HIGH COURT OF CHHATTISGARH
V. K. SHRIVASTAVA
MOHAN - Appellant
Versus
STATE OF CHHATTISGARH - Respondents
Misc. Crl. Case 549 Of 2005
Decided On : MARCH 9, 2005
u/s 12 by Juvenile delinquent —Rejected by Justice Board and Appellate court —Application u/s 439 CrPC for release on bail instead of preferring a revision —Application filed by petitioner for converting bail application into revision during pendancy of application u/s 439 CrPC — Whether Act takes away power and jurisdiction of High Court or Court of Session regarding bail u/s 438 and 439 CrPC ? Held (No) — Act does not take away power and jurisdiction of High Court of Sessions regarding bail as provided u/s 438 and 439 CrPC — Non-obstante clause contained in Section 12 of Act does not erode provisions of sections 438 and 439 CrPC — A juvenile accused of a bailable or non-bailable offence under custody, after exhausting remedy u/s 12 has option to file application for grant of bail u/s 439 of CrPC — High Court or courts of session can exercise not only powers contained in sections 438 and 439 CrPC but also power conferred on juvenile justice board being empowered u/s 6(2) of Act.(Paras 14, 15, 16, 11, 6, 7)
(ii)Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of the Children) Act, 2000 — Section 12 —Criminal Procedure Code, 1973 — Section 439 — Application for bail
u/s 12 by Juvenile delinquent—Rejected by Justice Board and Appellate Court —Application u/s 439 CrPC for release on bail instead of preferring a revision —Application filed by petitioner for converting bail application into revision during pendancy of application u/s 439 CrPC — Whether bail application filed under section 439 CrPC can be converted into revision — Held (No) — If any person aggrieved by any order files revision, same is to be filed within period of limitation containing description of impugned order and ground on which its legality or propriety had been assailed — However all these ingredients are not required in application for grant of bail u/s 439 CrPC — Since all ingredients of revision lacking in a petition u/s 439 and since neither Act nor Code of Criminal Procedure authorizes for converting any bail application into revision — Hence bail application filed u/s 439 cannot be converted into revision.(Paras 13, 14, 16)
Result: Order accordingly.
( 2 ) THE petitioner-Mohan, aged about 17 years, was found in possession of 34 liters and 507 milliliters of illicit liquor. The liquor was seized from him, and he was arrested for committing the offence under S. 34 (l) (a)of the Excise Act. The petitioner filed an application under S. 12 of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of the Children)Act, 2000 (henceforth the Act') for grant of bail. The Juvenile Justice Board rejected his application vide order dated 5-1-2005. Disgruntled with the said order, he preferred an appeal under S. 52 of the Act before Sessions Judge, Raipur. Learned Sessions judge, Raipur, after hearing both the parties, maintained the finding of the Juvenile justice Board to the effect that there is reason to believe that the petitioner may come into association with criminals connected with the crime for which the petitioner was arrested and his release would defeat the ends of justice, and accordingly dismissed his Criminal Appeal No. 16/2005 vide order dated 18-1-2005.
( 3 ) THE petitioner, instead of filing revision, applied under S. 439 of the Code of criminal Procedure before this Court for releasing him on bail. During the pendency of the application, the petitioner, relying on the decision rendered in Hardip Singh v. State of Punjab, reported in 2002 (2) Crimes 179, filed LA. No. 510/2005 for converting the bail application into revision.
( 4 ) FOR deciding the petitioner's application filed for converting the bail application into revision, following legal points are required to be decided :-1. Whether the Act takes away the power and jurisdiction of High Court or Court of session regarding bail under Ss. 438 and 439 of the Code of Criminal Procedure. 2. Whether the bail application filed under S. 439 of the Code of Criminal Procedure can be converted into revision at the instance of the petitioner.
( 5 ) ACCORDING to S. 4 of the Act, a duly constituted Juvenile Justice Board shall have the powers conferred by the Code of criminal Procedure, 1973 on a Metropolitan Magistrate or, as the case may be, a judicial Magistrate First Class. Section 12 (1)of the Act confers special powers to Juvenile Justice Board to grant bail to juvenile who is accused of a bailable or non-bailable offence. For appreciation of the matter, S. 12 (1) of the Act is reproduced below :-"12. Bail of juvenile.- (1) When any person accused of a bailable or non-bailable offence, and apparently a juvenile, is arrested or detained or appears or is brought before a Board, such person shall, notwith-standing anything contained in the Code of criminal Procedure, 1973 (2 of 1974) or in any other law for the time being in force, be released on bail with or without surety but he shall not be so released if there appear reasonable grounds for believing that the release is likely to bring him into association with any known criminal or expose him to moral, physical or psychological danger or that his release would defeat the ends of justice. "
( 6 ) IT is manifest that, the above provision provides certain specific conditions for consideration for releasing the juvenile who is accused of a bailable or non-bailable offence, and the said special authorisation begins with "notwithstanding anything contained in the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (2 of 1974) or in any other law for the time being in force. " The said non obstante clause is appended herein with a view to give the enacting part of the section in case of conflict an overriding effect over the provisions of the Code of Criminal procedure applicable to the case. The said non obstante clause does not take away the various provisions of bail, but only removes various barriers, and authorises that, in spite of the various barriers, the conditions, enumerated under S. 12 of the Act, shall prevail while considering the matter of granting or refusing bail to juvenile, accused of a bailable or non-bailable offence.
( 7 ) JUVENILE Justice Board has been conferred with th
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