Section – 14. Facts showing existence of state of mind, or of body or bodily feeling

• This section deals with relevancy of facts showing the existence of a person’s –
  1. state of mind
  2. state of body
  3. state of bodily feeling
• Facts are of two types of  Facts
  1. Physical Facts
  2. Psychological Facts
• State of body is a physical fact whereas state of mind or state of bodily feelings is a psychological facts.
• Fact showing state of mind viz., intention , knowledge , good faith , negligence , rashness , ill will or good will etc are relevant when such state of mind is in issue .
• It is not possible to proof state of mind of any person by the direct evidence , so most cogent evidences provided by circumstantial evidences of the other external or collateral facts

A person statement and act before or after the fact in issue supply the  data for an inferences as to intention or the guilty lnowledge.

• In criminal cases , Mens rea is generally an indispensable element
• To establish mens rea , proof of particular intention or knowledge with which a particular criminal act is done can be led under section – 14
• Occasionally in civil cases also a person state of mind in doing an act is relevant as in actions founded on fraud , slander , negligence , false imprisonment , malicious prosecution etc.

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