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

2019 Supreme(SC) 54

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA
L. Nageswara Rao, M.R. Shah, JJ.
Sau Saraswatibai - Appellant
Vs.
Lalitabai & Others - Respondents
Criminal Appeal Nos. 118-119 of 2019 [Arising out of SLP (Crl.) Nos. 4152-4153 of 2014]
Decided On : 22-01-2019

Advocates:
Advocate Appeared:
For the Appellant : Mr. Shankar Chillarge, M/s. Lawyer S. Knit & Co
For the Respondents: Mr. Nishant Sharma, Mr. Amol Nirmalkumar Suryawanshi, Mr. Nishant Ramakantrao Katneshwarkar

IMPORTANT POINT
After filing of final report, the proceedings should not be quashed u/s 482 CrPC.

Headnote:Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 – Section 482 – Final report submitted finding accused prima facie guilty of the offences – Normally accused ought to be relegated to Magistrate for obtaining discharge – Instead, High Court allowing petition u/s 482 and quashing the proceedings and the final report without discussing anything more on merits – Not permissible. (Para 4)

       Facts of the case:

       The appellant-original complainant filed a criminal complaint against the private Respondents-original accused alleging that the complainant purchased a plot from Respondent No. 1 by way of a registered sale deed in the year 2005. After sale of the plot, the original owner-accused No. 1 fraudulently resold the plot in 2010 in favour of Accused No.2, her husband, by re-designating as "Plot No.24". The Magistrate passed an order for investigation under Section 156(3) of the CrPC and the police lodged an FIR for the aforesaid offences. That the accused thereafter approached the High Court to quash the FIR by way of a Petition under Section 482 of CrPC.

       By the time the matter was taken up for final hearing by the High Court, the Investigating Officer completed the investigation in the matter and having found the prima facie case against the accused, submitted the Final Report under Section 173 of the CrPC concluding that the accused had colluded and committed offences, as alleged, under Sections 420, 464, 465, 467, 468, 471 read with Section 34 of IPC. Despite this, the High Court has quashed the criminal proceedings including the Final Report.

       Finding of the Court:

       High Court ought to relegate the accused to Magistrate for obtaining discharge.

       Result: Appeals allowed.

JUDGMENT :

M.R. Shah, J.

Leave granted.

2. Feeling aggrieved and dissatisfied with the impugned judgment and orders dated 22.11.2013 and 29.11.2013 in Criminal Application No. 1113/2012 with Criminal Application No.919/2013 passed by the High Court of Bombay, Bench at Aurangabad, by which in exercise of powers under Section 482 of the CrPC, the High Court has quashed the criminal proceedings including the Final Report arising out of Crime No.85 of 2011, the original complainant has preferred the present appeals.

3. That the appellant herein-original Complainant filed a Criminal Complaint against the private Respondents herein- the original accused before the learned Magistrate alleging, inter alia, that the complainant purchased a plot from Respondent No. 1 by way of a registered sale deed in the year 2005. After sale of the plot, the original owner-accused No. 1 fraudulently resold the plot in 2010 in favour of Accused No.2 by re-designating as "Plot No.24". It is required to be noted that the plot which was sold to the complainant was numbered as "Plot No.1" in "Survey No. 121". It was alleged that the very plot which was sold to the complainant was sold by the owner by changing the Number and by re-designating the same as "Plot No.24". It was alleged that the second purchaser Respondent No.2-Accused No.2 was none other than the husband of the original Respondent No. 1-Accused No.1. It was further alleged that Respondent No.2 thereon sold the very Plot/property in 2011, in favour of the Respondent No.3-Accused No.3. Therefore, it was alleged that the all accused persons and one another have committed offences under Sections 420, 464, 465, 467, 468, 471 read with Section 34 of IPC. That the learned Magistrate passed an order for investigation under Section 156(3) of the CrPC. That the police lodged an FIR for the aforesaid offences. That the accused thereafter approached the High Court to quash the FIR by way of a Petition under Section 482 of CrPC.

3.1 It appears that, by the time, the matter was taken up for final hearing by the High Court, the Investigating Officer completed the investigation in the matter and having found the prima facie case against the accused, submitted the Final Report under Section 173 of the CrPC concluding that the accused had colluded and committed offences, as alleged, under Sections 420, 464, 465, 467, 468, 471 read with Section 34 of IPC. Despite the fact that, after conclusion of the investigation, a Final Report under Section 173 was submitted, by the impugned judgment and order dated 22.11.2013, the High Court in exercise of powers under Section 482 of the CrPC has quashed the criminal proceedings including the Final Report arising out of Crime No.85 of 2011 dated 02.12.2011. The High Court noted that the original Complainant also does not press the prosecution and considered the statement made by the learned counsel appearing on behalf of Original Accused that Plot No. 1 of Original Complainant is distinct and has nothing to do with Plot No. 24. The High Court opined that there is no act of criminality to cheat the complainant-the purchaser of the property. It appears that immediately thereafter it was mentioned before the High Court by the complainant that he desires to withdraw the statement made by him, which was the basis for disposal of criminal application No. 1113/2012. By order dated 29.11.2013 the High Court declined withdrawal of the statement.

3.2 Being aggrieved and dissatisfied with the impugned judgment and order passed by the High Court in quashing and setting aside the criminal proceedings including the Final Report, the Original Complainant has preferred the present appeals.

4. Having heard the learned counsel appearing on behalf of the respective parties and considering the impugned judgment and order passed by the High Court by which the High Court has quashed and set aside the criminal proceedings and the Final Report, in exercise of powers under Section 482 of the CrPC, we are



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