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1977 Supreme(Kar) 207

Karnataka High Court
MYSORE MANUFACTURERS, TRADERS - Appellant
Versus
RAY CHOUDHRY - Respondent
Decided On : 11-03-77
Cr.R.P. : 437 of 1976

Advocates:
S.M.Razvi

The court has jurisdiction to inquire into and try the alleged offence of criminal breach of trust if the accused undertook to deliver the goods at the location where the crime was committed.

Headnote:

Theft - Jurisdiction - The court held that the Bangalore court had jurisdiction to inquire into and try the alleged offence of criminal breach of trust as the accused undertook to deliver the goods at Bangalore. The case was remitted back to the court below with a direction to dispose of the same according to law.

Fact of the Case:

The complainant alleged that the accused, a clearing agent, committed criminal breach of trust by not sending the goods to Bangalore as agreed.

Finding of the Court:

The court found that the Bangalore court had jurisdiction to inquire into and try the alleged offence of criminal breach of trust.

Issues: Jurisdiction of the court at Bangalore to try the case of criminal breach of trust.

Ratio Decidendi: The court held that the Bangalore court had jurisdiction to inquire into and try the alleged offence of criminal breach of trust as the accused undertook to deliver the goods at Bangalore.

Final Decision: The petition is allowed and the case is remitted back to the court below with a direction to dispose of the same according to law.

( 1 ) THIS revision petition is directed against the order dated 10-8-1976 by which the Metropolitan Magistrate, III Court, Bangalore City, directed the return of the complaint to the complainant for being presented to the proper Court.

( 2 ) THE Complainant Dr. Indra Sanghi, who is doing business in bangalore under the name and style M|s. Mysore Manufacturers and traders", imported five paper bags of synthetic resin under actual user's licence from Germany. The goods arrive'd at Madras harbour. The accused, who is a clearing agent, agreed to clear the goods and despatch the same to Bangalore by M/s. Umashankar Transport as desired by the complainant. For doing this work, a demand draft for Rs. 3200|- was sent to the accused and the same was accepted by him. The accused, after clearing the goods, did not send the same to Bangalore, as alleged by the complainant.

( 3 ) A complaint was filed against the accused that he had committed criminal breach of trust, on the basis of which a case was registered. The accused appeared in Court and raised an objection that the court at bangalore had no jurisdiction. The learned Magistrate upheld the objection and directed the return of the complaint for being presented to the proper court.

( 4 ) THE question turns upon the construction of Sec. 181 (4) of the code Of Criminal Procedure. That section lays down that : "any offence of Criminal misappropriation or of criminal breach of trust may be inquired into or tried by a' Court within whose local jurisdiction the offence was committed or any part of the property which is the subject of the offence was received or retained, or was required to be returned or accounted, for, by the accused person". The question in the present case would be whether the accused undertook to return the goods to the complainant at Bangalore. The case of the complainant is that the accused undertook to return the goods to him at Bangalore. If that be so, the proper venue for the trial of a case of criminal breach of trust is the area where the crime was committed. Where the accused is under a liability to deliver goods at a particular place and fails to do so by reason of having committed an offence of criminal breach of trust which is alleged against him, the court, within the local limits of whose jurisdiction that place is situated, may enquire into and try the offence under the provisions of sub-section (4) of S. 181 of the Code of Criminal Procedure. In the present case, as alleged by the complainant, the accused, undertook to deliver the goods at Bangalore through M|s. Umashankar Transport. Consequently, the Bangalore court has jurisdiction to enquire into and try the alleged offence of criminar breach of trust.

( 5 ) IN the result, this petition is allowed and the case is remitted back to the court below with a direction to dispose of the same according to law.

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