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2014 Supreme(Bom) 406

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY (PANAJI BENCH)
SMT. MRIDULA R. BHATKAR, J.
Dr. Prafulla Hedge
Vs.
Mrs. Vineeta Vaze
Criminal Writ Petition No.46 of 2012.
Decided on : 17th February, 2014.

Advocates appeared:
Mr. Y.V. NADKARNI with Ms. S. SHIRGAM, Mr. N. NORONHA, Advs. of the Petitioner.
Mr. D. PANGAM, Adv. for the Respondent.

Headnote:Indian Penal Code, 1860 - Sections 499 and 500 - Defamation. - Held that a statement of dishonesty is unrelated to the incident or if alleged statement is proved to be false, a case of defamation is made out.

Judgment :

This petition challenges the Judgment and order dated 5/5/2012 passed by the Addl. Sessions Judge, Mapsua thereby confirming the order passed by the learned Magistrate issuing process under section 500 against the respondent. It is the case of the respondent that she gave written complaint dated 19/2/2009 to the Inspector General of Police (I.G.P. for short) against the respondent and her husband who owned a company by name 'Rajat International" which is dealing in supply of iron ore and the petitioner is also in the business of export of iron ore. The petitioner has placed the order for some 5000 tonnes of 58% fe and 10,000 tonnes of 53% iron ore and has paid advance of Rs.1.02 crore for supply of the iron ore. However, the company of the respondent did not supply the ore' as per the quality order. The petitioner, therefore, lodged a written complaint with the I.G.P. against the' respondent and her husband for supply of inferior quality ore and cheating the petitioner. Whether pursuant to the said complaint F.I.R was registered or not is not made clear before this Court. However, the statement made in the said written complaint is the ground to lodge the private complaint for defamation under section 499 I.P.C. before the JMFC against the petitioner. It is the case of the petitioner that in the written statement she had made a statement that the respondent has committed fraud when she was working with some Rajat International from where she was dismissed. This statement, as per the respondent is false and therefore she filed private complaint under section 190 of the Cr.P.C. The respondent examined herself on oath and produced documentary evidence in support of her case inter alia the learned Magistrate issued process under section 500 of the I.P.C. against the petitioner. The petitioner challenged the said order by filing revision before the Sessions Court. The learned Sessions Judge maintained the said order and dismissed the revision. Hence the petition.

2. The learned counsel for the petitioner raises a question of law whether the averments in the written complaint can form the basis for filing criminal complaint under section 499 of Cr. P.C. i.e. of defamation punishable under section 500 of the I.P.C.?

3. Learned counsel submitted that the petitioner gave complaint to the I.G.P i.e. the authority dealing with the investigation and therefore, the averments made in the complaint are to be protected and there should be impunity from search and impunity is to be given to those allegations. In support of his submissions he relied on:

(i) 'Mr. Umar Abid Khan & Ors. Vs. Vincy Gonsalves alias Vincent Gonsalves & Ors.[2010(1)ALL MR 74]

(ii) "Anjana Saikia (Das) Vs. Anuradha Das and Anr. [Many/GH/0097/2003].

4. Learned counsel submitted that if at all the allegations made in the complaint are challenged by the accused on the ground that the allegations are defamatory then it will be difficult for a person to seek remedy by putting his/her case before the authority. Learned counsel further submitted that in the complaint filed by the respondent before the learned JMFC, in para 12 of the said complaint, it is mentioned that due to the imputation the moral and intellectual character of the complainant before the police is lowered down. Learned counsel argued that due to imputation the moral and intellectual character of the respondent is not lowered down in the eyes of the public and therefore, section 499 cannot be attracted. It is further contended that after the completion of the case of cheating, if the respondent is acquitted then, the respondent can file case for defamation under section 499 of the I.P.C. said remedy is always available to the accused to restore his dignity by filing civil as well as criminal proceedings against the complainant and therefore, this complaint is premature. He further submitted that the point of limitation will not come in the way of the respondent for filing the case as under section 47




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