1. Matrimonial dispute — Complaint under Section 498A and 406 IPC and Section 4 Dowry Prohibition Act — Petition under Section 482 CrPC to quash chargesheet. (Para 4 )
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2018 Supreme(SC) 669
SUPREME COURT OF INDIA
A.K. SIKRI, ASHOK BHUSHAN, JJ.
Thesima Begam & Anr. - Appellants
Versus
The State of Tamil Nadu Rep. By The Inspector of Police & Ors. - Respondents
Criminal Appeal No. 573 of 2018 (Arising out of SLP (Crl.) No. 3542 of 2018) (Arising out of Diary No. 11816 of 2017)
Decided On : 02-04-2018
Important Points
The court quashed the chargesheet against the appellants based on the complainant's statement that she had implicated them out of anger and they had no role in the family dispute or in making any demand of dowry, highlighting the importance of considering the complainant's statement and the lack of justifiable reason for including the appellants in the chargesheet.
Subject
Criminal Law - Domestic Violence
Act Referred
Headnote
Delay condoned. Leave granted. Heard learned counsel for the parties finally. Brief facts leading to the filing of this appeal are that the marriage between de facto complainant i.e., Rafeek Nisa (respondent No. 2 herein), and Shajahan was solemnised on 23.04.2000. It appears that they could not put on well and some matrimonial disputes arose between the parties which ruptured the matrimonial relationship. Respondent No.2 made a complaint to the Inspector of Police against her husband Shajahan under Section 498A and Section 406 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) read with Section 4 of the Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961. In this complaint, she implicated her mother-in-law, brother-in-law as well as the appellants herein who are sister-in-law and husband of the sister-in-law. After investigation, chargesheet was filed and in this chargesheet, names of the appellants were also included. The appellants at that stage filed petition under Section 482 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973(Cr.P.C.) for quashing of the chargesheet against them. The High Court rejected this petition vide order dated 22.04.2016 only on the ground that trial in the case has begun and, therefore, the High Court would not interfere with the said process. A neat submission is made by the learned counsel for the appellants that the de-facto complainant herself stated in her statement that she had implicated the appellants herein out of anger and as far as they are concerned, they had no role in the family dispute and they were not party in making any demand of dowry. Relevant part of the statement of the complainant reads as under: “However my sister in law Thesimma, her husband Sakariah, brother in law’s wife namely Hajira Beevi and small mother in law namely Saribu Nisha did not interfere in to the dispute and not taken steps and help me to live together with my husband therefore having angry over them I named their names in the complaint and otherwise they did not do any problem with me. My husband, mother in law and brother in law Mohamed Ajmir Saribu alone harassed me by demanding dowry.” In view of the aforesaid stand taken by the complainant herself, we see no justifiable reason for the Investigating Officer to rope in the appellants as well in the chargesheet. Interestingly, even in the chargesheet submitted by the Investigating Officer, she has very categorically stated that insofar as appellants are concerned, they were living in foreign country. Inspite thereof, the Investigating officer filed chargesheet against all the persons including the appellants, mechanically and without application of mind. We, accordingly, allow this appeal and quash the chargesheet insofar as appellants are concerned. The appeal stands disposed of.
Legal Category Hierarchy
Advocates:
Advocate Appeared:
For the Appellants : Mr. Aravindh S.
For the Respondents: Mr. M. Yogesh Kanna, Ms. Sujatha Bayadhi
Advocate Appeared:
For the Appellants : Mr. Aravindh S.
For the Respondents: Mr. M. Yogesh Kanna, Ms. Sujatha Bayadhi
Table of Contents
2. Appellants submitted that the complainant admitted to implicating them out of anger and that they had no role in dowry demands or family disputes. (Para 5 )
3. The court observed that the chargesheet was filed mechanically without application of mind, given the complainant's exoneration of the appellants and their residence abroad. (Para 6 )
4. A chargesheet filed mechanically without application of mind, where the complainant denies the accused's involvement, is subject to quashing. (Para 6 )
5. Appeal allowed and chargesheet quashed as against the appellants. (Para 7 )
6. Can a chargesheet be quashed if the complainant admits the accused were implicated out of anger?
Yes, if the complainant clarifies that the accused had no role in the dispute or dowry demands and were named only due to anger, the court may quash the chargesheet. (Para 5 , 6 )
7. What constitutes a mechanical filing of a chargesheet by an investigating officer?
A chargesheet is considered filed mechanically when the investigating officer ignores material evidence—such as the complainant's own statement or the fact that the accused reside abroad—and fails to apply their mind to the merits of the inclusion of the accused. (Para 6 )
ORDER :
Delay condoned.
2. Leave granted.
3. Heard learned counsel for the parties finally.
4. Brief facts leading to the filing of this appeal are that the marriage between de facto complainant i.e., Rafeek Nisa (respondent No. 2 herein), and Shajahan was solemnised on 23.04.2000. It appears that they could not put on well and some matrimonial disputes arose between the parties which ruptured the matrimonial relationship. Respondent No.2 made a complaint to the Inspector of Police against her husband Shajahan under Section 498A and Section 406 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) read with Section 4 of the Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961. In this complaint, she implicated her mother-in-law, brother-in-law as well as the appellants herein who are sister-in-law and husband of the sister-in-law. After investigation, chargesheet was filed and in this chargesheet, names of the appellants were also included. The appellants at that stage filed petition under Section 482 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973(Cr.P.C.) for quashing of the chargesheet against them. The High Court rejected this petition vide order dated 22.04.2016 only on the ground that trial in the case has begun and, therefore, the High Court would not interfere with the said process.
5. A neat submission is made by the learned counsel for the appellants that the de-facto complainant herself stated in her statement that she had implicated the appellants herein out of anger and as far as they are concerned, they had no role in the family dispute and they were not party in making any demand of dowry. Relevant part of the statement of the complainant reads as under:
“However my sister in law Thesimma, her husband Sakariah, brother in law’s wife namely Hajira Beevi and small mother in law namely Saribu Nisha did not interfere in to the dispute and not taken steps and help me to live together with my husband therefore having angry over them I named their names in the complaint and otherwise they did not do any problem with me. My husband, mother in law and brother in law Mohamed Ajmir Saribu alone harassed me by demanding dowry.”
6. In view of the aforesaid stand taken by the complainant herself, we see no justifiable reason for the Investigating Officer to rope in the appellants as well in the chargesheet. Interestingly, even in the chargesheet submitted by the Investigating Officer, she has very categorically stated that insofar as appellants are concerned, they were living in foreign country. Inspite thereof, the Investigating officer filed chargesheet against all the persons including the appellants, mechanically and without application of mind.
7. We, accordingly, allow this appeal and quash the chargesheet insofar as appellants are concerned.
8. The appeal stands disposed of.
