Andhra Pradesh High Court
Judges : V.BHASKARA RAO
M.A.RASHEED PATEI - Appellant
Versus
State OF A.P. - Respondent
Decided On : 10-03-96
Indian Penal Code,1860 - Sections 420 and 471 - Criminal Procedure Code,1973 - Section 195 (1) (b) (ii) - Jurisdiction - Quash of order - Brief facts of case are that a complaint was received from Chief City Planner of Hyderabad stating therein that petitioner furnished a forged document in name of Engineer-in-Chief department to erect a shed measuring abutting to northern side of Gandhi compound wall and constructed the shed without prior permission from MCH - After enquiry Corporation has removed unauthorized construction of shed with assistance of local police and same was informed to government - Accused with a forged document submitted to MCH and further he approached before vacation Judge City Civil Court Hyderabad and filed a suit and obtained interim orders in I. A in O. S. restraining MCH from demolishing shed and requested to take legal action - After investigation a charge-sheet is filed under Sections 420 and 471 Indian Penal Code - On the basis of alleged forged document - Held, Next contention of counsel for petitioner is that proceedings are to be quashed in respect of offence under Section 420 Indian Penal Code also - Court are not able to agree with this contention - In above cited judgment it has been clearly held that for offence for which section 195 of Criminal Procedure Code is not applicable there is no bar to proceed with prosecution - Same view was taken by Supreme court in State of U. P. v Suresh Chandra AIR observing as follows criminal sections482, 195-Powers of High Court - Accused charged for offences under Sections 262, 263, 467, 471, 420 and 120b, Indian Penal Code - Proceedings for offences under sections 467, 471 and 120b quashed being not made out in complaint and not because they were covered by Section 195 Criminal Procedure Code - Order of High Court refusing to quash proceedings in Toto - Held proper Penal Code (45 of 1860) Sections 467, 471,120b - In circumstances court think it just and proper to quash proceedings in so far as offence under Section 471 Indian Penal Code is concerned and Court below may proceed with offence under Section 420 Indian Penal Code - Petition allowed
( 1 ) THIS Criminal Petition is filed to quash the proceedings in C. C. No. 59 of 1994 on the file of the XXI Metropolitan magistrate, Hyderabad.
( 2 ) THE brief facts of the case are that on 26-7-1993 at 1730 hours a complaint was received from the Chief City Planner of mch, Hyderabad stating therein that the petitioner furnished a forged document in the name of Engineer-in-Chief, Randb department to erect a shed measuring about 8 -40" abutting to northern side of Gandhi bhavan compound wall and constructed the shed without prior permission from MCH. Afterenquiry, the Corporation has removed the unauthorised construction of the shed on 3-4-1993 with the assistance of local police and the same was informed to the government on 10-6-1993. The accused with a forged document submitted to the mch and further he approached before the vacation Judge, City Civil Court, Hyderabad and filed a suit and obtained interim orders in i. A. No. l424 of 1993 in O. S. No. 50 of 1993 restraining the MCH from demolishing the shed and requested to take legal action. After investigation, a charge-sheet is filed under Sections 420 and 471 I. P. C. , on the basis of alleged forged document.
( 3 ) THE learned counsel forthe petitioner now contends that for the prosecution of offence under Section471 I. P. C. , acomplaint as contemplated under Section 195 (1) (b) (ii) of Cr. P. C. has to be filed by a public servant. But in this case no complaint is filed by a public servant. Therefore, to that extent the court has no jurisdiction to take cognizance of the offence under Section 471 I. P. C. The learned counsel for the petitioner further contended that the offence under Section 420 i. P. C. is also linked with the offence under section 471 I. P. C. and unless the offence under Section 471 I. P. C. is established, the petitioner cannot be convicted for the offence under Section 420 I. P. C.
( 4 ) THE learned Public Prosecutor contended that the offence under Section 471 i. P. C. is different from the offence under section 420 I. P. C.
( 5 ) IT is relevant to extract Section 195 (I) (b) (ii) which isas follows:"prosecution for contempt of lawful authority of public servants, for offences against public justice and for offences relating to documents given in evidence- (1) No Court shall take cognizance- (b) (ii) of any offence described in section 463, or punishable under section 471, Section 475 or Section 476, of the said Code, when such offence is alleged to have been committed in respect of a document produced or given in evidence in a proceeding in any Court or. ,"
( 6 ) BY reading the above section, it is clear that when an offence is alleged under section 463 or punishable under Section 471, section 475 or Section 476 I. P. C. , the Court is barred from taking cognizance unless the complaint is filed by apublic servant. This is a settled principle of law and this has been held in K, Ramana v. Station House Officer (1) 1991 (3)ALT354 to which one of us is a member (YBR, J. ).
( 7 ) THE next contention of the learned counsel for the petitioner is that the proceedings are to be quashed in respect of offence under Section 420 I. P. C. also. We are not able to agree with this contention. In the above cited judgment, it has been clearly held that for the offence for which section 195 of Cr. P. C. is not applicable, there is no bar to proceed with the prosecution. The same view was taken by the Supreme court in State of U. P. v, Suresh Chandra (2) AIR 1984 SC 1108 observing as follows:"criminalp. C. (2 of l974),sections482, 195-Powers of High Court - Accused charged for offences under Sections 262, 263, 467, 471, 420 and 120b, IPC - proceedings for offences under sections 467, 471 and 120b quashed being not made out in complaint and not because they were covered by Section 195 cr. P. C.- Order of High Court refusing to quash proceedings in toto - Held proper. (Penal Code (45 of 1860) Sections 467, 471,120b ). "
( 8 ) IN the circumstances w
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