High Court
Case Details
Neutral Citation No. - 2024:AHC:115326 Court No. - 74 Case :- APPLICATION U/S 482 No. - 9210 of 2024 Applicant :- Smt Shivani Tyagi And 4 Others Opposite Party :- State Of Up And 2 Others Counsel for Applicant :- Pawan Singh Pundir Counsel for Opposite Party :- G.A. Hon'ble Saurabh Shyam Shamshery,J.
Legal Reasoning
The law as regards issuance of process in criminal cases is well settled. At the complaint stage, the Magistrate is merely concerned with the allegations made out in the complaint and has only to prima facie satisfy whether there are sufficient grounds to proceed against the accused and it is not the province of the Magistrate to enquire into a detailed discussion on the merits or demerits of the case. The scope of enquiry under Section 202 is extremely limited in the sense that the Magistrate, at this stage, is expected to examine prima facie the truth or falsehood of the allegations made in the complaint. Magistrate is not expected to embark upon a detailed discussion of the merits or demerits, of the case, but only consider the inherent probabilities apparent on the statement made in the complaint." धसरस 406,420,500 पथमदषटस आधसर पसयस जसतस हह।" कल ददषगत रखतक हहए दवपकठगण कल भस०द०सअ० कक अनतगरत तलब दकयक जसनक कस 4. Mr. Arpit Mishra, Amicus Curiae further submits that even the contents of the statements are considered to be true, still no offence is made out under Section 406 and 420 IPC since there is absolutely no averment in this regard that either there was any entrustment or any cheating was conducted. The learned trial court has passed the impugned order on foreign facts. 5. So far as Section 500 IPC is concerned, Mr.Arpit Mishra submits that the learned trial court has not considered Exception-8 to Section 499 IPC (Defamation). For ready reference Exception-8 of Section 499 IPC is produced herein after: "Eighth Exception.—Accusation preferred in good faith to authorised person.—It is not defamation to prefer in good faith an accusation against any person to any of those who have lawful authority over that person with respect to the subject-matter of accusation." 6. It is evident from the contents of the complaint that complainant has filed a criminal complaint, since their names were exonerated after investigation and alleged that they were defamed. 7. In view of the aforesaid circumstances, this Court is of the considered opinion that the impugned order does not legally survive since it was passed without application of mind. However, since this order is passed even without issuing notice to opposite party No.2, therefore, the matter is remitted back to learned trial court to pass a fresh order taking note of above referred observations as well as also taking note of Kishore Bal Krishna Nand vs. State of Maharashtra and another (2023) INSC 675 on issue of exception to Section 499 IPC.
Arguments
1. This application under Section 482 Cr.P.C. is filed by Sri Pawan Singh Pundir, learned counsel for the applicants, however, he is not present. 2. The applicants have prayed to invoke the inherent jurisdiction of this Court, therefore, I have perused the impugned order dated 20.2.2024, whereby the applicants are summoned under Sections 406, 420 and 500 IPC as well as contents of complaint and statements recorded under Sections 200 and 202 Cr.P.C. and I find that there is merit in the case, therefore, I requested Mr.Arpit Mishra (AOR-0438/23) and Sri Rakesh Kumar Mishra, learned AGA to assist the Court as Amicus Curiae. 3. Mr. Arpit Mishra, Amicus Curiae, has read the impugned order in its entirety and for reference, the same is reproduced herein after: “ पततवलल आददश हदतत पदश हहई। तलबल कद कक पपवर सतनत जत चतकत हह। आज पततवलल कत समयक अवलककन बकयत। बबनदत पर पररवतदल कद बवदतन अधधवकत पररवतदल कक ओर सद हदतत तलब बकयद जतनद हदतत यकधजत बकयत गयत हह। बवपकलगण कक पररवतद पत मम वबणरत धतरतओओ मम बवचतरण बक बवपकनल स० 1 सओकदप मम पररवतदल कत कथन हह तत 5 सद 0524/2021 323,324,498 ए, 506 दवरद दजर करस ददयस थस। / वसअदछत बवपकल सओ० 2 एफ० आई० आर० स०- एक झझठठ फजर बनसम अअशशल तयसगठ आदद अअतगरत धसरस- आई०पठ०सठ० थसनस मअगललर मम पररवसदठगण कक दववकचक दसरस ददरसन दववकचनस नसमजद मलदहत व सअधयस कक नसमजदगठ गलत पसयठ जसनक कक ससज करकक सरकसर उक कक स मम दतरत लसख रपयक 10-10 वयदक एवअ सभठ ददयस तथस 3/4 दववकचनस पझणर कर कसरण मशकदमस उपरलक सक इनकस नसम हटस धसरस - 323,498,506 दहकज अधधदनयम कक आई०पठ०सठ० व अनतगरत आरलप पत पकदषत कर ददयस। दवपकठगण कक दसरस झझठक कथनल पर दजर करसयक गयक मशकदमम कक जसनकसरठ पररवसदठगण कक आस पडलस मम रहनक वसलक ररशतकदसरल कल हलनक कक कसरण पररयसदठगण कल उनकक ससमनक शदमरदस हलनसअ पडस हह तथस पररवसदठगण कक समसधजक पदतषस कल अघसत हहआ हह तथस मसनधसक कष हहआ हह। धजस कसरण बतदर कदतपझदतर कक दसरस दजर रप मम दवपकठगण सक करसथर गयठ एफ०आई०आर० कक दतधथ 12.04.2021 ददनसक पदतशत वसदषरक बयसज कक रसदश अननतम अदसयगठ कक दतधथ तक सअयशक रप सक यस रसयअदसलत अलग अलग पसप करनक कक अधधकसरठ हह। पररवसदठ दसरस पररवसद कक कथनन कक समथरन मम सवयअ कल धसरस 200 दअ०प०सअ० एव ससकठगण मलदहत तयसगठ, कदपल व कक षणवठर कल धसरस 202 दअ०प०सअ० कक अनतगरत परठदकत करसयस हह तथस अदभलकखठय ससकय कक रप मम सवयअ कस शपथ पत, आधसर कसडर आदद कक छसयसपदतयसअ दसधखल कक गयठ हह। दवपकनठ स० दतधध सक अननतम अदसयगठ कक सक 1.2021 सक मय 18 1 दवददत हह बयसन धसरस 200 व 202 दक पररवसदठ नक अपनक बयसन धसरस दअ०प०सअ० कक अनतगरत पररवसद कक तथयन कल पझणरतय ससदबत दकयस हह दअ०प०सअ० कक अनतगरत परठदकत ससकठ नक पररवसदठ कक पतसवलठ पर कक अवललकन सक 200 तथस धसरस 202 कथनन कस समथरन दकयस हह। पररवसदठ कक पररवसद पत, दअ०प०सअ० व उसकक ओर सक दसधखल अदभलकखठय ससकय तथस मसननठय नयसयसलय दसरस पसररत Flona Shrikhande v. State of दवधध Maharashtra, AIR 2014 SC 957, it was observed as laid down under: "We are, in this case, concerned only with the question as to whether, on a reading of the complaint, a prima facie case has been made out or not to issue process by the Magistrate.” वयवसथस
Decision
8. With the aforesaid observation/direction, this application under Section 482 Cr.P.C. stands disposed of. 9. The Court appreciate the quick assistance given by Sri Arpit Mishra, Advocate (AOR-0438/23) as Amicus Curiae, therefore, it is directed that he be paid Rs.3,000/- by the High Court Legal Services Committee for his quick assistance. 10. Registrar (Compliance) to take steps. Order Date :- 19.7.2024 LN Tripathi