MCQ 21 Nov 2023

Daily Static MCQs for CLAT Prelims Exams - (21 November 2023)



The Supreme Court observed that Section 34 of the Indian Penal Code does not attract when the final outcome or offence committed is distinctly remote and unconnected with the common intention. The judgment contains discussion about the scope of Section 34 IPC as follows: Accordingly, to attract applicability of Section 34 IPC, the prosecution is under an obligation to establish that there existed a common intention before a person can be vicariously convicted for the criminal act of another. The ultimate act should be done in furtherance of common intention. Common intention requires a pre-arranged plan, which can be even formed at the spur of the moment or simultaneously just before or even during the attack. For proving common intention, the prosecution can rely upon direct proof of prior concert or circumstances which necessarily lead to that inference. However, incriminating facts must be incompatible with the innocence of the accused and incapable of explanation by any other reasonable hypothesis. By Section 33 of IPC, a criminal act in Section 34 IPC includes omission to act. Thus, a co-perpetrator who has done nothing but has stood outside the door, while the offense was committed, may be liable for the offense since in crimes as in other things they also serve who only stand and wait. Thus, common intention or crime sharing maybe by an overt or covert act, by active presence, or at a distant location but there should be a measure of jointness in the commission of the act. Even a person not doing a particular act but only standing as a guard to prevent any prospective aid to the victim may be guilty of common intention. Normally, however, in a case of an offense involving physical violence, physical presence at the place of actual commission is considered to be safe for conviction but it may not be mandatory when the pre-arranged plan is proved and established beyond doubt. Facilitation in the execution of the common design may be possible from a distance and can be tantamount to actual participation in the criminal act. The expression common intention should also not be confused with intention or mens rea as an essential ingredient of several offenses under the IPC - For some offenses, mental intention is not a requirement, but knowledge is sufficient and constitutes necessary mens rea. Section 34 IPC can be invoked for the said offence also - In some cases, intention, which is an ingredient of the offense, maybe identical with the common intention of the co-perpetrators, but this is not mandatory.

Question1:- A group of armed people decided to steal cash from the ABC Bank. While other members of the gang were involved in committing the offense, Bhagat was standing at the outside gate to make sure that no one enters the bank. They asked the Branch manager about the cash to which he did not reply and pulled the alarm therefore. In the apprehension to be caught by the police they shot the branch manager with the gun and ran away without even taking cash. The police caught Bhagat who argued that he was merely standing there as a guard, and he has nothing to do with the offense: Decide:
  • A. Bhagat will be liable for the death of the postmaster
  • B. Bhagat will only be liable for the attempt of robbery and not the death
  • C. Bhagat will only be liable for the theft
  • D. Bhagat will not be liable for anything because he was merely a guard
Answer is A is correct. According to Section 34 of IPC when a criminal act is done by several persons in furtherance of the common intention of all, each of such persons is liable for that act in the same manner as if it were done by him alone. Hence, Rajat will be liable for the death of the branch manager under 302 r/w Section 34 of IPC, 1860 because the act was done in furtherance of the common intention of all. Hence, A is the correct option.
Question2:-A group of five people decided to commit the theft in XYZ society at night. They break into Mily’s house with the Knife and Guns with the intention to steal all the cash and jewellery. When they were stealing cash, Mily’s husband caught them and tried to stop them as a consequence of the fight, Mily’s husband was shot dead by one of the member M. Decide the liability of the other 4 members of the group:
  • A. All the members of the group will be liable for theft and murder
  • B. All the members will be liable for theft, but M will be liable for murder
  • C. All the members will be liable for murder, but M will be liable for theft
  • D. Nobody will be liable for murder
Answer is A is correct. According to Section 34 of IPC when a criminal act is done by several persons in furtherance of the common intention of all, each of such persons is liable for that act in the same manner as if it were done by him alone. Hence, M will be liable for the death of Mily’s husband under 302 r/w Section 34 of IPC, 1860 because the act was done in furtherance of the common intention of all. Hence, A is the correct option.
Question3:-Consider the following statement(s) with respect to Common intention under Indian Penal Code:
Statement I: Common intention and mens rea are two distinct terms
Statement II: For some offenses under IPC knowledge is sufficient mens rea
  • A. Statement I is correct and Statement II is incorrect.
  • B. Statement I is incorrect and Statement II is correct.
  • C. Both the statements are correct.
  • D. None of the statements are correct.
Answer is C is correct. The last paragraph of the passage states- The expression common intention should also not be confused with intention or mens rea as an essential ingredient of several offenses under the IPC - For some offenses, the mental intention is not a requirement, but knowledge is sufficient and constitutes necessary mens rea.Hence, C is the correct option.
Question4:-Arjan and Bhirav both dislikes their one of the batchmate Karan but for different reasons. Arjan wants to kill him because Karan was involved in the murder of Arjan’s uncle and Bhirav dislikes him because he has refused to return his Rs. 2 lakhs which he borrowed a year back. On the 1 st of July, Arjan planned to kill Karan and entered his house at night with a hockey stick and gave him a blow on his head while he was sleeping. On the same night, Bhirav decided to take his money back from Karan and entered his house and saw that Karan is lying on the floor. Unaware of the fact of his death, Bhirav gave another blow on his head with a flower vase lying nearby. Decide:
  • A. Arjan and Bhirav will be liable under 302 r/w Section 34 of IPC because there was a common intention
  • B. Arjan and Bhirav will not be liable under 302 r/w Section 34 of IPC because there was no common intention but they will be liable for murder individually
  • C. Arjan and Bhirav will be liable under 302 r/w Section 34 of IPC because they both hated Karan
  • D. Arjan and Bhirav will not be liable under 302 r/w Section 34 of IPC they did not intend to kill Karan
Answer is B is correct. According to Section 34 of IPC when a criminal act is done by several persons in furtherance of the common intention of all, each of such persons is liable for that act in the same manner as if it were done by him alone. Conviction under Section 34 requires a prior meeting of mind which is absent in the present case. The act was not done in furtherance of the common intention of all but independently. Hence, the correct option is B.
Question5:-D and S both hated T. One day S saw D beating T with a stick, S also joined him and helped in killing T. Decide:
  • A. D and S will be liable under 302 r/w Section 34 of IPC because they shared a common intention
  • B. D and S will not be liable under 302 r/w Section 34 of IPC because they did not share a common intention
  • C. D and S will not be liable under 302 r/w Section 34 of IPC because the act was not done in furtherance of common intention
  • D. D and S will not be liable under 302 r/w Section 34 of IPC because they have just met
Answer is A is correct. According to Section 34 of IPC when a criminal act is done by several persons in furtherance of the common intention of all, each of such persons is liable for that act in the same manner as if it were done by him alone. Common intention can be formed several days ago or instantly. In the present case as soon as S decided to help D in killing T, the common intention is formed and then the act of killing T together is done in furtherance of the common intention of all. Hence, A is the correct option.