SupremeToday Landscape Ad
Back
Next
Judicial Analysis Court Copy Headnote Facts Arguments Court observation
Listen Audio Icon Pause Audio Icon
judgment-img

2011 Supreme(Del) 89

IN THE HIGH COURT OF DELHI AT NEW DELHI
HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE PRADEEP NANDRAJOG HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE SURESH KAIT
GULSHAN SATIJA..... Petitioner
versus
UNION OF INDIA & ORS. ..... Respondents
W.P.(C) 11597/2009
Decided on : 20th January, 2011

Advocates Appeared:
Mr.M.K.Bhardwaj, Advocate
Mr.C.S.Chauhan and Mr.Prasenjeet Mohapatra, Advocates for Ms.Rajdipa Behura, Advocate

Headnote:

Railway Protection Force Rules, 1987 - Immoral activities of the charged officer--Complainant and the petitioner had got married and lived as husband and wife for about 8 years--Complainant who was troubled by her husband probably believed that the so-called ritual of exchanging garlands in a temple was accepted by law as resulting in a legally recognized matrimonial bond between the petitioner and the complainant--He was actually indulging in a promiscuous relationship--the petitioner took advantage of a woman in distress and the testimony of the complainant further establishes petitioners promiscuous relationship with other women. Being a member of an Armed Force such conduct is abhor-able and petitioner has rightly invited the penalty.

Constitution of India, 1950 - Article 226--Parameters of judicial review, applicability of rules of evidence and standard of proof required in case of disciplinary proceedings--Explained and laid down--Held, the standard of proof required in disciplinary proceedings is preponderance of probabilities.

Railway Protection Force, 1987 - Rules 146.4, 153, 154.5, 212 & 219--Petitioner held liable for having acted in a manner pre-judicial to the discipline and brought discredit to the reputation of the force as he was having intimate relations with several women and thereby violated RPF Rules, 1987 which was proved from the photographs placed on record and corroborated from the statements of complainant amongst others--Disciplinary, Appellate and Revisional Authorities held the petitioner guilty of the offence--Petitioner moved High Court under Articles 226 and 227 of Constitution of India on the ground that the complainant had retracted from her statement which was ignored by the Inquiry Officer--Petitioner contended that the photographs being relied upon were not genuine and doctored--On cross-examination of the complainant by the petitioner nothing could be elicited which could cast a doubt on the statement of the complainant--Furthermore, photographs lent full credence to the statement of the complainant--Held, being a member of an Armed Force such conduct has rightly invited the penalty--Hence, appeal dismissed.

JUDGMENT

PRADEEP NANDRAJOG, J.

1. In the year 2007 the petitioner was posted as Sub-Inspector in Railway Protection Force (hereinafter referred to as “RPF”).

2. On 09.05.2007 a lady named Hina @ Sabiha (hereinafter referred to as the „Complainant?) made a complaint against the petitioner to the Station House Officer, PS Bhajanpura Delhi, inter-alia, stating that she was married to one Arif Khan and three sons were born to her out of the said wedlock. Her relations with her husband turned sour as he used to beat her after getting drunk. In March 1999 she came into contact with the petitioner who was her neighbour. Taking advantage of her disturbed condition, the petitioner lured her into having a relationship with him and induced her to divorce her husband on the assurance that he would marry her and also adopt her children. The petitioner also used to pressurize and extend threats to her husband to divorce her, due to which her husband divorced her. Thereafter the petitioner started residing with her and her children. On several occasions the petitioner used to force her to have sexual intercourse with him against her will and consent. On 21.12.1999 she and the petitioner got married in a temple by exchanging garlands in the presence of her relatives and friends of the petitioner. After their marriage, she and the petitioner started residing as husband and wife and that the petitioner used to treat her children as his own children. On numerous occasions she and the petitioner had gone for holiday to various hill stations. After sometime she came to know that the petitioner was having illicit relations with number of women. When she objected to the same, the petitioner ill-treated and manhandled her. With passage of time the petitioner regularly used to harass her. In the first week of March 2007 she came to know that the petitioner had married one Simran and that the said lady had filed a divorce petition against the petitioner. When she confronted the petitioner with the said fact he got annoyed and beat her mercilessly. Between the period from March 2007 to middle of April 2007 the petitioner raped her on numerous occasions. During the said period, the petitioner also started demanding a sum of `10,00,000/- from her. When she expressed her inability to give the said amount, the petitioner beat her and had unnatural sexual intercourse with her.

3. Based on the aforesaid complaint, on 12.06.2007, FIR No.251/2007 under Sections 376/420 IPC were registered against the petitioner. 4. Fearing arrest, the petitioner filed an application before the Court of Additional Sessions Judge for grant of anticipatory bail. Vide order dated 29.06.2007 the Additional Sessions Judge granted anticipatory bail to the petitioner. Being relevant, the order granting anticipatory bail needs to be noted. It reads as under:- “Heard. This is a 2nd application for bail by applicant/accused Gulshan Satija. Earlier was dismissed by this court on 27.6.07. It is submitted by Ld. APP as well as counsel appearing on behalf of complainant that there is no fresh ground for the release of applicant on bail. On the other hand, as per Ld. counsel for applicant there was no bar for the court to entertain 2nd application. Ld. counsel referred a case titled as Sulakhan Singhayar Vs Smt. Kuldeep Kaur and Ors. 1996 JCC 107 on this point. Ld. counsel pointed out that the complainant had given a statement before ACP concerned on 21.5.07 and same was not within his knowledge on said date i.e. 27.6.07. Now he has got a copy of said statement after applying under The Right to Information Act. Ld. counsel took me through said statement. The complainant has admitted to have married the applicant. Both of them resided together with for about 8 years as husband and wife. The complainant is stated to be a lady aged more than 30 years, having three children already from her earlier husband. In such a case, as per Ld. counsel, the applicant could not have been booked for an offence p
















































Click Here to Read the rest of this document

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
Judicial Analysis

SupremeToday

SupremeToday Portrait Ad
supreme today icon
logo-black

An indispensable Tool for Legal Professionals, Endorsed by Various High Court and Judicial Officers

Please visit our Training & Support
Center or Contact Us for assistance

qr

Scan Me!

India’s Legal research and Law Firm App, Download now!

For Daily Legal Updates, Join us on :

whatsapp-icon Back to top