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2022 Supreme(Cal) 507

IN THE HIGH COURT OF CALCUTTA
Prakash Shrivastava, Rajarshi Bharadwaj, JJ.
Kushal Agarwal - Appellant
Versus
Mahendra Kumar Jain And Others - Respondent
MAT 922 of 2022 & IA No. CAN 1 of 2022 & CAN 2 of 2022
Decided On : 28-07-2022

Advocates appeared:
Mr. Parag Tripathi, Sr. Advocate Mr. Ankit Agarwal, Mr. Srinivasan Ramaswamy, Mr. Nilay Sengupta, Mr. Sujit Banerjee, Advocates for the appellant, for the Appellant; Mr. Kalyan Banerjee, Sr. Advocate Mr. Debanjan Mandal, Mr. Anuj Singh, Mr. Ajay Agarwal, Mr. Somopriyo Chowdhury, Mr. Sanket Sarawgi, Mr. Arka Banerjee, Advocates for the respondent No.1 Mr. Amitesh Banerjee, Sr. Advocate Mr. Chama Mukherjee, Mr. Siraj Gooptu, Advocates for the State, for the Respondent

The accused has no right to participate in the manner of investigation, and the right to speedy investigation is recognized as a fundamental right under Article 21 of the Constitution.

Headnote:

Writ Petition - Special Investigation Team - Sections 306, 498A, 34 of the IPC - The court discussed the delay in investigation, the power of the Judicial Magistrate to constitute SIT, and the rights of the accused in the investigation process.

Fact of the Case:

The appellant, one of the accused, challenged the order allowing the formation of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to investigate the death of his wife. The appellant argued that the writ petition filed by the respondent was not maintainable and that the appropriate remedy for improper investigation was to approach the Judicial Magistrate.

Finding of the Court:

The court found that the investigation was delayed and directionless, leading to the formation of the SIT. The court also emphasized that the accused has no right to choose the investigating agency or participate in the investigation process.

Issues: The issues revolved around the maintainability of the writ petition, the power of the Judicial Magistrate to form SIT, and the delay in investigation.

Ratio Decidendi: The court held that the accused has no right to participate in the manner of investigation and that the Judicial Magistrate has limited power under Section 156(3) of the Cr.P.C. The court also emphasized the right to speedy investigation as a fundamental right.

Final Decision: The appeal was dismissed, affirming the order to form the SIT. The court clarified that the observations made in the order will not prejudice the rights of the parties in trial.

JUDGMENT

Prakash Shrivastava, CJ. - This appeal is at the instance of one of the accused challenging the order of the learned Single Judge dated 14.06.2022 whereby W.P.A. No. 17293 of 2021filed by the complainant has been allowed and a Special Investigation Team has been formed to investigate the offences.

2. Facts in nutshell are that appellant was married to Rashika Jain (daughter of respondent no. 1) on 09.02.2020. It is stated that on 16.02.2021 Rashika Jain fell down from the terrace of the appellant's apartment and was taken to Woodlands Hospital and she had died on the same day. Respondent No. 1 had lodged a complaint with the police on 17.02.2021 on the basis of which FIR No. 15/21 at Alipore Police Station for the offences under Sections 306, 498A, 34 of the IPC was registered. Respondent No. 1 on or about 7th of October, 2021 had filed W.P.A. No. 17293 of 2021 raising grievance against the unsatisfactory investigation and making a prayer for constituting the Special Investigation Team to investigate the offences in Alipore Police Station Case No. 15 of 2021. By the order under challenge, learned Single Judge has allowed the prayer.

3. Submission of the learned Counsel for the appellant is that the writ petition filed by the respondent No.1 was not maintainable because he had filed an application under Section 156(3) of the Cr.P.C. and without disclosing this fact, simultaneously, he had invoked the writ jurisdiction. He further submits that even otherwise in respect of the grievance relating to improper investigation the writ petition was not maintainable and the appropriate remedy was to approach the Judicial Magistrate and in support of his submission he has placed reliance upon the judgment of the Hon'ble Supreme Court in the matter of Sakiri Vasu vs. State of Uttar Pradesh and Others reported in (2008) 2 SCC 409, in the matter of Sudhir Bhaskarrao Tambe vs. Hemant Yashwant Dhage and Others reported in (2016) 6 SCC 277 and in the matter of M. Subramaniam and Another vs. S. Janaki and Another reported in (2020) 16 SCC 728. He has further submitted that before the learned Single Judge, order of the Judicial Magistrate dated 06.05.2022 was not produced wherein learned Judicial Magistrate had recorded satisfaction about the investigation and the said order has not been dealt with by the learned Single Judge. He has also submitted that merely because in the application before the Judicial Magistrate, respondent no. 1 had not mentioned any provision of law that will not make any difference as the contents of the application reveal that it was an application under Section 156(3) of the Cr.P.C. and in support of his submission he has placed reliance upon in the matter of P.K. Palanisamy vs. N. Arumugham and Another reported in (2003) 9 SCC 173. He has also submitted that on the groud of suppressing the order of the Judicial Magistrate dated 06.05.2022, the writ petition itself is liable to be dismissed and in support of his submission he has place reliance upon the Division Bench order of the Delhi High Court in the matter of Satish Khosla vs. Eli Lilly Ranbaxy Ltd. reported in 1988 (44) DRJ (DB). He has raised the submission that the averment made by the respondent No. 1 in the affidavit before this Court in respect of as to what transpired before the learned Single Judge at the time of hearing cannot be looked into as the same does not form part of the record of the learned Single Judge. In support of his submission, he has placed reliance upon the judgment of Hon'ble Supreme Court in the matter of State of Maharashtra vs. Ramdas Shrinivas Nayak and Another reported in (1982) 2 SCC 463. He has also submitted that learned Single Judge has not examined the case diary and that delay in investigation is attributable to the respondent No. 1 and in this regard he has submitted that the password of the seized mobile phone was belatedly supplied by the respondent No. 1 and that other 4 queries raised in the communication dated 10.

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