (2002) 8 SCC 165
28. Bishwanath Prasad v. Dwarka Prasad, AIR 1974 SC 117
29. Central Bureau of Investigation v. V.C. Shukla, AIR 1998 SC 1406
30. Mirza Akbar v. Emperor AIR 1940 PC p.176
31. Sardul Singh Caveeshar v. State of Bombay AIR 1957 SC 747
32. State v. Nalini 1999(5) SCC 253
33. Saju v. State of Kerala, 2001(1) SCC 378
34. Mohan Singh v. State of Bihar, 2011(9) SCALE 426
35. Arul Raja v. State of Tamil Nadu (2010) 8 SCC 233
36. Veera Ibrahim v. State of Maharashtra, AIR 1976 SC 1167
37. AghnooNagesia v. State, AIR 1966 SC 119
38. PulukuriKottaya v. Emperor, AIR 1947 PC 67
39. Bodhraj v. State of J & K. (2002) 8 SCC 45
40. KhushalRao v. State of Bombay, AIR 1958 SC 22
41. Sudhakar v. State of Maharashtra (2000) 6 SCC 671
42. Patel HiralalJoitaram v. State of Gujarat (2002) 1 SCC 22
43. Laxman v. State of Maharashtra (2002) 6 SCC 710
44. Ram Narain v. State of U.P., AIR 1973 SC 2000 : (1973) 2 SCC 86
45. Brijlal Pd. Sinha v. State of Bihar, AIR 1998 SC 2443
46. R v. Turnbull 1977 QB 224 (CA)
47. Ramanathan v. State of TN AIR 1978 SC 1204
48. State v. KathikaluOghad AIR 1961 SC 1808
49. Kartar Singh v. State of Punjab 1994 Crl. LJ 3139 (SC)
50. R v. Nikolovski (1996) 141. DLR.(4d) 647
51. R v. Pieterson and Holloway (1995)(2) Cr. App R 11(1A)

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52. SevuganChettiar v. Raghunatha AIR 1940 Mad 273

53. Ram Kumar v. State of M.P. AIR 1975 SC 1026
54. Satbir v. State of Haryana, AIR 1981 SC 2074

Module III- Admission & Confession

 Admissions – sections 17-23

 Who can admit facts
 Presumed admission
 Confessions – sections 24-30
 Judicial & Extra Judicial Confession; Confession to police officer; Confession to
Magistrate
 Recording of Confession by Magistrate, s. 164 Cr. PC.
 Confession and related discovery of materials evidence, s. 27
 Confessions of Accomplice; s. 306 Cr. PC r/w/s. 30/133 and 114 of Evidence Act
 Confession under special legislations, Ex. TADA, NDPA etc.
 Relevancy of statement given under s. 161 Cr. PC

Case Laws:

55. Hirachand Kothari v. State of Rajasthan AIR 1985 SC 998

56. K.M. Singh v. Secretary, Association of Indian Universities AIR 1992 SC 1356

57. Thiru John v. The Returning Officer, AIR 1977 SC 1724

58. Mohammad Koya v. Muthukoya, AIR 1979 SC 154

59 M/s Central Coal Fields Ltd. v. M/s Mining Construction, (1982) 1 SCC 415
60. Bharat Singh v. Bhagirathi, AIR 1966 SC 405

61. Idandas v. AnantRamchandraPhadke, AIR 1982 SC 127

62. DukhiramDey v. MrityunjoyProsad, AIR 1982 Cal 294

63. SheoParshad v. JaggarNath (1884) 10 I.A. 79 (PC)

64. PakalaNarayana Swami v. Emperor, AIR 1939 PC 47

65. Miranda v. Arizona 384 US 436

66. Niranjan Singh Karan Singh Punjabi v. JitendraBhimrajBijja, 1990 SC 1962

67. Karamjit Singh v. State, (2001) 9 SCC 161

68. Kartar Singh v. State of Punjab (1994) 3 SCC 569

69. Lal Singh v. State of Gujarat (2001) 3 SCC 221

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70. State of UP v. Ram Sagar Yadav, AIR 1985 SC 416

71. BhuboniSahu v. The King, AIR 1949 PC 257

72. PulikuriKottaya, AIR 1947 PC 67

73. State of Uttar Pradesh v. DeomanUpadhyaya, AIR 1960 SC 1125

74. UdaiBhan v. State of UP, AIR 1962 S.C. 1116

75. AghnooNagesia v. State, AIR 1966 SC 119

76. Nazir Ahmed v. Emperor,. AIR 1936 PC 253

77. Chandran v. State of Tamil Nadu, AIR 1978 SC 1574

78. Dagdu v. State, AIR 1977 SC 1579

79. Kehar Singh v. State, AIR 1988 SC 1883

80. R v. Warickshall, (1783) 1 Leach. CC. 298 (168 E.R. 234)

81. R v. Lockhart (17785) 1 Leach 386 (168 ER 295)

82. State v. Self, 59 Wash 2d 62

83. Whitley v. State 78 Miss 255, 28 SO 852

84. K. Chinnaswami v. State of A.P., AIR 1962 SC 1788

85. Limbaji& others v. State of Maharashtra 2001 (8) SCALE P.522

86. Sanjay v. State of Govt. of Delhi, AIR 2001 SC 979

87. PandurangKaluPatil&Anr v. State of Maharashtra, 2002 (1) JT SC 229

88. MohmedInayatullah v. The State of Maharshtra, AIR 1976 SC 483

89. Krishnappa v. State of Karnataka, (1983) 2 SCR 552

90. GeejagandaSomaiah v. State of Karnataka, AIR 2007 SC 1355

91. Murugan v. State of Tamil Nadu, AIR 2008 SC 2876

92. State of Himachal Pradesh v. Jet Singh (1999) SCC (Crl) 539

93. Haroon Haji Abdulla v. State of Maharashtra, AIR 1975 SC 856

94. Ravinder Singh v. State of Haryana, AIR 1975 SC 856

95. MohteshamMohd. Ismail v. Spl. Director, Enforcement Directorate, (2007) 8

SCC 254

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96. Queen Empress v. Babulal, ILR (1884) 6 All. 509

97. Sanwat Khan v. State of Rajasthan, AIR 1956 SC 54

98. Kashmira Singh v. The State, AIR 1952 SC 159

99. PUCL v. CBI, 1997 Crl LJ 3242 (Del)

100. BhuboniSahu v. The King, AIR 1949 PC 257

Module IV – Dying Declaration

 Dying Declarations – section 32 (1)

 ‘Circumstances under which death is caused’
 Special cases of dying declaration

Case Laws:

101. PakalaNaryana Swami v. Emperor AIR 1939 PC 47

102. State of UP v. Ramesh Prasad Misra, AIR 1996 Sc 2766

103. RatanGond v. State of Bihar, AIR 1959 SC 18

104. Kansraj v. State of Maharashtra, AIR 2000 Sc 2324

104. Sudhakar v. State of Maharashtra, AIR 2000 SC 2602

105. Ratan Singh v. State of Himachal Pradesh, (1997) 4 SCC 161

106. Kuhshal Rao v. The State of Bombay, AIR 1958 SC 22

107. Smt. Laxmi v. Om Prakash, Appeal (crl.) 717 of 1994

108. Munnu Raja v. The State of Madhya Pradesh, AIR 1976 Sc 2199

109. Kusa v. State of Orissa, AIR 1980 Sc 559

110. Ramprasad v. State of Maharashtra (1999)5 SCC 30

111. P.V. Radhakrishnan v. State of Karnataka(2003) 6 SCC 443

112. R.v. Woodcock (1789) 1 Leach 500

113. R.v. Perry, 1909(2) KB 697

114. Manish Dixit v. State of Rajasthan, AIR 2001 SC 93

115. Dal Bahadur v. Bijai AIR 1930 PC 79

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116. Ramrati v. Dwarika AIR 1967 SC 1134

117. Bhim Singh v. Kansingh, AIR 1980 Sc 727

118. Du Bost v. Beresford, (1810) 2 Cambell’s Reports 511

Module V – Expert Opinion

 Expert Opinion
 Who is expert?
 Opinion of Third Person when relevant
 Thumb-impression experts; Finger Prints; Opinion of Expert Trackers; Foot Prints;
Court acting as an expert
Case Laws:

119. State of H.P. v. Jai Lal and Ors.(1999) 7 SCC 280

120. The State (Delhi Administration) v. Pali Ram, AIR 1979 SC 14

121. Ramesh Chandra Agrawal v. Regency Hospital Ltd., AIR 2010 SC 806

122. Tilti v. Jones, AIR 1934 ALL 237

123. Secretary of State v. Sarla Devi Chaudhrani, 5 L 227

124. Unites States Shipping Board v. Ship “St. Albans”, AIR 1931 PC 189

125. Asstt. Collector v. V.P. Sayed Mohamed, 1983 SC 168

126. Piara Singh v. State of Punjab, AIR 1977 Sc 2274

127. Abdul RazakMurtaza v. State of Maharashtra, (1969) 2 SCC 234

128. Jaspal Singh v. State of Punjab, AIR 1979 Sc 1708

129. Pritam Singh v. Punjab, 1956 Cr. LJ 805 (SC)

130. MorMahomud v. Emperor, 41 Cr. LJ 924

131. Public Prosecutor v. Virammal, 69 IC 374

132. State v. S.J. Choudhary, AIR 1996 SC 149

Module VI – Presumption & Rules regarding Proof

A. General Rules of Proof

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 Facts which need not to be proved – sections 56-58

 Facts which the parties are prohibited from proving – Doctrine of Estoppel -
sections 115-117
 Privileged Communications – sections 122-129

B. Documentary Proof
 Oral and documentary evidence – sections 59-78
 Exclusion of oral by documentary evidence – sections 91-92
C. Presumption
 Presumption of Facts
 Rebuttable presumption
 Irrebuttable presumption
 Sections 4,41,105,111-A, 112, 113-A,113-B, 114 and 114-A.

Case Laws:-

133. R.V.E VenkatachalaGounder v. ArulmiguVishwesaraswami& V.P. Temple and

Anr. JT 2004 (6) SC 442

134. Mobarik Ali Ahmed v. State of Bombay, AIR 1957 SC 857

135. R.S. Maddanappa v. Chandramma (1965) 3 SCR 283

136. Madhuri Patel v. Addl. Commissioner, Tribal Development, AIR 1995 SC 94

137. SanatanGauda v. Berhampur University, AIR 1990 SC 1075

138. M.C. Vergheese v. T.J. Ponnam, AIR 1970 Sc 1876

139. State of U.P. v. Raj Narain, AIR 1975 SC 865

140. GoutamKundu v. State of West Bengal, AIR 1993 SC 2295

141. J.P.Anand v. D.G. Baffna, AIR 2002 Sc 114

142. TulsiramKanu v. State, AIR 1954 SC 1

143. ParbhooAndOrs. v. Emperor, AIR 1941 All 402

Module VII – Witnesses & Examination of Witness: Appreciation of Evidence

 Child Witness – section 118

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 Dumb Witness- section 119

 Hostile Witness – section 154
 Examination, cross-examination and re-examination- sections 137-139, 155.
 Irregularities during examination of witnesses, s. 460-465 Cr.P.C
 Rule against compulsive witness; recording of evidence; examination under section
313, 315 of Cr.P.C
 False testimony
 Appreciation of evidence and ‘role of judge’

Case Laws:

144. Blunt V. Park Lane Hotel Ltd (1942) 2 KB 253

145. State of Rajasthan v. Smt. Kalki and Anr., AIR 1981 SC 1390

146. Krishna Mochi and Ors. v. State of Bihar etc. JT 2002(4) SC 186

147. Munshi Prasad v. State of Bihar, AIR 2001 SC 3031

148. Leela Ram v. State of Haryana, (1999) 9 SCC 525

149. VithalPundaliZendge v. State of Maharashtra, AIR 2009 SC 1110

150. Chhotanney v. State of Uttar Pradesh, AIR 2009 SC 2013

151. ShivajiSahabraoBobade v. State of Maharashtra (1973) (2) SCC 793

152. Jal Dev. v. State of Punjab, AIR 1963 SC 612

153. Avatar Singh v. State of Punjab (2002) 7 SCC 419

154. BipinShantitlalPanchal v. State of Gujarat, (2001) 3 SCC 1

155. Bharat Singh v. Bhagirathi, AIR 1966 SC 405

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