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2002 Supreme(AP) 85

Andhra Pradesh High Court
Judges : BILAL NAZKI
K.Rajagopala Rao - Appellant
Versus
P.Radhakrlshna Murthy - Respondent
CRP.No.3297/2001
Decided On : 01-28-02
Advocates Appeared :
Mr.A.Ramanarayana, Mr.V.S.R. Anjaneyulu

Headnote:CRIMINAL PROCEDURE CODE, Secs195 & 340 - CIVIL PROCEDURE CODE, Sec151 - Application seeking prosecution for offence of fabrication of document in proceeding pending before civil Court - Court rejecting application as not maintainable on ground that Criminal Procedure Code is not applicable in Civil proceedings - If offence mentioned in Sec195 appears to have been committed in relation to proceedings in court that court has power u/S340 to hold enquiry - Word ‘Court’ used in provision is important and not whether the offence mentioned in Sec195 is civil nature or criminal nature - Court is entitled to hold enquiry u/S340 irrespective of nature of proceedings - Order of trial court, set aside - Case remanded back for fresh disposal in accordance with

       law

BILAL NAZKI, J.

( 1 ) HEARD the learned counsel for the parties. Since the controversy involved is very short, the revision petition is being disposed of at this stage with the concession of the learned counsel for the parties.

( 2 ) IT appears that the petitioner moved an application under Section 340 of the code of Criminal Procedure (for short the code ) seeking prosecution of the respondent on the ground that he had fabricated a document in a proceeding which was pending before the I Addl. Junior Civil Judge, Vijayawada. Surprisingly the trial court in its order stated, "at the outset this petition is not maintainable u/s. 340 Cr. P. C. . because criminal Procedure Code is not applicable in the civil proceedings. Any how. I am considering thisjpetition u/s 151. CPC but the point arose for my consideration is whether the petitioner is entitled for the relief?" It is settled law that Section 340 of the Code is applicable to all proceedings in all Courts irrespective of the fact whether the matter in a Court in which allegedly an offence mentioned in Section 195 of the code was committed, was a criminal case or civil case. Even Section 340 of the Code is applicable to the Revenue Courts. Section 340 is reproduced;"340. Procedure in cases mentioned in section 195 - (1) When upon an application made to it in this behalf or otherwise, any Court is of opinion that it is expedient in the interests of justice that an inquiry should be made into any offence referred to in clause (b) of sub-section (1) of Section 195, which appears to have been committed in or in relation to a proceeding in that court or, as the case may be, in respect of a document produced or given in evidence in a proceeding in that court, such court may, after such preliminary inquiry, if any, as it thinks necessary- (a) record a finding to that effect; (b) make a complaint thereof in writing; (c) send it to a Magistrate of the First class having jurisdiction; (d) take sufficient security for the appearance of the accused before such Magistrate, or if the alleged offence is non-bailable and the court thinks it necessary so to do, send the accused in custody to such magistrate; and (e) bind over any person to appear and give evidence before such magistrate. (2) The power conferred on a court by sub-section (1) in respect of an offence may, in any case where that court has neither made a complaint under subsection (1) in respect of that offence nor rejected an application for the making of such complaint, be exercised by the court to which such former court is subordinate within the meaning of sub-section (4) of Section 195. (3) A complaint made under this section shall be signed- (a) where the Court making the complaint is a High Court, by such officer of the Court as the Court may appoint; (b) in any other case, by the Presiding officer of the Court. (4) In this section, "court" has the same meaning as in Section 195. "from bare perusal of this provision in the code it is abundantly dear that if an offence mentioned in Section 195 appears to have been committed in relation to proceedings in a Court that Court has the power under section 340 to hold an enquiry and after enquiry (a) record a finding to that effect (b) make a complaint thereof in writing and (c) send it to Magistrate of First Class having jurisdiction. The word "court" used in the provision is important and it is not important whether the matter, with regard to which there is a complaint of commission of an offence mentioned under Section 195, was of civil nature or criminal nature. The word "court", as is well settled, indicates that there must be power to record evidence and to come to a judicial determination on the evidence so recorded. When an offence in the nature of offence found in Section 195 is committed in proceedings in a Court, the court, irrespective of the nature of the proceedings, is entitled to hold an enquiry under Section 340. Therefore, the learned judge was clearly in error in



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