JUDGMENT

FAZAL ALI, J.:— These appeals by special leave arise out of a judgment dated January 9, 1979 of the Allahabad High Court refusing to quash the proceedings in toto which were pending before the Chief Judicial Magistrate, Allahabad in exercise of the powers under Section 482 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (hereinafter to be referred to as the Code). The High Court, however, quashed the proceedings only in respect of offences under Sections 467, 471 and 120 B of the Indian Penal Code and directed prosecution of the respondents in respect of other offences to proceed according to law. In order to understand the implication of the judgment of the High Court. it may be necessary to narrate a few facts.

2. It appears that some time in the year 1967 Shankar Lal Bhargava who was officiating as Stamp Reporter in the Registry of the Allahabad. High Court, with the aid of Suresh Chandra Srivastava and Bishan Swarup, who were clerks of Advocates, removed used stamps and out of them reused three court-fee. stamps of the value of Rupees 1,000/- each in First Civil Appeal Nos. 281/67, 282/67 and 357/67. When the matter was detected, an enquiry was ordered and the Judicial Departme