This statement encapsulates a fundamental principle of criminal law, often referred to as the defense of 'accident' or the absence of mens rea (guilty mind). Criminal law generally requires both an actus reus (guilty act) and a mens rea for an act to constitute an offense. If an act is performed lawfully, with due care, and results in an unforeseen and unintended consequence, the element of mens rea is absent, and therefore, criminal responsibility typically does not arise.

This principle is explicitly enshrined in Section 80 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), which states: "Nothing is an offence which is done by accident or misfortune, and without any criminal intention or knowledge in the doing of a lawful act in a lawful manner by lawful means, with proper care and caution."

Let's break down the key elements of this statement and Section 80:

1. Lawful Act: The act itself must be legal. For instance, driving a car is a lawful act. Committing assault is not.

2. Lawful Manner and Lawful Means: The way the act is performed and the instruments used must also be lawful. For example, driving a car on the correct side of the road, adhering to traffic rules, and using a properly maintained vehicle constitutes a lawful manner and means. Using a car to deliberately run someone over would not be.

3. Proper Care and Caution: This is a critical component. The person must have exercised the degree of care and caution that a reasonable and prudent person would in similar circumstances. If there is any negligence or recklessness, this defense would not apply. The standard is objective – what a reasonable person would do to avoid harm.

4. Without Criminal Intention or Knowledge: The harm caused must be truly accidental. The person must not have intended to cause the harm, nor should they have known that their act was likely to cause such harm. This negates the mens rea element.

5. Unintended and Unknown Consequences (Accident or Misfortune): The resulting harm must be an unforeseen and unintended outcome of the lawful act performed with due care. It must be a 'misfortune' – an event that could not have been reasonably anticipated or prevented despite exercising proper caution.

Elucidation with Examples:

• A Surgeon's Operation: A skilled surgeon performs a complex operation with all due care and caution, following established medical protocols. Despite their best efforts, the patient unfortunately dies due to unforeseen complications. Here, the surgeon performed a lawful act (surgery) in a lawful manner (professionally) with proper care. The death was an unintended and unknown consequence. The surgeon would not be criminally responsible.

• Chopping Wood: A person is lawfully chopping wood in their backyard, exercising proper care by ensuring no one is nearby and using the axe safely. A small splinter of wood, unexpectedly, flies off and hits a distant passerby, causing a minor injury. This would likely be considered an accident, as the act was lawful, performed with care, and the consequence was unintended and unforeseen.

• Driving a Vehicle: A driver is driving a vehicle lawfully, within speed limits, and observing all traffic rules. Suddenly, a child darts onto the road from behind a parked vehicle, and despite the driver's immediate and best efforts to brake, an accident occurs. If the driver exercised proper care and caution, they would not be criminally liable for the unintended consequences.

Contrast: If, in any of these examples, there was an element of negligence (e.g., the surgeon was reckless, the person chopping wood was careless about bystanders, the driver was speeding), then the defense of accident would not apply, and criminal liability for negligence (e.g., causing death by negligence under S. 304A IPC) could arise.

In conclusion, the principle articulated in the statement and Section 80 IPC is a cornerstone of criminal jurisprudence, ensuring that individuals are held accountable only for blameworthy conduct (i.e., acts committed with criminal intent, knowledge, or gross negligence), and not for purely accidental outcomes of their lawful and careful actions.