1985 Supreme(Pat) 326
HIGH COURT OF PATNA
PHANI BHUSHAN PD., J.
Mostt. Sajda Khatoon - Petitioner
Versus
The State of Bihar and 23 others - Opposite party
Criminal Revision no.665 of 1984
Decided on : 21.11.1985
For the petitioner: M/s Bindeshwar Pd. Sinha, Syed Raza Ahmad and Shailendra Pd. Mishra.
For the Opp. party No.3 : M/s H. Angar and Farooque Mohazzam.
For the Opp. party No. 24 : M/s A. Bose, Kaushal Kumar and S. P. Gupta.
1. Substitution of legal representatives of a deceased party is mandatory in a proceeding under Section 145 Cr.P.C. 2. Pendency of a civil suit for the same property bars the initiation of a parallel proceeding under Section 145 Cr.P.C.
Headnote:
CRIMINAL PROCEDURE CODE, 1973 - SECTION 145 - DROPPING OF PROCEEDINGS - DEATH OF PARTY - SUBSTITUTION OF LEGAL REPRESENTATIVES - NECESSITY - MULTIPLICITY OF LITIGATION - PENDING CIVIL SUIT - RELEVANCE.
Fact of the Case:
A proceeding under Section 145 Cr.P.C. was initiated in 1968 and remained pending for a long time. After remand, the parties were not keen on its disposal and none of them, except the petitioner, preferred a revision application. The first party, Fahimuddin, died four months before the impugned order was passed, but no substitution petition was filed on behalf of his heirs. The State pointed out this fact and prayed for dropping the proceeding. The Magistrate dropped the proceeding accordingly.
Finding of the Court:
The court held that the Magistrate was justified in dropping the proceeding under Section 145 Cr.P.C. since no legal representative of the deceased party was made a party to the proceeding, as required under Section 145(7) Cr.P.C. The court also noted that a civil suit was pending for the same property and that initiating a parallel proceeding under Section 145 Cr.P.C. would amount to multiplicity of litigation.
Issues: 1. Whether the Magistrate was justified in dropping the proceeding under Section 145 Cr.P.C. without substitution of the legal representatives of the deceased party? 2. Whether the pendency of a civil suit for the same property barred the initiation of a proceeding under Section 145 Cr.P.C.
Ratio Decidendi: 1. Section 145(7) Cr.P.C. mandates that when a party to a proceeding under Section 145 Cr.P.C. dies, the Magistrate shall cause the legal representative of the deceased party to be made a party to the proceeding and shall continue the inquiry. 2. Initiating a proceeding under Section 145 Cr.P.C. when a civil suit is pending for the same property amounts to multiplicity of litigation, which is not in the interest of the parties and leads to wastage of public time and money.
Final Decision: The court dismissed the revision application, holding that the impugned order did not require any interference.
P. B. Prasad, J. - The sole petitioner has challenged the validity of the ORDER :dated 17.5.1984 by which the proceeding under Section 145 Cr. P. C. has been dropped on account of death of Fahimuddin, first party.
2. It appears that Fahimuddin, the first party, had filed an application for action under section 144 Cr. P. C. against the petitioner and other members of the opposite party, on the basis of which a proceeding under section 144 Cr. P. C. was drawn up on 24.10.1968. The said petition of Fahimuddin was sent to the police for inquiry and report. There after the police submitted its report on the basis of which proceeding under section 144 Cr. P. C. was drawn up. It appears that on 10.12.1968 the said proceeding was converted into one under section 145 Cr. P. C. The parties thereafter filed their written statements in the Court below. By ORDER :dated 31.3.84/8.4.81 the learned Sub-divisional Magistrate disposed of the case and declared the possession of the State of Bihar over the land in dispute showing the land in question to be Gairmajarua Aam. Against the said ORDER :, a revision application was preferred before the District and Sessions Judge, Nalanda Biharsharif and some of the parties preferred revision applications before this Hon'ble Court. It appears that three revision applications were heard, out of which one Criminal Revision application no.491/83 was allowed and other two Revision Application nos. 695/81 and 747/81 were remanded to the Court below. Thereafter it appears, that the Court below issued notices to the concerned parties. On 17.5.1984 on behalf of the State it was, pointed out that the first party Fahimuddin, had died four months back and that no substitution petition had been filed on behalf of his heirs and, as such, a prayer was made for dropping of the proceeding. Learned counsel for the petitioner was also heard and there after the proceeding was dropped.
3. Prom the above said ORDER :dated 17.5.84, it appears that no pairvl was done by other members of• the second party in that proceeding. On behalf of the petitioner it has been contended that the ORDER :under challenge is arbitrary and against the ORDER :of this Court passed in Criminal Revision nos. 695/81 and 747/81. The learned Magistrate should not have dropped the proceeding rather he should have decided the possession of the parties in respect of those persons, who were already on the record of the case. Lastly it has been contended that the Court below has not acted according to the directions of this Hon'ble Court. According to the learned counsel for the petitioner, Fahimuddin, the first party, was the Thikedar of the petitioner and, as such his heirs have no interest in the property and their substitution was immaterial.
4. This revision application has been resisted by opposite party no. 3 and by Syed Abbas alias Madrasi Baba, who has filed counter-affidavit in this case, as opposite party no. 24. According to both of them the ORDER :under challenge is just and proper in the facts and circumstances of the case. From the counter-affidavit filed on behalf of opposite party no. 24 it appears that Title Suit no.31/84 has been filed in the Court of the Subordinate Judge, Biharsharif, with respect to the disputed lands, and, as such, it has been contended that there is no necessity for the proceeding under section 145 Cr. P. C. It has been further asserted that in the said Title Suit no. 31/84 the State of Bihar and others have filed written statement and the petitioner has also. filed an application for impleading her as intervenor and she has also claimed right over the disputed property.
5. In the instant case there is no dispute that Fahimuddin, who was first party, died about four months earlier to the date of passing of the ORDER :under challenge, that is, before 17.5.84. No attempt was made by his heirs, or other members of the party to the proceeding to bring his heirs on the record of the case. Sub-clause (7) of Sectio