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2012 Supreme(Pat) 676

PATNA HIGH COURT
ASHWANI KUMAR SINGH, J.
Rahul Wadhawan & Ors. : Petitioners
Versus
Ramanuj Bharti & Anr. : Opp. Parties
Cri. Misc. No. 6847 of 2007,
Decided On : May 4, 2012.

Advocates Appeared:
Navendu Kumar, for the petitioners.
Nand Kishore Pd. Sinha, for the opposite party No. 2.
Matloob Rub, APP, for the State.

Headnote:Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973-Sections 482-Quashing-Learned Magistrate found a prima facie case u/ss 418 and 465 I.P.C. against the petitioners and summoned them for trial-Purchase of truck-Hire purchase agreement-There is nothing to suggest that petitioners in any manner induced the opposite party No. I fraudulently or dishonestly or opposite party No. I parted with any property in favour of the petitioners out of such inducement or deception-There is nothing to suggest that the petitioners cheated the complainant with knowledge that wrongful loss may be caused to the person whose interest they were bound to protect and thus no offence u/s 418 I.P.C. would be attracted so far as the petitioners are concerned. (Para 17)

       Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973-Section 482 and Section 465 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860-The petitioners have not made any false document or have conspired for preparation of any false documents or valuable security etc.-From the contents of the complaint itself it is apparent that no fraud has been committed on the part of petitioners-Offence u/s 465 I.P.C. also not made out against petitioners. (Para 22)

       Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973-Section 482-Quashing-Admittedly the company has repossessed the Vehicle delivered to the hirer under the hire purchase agreement-The element of dishonest-intention which is essential element to constitute an offence under the Penal Code is lacking-The hirer has not filed any complaint rather the hirer entered in to some sort of agreement with the complainant which was apparently bad in the eye of law as in terms of agreement he could not have sold the Vehicle or give it on rent, lease, mortgage, grant a securily interest in or otherwise transfer or encumber the Vehicle in question till it was under hypothecation of the company-Allowing the present prosecution to continue as against the petitioners would be a gross abuse of the process of court-The dispute if any, was of civil nature-Impugned order quashed. (Paras 23 and 26)

       (1979)4 SCC 396; (2007)7 SCC 417-Relied.

JUDGMENT (ORAL)

A.K. Singh, J.-

Heard Mr. Navendu Kumar, learned counsel appearing on behalf of the petitioners. Mr. Nand Kishore Prasad Sinha, learned counsel appearing on behalf of the opposite party No. 1 and Mr. Matloob Rub, learned A.P.P. appearing on behalf of the State.

2. The petitioners, while invoking jurisdiction of this Court under Section 482 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, have prayed for quashing of Criminal Complaint No. 479 of 2006 corresponding to T.R. No. 278 of 2006 including the order dated 30.5.2006 passed in the aforesaid case by Mr. D.S. Srivastava, the learned Judicial Magistrate. 1st Class, Gaya by which finding a prima facie case to be made out under Sections 418 and 465 of the Indian Penal Code the petitioners and one another have been summoned for trial.

3. The prosecution has been launched on the basis of a complaint instituted by the opposite party No. 1 Ramanuj Bharti, who has alleged that since he desired to purchase a truck, the co-accused Satbir Singh, who was engaged in transport business approached him at Gaya and offered his truck bearing registration No. HR-38J-2300 for sale in his favour to which he immediately• agreed. It was agreed between them that the remaining installments due to be paid to the financer for r6-paying the loan shall be paid by the complainant to get the vehicle transferred in his name. In pursuance to the agreement with co-accused Satbir Singh, the complainant paid Rs. 3.34.500/- (three lakh thirty four thousand five hundred) to Satbir Singh in between 10.2.2005 to 21.7.2005 by way of debit voucher and freight payment memos. Despite the payments made by the complainant. co-accused Satbir Singh neither handed over the vehicle to him nor returned back the amount and thus the complainant med a money suit on 12.8.2005 in the Court of Principal Sub Judge, Gaya against co-accused Satbir Singh which was numbered as Money suit No. 13 of 2005.

4. It has further been alleged by the complainant that in the meantime on 17.9.2005 legal notices were sent to M/s. GE Capital Transportation Financial Services Limited (hereinafter to be referred to as 'the company') disclosing that all the payments made by Satbir Singh were as a matter of fact made by the complainant. In the meantime, the aforesaid truck was seized by the company and kept in the yard of the company at Bodh Gaya. On 18.11.2005 an agreement was entered into between the complainant and the co-accused Satbir Singh by which it was agreed that the truck in question would be handed over to the complainant- opposite party No. 1 and Accordingly, a power of attorney was executed by Satbir Singh in favour of the complainant to possess the vechicle and ply the same. Subsequently, taking into notice the duly executed power of attorney, petitioner No.3. namely, Umesh Arora gave no objection certificate and directed his agent Mr. Tripathi to release the vehicle in question in favour of the complainant and Mr. Tripathi in pursuance of the direction given by petitioner No. 3 handed over the vehicle to the complainant- opposite party No. 1 on 5.1.2006 on the condition that the complainant would pay the due installments directly in favour of the company. The complainant has also alleged that several post dated cheques of HDFC Bank, New Delhi, each amounting to Rs. 18,609/-issued under the signature of the complainant were handed over to petitioner No. 3 Umesh Arora. The post dated cheques were for the period commencing from January 2006 to January 2008. However, on 21.3.2006 when the vehicle in question was carrying consignment of coal from Jharia to Bulandsahar the same was intercepted by Pankaj Motors. Agra and without assigning any reason the said vehicle was detained at the yard of the company in question. The complainant thereafter approached co-accused Satbir Singh and petitioner Nos. 1 and 2, who are officers of the company but the vehicle was not released in his favour, The petitioners on enquiry replied that there are outstanding
















































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