2011 Supreme(Pat) 154
PATNA HIGH COURT
Rakesh Kumar, J.
Chhotan Prasad, Son Of Nawab Singh
Versus
State Of Bihar
CRIMINAL MISCELLANEOUS No. 21350 of 1999
Decided On : JANUARY 24, 2011
Headnote:Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 Section 482-Quashing-by the impugned order, while allowing the discharge petition of two accused persons earlier summoned, the learned Magistrate found a prima facie case u/s 302/34 IPC against the petitioners and directed issuance of non bailable warrant of arrest against them-Order of cognizance was passed on an allegation of commission of offence u/ss. 304(A)/201/34 of the I.P.C. and that too against two accused persons i.e.-O.P. Nos. 2 and 3 Once on perusal of the entire case diary, the learned Magistrate had taken cognizance of the offence u/ss. 304(A)/201/34 of the I.P.C. against two accused persons, who were charge sheeted by the police, at subsequent stage, the same Magistrate was not entitled to pass an order contrary to its own order that too without any new material-part of the impugned order so far as taking cognizance u/s 302/34 of the I.P.C. and for issuance of non-bailable warrant of arrest against the petitioners set aside-petition allowed. (Paras 8 & 9)
AIR SC 1989 SC 885-Referred to.
Rakesh Kumar, J.
1. Seven Petitioners, while invoking inherent jurisdiction of this Court under Section 482 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, have prayed for quashing of an order dated, 12th August, 1999 passed in Trial No. 189 of 1999, G.R. No. 109 of 1991 (arising out of Ekangarsarai P.S. Case No. 30 of 1991). By the said order, learned Magistrate, while allowing the discharge petition of two Accused persons, who were earlier summoned, has found that a prima facie case under Section 302/34 of the Indian Penal Code was made out against all the Petitioner and directed for issuance of non bailable warrant of arrest against the Petitioners.
2. Short fact of the case is that on 1st February, 1991, on the basis of written report, submitted by one Binod Kumar Singh, an FIR vide Ekangarsarai P.S. Case No. 30 of 1991 was registered under Section 302/34 of the Indian Penal Code against ten un-known Accused persons. However, the Informant had suspected the involvement of ten Accused persons including seven Petitioners. It was disclosed by the Informant that on 1st February, 1991, while he returned from Patna to his village in morning, he was informed that his son Aditya Kumar aged 3 and 1/2 years was missing from his house. The Informant with his wife and villagers started to search his son. However, the resident of Dakshini Tola did not come along with the Informant for searching his son. On the contrary, they shut down their doors. After some time, dead body of son of the Informant was found near a primary school. The Informant suspected the hands of villagers of Dakshini Tola and also disclosed the name of ten persons which include seven Petitioners. Accordingly, an FIR vide Ekangarsara P.S. Case No. 30 of 1991 was registered on 1st February, 1991 against un-known. After investigation, police submitted chargesheet against two Accused persons, namely, Sunderdeo Prasad Singh and Vidya Bhushan for the offence under Sections 304(A)/201/34 of the Indian Penal code. During investigation, it was found that the son of the Informant died due to accident by the vehicle of one of the Accused persons. Accordingly, chargesheet was submitted against two Accused i persons. After submitting chargesheet, by an order dated, 18th May, 1993, the learned Magistrate took cognizance of the offence under Sections 304(A)/201/34 of the Indian Penal code against two chargesheeted Accused persons and transferred the case to the Court of Shri P.N. Sharma, Judicial Magistrate, 1st Class for its disposal. At the stage of charge, a petition was filed on behalf of two chargesheeted Accused persons for their discharge under Section 239 of the Indian Penal Code. By the impugned order, i.e. order dated, 12th August, 1999, Shri A.K. Mishra, learned Judicial Magistrate, 1st Class allowed the discharge petition and at the same time, after taking cognizance of the offence under Section 302/34 of the Indian Penal code against the Petitioners, directed for issuance of non bailable warrant of arrest against the Petitioners.
3. Aggrieved with the order dated, 12th August, 1999 passed by Shri A.K. Mishra, learned Judicial Magistrate, 1st Class, Hilsa, the Petitioners approached this Court by filing the present petition. On 31st August, 1999, learned Counsel for the Petitioner was permitted to add Sunderdeo Prasad Singh and Vidya Bhushan as Opposite Party Nos. 2 and 3, who were discharged by the impugned order. While issuing notice to Opposite Party Nos. 2 and 3, this Court directed that till further order, operation of impugned order dated, 12th August, 1999 shall remain stayed. It was also pointed out by learned Counsel for the Petitioner on 31st August, 1999 that the Informant has already died. Subsequently, on 24th April, 2000, the present petition was admitted for hearing and till disposal of this application, part of the impugned order dated, 12th August, 1999, so far as issuance of non bailable warrant of arrest against the Petitioner was concerned, was ordered