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1993 Supreme(SC) 21

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA
P.B. SAWANT AND R.M. SAHAI, JJ.
Dharampal and others, Appellants
Versus
Smt. Ramshri and others, Respondents.
Criminal Appeal No. 667 of 1980
Decided on 7-1-1993.

Headnote:Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973, Sec. 145, 146(1) & (2)- order of attachment passed in the proceeding u/s 145 Cr. P.C. - u/s 146(1) the Magistrate is given power to attach subject of dispute until the determination of the rights of the parties by a competent Court-determination by the Competent Civil Court of the rights of the parties Spoken of has not necessarily to be final determination and may be even tentative at interim stage and the order of the Magistrate comes to an end-provision itself takes cognizance of such situation when it states that the magistrate may withdraw attachment at anytime if he is satisfied that there is no longer any likelihood of breach of peace-on passing of interlocutory order by the Civil Court it can be legitimately said that there is no longer any likelihood of breach of peace-the fact that order of attachment passed can be withdrawn even during pendency of the dispute in Civil Court is made clear by sub-sec. (2) of Sec. 146 and it is not correct to say as held by High Court that the properties continued to remain under attachment till the rights of the parties are-finally dicided by competent Court of law. (Para 6 & 7)

       Code of Criminal Procedure 1973, Sec. 482, 397(3) Magistrate reviving attachment by passing second order of attachment-revision filed before the Session Judge who stayed the order of attachment-High Court quashing the order u/s 482 Cri. P.C.-it is now well settled that the inherent powers u/s 482 Cr. P.C. can not be utilised for exercising powers which are expressly barred by the Code-High Court clearly erred in entertaining the Second revision and order of the High Court set aside. (Para 4)

JUDGMENT

SAWANT, J.:—The admitted facts in the present case are as follows. The suit property consists of house No. 336 of village Khonda, District Mathura. The dispute with regard to the possession of the property arose between the appellants and the respondent-Ramshri. She filed an application under Section 145 of Criminal Procedure Code [Code] before the Sub-Divisional Magistrate, Sadabad in which she claimed ownership of the suit property. On 31st May, 1976, the learned Magistrate passed a preliminary order under Section 145 of the Code and thereafter on 22nd April, 1977 made an order of attachment under Section 146 directing that the attachment would continue till the competent Civil Court determined the rights of the parties with regard to the said property. Against this order, a Revision being Cr. Revision No. 27 / 1977 was filed by the Appellants before the Sessions Judge who by his interim order dated 23rd April, 1977 stayed operation of the learned Magistrates order. However, before the interim stay order could be communicated, the attachment had already been effected. The learned Sessions Judge, therefore, again, by another interim order dated 26th April, 1977 directed the police to restore the possession of the property to the appellants from whom allegedly the possession of the property was taken the possession was restored to the appellants on 28th April, 1977. The said Revision application was dismissed on 18th August, 1977. Though, on account of the dismissal of the Revision, the order of attachment passed by the Magistrate revived, the learned Magistrate passed a fresh order dated 31 st January, 1978 under Section 146 attaching the property in dispute. Against the said order, once more a revision being Cr.R. No. 19/1978 was preferred by the appellants to the Sessions Judge who on 2nd February, 1978 passed an order staying the fresh order of attachment passed by the Magistrate.

2. Thereafter, the appellants filed a suit for permanent injunction against the 1st respondent and her husband, and in that claimed an interim injunction against them. The trial Court dismissed the application for interim injunction. Against the order of dismissal, the appellant filed an appeal to the District Court, and the Appellate Court by its order dated l8th May, 1978, allowed the appeal and issued an interim injunction against 1st respondent and her husband. Thereafter Criminal Revision No. 19/1978 preferred by the appellant before the Sessions Judge was dismissed on 15th June, 1978 also on the ground that the civil suit was preferred by the appellant. Again, although the order of attachment stood revived and the order of interim injunction by the Civil Court still continued, the Magistrate on 25th July, 1978 passed another order attaching the property. Against this third order of attachment passed by the Magistrate, a revision was filed by the appellants before the Sessions Judge and the Sessions Judge by his order dated 26th July, 1978 stayed the order of attachment issued on 25th July, 1978, up to 10th August, 1978.

On 26th July, 1978, the appellant filed an application before the Magistrate for withdrawal of attachment on the ground that there was no apprehension of a breach of the peace, On this application, on 17th October, 1978, the Magistrate ordered withdrawal of attachment. Against this order, the 1st respondent filed revision being Cr. R. No. 180/ 78 before the Sessions Judge who dismissed the same on 14th May, 1979.

Respondent No. 1 thereafter, preferred an application under S. 482 of the Code before the High Court for quashing the order withdrawing the attachment and directing the attachment to continue. The High Court by the impugned order took the view that it was not open to the learned Magistrate to withdraw the attachment till the competent Court had decided the matter finally and restored the attachment.

3. On these facts, two questions arise in this appeal viz. whether the High Court could entertain the second revi

















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