Definition: – Dying Declaration is defined in Section 32 (1) of the Indian Evidence Act
When the statement is made by the person as the cause of his death, or as any of the circumstances of the transaction which resulted in his loss of life, in cases in which the cause of that person’s death comes into question. Such statements made by the person are relevant whether the person who made them was alive or was not, at the time when they were made, under the expectation of death, and whatever may be the nature of the proceeding in which the cause of his death comes into question.
Thus, it is the statement made by the person who is going to die, and that statement will be considered as evidence in court, how his death caused and who is the mugger. There are many conditions that relied upon the dying declaration that it should be in an adequate manner as dying declaration is the weapon who convicted the accused and stood as strong evidence.
The statement made by the deceased person will be treated as Evidence and Admissible in a Court of law. The reason behind this can be followed by Latin maxim Nemo Mariturus Presumuntur Mentri which means that “Man Will Not Meet His Maker With Lying On His Mouth.” More precisely in our Indian law, it is the fact that the dying man can never lie or Truth sits on the lips of dying man. Hence, the Dying Declaration is Admissible and considered as Evidence in Court, and can be used as a weapon to punish the culprit.
- It can be Oral, Written, Gestures & Signs, Thumb impression, Incomplete and can also be in the form of Question Answer.
- The Supreme Court has found this to be true in law, at least in cases where the person dies of burn injuries. Court hold the opinion that “The law on the issue can be summarized to the effect that law does not give any direction that who can record a dying declaration but just provided that magistrate is above all the person in subject for recording the statement, nor is there any definite form, format or procedure for the same,” said a bench of Justices B S Chauhan and Dipak Misra while quashing the high court order in the case of dowry death acquittal case.
- As far as the language of the statement is concerned, it should be recorded in the language of the deceased in which he is fluent or may possible than in Court language.
- Dying person speaks the truth because, if he does not die than still declaration can be used as evidence against the accused. Moreover, dying declaration can be considered as relevant evidence in both criminal and civil proceedings.
In the recent “Nirbhaya’s Rape Case,” Dying Declaration was made by her in the form of sign and gesture. Thus, Dying declaration made through signs, gestures or by nods are also admissible as evidence.
In Khulshal Rao Vs. State of Bombay – Apex Court laid down the following principles related to dying declaration : –
- There is no absolute rule of law that a dying declaration cannot be the sole basis of conviction unless corroborated. A true & voluntary declaration needs no corroboration.
- A dying declaration is not a weaker kind of evidence than any other piece of evidence;
- Each case must be determined on its own facts keeping in view the circumstances in which the dying declaration was made.
- A dying declaration stands on the same footing as other pieces of evidence & has to be judged in the light of surrounding circumstances & with reference to the principle governing the weight of evidence.
- A dying declaration which has been recorded by a competent Magistrate in the proper manner, that is to say, in the form of questions and answers, &, as far as practicable in the words of the maker of the declaration stands on a much higher footing than a dying declaration which depends upon oral testimony which may suffer from all the infirmities of human memory & human character.
Case Laws:-
- Lakhan Vs. State of M.P.:- The supreme court provides that, when the condition is satisfied that the dying declaration made by the deceased is true and can be relied upon, as the declarant is found to be conscious and mentally fit while making the statement, and the statement made by him proven to be voluntarily and no compulsion was there while making the statement and can be put for the sole basis of conviction. In that situation there is no need for corroboration is necessary.
- Surajdeo Oza v. State of Bihar :- It does not give an affirmative answer to the question and held that merely because the dying declaration is a brief statement it is not to be discarded. On the contrary, the length of the statement itself guarantees the truth.
- State of Punjab Vs. Parveen Kumar:- the Supreme Court set forth some measure to test the veracity in the case when there is more than one dying statement. The court provides that there must be a series of examinations in order to determine the truth. If the statements provide different versions and do not couple with given facts, then the court must opt for other evidence in their record to clarify the things so that truth can be inferred.
- Sudhakar Vs. State:- the Supreme Court while deciding the issue of multiple dying declarations, which varying from other statements and have no series related to each other, this will raise a doubt in the eyes of court to whether the statement should be believed or not, in order to clear the issue the Court has given some directions which help to guide while exercise the judgment by court in such matters, examined.
- Natha Shankar Mahajan Vs. State of Maharshtra:- the Supreme court ruled that if there is a doubt about the statement made by the deceased, in that case, the gain will transfer to the accused. As this is the correct Law preposition. Moreover on the other was round if the statement found to be true and reliable ten it can be used solely as the purpose of the convection.
Conclusion:-
Dying declaration is the statement made when a person is at death bed, as the word “dying declaration” itself signifies its meaning. A person having a serious apprehension of death and there shall be no chances for his survival. At this point, the court assumed that whatever the statement made by the declarant is purely true as the man will never meet his maker with a lie on his lips and person will speak only truth.