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1990 Supreme(Pat) 297

PATNA HIGH COURT
B.N.Agrawal and . JJ.
Ram Swarath Yadav
Versus
Rajeshwar Prasad Sinha
Criminal Miscellaneous Application No. 9243 of 1989 ;
Decided On : SEPTEMBER 10, 1990

Headnote:Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973-Section 197-cognizance of offence taken without sanction-Govt. notification making the provisions of section 197(2) applicable to all Govt. servants serving the State of Bihar-petitioners members of Bihar Police Force-provision is attracted and they are entitled for protection u/s 197(2)-offence committed must be committed while acting or purporting to act in discharge of official duties-order taking cognizance is unwarranted-prosecution cannot be allowed to continue as the same would amount to an abuse of process of court. 1982 Cr. LJ 2014-Relied Upon. (Para 4 & 5)

Judgment

B. N. Agrawal, J.

1. This application has been filed for quashing the cognizance taken under Sections 166, 427, 504 and 580 of the Penal Code and summoning the petitioners to face trial.

2. The opposite party no.1 filed a petition of complaint in the court of the Chief Judicial Magistrate, Patna, stating therein, inter alia, that petitioner no.1, who was officer-in-charge of a police station filed requisition for issuance of warrant of arrest as well as processes against one Rakesh alias Babloo son of the complainant and the court passed an order issuing processes against the aforesaid person. On 18-1-1989 for execution of the processes under Sections 82 and 83 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (hereinafter referred to as the Code the petitioner no.1 and petitioner no.2 (sub-Inspector of Police) are said to have entered the house of the complainant forcibly after breaking open the door armed with weapons. The complainant having learnt about the said order got records of criminal case, in which processes were issued, inspected and the court directed the complainants son who is an accused in that case to surrender. The complainants son thereafter surrendered in court and upon his surrender the court passed an order for staying execution of the processes. The petitioners obtained a copy of the order and went to his house to serve the same upon the accused persons. It is said that the accused persons did not receive the courts order which was produced by the complainant and inspite of the stay order, in execution of the processes issued under Sections 82 and 83 of the code, the accused persons had taken out various articles from the house of the complainant abusing him, which necessitated filing of the present complaint, upon which the learned magistrate after examination of the complainant on solemn affirmation and holding enquiry under Sec.202 of the Code took cognizance and summoned the petitioners to face trial. Hence this application for quashing the prosecution.

3. Learned counsel appearing on behalf of the petitioners submitted that order taking cognizance is fit to be quashed as the cognizance was barred under Sec.197 (2) read with Sec.197 (3)of the Code which run thus :

" (2) No Court shall take cognizance of any offence alleged to have been committed by any member of the armed Forces of the union while acting or purporting to act in the discharge of his official duty, except with the previous sanction of the Central Government. (3) The State Government may, by notification, direct that the provisions of sub-section (2) shall apply to such class or category of the members ot the Forces charged with the maintenance of public order, as may be specified therein, wherever they may be serving, and thereupon the provisions of that sub-section will apply as if for the expression "central Government" occurring therein, the expression "state Government" were substituted. "

Sec.197 (3) lays down that the State government may, by notification, direct that the provisions of sub-section (2)of the said Sec.197 of the code shall apply to such class or category of the members of the Forces charged with the maintenance of public order as may be specified therein wherever they may be serving and thereupon the provisions of that sub-section will apply as if for the expression "central Government" occurring therein, the expression "state Government" were substituted.

4. Learned counsel appearing on behalf of the petitioners has produced before me a copy of the Bihar Gazette dated 16-5-1980 published in extraordinary issue of the Bihar Gazette on 24th of May, 1980, which reads thus :

"in exercise of the power conferred by sub-section (3) of Sec.197 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (Act II of 1974), the governor of Bihar is pleased to declare that the provisions of sub-section (2) of the said section shall apply to the officers and men where even they may be serving the State of Bihar of the bihar Police Force charged with



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