Judgment

SARKARIA, J.:- This appeal by special leave, directed against a judgment dated February 18, 1975, of the High Court of Delhi,* involves a question with regard to the scope of the powers of Court under Section 73, Evidence Act to direct an accused person to give his specimen writings. It arises out of these circumstances;

* Reported in 1975 Cri LJ 1756 (Delhi).

Pali Ram, respondent along with Har Narain and 8 others was challaned by the police in respect of offences under Sections 120-B/420/477-A/467/471, Penal Code before the Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate, Delhi. The case being exclusively triable by the Court of Section, the Magistrate started inquiry proceedings under Section 207-A, Chapter XVIII of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898. After most of the prosecution evidence had been recorded, an application dated December 11, 1970, was submitted on behalf of the prosecution. It was stated in the application that one of the basic documents (Ex. PW-21) tendered in evidence was, according to the prosecution, in the handwriting of Pali Ram; but it could not be got compared by a handwriting expert with any specimen writing of Pali Ram because the latter was absconding and had avoided to give any specimen writing. It was further stated that this document is a very vital link to establish the case against the accused, and in the interest of justice, the Court should direct Pali Ram accused to give his specimen writings, and forward the same along with the original documents, marked P-21/F, to the Government Expert of Questioned Documents "with a view to have the necessary comparison". This application was strenuously opposed on behalf of the accused. After hearing arguments, the Magistrate on May 20, 1972, allowed that application. Since the construction of that order has a bearing on the problem before us, 16 it will be appropriate to extract its material portion in extenso, as under:-

It was argued on behalf of Pali Ram accused....... that the power of the Court is limited to the extent only where the Court itself is of the view that it is necessary for its own purpose to take such writing in order to compare the words or figures so written with any word or figure alleged to have been written by such person and that this power does not extend to permitting one or the other party before the Court to take such writing for the purpose of its evidence or its own use. AIR 1958 Bom 207 was cited in this connection. It was further argued that Section 73, Indian Evidence Act did not entitle the Court to assist a party to the proceedings. It is entitled the Court only to assist itself for a proper conclusion in the interest of justice. I have applied this test to the present case before me. It is true that here it is the prosecution which has made this request. But the observation contained in this ruling cannot be stretched to the extent, the defence wants me to do it. Ex. PW-21/F was stated by Tekchand to be in Pali Rams handwriting when he made statement before the Police. In his statement during committal proceedings he resiled from it. Thus document is undoubtedly a vital link. It has an important bearing on the case as Pali Ram himself happens to be an accused. In this peculiar situation it becomes necessary to take recourse to the Courts power under S. 73 in the interest of justice and to ask Pali Ram to give specimen handwriting (to have it examined by handwriting expert) and then to decide about it. Under these circumstances, I think it fit to allow the request of the prosecution in this regard."

(emphasis supplied).

2. Feeling aggrieved by this Order, Pali Ram preferred a revision to the Court of Session. The revision was dismissed by the learned Additional Sections Judge on December 7, 1972. Against this dismissal, Pali Ram preferred a revision petition (C. R. No. 46 of 1973) in the High Court. The revision petition first came up for hearing before R. N. Agarwal J., who felt that the case involved an important questi