High Court · 2025

1. Heard Sri Ramesh Kumar Singh, Advocate holding brief of Sri Uday Gopal, learned counsel for applicant and Sri Bhupendra Pal Singh, learned A.G.A. for State.

2. This is third round of litigation. The petitioner has approached earlier, firstly by way of filing an application under Section 482 Cr.P.C. bearing No.7259 of 2022, challenging the charge-sheet dated 09.10.2022 and cognizance order dated 11.11.2021, which was disposed of by an order dated 13.07.2022.

3. In the aforesaid circumstances, a fresh order was passed on 22.05.2024, which was challenged before this Court in second application under Section 482 Cr.P.C. No.28276 of 2024, which was disposed of by an dated 23.09.2024. For reference relevant part thereof is reproduced hereinafter :- "4. In aforesaid circumstances, impugned order dated 22.05.2024 passed by Metropolitan Magistrate-VIII, Kanpur Nagar in Complaint Case No. 6430/2022 (State vs. Rajesh Kumar and others) arising out of Case Crime NO. 12/2021 U/s 420, 120-B IPC, Police Station- Sisamau, District- Kanpur Nagar, pending before Metropolitan Magistrate-VIII, Kanpur Nagar is hereby set aside and concerned Court is directed to verify above referred compromise filed on 25.07.2022 in accordance with law.

5. Registry is directed to return certified copy of compromise affidavit annexed in this application to learned counsel for applicants and learned counsel will file the same before trial Court within a week.

6. Application stands disposed of with above observations."

4. In pursuance of above order, learned Trial Court has passed following order on 26.11.2024. In present application, aforesaid order is under challenge :- "पतቔኋवलली आददेशቔኋरर ्ቚस्ततुत हहई। पतቔኋवलली अभभियतु्ሹगण हदेमलतቔኋ तरቔኋ भिቔኋननू ्ቚतቔኋप ससिह कदे असधिव्ሹቔኋ दቔኋरቔኋ ्ቚस्ततुत ्ቚቔኋररनቔኋपत भदनቔኋभकत 16.11.2024 कदे भनस्तቔኋरण हदेततु भनयत हहै। पतቔኋवलली मम मቔኋननलीय उच्च न्यቔኋयቔኋलय कदे दቔኋरቔኋ ्ቚቔኋररनቔኋपत अन्तगरत धिቔኋरቔኋ 482 सिसंख्यቔኋ 28267/2024 मम पቔኋररत आददेश भदनቔኋभक। 23.09.2024 कदे मቔኋध्यम सिदे सितुलहनቔኋमቔኋ सिदे सिम्बनन्धित शपरपत कቔኋ सित्यቔኋपन करቔኋयदे जቔኋनदे हदेततु आददेश भकयቔኋ गयቔኋ रቔኋ। सजसि पर अभभियतु्ሹगण नदे शलीमतली ककष्णቔኋ ददेवली कदे हलफनቔኋमቔኋ कको पतቔኋवलली पर दቔኋसखिल भकयቔኋ गयቔኋ रቔኋ. भकन्ततु न्यቔኋयቔኋलय कदे दቔኋरቔኋ यह पቔኋयቔኋ गयቔኋ रቔኋ भक वቔኋभदनली ककष्णቔኋ ददेवली जको हलफनቔኋमቔኋ ककी शपरकतቔኋर भिली हहै उनककी मकत्यतु हको चतुककी हहै। अभभियतु्ሹ कदे असधिव्ሹቔኋ दቔኋरቔኋ ्ቚቔኋररनቔኋपत कदे मቔኋध्यम सिदे यह करन भकयቔኋ गयቔኋ हहै भक वदे वቔኋभदनली ककष्णቔኋ ददेवली तरቔኋ अभभियतु्ሹगण कदे बलीच हहए सिमझझौतदे कदे असधिव्ሹቔኋ रदे , तरቔኋ शपरकतቔኍ नदे अपनቔኋ भनशቔኋनली अगनूठቔኋ उनकदे सिम्ቌ लगቔኋयቔኋ रቔኋ ,। अततः सिमझझौतቔኋ पत भदनቔኋसंभकत 27.07.2021 मम लगቔኋ भनशቔኋनली अगनूठቔኋ कको भफगर भ्ቚन्ट एक्सिपटर सिदे भमलቔኋन करवቔኋकर मतुकदमदे कቔኋ भनस्तቔኋरण कर भदयቔኋ जቔኋए। असधिव्ሹቔኋ ककी ओर सिदे यह भिली करन भकयቔኋ गयቔኋ हहै भक उनकदे पቔኋसि सिमझझौतቔኋ भदनቔኋसंभकत 27.07.2021 कቔኋ वलीभडियको सितुरभ्ቌत हहै तरቔኋ वलीभडियकोगቔኋफकी कदे मቔኋध्यम सिदे भिली सित्यቔኋपन करቔኋयቔኋ जቔኋ सिकतቔኋ हहै। मदेरदे दቔኋरቔኋ असधिव्ሹቔኋ ककी बहसि कको सितुनቔኋ गयቔኋ तरቔኋ पतቔኋवलली कቔኋ अवलकोकन भकयቔኋ गयቔኋ । अवलकोकन सिदे भवभदत हहै भक सजसि सितुलहनቔኋमदे कቔኋ हवቔኋलቔኋ अभभियतु्ሹगण कदे दቔኋरቔኋ भदयቔኋ जቔኋ रहቔኋ हहै वह भदनቔኋक 27.07.2021 कको नकोटरली पर भदयቔኋ गयቔኋ एक शपरपत हहै . जको भक सिहቔኋयक पतुसलसि कभमश्नर कको ्ቚदेभषित भकयቔኋ गयቔኋ हहै। मቔኋननलीय उच्च न्यቔኋयቔኋलय कदे दቔኋरቔኋ इसि न्यቔኋयቔኋलय कको सितुलह-सिमझझौतቔኋ कदे शपरपत कको सित्यቔኋपन करनदे हदेततु आददेभशत भकयቔኋ गयቔኋ रቔኋ। उ्ሹ सित्यቔኋपन प्ቌकቔኋरोሲ कदे न्यቔኋयቔኋलय मम आनदे सिदे सिसंभिव यቔኋ सजसिसिदे न्यቔኋयቔኋलय इसि बቔኋत ककी तस्दलीक कर सिकदे भक वदे भबनቔኋ भकसिली दबቔኋव कदे सिकोच-सिमझकर स्वतसंत इच्छቔኋ सिदे सितुलह कर रहली हहै। असधिव्ሹቔኋ कदे दቔኋरቔኋ ्ቚदेभषित ्ቚቔኋररनቔኋपत कदे अनतुसिቔኋर हस्तቔኋ्ቌर कदे भमलቔኋन कदे उपरቔኋन्त वቔኋभदनली मतुकदमቔኋ ककी स्वतन्त इच्छቔኋ सिदे सितुलहनቔኋमቔኋ कदे भनष्पቔኋदन कቔኋ भनष्कषिर नहीሻ भनकቔኋलቔኋ जቔኋ सिकतቔኋ हहै। इसिकदे सिቔኋर हली सिቔኋर उ्ሹ शपरपत पतुसलसि कभमश्नर कको ्ቚदेभषित नकोटरली पर जቔኋरली हहै । जहቔኋाሺ तक वलीभडियकोगቔኋफकी कदे सित्यቔኋपन कቔኋ ्ቚश्न हहै तको इसि सिम्बनቔኋ मम भिली मቔኋननलीय उच्च न्यቔኋयቔኋलय कदे दቔኋरቔኋ इसि न्यቔኋयቔኋलय कको ससिफर शपरपत कको सित्यቔኋभपत करनदे कቔኋ आददेश ्ቚቔኋ्቎ रቔኋ। उपरकोकቔኋ कቔኋरणोሲ सिदे. असधिव्ሹቔኋ दቔኋरቔኋ ्ቚदेभषित ्ቚቔኋररनቔኋपत स्वलीकቔኋर भकयदे जቔኋनदे यकोग्य नहीሻ हहै। आददेश ्ቚቔኋररनቔኋपत भनरस्त भकयቔኋ जቔኋतቔኋ हहै। पतቔኋवलली सितुलहनቔኋमቔኋ कदे सिदभिर मम मቔኋननलीय उच्च न्यቔኋयቔኋलय कको नस्रभत अवगत करቔኋनदे कदे बቔኋवत पत ्ቚदेभषित करनदे हदेततु भदनቔኋक 28.11.24 कको पदेश हको।"

5. Learned counsel for applicant submits that order passed by this Court in earlier round of litigation was not followed in black and white. Learned counsel for applicant refers Section 279 and 281 of BNSS , 2023. For reference the same is reproduced hereinafter :- "Section 279

279. (1) If the summons has been issued on complaint, and on the day appointed for the appearance of the accused, or any day subsequent thereto to which the hearing may be adjourned, the complainant does not appear, the Magistrate shall, notwithstanding anything hereinbefore contained, acquit the accused, unless for some reason he thinks it proper to adjourn the hearing of the case to some other day: Provided that where the complainant is represented by a pleader or by the officer conducting the prosecution or where the Magistrate is of opinion that the personal attendance of the complainant is not necessary, the Magistrate may, dispense with his attendance and proceed with the case. Section 281

281. In any summons-case instituted otherwise than upon complaint, a Magistrate of the first class or, with the previous sanction of the Chief Judicial Magistrate, any other Judicial Magistrate, may, for reasons to be recorded by him, stop the proceedings at any stage without pronouncing any judgment and where such stoppage of proceedings is made after the evidence of the principal witnesses has been recorded, pronounce a judgment of acquittal, and in any other case, release the accused, and such release shall have the effect of discharge."

6. As referred above, Section 279 would be applicable, when a summon is issued to a complaint, however, said stage has still not reached, since charge has still not framed, whereas Section 281 will be applicable only after evidence of principle witness was recorded, therefore, the present case does not fall within any referred sections. The other argument is in regard of Section 27 of B.S.A., 2023, which is reproduced hereinafter :- "Section 27 : Relevancy of certain evidence for proving, in subsequent proceeding, truth of facts therein stated. Evidence given by a witness in a judicial proceeding, or before any person authorised by law to take it, is relevant for the purpose of proving, in a subsequent judicial proceeding, or in a later stage of the same judicial proceeding, the truth of the facts which it states, when the witness is dead or cannot be found, or is incapable of giving evidence, or is kept out of the way by the adverse party, or if his presence cannot be obtained without an amount of delay or expense which, under the circumstances of the case, the Court considers unreasonable: Provided that the proceeding was between the same parties or their representatives in interest; that the adverse party in the first proceeding had the right and opportunity to cross-examine and the questions in issue were substantially the same in the first as in the second proceeding. Explanation.--A criminal trial or inquiry shall be deemed to be a proceeding between the prosecutor and the accused within the meaning of this section."

7. Learned A.G.A. for State on basis of contents of above section submits that learned Trial Court at present stage can not verify a compromise in absence of complainant since she has expired. The compromise may be considered in terms of aforesaid section as a relevant document at later stage during the trial only, subject to rival arguments.

8. I have considered the above submission, however, at this stage, since even charges are not framed, therefore, consideration of evidence in terms of Section 27 of B.S.A., 2023 is misplaced. Presently, the case is at stage of order of summon and a consideration of a compromise and since at this stage, one party has died, therefore, compromise cannot be verified. After framing of charges, applicant will have liberty to take all legal argument on basis of above referred sections.

9. This application, therefore, has no legal basis.

10. It is informed that applicant is on anticipatory bail, however, it is not upto the trial, therefore, applicant shall appear on next date fixed and shall apply either for extension of anticipatory bail or regular bail. Learned Trial Court will proceed to frame charges and thereafter further proceed with trial in accordance with law. Present application is accordingly, disposed of. Order Date :- 6.5.2025 P. Pandey PUSHPENDRA PANDEY High Court of Judicature at Allahabad

1. Heard Sri Ramesh Kumar Singh, Advocate holding brief of Sri Uday Gopal, learned counsel for applicant and Sri Bhupendra Pal Singh, learned A.G.A. for State.

2. This is third round of litigation. The petitioner has approached earlier, firstly by way of filing an application under Section 482 Cr.P.C. bearing No.7259 of 2022, challenging the charge-sheet dated 09.10.2022 and cognizance order dated 11.11.2021, which was disposed of by an order dated 13.07.2022.

3. In the aforesaid circumstances, a fresh order was passed on 22.05.2024, which was challenged before this Court in second application under Section 482 Cr.P.C. No.28276 of 2024, which was disposed of by an dated 23.09.2024. For reference relevant part thereof is reproduced hereinafter :- "4. In aforesaid circumstances, impugned order dated 22.05.2024 passed by Metropolitan Magistrate-VIII, Kanpur Nagar in Complaint Case No. 6430/2022 (State vs. Rajesh Kumar and others) arising out of Case Crime NO. 12/2021 U/s 420, 120-B IPC, Police Station- Sisamau, District- Kanpur Nagar, pending before Metropolitan Magistrate-VIII, Kanpur Nagar is hereby set aside and concerned Court is directed to verify above referred compromise filed on 25.07.2022 in accordance with law.

5. Registry is directed to return certified copy of compromise affidavit annexed in this application to learned counsel for applicants and learned counsel will file the same before trial Court within a week.

6. Application stands disposed of with above observations."

4. In pursuance of above order, learned Trial Court has passed following order on 26.11.2024. In present application, aforesaid order is under challenge :- "पतቔኋवलली आददेशቔኋरर ्ቚस्ततुत हहई। पतቔኋवलली अभभियतु्ሹगण हदेमलतቔኋ तरቔኋ भिቔኋननू ्ቚतቔኋप ससिह कदे असधिव्ሹቔኋ दቔኋरቔኋ ्ቚस्ततुत ्ቚቔኋररनቔኋपत भदनቔኋभकत 16.11.2024 कदे भनस्तቔኋरण हदेततु भनयत हहै। पतቔኋवलली मम मቔኋननलीय उच्च न्यቔኋयቔኋलय कदे दቔኋरቔኋ ्ቚቔኋररनቔኋपत अन्तगरत धिቔኋरቔኋ 482 सिसंख्यቔኋ 28267/2024 मम पቔኋररत आददेश भदनቔኋभक। 23.09.2024 कदे मቔኋध्यम सिदे सितुलहनቔኋमቔኋ सिदे सिम्बनन्धित शपरपत कቔኋ सित्यቔኋपन करቔኋयदे जቔኋनदे हदेततु आददेश भकयቔኋ गयቔኋ रቔኋ। सजसि पर अभभियतु्ሹगण नदे शलीमतली ककष्णቔኋ ददेवली कदे हलफनቔኋमቔኋ कको पतቔኋवलली पर दቔኋसखिल भकयቔኋ गयቔኋ रቔኋ. भकन्ततु न्यቔኋयቔኋलय कदे दቔኋरቔኋ यह पቔኋयቔኋ गयቔኋ रቔኋ भक वቔኋभदनली ककष्णቔኋ ददेवली जको हलफनቔኋमቔኋ ककी शपरकतቔኋर भिली हहै उनककी मकत्यतु हको चतुककी हहै। अभभियतु्ሹ कदे असधिव्ሹቔኋ दቔኋरቔኋ ्ቚቔኋररनቔኋपत कदे मቔኋध्यम सिदे यह करन भकयቔኋ गयቔኋ हहै भक वदे वቔኋभदनली ककष्णቔኋ ददेवली तरቔኋ अभभियतु्ሹगण कदे बलीच हहए सिमझझौतदे कदे असधिव्ሹቔኋ रदे , तरቔኋ शपरकतቔኍ नदे अपनቔኋ भनशቔኋनली अगनूठቔኋ उनकदे सिम्ቌ लगቔኋयቔኋ रቔኋ ,। अततः सिमझझौतቔኋ पत भदनቔኋसंभकत 27.07.2021 मम लगቔኋ भनशቔኋनली अगनूठቔኋ कको भफगर भ्ቚन्ट एक्सिपटर सिदे भमलቔኋन करवቔኋकर मतुकदमदे कቔኋ भनस्तቔኋरण कर भदयቔኋ जቔኋए। असधिव्ሹቔኋ ककी ओर सिदे यह भिली करन भकयቔኋ गयቔኋ हहै भक उनकदे पቔኋसि सिमझझौतቔኋ भदनቔኋसंभकत 27.07.2021 कቔኋ वलीभडियको सितुरभ्ቌत हहै तरቔኋ वलीभडियकोगቔኋफकी कदे मቔኋध्यम सिदे भिली सित्यቔኋपन करቔኋयቔኋ जቔኋ सिकतቔኋ हहै। मदेरदे दቔኋरቔኋ असधिव्ሹቔኋ ककी बहसि कको सितुनቔኋ गयቔኋ तरቔኋ पतቔኋवलली कቔኋ अवलकोकन भकयቔኋ गयቔኋ । अवलकोकन सिदे भवभदत हहै भक सजसि सितुलहनቔኋमदे कቔኋ हवቔኋलቔኋ अभभियतु्ሹगण कदे दቔኋरቔኋ भदयቔኋ जቔኋ रहቔኋ हहै वह भदनቔኋक 27.07.2021 कको नकोटरली पर भदयቔኋ गयቔኋ एक शपरपत हहै . जको भक सिहቔኋयक पतुसलसि कभमश्नर कको ्ቚदेभषित भकयቔኋ गयቔኋ हहै। मቔኋननलीय उच्च न्यቔኋयቔኋलय कदे दቔኋरቔኋ इसि न्यቔኋयቔኋलय कको सितुलह-सिमझझौतቔኋ कदे शपरपत कको सित्यቔኋपन करनदे हदेततु आददेभशत भकयቔኋ गयቔኋ रቔኋ। उ्ሹ सित्यቔኋपन प्ቌकቔኋरोሲ कदे न्यቔኋयቔኋलय मम आनदे सिदे सिसंभिव यቔኋ सजसिसिदे न्यቔኋयቔኋलय इसि बቔኋत ककी तस्दलीक कर सिकदे भक वदे भबनቔኋ भकसिली दबቔኋव कदे सिकोच-सिमझकर स्वतसंत इच्छቔኋ सिदे सितुलह कर रहली हहै। असधिव्ሹቔኋ कदे दቔኋरቔኋ ्ቚदेभषित ्ቚቔኋररनቔኋपत कदे अनतुसिቔኋर हस्तቔኋ्ቌर कदे भमलቔኋन कदे उपरቔኋन्त वቔኋभदनली मतुकदमቔኋ ककी स्वतन्त इच्छቔኋ सिदे सितुलहनቔኋमቔኋ कदे भनष्पቔኋदन कቔኋ भनष्कषिर नहीሻ भनकቔኋलቔኋ जቔኋ सिकतቔኋ हहै। इसिकदे सिቔኋर हली सिቔኋर उ्ሹ शपरपत पतुसलसि कभमश्नर कको ्ቚदेभषित नकोटरली पर जቔኋरली हहै । जहቔኋाሺ तक वलीभडियकोगቔኋफकी कदे सित्यቔኋपन कቔኋ ्ቚश्न हहै तको इसि सिम्बनቔኋ मम भिली मቔኋननलीय उच्च न्यቔኋयቔኋलय कदे दቔኋरቔኋ इसि न्यቔኋयቔኋलय कको ससिफर शपरपत कको सित्यቔኋभपत करनदे कቔኋ आददेश ्ቚቔኋ्቎ रቔኋ। उपरकोकቔኋ कቔኋरणोሲ सिदे. असधिव्ሹቔኋ दቔኋरቔኋ ्ቚदेभषित ्ቚቔኋररनቔኋपत स्वलीकቔኋर भकयदे जቔኋनदे यकोग्य नहीሻ हहै। आददेश ्ቚቔኋररनቔኋपत भनरस्त भकयቔኋ जቔኋतቔኋ हहै। पतቔኋवलली सितुलहनቔኋमቔኋ कदे सिदभिर मम मቔኋननलीय उच्च न्यቔኋयቔኋलय कको नस्रभत अवगत करቔኋनदे कदे बቔኋवत पत ्ቚदेभषित करनदे हदेततु भदनቔኋक 28.11.24 कको पदेश हको।"

5. Learned counsel for applicant submits that order passed by this Court in earlier round of litigation was not followed in black and white. Learned counsel for applicant refers Section 279 and 281 of BNSS , 2023. For reference the same is reproduced hereinafter :- "Section 279

279. (1) If the summons has been issued on complaint, and on the day appointed for the appearance of the accused, or any day subsequent thereto to which the hearing may be adjourned, the complainant does not appear, the Magistrate shall, notwithstanding anything hereinbefore contained, acquit the accused, unless for some reason he thinks it proper to adjourn the hearing of the case to some other day: Provided that where the complainant is represented by a pleader or by the officer conducting the prosecution or where the Magistrate is of opinion that the personal attendance of the complainant is not necessary, the Magistrate may, dispense with his attendance and proceed with the case. Section 281

281. In any summons-case instituted otherwise than upon complaint, a Magistrate of the first class or, with the previous sanction of the Chief Judicial Magistrate, any other Judicial Magistrate, may, for reasons to be recorded by him, stop the proceedings at any stage without pronouncing any judgment and where such stoppage of proceedings is made after the evidence of the principal witnesses has been recorded, pronounce a judgment of acquittal, and in any other case, release the accused, and such release shall have the effect of discharge."

6. As referred above, Section 279 would be applicable, when a summon is issued to a complaint, however, said stage has still not reached, since charge has still not framed, whereas Section 281 will be applicable only after evidence of principle witness was recorded, therefore, the present case does not fall within any referred sections. The other argument is in regard of Section 27 of B.S.A., 2023, which is reproduced hereinafter :- "Section 27 : Relevancy of certain evidence for proving, in subsequent proceeding, truth of facts therein stated. Evidence given by a witness in a judicial proceeding, or before any person authorised by law to take it, is relevant for the purpose of proving, in a subsequent judicial proceeding, or in a later stage of the same judicial proceeding, the truth of the facts which it states, when the witness is dead or cannot be found, or is incapable of giving evidence, or is kept out of the way by the adverse party, or if his presence cannot be obtained without an amount of delay or expense which, under the circumstances of the case, the Court considers unreasonable: Provided that the proceeding was between the same parties or their representatives in interest; that the adverse party in the first proceeding had the right and opportunity to cross-examine and the questions in issue were substantially the same in the first as in the second proceeding. Explanation.--A criminal trial or inquiry shall be deemed to be a proceeding between the prosecutor and the accused within the meaning of this section."

7. Learned A.G.A. for State on basis of contents of above section submits that learned Trial Court at present stage can not verify a compromise in absence of complainant since she has expired. The compromise may be considered in terms of aforesaid section as a relevant document at later stage during the trial only, subject to rival arguments.

8. I have considered the above submission, however, at this stage, since even charges are not framed, therefore, consideration of evidence in terms of Section 27 of B.S.A., 2023 is misplaced. Presently, the case is at stage of order of summon and a consideration of a compromise and since at this stage, one party has died, therefore, compromise cannot be verified. After framing of charges, applicant will have liberty to take all legal argument on basis of above referred sections.

9. This application, therefore, has no legal basis.

10. It is informed that applicant is on anticipatory bail, however, it is not upto the trial, therefore, applicant shall appear on next date fixed and shall apply either for extension of anticipatory bail or regular bail. Learned Trial Court will proceed to frame charges and thereafter further proceed with trial in accordance with law. Present application is accordingly, disposed of. Order Date :- 6.5.2025 P. Pandey PUSHPENDRA PANDEY High Court of Judicature at Allahabad