Ambedkar Nagar, Nandurbar, District Nandurbar v. The State of Maharashtra, Through its Principal Secretary, Home Department, Mantralaya, Mumbai – 32
Case Details
1 Cri.WPs. 633, 642 n 685 of 2022 of 2022.odt THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY, BENCH AT AURANGABAD. CRIMINAL WRIT PETITION NO. 633 OF 2022 Akash S/o. Ravindra Ahire, Age: 28 Years, Occu.: Private Service, R/o : Ambedkar Nagar, Nandurbar, District Nandurbar. … Petitioner Versus The State of Maharashtra, Through its Principal Secretary, Home Department, Mantralaya, Mumbai – 32. The Divisional Commissioner, Nashik Division, Nashik. The Superintendent of Police, Nandurbar, District Nandurbar. The Sub Divisional Police Officer, Nandurbar Sub Division, Nandurbar, Dist. Nandurbar. The Police Inspector, Nandurbar City Police Station, Nandurbar, Dist. Nandurbar. … Respondents. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. ... Mr. A. D. Khot a/w Mr. R. R. Raghuwanshi, Advocate for Petitioners. Mr. G. O. Wattamwar, APP for Respondents. … Cri.WPs. 633, 642 n 685 of 2022 of 2022.odt 2 AND CRIMINAL WRIT PETITION NO. 642 OF 2022 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. Govind Yashwant Samudre, Age: 30 years, Occu: Business, Gopi Yashwant Samudre, Age: 32 years, Occu: Agriculture, Both R/o. Lahan Maliwada, Nandurbar. Deepak Sham Thakre, Age: 24 years, Occu: Laborer, R/o. Chinchpada Bhilati, Nandurbar, Tq. & Dist. Nandurbar. Vishvajeet @ Boby Sanjay Baisane, Age: 24 years, Occu: Education, R/o. Samta Colony, Baherpura Nandurbar. Mukesh Madhukar Thakre, Age: 25 years, Occu: Driver, Akshay Sunil Valvi, Age: 24 years, Occu: Laborer, Sachin Sham Thakre, Age: 23 years, Occu: Labour, Ambalal Jaysingh Thakre, Age: 22 years, Occu: Labour, Petitioner 5 to 8 R/o. Chinchpada Bhilati, Nandurbar, Tq. & Dist. Nandurbar. … Petitioners Versus 3 Cri.WPs. 633, 642 n 685 of 2022 of 2022.odt 1. 2. 3. The State of Maharashtra, Through Police Inspector, Nandurbar City Police Station, Nandurbar, Tq. & Dist. Nandurbar. The Divisional Commissioner, Nashik Division, Nashik. Superintendent of Police, Nandurbar, Nandurbar. … Respondents.
Legal Reasoning
Division Bench of this Court in Criminal Writ Petition No.239 of 2018 (Kamalkishor s/o. Pusaram Bang Vs. The Superintendent of Police, Jalna and others) dated 12th April, 2018, wherein it is ruled that order of externment against certain persons under Section 55 of the said Act by way of selective approach is not permissible. The same view is taken by the Division Bench of this Court in Criminal Writ Petition No.1448 of 2021 (Farukh Khan @ Pappu s/o Zahir Khan Qureshi and others Vs. State of Maharashtra) dated 7th April, 2022, making it clear that selective approach is not permissible while taking action for externment. 16 Cri.WPs. 633, 642 n 685 of 2022 of 2022.odt 14 In case of Vijay Lalso Jadhav (supra), the Division Bench of this Court has held that Section 55 of the said Act contemplates collective action against the gang or body of persons and therefore, the final direction which is required to be issued in terms of the said Section, will have to be necessarily against each of the members of the gang and not against one or a few of them on selective basis. It is therefore, apparent that an illegality has been committed by both the Authorities. In the present case, same thing has happened. The case in hand is squarely covered by the decision of the Division Bench of this Court in case of Vijay Lalso Jadhav (supra). The action of externment is a extraordinary measure and only can be resorted to if requirements are fulfilled as per the scheme of Section 55 of the said Act. 15 Having regard to the above reasons and discussion, it is very much clear that the impugned order of externment passed by the Superintendent of Police, Nandurbar as well as the decision of the appellate authority in externment appeal, are bad in law in view of the decisions of this Court (supra). Those, are liable to be quashed and set aside. The petitions succeed. Hence, the following order is passed: 17 Cri.WPs. 633, 642 n 685 of 2022 of 2022.odt
Arguments
Mr. Ruchir S. Wani, Advocate for Petitioners. Mr. G. O. Wattamwar, APP for Respondents. ... … AND CRIMINAL WRIT PETITION NO. 685 OF 2022 1. 2. 1. Bhatu Gorakh Jadhav, Age:- 24 Yrs. Occ. Labour, R/o. Matang Chowk, Nandurbar, Tal. & Dist. Nandurbar. Shekhar Ramesh Jadhav, Age:- 24 Yrs. Occ. Labour, R/o. Matang Chowk, Nandurbar, Tal. & Dist. Nandurbar.. Versus The State of Maharashtra, Through Police Inspector, Nandurbar City Police Station, Nandurbar, Tq. & Dist. Nandurbar. … Petitioners 4 Cri.WPs. 633, 642 n 685 of 2022 of 2022.odt 2. 3. The Divisional Commissioner, Nashik Division, Nashik. Superintendent of Police, Nandurbar, Nandurbar. … Respondents. Mr. Ruchir S. Wani, Advocate for Petitioners. Mr. G. O. Wattamwar, APP for Respondents. ... ... CORAM : SHRIKANT D. KULKARNI, J. RESERVED ON : 07th September, 2022. PRONOUNCED ON : 03rd October, 2022. O R D E R : . Heard finally with consent of both the sides at admission stage. 2 These petitions have been filed under Article 227 of the Constitution of India to challenge the legality of order of externment passed against the respective petitioners under Section 55 of the Maharashtra Police Act, 1951 (hereinafter referred to as the “said Act” for the sake of convenience) by the Superintendent of Police, Nandurbar dated 21st December, 2021 and confirmed by the learned 5 Cri.WPs. 633, 642 n 685 of 2022 of 2022.odt Divisional Commissioner, Nashik Division, Nashik in Externment Appeal No.8 of 2022 vide order dated 1st April, 2022. 3 The facts giving rise to these petitions in narrow compass are as under: The show-cause-notice under Section 59 of the said Act came to be issued against the respective petitioners (in all 16 persons). Govind Yashwant Samudre / petitioner No.1 in Criminal Writ Petition No.642 of 2022 stated to be chief of the gang and petitioner No.2 in the said petition and the petitioner in Criminal Writ Petition No.633 of 2022 were stated to be members of the said gang. The petitioners filed their respective response and opposed to initiate action for externment. The Superintendent of Police, Nandurbar after considering the criminal record of the petitioners and the provisions of Section 55 of the said Act, was pleased to extern the present petitioners and their associates for a period of two years from Nandurbar district. The order of externment was challenged by the petitioners and others by way of appeal (Externment Appeal No.8 of 2022). The appellate authority was also pleased to dismiss the externment appeal vide order dated 1st April, 2022. 6 Cri.WPs. 633, 642 n 685 of 2022 of 2022.odt 4 In the above background, the respective petitioners are before this Court. 5 Heard Mr. Ruchir Wani, learned counsel for the respective petitioners in Criminal Writ Petition Nos.642 and 685 of 2022, Mr. A. D. Khot, learned counsel for the petitioner in Criminal Writ Petition No.633 of 2022 and Mr. G. O. Wattamwar, learned APP for the respondents / State in respective petitions. Perused the original police papers made available by the learned APP including the in- camera statements. SUBMISSIONS OF LEARNED COUNSELS FOR THE RESPECTIVE PETITIONERS 6 The learned counsels for the respective petitioners vehemently submitted that the impugned order of externment passed by the Superintendent of Police, Nandurbar is bad in law and liable to be quashed and set aside. The Superintendent of Police did not record subjective satisfaction as contemplated under Section 55 of the said Act. They submitted that the criminal cases considered by the competent authority for externment nowhere indicate that they are indulged in criminal activities as a chief of the gang or members of the 7 Cri.WPs. 633, 642 n 685 of 2022 of 2022.odt gang or body of persons. There is no material on record to show that Govind Samudre / petitioner No.1 in Criminal Writ Petition No.642 of 2022 is chief of the gang and running his criminal syndicate with the help of so-called members of the gang. They submitted that the competent authority as well as the appellate authority did not consider the fact that petitioner Nos.1 and 2 in Criminal Writ Petition No.642 of 2022 were already externed for a period of one year vide order dated 11th September, 2018. Again on the basis of same criminal record, the order of externment came to be passed, which is bad in law. They submitted that the impugned order as well as the order passed by the appellate authority do not disclose application of judicious mind. 7 The learned counsels for the respective petitioners placed their reliance on following stock of citations in support of their submissions : i) Rehmat Khan alias Rammu Bismillah Vs. Deputy Commissioner of Police, 2021 SCC OnLine SC 641 ; ii) Vijay Lalso Jadhav Vs. State of Maharashtra and others, 2013 SCC OnLine Bom 1432 ; iii) Praful Bhausaheb Yadav Vs. Shri K. K. Pathak, Principal Secretary (Home), State of Maharashtra and others, 2013 SCC Online Bom 188 ; 8 Cri.WPs. 633, 642 n 685 of 2022 of 2022.odt iv) Sachin Bhaskar Badgujar Vs. State of Maharashtra and another, 2018 SCC Online Bom 1439 ; v) Shoeb @ Sharif @ Shafya Khan Aasif Khan and another Vs. The State of Maharashtra and others, Criminal Writ Petition No.638 of 2021 dated 6th September, 2021 ; vi) Deepak S/o Laxman Dongre Vs. The State of Maharashtra and others, Criminal Appeal No.139 of 2022 (Supreme Court) ; vii) Sumit S/o Ramkrishna Maraskolhe Vs. Deputy Commissioner of Police Zone-1, Nagpur and another, 2019 (2) Mh.L.J. 745 ; viii) Shri Narayan Motiram Khilnani Vs. The State of Maharashtra, (1986) 1 Bom CR 122 ; ix) Ahammad Mainuddin Shaikh Vs. State of Maharashtra and another, 2013 SCC Online Bom 1042 ; x) Kamalkishor s/o. Pusaram Bang Vs. The Superintendent of Police, Jalna and others, Criminal Writ Petition No.0239 of 2018 dated 12th April, 2018 ; xi) Farukh Khan @ Pappu s/o Zahir Khan Qureshi and others Vs. State of Maharashtra, Criminal Writ Petition No.1448 of 2021 dated 7th April, 2022 ; and 9 Cri.WPs. 633, 642 n 685 of 2022 of 2022.odt xii) Raees Rashid Shaikh Vs. State of Maharashtra and others, Criminal Writ Petition No.97 of 2022 dated 25th March, 2022. SUBMISSIONS OF LEARNED APP FOR THE STATE 8 Mr. G. O. Wattamwar, learned APP for the respondents / State invited my attention to the criminal record of the respective petitioners relied upon by the competent authority. He vehemently submitted that there was sufficient criminal record against the petitioners for taking action under Section 55 of the said Act. Petitioner / Govind Samudre is running a gang as a chief and the remaining petitioners are members of the gang. They are running a criminal syndicate. They are dangerous to the public at large. Even after taking preventive action, there was no improvement in the behaviour of the petitioners and the authorities constrained to take action for externment against the petitioners and their members of the gang under Section 55 of the Act. Both the authorities have applied their judicious mind and after recording subjective satisfaction, arrived at proper conclusion. There is no legal defect in the order of externment as well as the decision of the appellate authority. He, therefore, submitted that no interfere is called for in the order of externment passed by the Superintendent of Police, Nandurbar. 10 Cri.WPs. 633, 642 n 685 of 2022 of 2022.odt 9 The following criminal record is considered by the externing authority / Superintendent of Police, Nandurbar for taking action of externment : “१) टोळी पमुख अ.क. १ गोववद यशवंत सामुदे व तयाचे साथीदार अ.क. ०२ ते १६ यांचेववरधद दाखल गुनहे अ.नं. पोलीस ठाणे गु.रजज.नं कलम ०१ नंदुरबार शहर ०२ नंदुरबार शहर ७३४/२०२१ भा.द.वव.का.क. ३५३, ३३६, ३३७, १४३, १४५, १४७, १४९, २६८, २६९ २९०, ४२७ सह महा.पो.का. कलम ३७(१)(३) चे उलंघन १३५ व १४० पमाणे ७३५/२०२१ भा.द.वव.का. कलम १४३, १४७, १४९, ४३५, ३३६, ४२७ सह महा. पो.का. कलम ३७ (१) (३) चे उलंघन १३५ पमाणे कोटर के स कमांक -- सद सथीती पोलीस तपासावर -- पोलीस तपासावर २) टीळी पमुख अ.क. ०१ गोववदं यशवंत सामुदे व तयाचे साथीदार अ.क. ०२ व ०६ यांचे ववरद दाखल गुनहे ०१ नंदुरबार शहर २२४/२०१८ १४६, १४३, भा.द.वव. १४९, ३५३, ३२३, ५०४, ५०६ सह मु.पो.का. कलम ३७ (१)(३) चे उलंघन १३५ पमाणे RCC NO. ५७/२०१९, वद. २३/०४/२०१९ कोटर पेनडीग ३) टोळी पमुख अ.क. ०१ गोववदं यशवंत सामुदे याचे ववरधद दाखल गुनहे ०१ नंदुरबार शहर १००/२०१९ म.पो. का. कलम १४२ पमाणे STC NO ४३४/२०२० वद. १३/२/२०२० कोटर पेनडीग ४) टोळी पमुख अ.क. ०१ गोववदं यशवंत सामुदे व तयाचे साथीदार कमांक ०२ व ०६ ववरधद दाखल गुनहे ०१ उपनगर पो. सटे १५२/२०१६ भा.द.वव.का. कलम १४३, १४७, १४८, १४९, ५०४, ५०६, ३२४, ४५२, ३२३ सह आमर अॅकट ४ व २५ सह मु.पो.का. कलम ३७(१)(३) चे उलंघन १३५ पमाणे RCC NO. १८८/२०१७, वद. १२/१०/२०१७ कोटर पेनडीग 11 Cri.WPs. 633, 642 n 685 of 2022 of 2022.odt ०२ उपनगर पो. सटे १५३/२०१६ भा.द.वव.का. कलम १४३, ३३२, ३३६, १४७, १४८, सह मु.पो.का. कलम १४९, ३७(१)(३) चे उलंघन १३५ पमाणे RCC NO. २१३/२०१७, वद. २२/११/२०१७ कोटर पेनडीग ५) टोळी पमुख अ.क. ०१ गोववदं यशवंत सामुदे व तयाचे साथीदार कमांक ०६ ववरधद दाखल गुनहे ०१ उपनगर पो. सटे ७३/२०१६ भा.द.वव.का. १४८, १४९ १४३, १४७, RCC NO. ३७/२०१७, वद. ०२/०२/२०१७ कोटर पेनडीग ६) टोळी पमुख अ.क. ०१ गोववदं यशवंत सामुदे व तयाचे साथीदार कमांक ०२ व ०६ ववरद दाखल गुनहे ०१ नंदुरबार शहर पोलीस ठाणे १८६/२०१८ भा.द.वव.का. कलम १४३, १४६, १४९, ३५३, ३२३, ५०४, ५०६ सेशन के स नं. NO. २८/२०१९, वद. २१/०६/२०१९ कोटर पेनडीग ७) टोळी तील सदसय साथीदार कमांक ०६ याचे ववरद दाखल गुनहे ०१ उपनगर पोलीस ठाणे ८७/२०१९ म.पो.का. कलम १४२ पमाणे STC NO २०१९ १४०/ वद. २६/०३/२०२० कोटर पेनडीग टोळी पमुख व तयाचे टोळीतील सदसयांवर करणयात आलेली पततबंधातमक कारवाई अ.नं. पोलीस ठाणे पसताव कमांक व कलम आरोपीत नाव ०१ उपनगर पोलीस ठाणे ०२ उपनगर पो.सटे. ०३ उपनगर पो.सटे. ०४ नंदुरबार शहर पोलीस ठाणे १) चॅ.के .नं. २३७/ २०१६ सी.आर.पी.सी. १०७ पमाणे वद. २९/१२/२०१६ ६३/ २) चॅ.के .नं. २०१७ सी.आर.पी.सी. १०७ पमाणे वद. १२/०६/२०१७ कलम ३) चॅ.के .नं. १२७/ २०१६ सी.आर.पी.सी. कलम १०७ पमाणे वद. ३०/०८/२०१६ १) चॅ.के .नं. २०६/ २०१६ सी.आर.पी.सी. कलम १०७ पमाणे वद. ०९/१२/२०१६ २) चॅ.के .नं. ६५/ २०१७ सौ.आर.पी.सी. १०७ पमाणे वद. १४/०६/२०१७ १) चॅ.के .नं. ६२/ १०७ पमाणे वद. १२/०६/ २०१७ सी.आर.पी.सी. २०१७ २) चॅ.के .नं. १२६/ २०१६ सी. आर.पी.सी. कलम १०७ पमाणे वद. ३०/०८/२०१६ कलम कलम गोववद यशवंत सामुदे, वय-३० वरर, रा. जसधदाथर चौक, लहान माळीवाडा, नंदुरबार गोपी यशवंत सामुदे, वय-३३ वरर, रा. जसधदाथर चौक, लहान माळीवाडा, नंदुरबार गौतम मंगलससग खैरनार, वय- २६ वरर, जुनी पोलीस नंदुरबार ता.जज. नंदुरबार लाईन, रा. १) चॅ.के .नं. ३२/ २०२० सी.आर.पी.सी. १०७ पमाणे वद. ०९/०२/२०२० कलम वदपक शयाम ठाकरे, चचचपाडा रा. वदपा ऊरर वय- २२ वरर, भभलाटी, नंदुरबार 12 Cri.WPs. 633, 642 n 685 of 2022 of 2022.odt अ.नं. पोलीस ठाणे पसताव कमांक व कलम ०५ ०६ ०७ नंदुरबार शहर पो.सटे. नंदुरबार शहर पो.सटे. नंदुरबार शहर पो.सटे. ०८ पोलीस अतधकक कायारलय, नंदुरबार १) चॅ.के .नं. ३३/ २०२० सी.आर.पी.सी. १०७ पमाणे वद. ०९/०२/२०२० १) चॅ.के .नं. १४/ २०२० सी.आर.पी.सी. ११० पमाणे वद. ०१/०८/२०२० १) चॅ.के .नं. ११/ २०२१ सी.आर.पी.सी. ११० पमाणे वद. ०९/०५/२०२१ कलम कलम कलम जावक कमांक २९०/सथा.गु.अ.शा/ महा. पो. अतध. २७११/२०१८, वद. ११/०९/ २०१८ अनवये १९५५ चे कलम ५५ अनवये हदपार आदेश/ / आरोपीत नाव सतचन शयाम ठाकरे, वय-२० वरर, भभलाटी, रा. चचचपाडा नंदुरबार अंबालाल जयससग ठाकरे, वय- २१ वरर, रा. चचचपाडा भभलाटी, नंदुरबार अकय अवनल वळवी वय- २२ रा. वरर भभलाटी चचचपाडा नंदुरबार गोववद यशवंत सामुदे, २) गोपी यशवंत सामुदे, २) ३) गौतम मंगलससग खैरनार यांना ०१ वरर कालावधीकरीता जजलहा नंदुरबार व जजलहा वनझर जसमेलगत असलेले (गुजरात) कु करमु तापी येथुन ०१ वरर कालावधीकरीता पोलीस अतधकक सो, मा. वद. यांनी नंदुरबार ११/०९/ २०१८ अनवये हदपार के ले आहे.” जज. ंडा 10 Having regard to the above details of crime record shown in the chart, it would reveal that preventive action has been taken against some of the petitioners by filing chapter cases under Section 107 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, which cannot be said to be sufficient material for externment. 11 So far as remaining criminal record as stated in the above chart against the respective petitioners is concerned, it would be clear that Crime No.100 of 2019 registered at Nandurbar City Police Station, for the offence under Section 142 of the said Act against 13 Cri.WPs. 633, 642 n 685 of 2022 of 2022.odt Petitioner / Govind Samudre alone and same is pending before the Court. Crime No.224 of 2018, registered at Nandurbar City Police Station is only against Petitioner / Govind Samudre and his associates No.2 Gopi Yashwant Samudre and Gautam Mangalsing Khairnar. There are in all nine criminal cases pending against the respective petitioners and others before the concerned Court. However, requirement under Section 55 of the said Act action against the gang / body of persons or members thereof is not complied. The crimes, which have been registered against the respective petitioners at concerned police stations, most of them are found to be individual character and not as a member of the gang or chief of the gang. 12 It is rightly pointed out by the learned counsels for the respective petitioners that practically on the same record, petitioner Nos.1 and 2 in Criminal Writ Petition No.642 of 2022 came to be externed for a period of one year by externment order dated 11 th September, 2018. Certainly how that record again can be used against the petitioners for externment. It is not permissible under the law. The learned counsels for the respective petitioners pointed out following important factual aspects regarding selective approach by the Authority: 14 Cri.WPs. 633, 642 n 685 of 2022 of 2022.odt i) In Crime No.734 of 2021, registered at Nandurbar City Police Station, there are in all 37 accused persons, however, action is taken only against 14 persons. ii) In Crime No.735 of 2021, registered at Nandurbar City Police Station, there are in all 19 accused persons, however, action is taken only against 15 persons. iii) In Crime No.224 of 2018, registered at Nandurbar City Police Station, there are in all 29 accused persons, however, action is taken only against 3 persons. iv) In Crime No.100 of 2019, registered at Nandurbar City Police Station, there is only one accused person. v) In Crime No.152 of 2016, registered at Upanagar Police Station, there are in all 12 accused persons, however, action is taken only against 3 persons. vi) In Crime No.153 of 2016, registered at Upanagar Police Station, there are in all 27 accused persons, however, action is taken only against 3 persons. vii) In Crime No.73 of 2016, registered at Upanagar Police Station, there are only two accused persons. 15 Cri.WPs. 633, 642 n 685 of 2022 of 2022.odt viii) In Crime No.186 of 2018, registered at Nandurbar City Police Station, there are only three accused persons. ix) In Crime No.87 of 2011, registered at Upanagar Police Station, there is only one accused person. It is rightly pointed out by the learned counsels of the respective petitioners that action is not taken against all the members of the so- called gang. The action for externment is taken against certain persons by making selective approach, which is not permissible. 13 A useful reference can be made to the decision of the
Decision
O R D E R I. The Criminal Writ Petition Nos.633, 642 and 685 of 2022 are hereby allowed. II. The impugned order of externment passed by the Superintendent of Police, Nandurbar dated 21st December, 2021 and confirmed by the learned Divisional Commissioner, Nashik Division, Nashik in Externment Appeal No.8 of 2022 vide order dated 1st April, 2022, are hereby quashed and set aside. III. No order as to costs. IV. The petitions are accordingly disposed of. nga [ SHRIKANT D. KULKARNI, J. ]