JUDGMENT :

SANJIV KHANNA, J.

1. Leave granted.

2. Kanwar Pal Singh, the appellant, impugns the order dated 22nd July 2019 whereby the High Court of Judicature at Allahabad has dismissed his petition under Section 482 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (‘Code’ for short) for quashing criminal prosecution under Section 379 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860 (‘IPC’ for short), Rules 3, 57 and 7 of the Uttar Pradesh Minor Mineral (Concession) Rules, 1963, Sections 4 and 21 of the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957 (‘Mines Regulation Act’ for short), and Sections 3 and 4 of the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act, 1984 arising out of Crime Case No. 289 of 2018, Police Station Vindyachal, District Mirzapur, Uttar Pradesh. The appellant had also challenged, without success before the High Court, the order dated 8th February 2019 passed by the Chief Judicial Magistrate taking cognizance and summoning the appellant for trial.

3. In brief, the facts of the case are that on the basis of a complaint filed by one Mr. S.K. Pal, Surveyor, Mines Department, District Mirzapur, FIR No. 0289 dated 15th November 2018 was registered at Police Station, Vindyachal, inter alia