Section 15 - Indian Evidence Act, 1872

15. Facts bearing on question whether act was accidental or intentional

When there is a question whether an act was accidental or intentional, ¹⁴[ or done with a particular knowledge or intention,] the fact that such act formed part of a series of similar occurrences, in each of which the person doing the act was concerned, is relevant.

Illustration

(a) A is accused of burning down his house in order to obtain money for which it is insured.

The facts that a lived in several houses successively, each of which he insured, in each of which a fire occurred, and after each of which fires. A received payment from a different insurance office, are relevant, as tending to show that the fires were not accidental.

(b) A is employed to receive money from the debtors, of B. It is A’s duty to make entries in a book showing the amounts received by him. He makes an entry showing that on a particular occasion he received less than he really did receive.

The question is, whether this false entry was accidental or intentional.

The facts that other entries made by A in the same book are false, and that the false entry is in each case in favor of A, relevant.

(c) A is accused of fraudulently delivering to B a counterfeit rupee.

The question is, whether the delivery of the rupee was accidental.

The facts that, soon before or soon after the delivery to B, A delivered counterfeit rupees to C, D and E are relevant, as showing that the delivery to B was not accidental.