SupremeToday Landscape Ad
Back
Next
Judicial Analysis Court Copy Headnote Facts Arguments Court observation
Listen Audio Icon Pause Audio Icon
judgment-img

2007 Supreme(SC) 856

2008 (8) SCC 781
IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA
S.B. Sinha & Lokeshwar Singh Panta, JJ.
Monica Kumar & Anr. - PETITIONER
VERSUS
State of U.P. & Ors. - RESPONDENT
CASE NO. Appeal (crl.) 968 of 2008
DATE OF JUDGMENT: 27/05/2008

Headnote:

Criminal Proceedings - Santosh Medical College - Code of Criminal Procedure - Sections 452, 323, 504, 506, 427 IPC

Fact of the Case:

The case involves a legal battle between the appellants, students of Santosh Medical College, and the college authorities. The appellants, born in the USA, faced disputes after demanding repayment of a loan from the college authorities. The disputes led to a series of legal proceedings, including criminal cases, civil writ petitions, and contempt proceedings.

Finding of the Court:

The court found that the appellants faced physical and mental agony during their MBBS course, spent significant time in litigation, and faced criminal proceedings for about 3 years. The court noted the apology letters tendered by the appellants and the peculiar facts of the case, leading to the exercise of jurisdiction under Article 142 of the Constitution to quash the criminal proceedings against the appellants.

Issues: The issues involved allegations of mala fides, victimization, and harassment against the college authorities, as well as the nature of the offences alleged against the appellants.

Ratio Decidendi: The court exercised its discretionary jurisdiction under Article 142 of the Constitution to bring the dispute to an end, considering the relationship between the teacher and students, and the peculiar facts and circumstances of the case.

Final Decision: The court allowed the appeal, set aside the High Court's order, and quashed the criminal proceedings against the appellants, subject to the appellants filing a written apology in the courts where the proceedings were pending.

JUDGMENT

Lokeshwar Singh Panta, J.

Leave granted.

2. Challenge in this appeal is to the final judgment and order dated 24.08.2006 passed by the High Court of Judicature at Allahabad whereby and whereunder the High Court has dismissed Criminal Miscellaneous Applications bearing Nos. 7792 of 2006 and 7791 of 2006 filed by the appellants under Section 482 of the Code of Criminal Procedure [for short Cr.P.C.] in Case Crime No. 412 of 2005 under Sections 452, 323, 504, 506 and 427of the Indian Penal Code [for short the IPC] and in Case Crime No. 21 of 2006 under Sections 452, 323, 336, 504, 506, 420 IPC respectively registered against them at Police Station, Vijay Nagar, District Ghaziabad and seeking for entrustment of further investigation of the aforesaid cases to the Central Bureau of Investigation [for short the CBI].

3. This case would reveal a chequered history of legal battle being fought by the appellants the students of Santosh Medical College on one hand and the authorities of the College on the other hand.

4. Dr. Narendra Kumar, the father of the appellants, is presently working as Professor/Medical Director of Neonatal Intensive Care Unit [NICU] and also performing medical practice at 2917, Middleboro Place, Modesto, California. Both the appellants were born in California and completed their schooling in USA. They decided to get admission in MBBS course for the academic session 1996-97 in Santosh Medical College, Ghaziabad [for short College] against NRI quota after remitting US $50,000 and US $49,700 respectively towards capitation fees and additional hostel fees of RS. 75,000 and Rs. 45,000 and security deposits for one year. That apart, the College took a loan of Rs. 25 lakhs on interest @ 11.5% p.a. from the father of the appellants and its payment was assured by a handwritten slip. The disputes and differences arose after the father of the appellants demanded repayment of the loan from Dr. P. Mahalingam the second respondent herein, Chairman & Managing Director/Trustee of Maharaji Educational Trust and Santosh Medical College and Hospital, Pratap Vihar, Vijay Nagar, Ghaziabad.

5. In April 2001, the matter was reported to the Additional District Magistrate, Ghaziabad, for taking appropriate steps to get the loan amount refunded. Dr. P. Mahalingam the second respondent in his letter dated 9.4.2001 acknowledged the liability and had also assured to refund the entire loan amount. It was alleged that the second respondent with vindictive attitude started harassing the appellants and in the result declared in July 2000, Dr. Monica Kumar the first appellant was got failed in both theory papers of Pharmacology and she was not allowed to appear in two subsequent supplementary examinations as well as in Final Professional MBBS Part-I Examination.

6. The first appellant filed a Writ Petition No. 9150 of 2001 in the High Court wherein vide order dated 14.3.2001, the second respondent was directed to permit the first appellant to appear in the final Professional MBBS Part-I Examination. In compliance of the High Courts order, the first appellant was permitted to appear in the examination, but her result was deliberately withheld for an oblique motive which compelled the first appellant to approach the High Court of Allahabad by way of Miscellaneous Application in the pending Writ Petition No. 9150/2001 for issuing necessary directions for declaration of her result. The High Court vide order dated 19.9.2001 directed the College authorities to declare the results of MBBS Final Professional Part-I Examination, 2001 and the result of the scrutiny of Pharmacology of Second Professional Examination, 2000 and further to permit the first appellant to appear in Final MBBS Part-II Examination and to declare the result of the said examination as well.

7. By Orders dated 7.01.2002/16.01.2002, the High Court directed the college authorities to produce answer books of Pharmacology of the first appellant. On 4.03.2002, the High Court got th

































































































Click Here to Read the rest of this document
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
SupremeToday Portrait Ad
supreme today icon
logo-black

An indispensable Tool for Legal Professionals, Endorsed by Various High Court and Judicial Officers

Please visit our Training & Support
Center or Contact Us for assistance

qr

Scan Me!

India’s Legal research and Law Firm App, Download now!

For Daily Legal Updates, Join us on :

whatsapp-icon Back to top