2005 Supreme(Del) 667
High Court Of Delhi
ANGAD PAUL - Appellant
Versus
ANGAD PAUL - Respondent
Decided On : 05/31/2005
The court emphasized that the complaint cannot be quashed as an offence has been made out, and the trial court will have the opportunity to determine the charges at the appropriate stage.
Headnote:
Forgery - Criminal Breach of Trust - Indian Penal Code - Section 409/468/471/477/477a/506 - The court discussed the allegations of forgery, criminal breach of trust, and criminal intimidation made by the complainant. The court highlighted the principles governing the use of Section 482 of the Cr. P. C. and emphasized that the complaint cannot be quashed as an offence has been made out and the trial court will have the opportunity to determine the charges at the appropriate stage.
Fact of the Case:
The complainant alleged that the accused conspired to misappropriate and divert funds of a public limited company, leading to forgery, falsification of documents, and criminal breach of trust. The magistrate summoned the accused based on the allegations, and the petitioners sought to quash the order.
Finding of the Court:
The court found that the complaint cannot be quashed as an offence has been made out, and the trial court will determine the charges at the appropriate stage. The court emphasized that it cannot take upon itself the responsibility of the trial court in framing charges.
Issues: The issues revolved around the allegations of forgery, criminal breach of trust, and criminal intimidation, as well as the petitioners' request to quash the summoning order based on mala fides and delay in filing the complaint.
Ratio Decidendi: The court emphasized that the complaint cannot be quashed as an offence has been made out, and the trial court will have the opportunity to determine the charges at the appropriate stage. The court also highlighted the principles governing the use of Section 482 of the Cr. P. C.
Final Decision: The petition under Section 482 of the Cr. P. C. was dismissed, but the magistrate was left open to form an independent opinion at the time of framing charges. The trial court will determine which accused can be charged with which offence or offences.
( 1 ) THIS petition under Section 482 of the Cr. P. C. seeks quashment of order dated 4. 11. 2004 by which Shri V. K. Khanna, Metropolitan Magistrate, patiala House has summoned the petitioners in CR No. 43/2004 under section 409/468/471/477/477a/506 of the Indian Penal Code. Before coming to the grounds on which the relief is sought, it will be appropriate to narrate in brief the complaint.
( 2 ) THE complainant Shr. M. D. Jindal is a shareholder, Chairman and director of Caparo Maruti Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as CML) which is a public limited company which was promoted by the complainant sometime in 1994. The accused No. 7 Caparo India Ltd. (U. K.) is a part of Caparo Group of Companies of U. K. in which the accused No. 1 Shri Angad Paul, (petitioner no. 1 herein) has substantial shareholdings. He is also the director of CML. Accused No. 2 who is petitioner No. 2 is the Chairman of Caparo Group of companies and is father of accused No. 1. Accused Nos. 3 (petitioner No. 3), accused No. 4 and accused No. 5 (petitioner No. 4) are the Managing director, General Manager and Company Secretary-cum- Deputy General manager (Finance) of CML respectively. The accused No. 3 is the Managing director of CML and also associated with Caparo Group of Companies whereas accused No. 4 is the General Manager of the Caparo Maruti Ltd. and also is a director of Caparo India Pvt. Ltd. (CIPL) and Caparo India development Pvt. Ltd. (CIDPL ). Accused No. 6 who is petitioner No. 5 herein is the director of CML as also of the Caparo India Ltd. Accused No. 8 is caparo India Pvt. Ltd. (CIPL) whereas accused No. 9 is Caparo India development Ltd. (CIDPL), while accused No. 10 is Caparo Engineering india Pvt. Ltd. (CEIPL ). The accused Nos. 7, 8, 9 and 10 are controlled and managed by accused Nos. 1 and 2 along with other accused as mentioned above. It is alleged by the complainant that the funds of CML are being siphoned off into accused Nos. 7, 8, 9 and 10 by circular transactions and forgery. According to the complainant accused No. 8 and 9 are said to be only paper companies while accused No. 10 is owned and controlled by the Caparo group of Companies. CML is said to be a company with a share capital of rs. 20. 00 crores. 60% of the shareholding is with the Jindal Group consisting of the complainant and members of his family. The story of the complainant is that in the Annual General Meeting of the CML dated 30. 9. 2003 the complainant tried several times to raise certain relevant queries regarding the functioning of CML and tried to register certain observations and protects by virtue of his being the shareholder and the Chairman of the company as also by virtue of an order dated 29. 9. 2003 of the Company Law board but he was forced to leave the meeting being abused and intimidated by the other accused persons present in the meeting. Accused Nos. 1 and 2 were particularly intimidating and the accused No. 1 also subsequently threatened the complainant of being killed. The complainant then lodged a report with the police station, New Friends Colony against the accused alleging offence of cheating, criminal breach of trust, forgery etc. In the meeting dated 30. 9. 2003 accused No. 1 pretended to preside over the meeting despite the presence of the complainant and instigated the other accused to condemn and abuse the complainant. The police did riot take any action despite a complaint. The complainant then filed the complaint with the same averments as mentioned in his report to the police. The sum and substance of the averments given to the police are as under:
( 3 ) ON or about November and December, 2001 the accused Nos. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 who were entrusted with the funds of CML hatched a conspiracy to misappropriate and divert the funds of the CML to their own use. A loan of rs. 7. 00 crores has already been advanced to accused No. 7 (CIL) in december, 2001. In the Board meeting of 17. 12. 2001 the loan of Rs. 2. 07 crores was fur