IN THE HIGH COURT AT CALCUTTA
RAI CHATTOPADHYAY, J.
Samarendra Kumar Biswas - Petitioner
Versus
State of West Bengal & Anr. - Respondents
C.R.R. No. 168 of 2016 With CRAN 9 of 2020 (Old No. CRAN 567 of 20) With CRAN 10 of 2022
Decided On : 12-05-2023
Indian Penal Code, 1860 – Sections 420, 406, 120B – Criminal Procedure Code, 1973 – Section 156, 482 – Offence of Cheating and criminal breach of trust – Challenged criminal proceeding - Held, Case no stretch of imagination prima facie ingredients of offence of cheating as alleged against present petitioner are available to warrant that petitioner should stand for trial in this case – Contrary FIR having not made out any case against petitioner basis of allegations made offences of cheating or criminal breach of trust are concerned proceedings would amount to gross abuse of process of Court – Criminal proceeding now pending in trial Court order of trial Court to frame charges commence trial would also not be tenable in eye of law liable to set aside – Revision succeeds.
JUDGMENT :
Rai Chattopadhyay, J.
1. In this case the petitioner has challenged the order of the trial Court dated August 3, 2015, thereby framing charges against the petitioner in G.R.Case No. 46/14, under sections 420 and 406 of the IPC. The petitioner has also challenged the entire criminal proceeding initiated against him pursuant to registering of the FIR being Bidhannagore (North) Police Station Case No. 11/2014 dated 09.01.2014, under sections 420/406/120B of the IPC. The petitioner has prayed for setting aside of the order of the trial Court framing charges in the said proceeding as well as quashing of the entire criminal proceeding against him as above.
2. Mr. Chatterjee, Ld. Advocate appearing for the petitioner, has taken the Court through the complaint and the other documents the petitioner has relied on in this case. The complaint was filed on December 21, 2013, in the Court of Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate at Bidhannagore, under section 156 (3) of the Cr.P.C. The opposite party No. 2 in this case, was the complainant. Pursuant to the directions of the Court, police registered the FIR, as mentioned above. The crux of the allegations made against the present petitioner, has been, that the petitioner has deceived and cheated the complainant/opposite party No. 2 by falsely representing that an amount of Rs.30,00,000/- has been returned to the complainant in terms of a memorandum of understanding, previously entered into between the parties, for settlement of petitioner’s immovable property, where as it was not actually done so. Allegedly, the petitioner has with malafide intention and ulterior motive, represented falsely in his letter dated August 21, 2013, to have enclosed an account payee cheque of Rs.30,00,000/-, as a refund of the entire 10% advance, taken earlier by the petitioner from the opposite party No. 2, of the total consideration amount of Rs. 3 crores. It is further alleged that actually there was no account payee cheque enclosed with the petitioner’s letter dated August 21, 2013. The complainant has alleged that the petitioner neither had any intention to return the money taken by him in advance nor any bona-fide mindset to perform the terms of the memorandum entered into between them for settling the immovable property of the petitioner. Allegedly, the petitioner having no such intention to comply with or execute the terms of the memorandum, has deceived the opposite party No. 2 from the very inception of their inter se transaction and dishonestly induced him to part with his substantial amount of money. Mr Chatterjee however indicates that the allegations as above against his client is only baseless and unfounded insofar as the entire amount of Rs.30,00,000/- has already been deposited in the office of the Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate, Bidhannagore 24 Parganas (North), by the petitioner for the purpose of keeping the same, in an interest bearing fixed deposit account. He says that the direction of the Court would facilitate withdrawal of the same by the complainant. Therefore, according to Mr. Chatterjee, there cannot be held to be existent any prima facie material against the petitioner, so far as the alleged offence of cheating or criminal breach of trust is concerned. By referring to the fact that a suit of specific performance has already been filed by the complainant, Mr. Chatterjee has taken this Court to the order of the Civil Judge Junior Division passed in the said case (being T.S. No.131/2013), to submit that the complainant has failed to secure any order of injunction, there, as the Court found existence of no prima facie case. He has relied on various precedents to substantiate petitioner’s ground that in absence of any strong prima facie material as to any cognizable offence against him and the allegations against him, having not made up any case at all, to proceed against the petitioner, would amount only to the gross abuse of the process of Court which is, however, to be pre
Vijay Kumar Ghai & Ors. Vs. State of West Bengal & Ors.
Mere breach of contract without initial fraudulent intent does not constitute an offence under IPC sections 406 or 420.
Criminal proceedings cannot be initiated for mere breach of contract; allegations must disclose a criminal offence to justify prosecution.
The court held that mere non-payment of dues in a commercial transaction does not constitute criminal offences under IPC Sections 406 and 420, emphasizing the distinction between civil and criminal l....
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