High Court
Case Details
Neutral Citation No. - 2024:AHC:159606 Court No. - 74 Case :- APPLICATION U/S 482 No. - 17550 of 2024 Applicant :- Vijay Bahadur And 3 Others Opposite Party :- State of U.P. and Another Counsel for Applicant :- Ashish Srivastava Counsel for Opposite Party :- G.A. Hon'ble Saurabh Shyam Shamshery,J. 1. Heard Sri Prashant Pandey, Advocate holding brief of Sri Ashish Srivastava,
Legal Reasoning
to the conclusion that there is a prima facie case against the accused. No doubt, that the order need not contain detailed reasons. A reference in this respect could be made to the judgment of this Court in the case of Sunil Bharti Mittal v. Central Bureau of Investigation, (2015) 4 SCC 609 which reads thus: "51. On the other hand, Section 204 of the Code deals with the issue of process, if in the opinion of the Magistrate taking cognizance of an offence, there is sufficient ground for proceeding. This section relates to commencement of a criminal proceeding. If the Magistrate taking cognizance of a case (it may be the Magistrate receiving the complaint or to whom it has been transferred under Section 192), upon a consideration of the materials before him (i.e. the complaint, examination of the complainant and his witnesses, if present, or report of inquiry, if any), thinks that there is a prima facie case for proceeding in respect of an offence, he shall issue process against the accused. 52. A wide discretion has been given as to grant or refusal of process and it must be judicially exercised. A person ought not to be dragged into court merely because a complaint has been filed. If a prima facie case has been made out, the Magistrate ought to issue process and it cannot be refused merely because he thinks that it is unlikely to result in a conviction. 53. However, the words "sufficient ground for proceeding" appearing in Section 204 are of immense importance. It is these words which amply suggest that an opinion is to be formed only after due application of mind that there is sufficient basis for proceeding against the said accused and formation of such an opinion is to be stated in the order itself. The order is liable to be set aside if no reason is given therein while coming to the conclusion that there is prima facie case against the accused, though the order need not contain detailed reasons. A fortiori, the order would be bad in law if the reason given turns out to be ex facie incorrect." 5. In view of above discussion, I find that it is a fit case where inherent powers of this Court can be exercised. 6. Accordingly, impugned order dated 18.07.2022 passed by Judicial Magistrate, Court No. 11, Deoria in Complaint Case No. 13429 of 2021 (Smt. Prabhawati Devi vs. Vijay Bahadur and others), under Sections 323, 452, 427 IPC, Police Station Khukhundu, District Deoria, is hereby set aside. Matter is remitted back to Trial Court concerned to pass a fresh order in accordance with law after hearing complainant only as well as taking note of judgments passed by Supreme Court in Lalankumar Singh (supara) and Mohammad Wajid and another vs. State of U.P. and others, 2023 SCC OnLine SC 951, expeditiously, preferably within a period of three months from today, if there is no legal impediment.
Arguments
learned counsel for applicants and perused the record. 2. This Court has again encountered with an unreasoned impugned summoning order wherein neither facts nor date of occurrence nor contents of complaint nor contents of statements recorded are mentioned and still applicants are summoned. For reference, impugned order dated 18.07.2022 passed by Judicial Magistrate, Court No. 11, Deoria, is reproduced hereinafter-: “पतत्रावलली पपेश हहयली। पररिवत्राददिनली शलीमतली प्रभत्रावतली दिपेवली कपे दवदत्रान अधधिवकत्रा कको तलबली परि ससुनत्रा गयत्रा। पररिवत्राददिनली शलीमतली प्रभत्रावतली दिपेवली दत्रारित्रा यह पररिवत्रादि अदभयसुकगण दवजय बहत्रादिसुरि , रिकोदहत रित्राहहल औरि अदभषपेक यत्रादिव कपे दवरूद्ध अन्तगरत धित्रारित्रा 323, 504, 506, 452,427,392, भत्रा०दिदं० सदं० कपे तहत प्रस्तसुत दकयत्रा गयत्रा हहै। पररिवत्राददिनली नपे अपनपे पररिवत्रादि पत कपे समररन मम स्वयदं कत्रा बयत्रान धित्रारित्रा 200 दिदं०प्र०सदं०. व धित्रारित्रा 202 दिदं०प्र०सदं० कपे तहत गवत्राहन रित्राधिपेश्यत्राम औरि दतलकोककी प्रसत्रादि कको परिलीदक्षित दकयत्रा गयत्रा हहै। दिस्तत्रावपेजली सत्राक्ष्य मपे एस०पली० दिपेवररियत्रा कपे पत्रास भपेजपे गयपे प्रत्राररनत्रा पत ककी प्रदत रिधजसटट ली रिसलीदि, आघत्रात आख्यत्रा व अन्य प्रपत पतत्रावलली परि प्रस्तसुत दकयत्रा गयत्रा हहै। मपेरिपे दत्रारित्रा पतत्रावलली कत्रा अवलकोकन दकयत्रा गयत्रा । पतत्रावलली कपे अवलकोकन सपे स्पष्ट हहै दक पररिवत्राददिनली कपे बयत्रान अदंतगरत धित्रारित्रा 200 दि०प्र०सदं० एवदं पररिवत्राददिनली ककी ओरि सपे परिलीदक्षित करित्रायपे गयपे सत्रादक्षियको कपे सत्राक्ष्य अदंतगरत धित्रारित्रा 202 दिदं०प्र०सदं० एवदं पतत्रावलली परि उपलब्धि सत्राक्ष्यको कपे आधित्रारि परि अदभयसुकगण दवजय बहत्रादिसुरि, रिकोदहत, रित्राहहल औरि अदभषपेक यत्रादिव दत्रारित्रा धित्रारित्रा 323, 452, 427, भत्रा०दिदं०सदं० कत्रा अपरित्राधि कत्राररित दकयत्रा जत्रानत्रा प्ररम दृष्टयत्रा मत्रामलत्रा बनतत्रा प्रतलीत हकोतत्रा हहै अततः उपरिकोक अदभयसुकगण उक मत्रामलपे मम दवचत्रारिण हपेतसु आहहत दकयपे जत्रानपे यकोग्य हहै। आदिपेश अदभयसुक दवजय बहत्रादिसुरि, रिकोदहत, रित्राहहल औरि अदभषपेक यत्रादिव कको धित्रारित्रा 323, 452, 427 भत्रा०दिदं०सदं० मम जररियपे सम्मन तलब दकयत्रा जत्रातत्रा हहै। पररिवत्राददिनली पहैरिवली अन्दिरि 10 ददिन करिपे पतत्रावलली वत्रास्तपे हत्राधजरिली अदभयसुकगण ददि० 06.08.2022 कको पपेश हको।" 3. This Court has already taken a serious note of similar summoning order passed in the case of Bangali Rathore and 3 others vs. State of U.P. and another, 2024:AHC:118989. 4. A judgment of Supreme Court in Lalankumar Singh and another vs. State of Maharashtra, 2022 SCC Online SC 1383 is relevant on this issue and its relevant paragraphs are mentioned below -: "38. The order of issuance of process is not an empty formality. The Magistrate is required to apply his mind as to whether sufficient ground for proceeding exists in the case or not. The formation of such an opinion is required to be stated in the order itself. The order is liable to be set aside if no reasons are given therein while coming
Decision
7. With aforesaid observations/ directions, the application is disposed of. 8. A copy of this order be sent to Hon'ble Administrative Judge, Deoria in regard to nature of order passed by concerned Officer. 9. Registrar (Compliance) to take steps. Order Date :- 30.9.2024 AK