2016 Supreme(Chh) 27
IN THE HIGH COURT OF CHHATTISGARH AT BILASPUR
Chandra Bhushan Bajpai, J.
Jaidev Guha - Appellants
Vs.
Ramesh Agrawal - Respondent
CRMP No. 493 of 2015
Decided On : 02-02-2016
For the Appellant :M.P.S. Bhatia, Advocate
For the Respondent:Chandresh Shrivastava, Advocate
Headnote:
Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881 - Section 138 – Criminal Procedure Code - Section 245 - Trial Court – Claim of compensation - Learned counsel further submitted that provisions of Section 141 of the Act, 1881 is not complied with. If at all in event of prosecution, Bina Engineering and Ganga Iron & Steel Trading Company Limited should also have been made party in the complaint case. Hence, it is submitted that taking cognizance on 01-03-2013, explaining the particulars of offence to the accused/applicant on 05-07-2013 and also order dated 03-06-2015 dismissing the application under Section 245 of the Cr.P.C. are improper and illegal. Learned counsel for the applicant prayed that all the above three orders passed by the trial Court be set aside. In support of the case, learned counsel for the applicant placed reliance on the matter of Aneeta Hada Vs. M/s. Godfather Travels & Tours Pvt. Ltd. 2012(III) L.S.C.T. 212 wherein in criminal appeal referred to Honble Bench of the Apex Court, Honble the Apex Court held in para 48 that – Held, In this case it is not in dispute that the complaint was filed by one Shri V. Shankar Prasad claiming to be General Power of Attorney of the complainant company. Subsequently PW-1 Shri Ravinder Singh gave the evidence on behalf of the Company under the General Power of Attorney given by the complainant Company. The complaint was not signed either by Managing Director or Director of the Company. It is also not in dispute that PW-1 is only the employee of the Company. As per Resolution of the Company i.e. Ex. P3 under first part Managing Director and Director are authorized to file suits and criminal complaints against the debtors for recovery of money and for prosecution. Under third part of the said Resolution they were authorized to appoint or nominate any other person to appear on their behalf in the Court and engage lawyer etc. But nothing on the record suggest that an employee is empowered to file the complaint on behalf of the Company. This apart, Managing Director and Director are authorized persons of the Company to file the complaint by signing and by giving evidence. At best the said persons can nominate any person to represent themselves or the Company before the Court. In the present case one Shri Shankar Prasad employee of the Company signed the complaint and the Deputy General Manager of the Company i.e. PW-1 gave evidence as if he knows everything though he does not know anything. There is nothing on the record to suggest that he was authorized by the Managing Director or any Director – Appeal dismissed
Chandra Bhushan Bajpai, J.
1. Heard on admission. Brief facts of the case are that the respondent/complainant filed a complaint case against the applicant under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881 (in brevity 'the Act, 1881'). The trial Court has taken cognizance and registered the case under 138 of the Act, 1881 against the applicant and issued summons on 01-03-2013 for appearance of the applicant/accused. On 05-07-2013 after hearing both the parties, particulars of the offence under Section 138 of the Act, 1881 were stated to the applicant/petitioner, the applicant/accused denied, the same was recorded and trial commenced. On 03-06-2015 the applicant filed an application under Section 245 of the Cr.P.C. and prayed that as the complainant failed to prove relation of the accused with Bina Engineering and the authority of the accused giving cheque to the complainant, and also since no notice had been served at the address of the accused. After hearing both the parties, the Court below has dismissed the application filed under Section 245 of the Cr.P.C. holding that the present complaint is triable as summon case for which procedure has been mentioned in Cr.P.C. under Section 251 to Section 259 whereas the application filed by the accused/applicant is under Section 245 of the Cr.P.C. which is applicable in warrant triable cases. Against these three orders dated 01-03-2013, 05-07-2013 and 03-06-2015 the accused/applicant has filed the instant Cr.M.P. under Section 482 of the Cr.P.C. invoking inherent jurisdiction of this Court to quash all the above three orders in the interest of justice.
2. Heard learned counsel for the applicant on admission.
3. It is submitted on behalf of the applicant that complainant is Ramesh Agrawal, he is not Ganga Iron & Steel Trading Company. He alleged to be general power of attorney holder. Accused is also not Bina Engineering Company. As per the cause title, accused is made party through Bina Engineering. The complainant and the accused arrayed in the complaint case is not in accordance with law. In para 2 of the complaint, mode and other facts regarding transaction is mentioned. The photocopy of the cheque filed in the complaint goes to show that they are in the name of Ganga Iron & Steel Trading Co. Ltd., they are not for Ramesh Agrawal thereby the complaint as filed is not strictly under the provisions of Section 138 of the Act, 1881. Learned counsel further submitted that provisions of Section 141 of the Act, 1881 is not complied with. If at all in event of prosecution, Bina Engineering and Ganga Iron & Steel Trading Company Limited should also have been made party in the complaint case. Hence, it is submitted that taking cognizance on 01-03-2013, explaining the particulars of offence to the accused/applicant on 05-07-2013 and also order dated 03-06-2015 dismissing the application under Section 245 of the Cr.P.C. are improper and illegal. Learned counsel for the applicant prayed that all the above three orders passed by the trial Court be set aside. In support of the case, learned counsel for the applicant placed reliance on the matter of Aneeta Hada Vs. M/s. Godfather Travels & Tours Pvt. Ltd. 2012(III) L.S.C.T. 212 wherein in criminal appeal referred to Hon'ble Bench of the Apex Court, Hon'ble the Apex Court held in para 48 that:--
"48. Keeping in view the anatomy of the aforesaid provision, our analysis pertaining to Section 141 of the Act would squarely apply to the 2000 enactment. Thus adjudged, the director could not have been held liable for the offence under Section 85 of the 2000 Act. Resultantly, the Criminal Appeal No. 1483 of 2009 is allowed and the proceeding against the appellant is quashed. As far as the company is concerned, it was not arraigned as an accused. Ergo, the proceeding as initiated in the existing incarnation is not maintainable either against the company or against the director. As a logical sequitur, the appeals are allowed and the proceedings in