IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT PATNA
RAJIV ROY, J.
Criminal Miscellaneous No.45169 with 50723 and 50896 of 2024
(19.12.2025)
Anushree Srivastava & Anr. ... Petitioners (in both)
vs.
State of Bihar & Anr. ... Opp. Parties (in both)
Indian Penal Code, 1860 – Sections 354(c), 504 and 506/34 – Criminal Procedure Code, 1973 – Section 482 – Obstruction in duty, intentional insult and criminal intimidation – Common intention – Cognizance of offences – Doctor claims to have a valid Medical certificate, is doing his professional work and if he is abused in presence of his subordinates and patients calling him a quack as alleged, is telephonically threatened, the learned Magistrate justifiably took cognizance in the matter – Allegations levelled against petitioners cannot be overlooked simply on the ground that same has been preferred after petitioner lodged cases against them – Clear allegations have been made out against petitioners of abuse/threatened to assault – In that background, Court cannot look other way and interfere in a routine manner where cognizance have rightly been taken in the cases – Power of quashing a criminal proceeding must be exercised sparingly and with circumspection and in rarest of rare case – Petitions dismissed. (Paras 37, 44, 46, 49 and 50)
Rajiv Roy, J.—Heard Mr. Anshul, learned Senior Counsel for the petitioners duly assisted by Ms. Tooba Hera and Mr. Pratyush and learned Senior counsel for the opposite party, Mr. Bindhaychal Singh duly assisted by Mr. Sanjeev Saran in all the three cases as also learned APPs, Mr. Pranav Kumar, Mr. Jitendra Kr. Singh and Mr. Umanath Mishra for the State.
(A) FACTS OF THE CASES:
(i) Cr. Misc. No. 45169 of 2024
2. The present petition has been preferred:—
“for the quashing of the order dated 15.09.2022 passed by the Learned Judicial Magistrate, First Class, Patna in connection with Complaint Case No. 5992(C) of 2022, in which cognizance has been taken against the petitioners herein under sections 354(C), 504 and 506/34 of the I.P.C.”
3. The opposite party no. 2 namely, Sushma Sinha filed complaint case before the learned Chief Judicial Magistrate, Patna, vide Complaint Case No. 5992(C) of 2022 on 23.05.2022 alleging that:—
(i) the complainant's son, namely Rohit Prakash got married to Anushree Srivastava (petitioner no. 1) on 06.12.2020 as per Hindu rituals and customs. Her parents expressed their unwillingness to spend money on their daughter's marriage, they being financially not strong. The complainant and her family members inturn assured them that they were against dowry and would proceed with the marriage with the limited expense;
(ii) also, the complainant and her family members gifted expensive items as well as gold & silver jewelleries to the lady and her family. A day after the after the marriage, the petitioner no. 1 and complainant's son came back to Patna, where the complainant's home is situated. The allegation is that within two days, the petitioner no. 1’s behaviour became rude and she refused to perform the marriage rituals;
(iii) further allegation is that during the four days stay at her home in Patna, the petitioner no. 1 always made unpleasant comment on her as also her husband. Later, on 11th/12th December, 2020, the petitioner no. 1 with the complaint's son went to Pune, where the complainant's son was working. There she started pressurising the complainant's son to leave his parents and to sell the house situated in Patna so that they could buy a big flat in Pune as the petitioner no. 1 wanted to keep her parents with them;
(iv) she also disclosed that her father, Rajesh Chandra Srivastava (petitioner no. 2) forcibly married her to him despite the fact that she is a mental patient. Later, the petitioner no. 1 actually suffered a mental attack in Pune. The complainant's son on 07.01.2021 took her to a Doctor. Thereafter, for detailed medical examination, the complainant's son sent the petitioner no. 1 to Patna on 12.01.2021 as the complainant's husband is a Doctor;
(v) the complainant further alleged that when she informed the petitioner no. 1's mother on phone about the ill-health of her daughter, both the lady as and the petitioner no. 2 also started abusing the complainant and her husband and made vile and unpleasant remarks. During her stay at Patna, the petitioner no. 1 also displayed wild and abusive behavior/act towards the complainant;
(vi) further allegation is that in the month of February, 2021, when the petitioner no. 1's parents visited the complainant's home, they started instigating the petitioner no. 1. Also, the petitioner no. 2 started abusing the complainant's husband and called him a quack and questioned his medical degree in front of his patients and people in locality. The petitioner no. 1 and her mother wanted to kill the complainant as they tried to change her blood pressure medicines with some other medicines. The allegation is that the petitioner no. 2 also secretly recorded the complainant while she was taking bath;
(vii) the complainant further alleged that she called her son from Pune as the petitioner no. 1 was pregnant which followed all medical tests. In the month of May, 2021, the petitioner no. 2 came to Patna and started abusing the complainant and her family members and on 29.05.2021
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