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2022 Supreme(Del) 485

IN THE HIGH COURT OF DELHI AT NEW DELHI
Chandra Dhari Singh, J.
Yogesh Jagia – Petitioner
Vs.
Jindl Biochem Pvt. Ltd. – Respondent
Crl. M.C. No. 2349 of 2014, Crl. M.A. No. 7900 of 2014
Decided On : 10-06-2022

Advocates:
Advocate Appeared:
For the Petitioners: Mr. Ramesh Gupta, Mr. S.K. Chaturvedi, Mr. Amid Sood, Mr. Nishi Ranjan Singh, Mr. Santosh Pandey, Mr. Bhim Shankar Thakur.
For the Respondents: Mr. June Choudhary, Mr. Vikas Kakkar, Mr. Amit Dubey, Mr. Dilip Rana, Ms. Sneha Choudhary, Ms. Anshika Dubey.

Point of Law: It is well settled that the power under Section 482 Cr.P.C. should be sparingly invoked with circumspection; it should be exercised to see that the process of law is not abused or misused.

Headnote:

Criminal Procedure Code, 1973 - Section 156(3), 200 and 482 - Indian Penal Code, 1860 - Section 409 - Bid commercial - Development agreement - Seeking quash of summoning order - Disputes arose between promoters and consequently, two of the promoters exited V4, selling their equity shares to remaining promoters, Share purchase agreements were drawn up and as part of settlement, part of commercial property was agreed to be sold to complainant company for an agreed consideration for which two separate space buyer agreements were executed between complainant and V4, both - Magistrate has to carefully scrutinize evidence brought on record and may even himself put questions to complainant and his witnesses to elicit answers to find out truthfulness of allegations or otherwise and then examine if any offence is prima facie committed by all or any of accused. (Para 35)

Finding of the court :

Criminal law cannot be set into motion as a matter of course. The complainant has to bring on record material to support his allegations in the complaint to have criminal law set into motion – Court view that the basic essential ingredients of criminal breach of trust are missing. Criminal proceedings are not shortcut for other remedies. The petitioner is a practicing advocate and he has given his professional services to parties and there is no material on record to establish prima facie that he has committed any offence as alleged in complaint. Since no case of criminal breach of trust or dishonest intention of inducement is made out and the necessary ingredients of Section 409 of IPC are missing and Magistrate concerned while passing summoning order has certainly not considered facts of the case in a proper manner and also not assigned any reason for summoning the petitioner, the summoning order and the complaint qua the petitioner is liable to be quashed.

Result: Petition allowed.

JUDGMENT :

Chandra Dhari Singh, J.

1. The instant petition under Section 482 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (hereinafter “Cr.P.C.”) has been filed on behalf of the petitioner seeking following prayer:-

    "(i) Pass an order allowing present petition and quashing the summoning order dated 27.11.2013, qua the petitioner, issued in complaint case No. 149/1/12 by Ms Purva Sareen, Metropolitan Magistrate-01/south/ Saket Court, New Delhi…"

FACTUAL MATRIX

2. The Brief facts of the case leading to the filing of instant petition are as follows:

    The Petitioner is a practicing Advocate enrolled with Bar Council of Delhi since 1991 and the Respondent/Complainant is a real estate development company.

3. In 2005, four promoters of complainant company, namely, Rajinder Kumar Jindal, Attar Singh, Kartar Singh and A.P. Singh, jointly promoted “V4 Infrastructure Pvt. Ltd.” (hereinafter “V4”). Prior to incorporation of V4, to avail opportunity to bid commercial plot of land at Karkardooma, all the four referred promoters contributed funds in complainant company and acquired a commercial plot of land at Karkardooma Community Center, Delhi from DDA, which was subsequently developed by V4 in terms of development agreement dated 24th February, 2005.

4. In 2008, certain disputes arose between the promoters and consequently, two of the promoters exited the V4, selling their equity shares to the remaining promoters, that is, Rajinder Kumar Jindal and Attar Singh. Thereafter, Rajinder Kumar Jindal also exited V4 and sold his shares to Attar Singh. Share purchase agreements were drawn up and as part of settlement, part of commercial property located at Plot No. 228, Sector - 9, Dwarka, developed by V4, was agreed to be sold to complainant company for an agreed consideration for which two separate space buyer agreements were executed between the complainant and V4, both dated 7th October, 2009. For execution of the agreements, the petitioner herein was appointed. For the settlement of disputes, two conveyance deeds, one in favour of V4 for property at Karkardooma, as per development agreement dated 24th February, 2005, and another for part of Dwarka property as per space buyer agreements dated 7th October, 2009 by V4 in favour of complainant company, were executed. Both the said entities on verbal request created an escrow account with the petitioner.

5. V4 subsequently agreed to hand over possession letters for Dwarka property in escrow account but same were not deposited due to non-compliance by complainant Company of the agreed terms, though complainant alleged that same were handed over but illegally released by Petitioner herein to Accused no. 2 and 3.

6. In 2010, the complainant confirmed the creation of escrow account vide letter dated 23rd July, 2010 and the petitioner admitted the documents mentioned in the referred letter except the possession letters. The documents kept in the escrow account were reconfirmed by the complainant in its letter dated 21st May, 2011.

7. It is the case of the complainant that the accused no. 1, petitioner herein, in collusion with accused no. 2 and 3 made alterations in the space buyers agreement and the petitioner committed breach of trust and made improvements to the determent of the complainant in the documents handed over.

8. The complainant, subsequently, filed police complaint against the petitioner on 5th January, 2011 with Police Station Safdarjung Enclave and before the EOW, Delhi, alleging that despite of receiving entire agreed sale consideration Accused no. 2 and 3, being directors of V4, failed to execute sale deed and the Petitioner in connivance released documents out of escrow account to accused no. 2 and 3, thereby committed criminal breach of trust under Section 409 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860 (hereinafter “IPC”).

9. Application under Section 156(3) of the Cr.P.C. was also filed by the complainant, and vide order dated 30th June, 2011, the same was dismissed. However, cognizance was taken upon the compl

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