IN THE HIGH COURT OF DELHI AT NEW DELHI
Suresh Kumar Kait, J.
Kusum Lata - Appellant
Versus
State NCT Of Delhi & Ors - Respondent
Crl M C No. 1880 of 2020
Decided On : 19-04-2021
Criminal Procedure Code - Matrimonial Dispute - Section 156(3) - Section 227 of the Constitution of India - NDPS Act - Lalita Kumari vs. Govt. of U.P. & Ors, (2014) 2 SCC 1 - S.R. Batra & Anr. vs. Smt. Taruna Batra, (2007) 3 SCC 169 - Skipper Beverages Pvt. Ltd. vs. State,2001 SCCOnLine(Del) 448 - Gulab Chand Upadhyaya vs. State of UP & Ors,2002 SCCOnLine(All) 1221
Fact of the Case:
The petitioner, mother-in-law of respondent no.2, sought setting aside of an order dismissing her revision petition and upholding the rejection of her application under section 156(3) Cr.P.C. She alleged that respondent no.2 and others forcibly entered her property, threatened and assaulted her and her husband, and stole their belongings. The police did not take action despite complaints. The petitioner sought directions for FIR registration against the respondents.
Finding of the Court:
The court found that the facts of the case were within the petitioner's knowledge, including the identity of the accused, and therefore, she could establish her case while leading evidence before the trial court. The court dismissed the petition, finding no illegality or perversity in the orders passed by the Trial Court and Appellate Court.
Issues: The issues revolved around the petitioner's allegations of forcible entry, assault, and theft by the respondents, the police's failure to take action, and the petitioner's application under section 156(3) Cr.P.C. seeking FIR registration.
Ratio Decidendi: The court held that the petitioner, being in possession of the complete details of the accused and witnesses, could establish her case before the trial court. The court also emphasized the judicious exercise of power under section 156(3) Cr.P.C. and the need for police investigation in cases where the complainant lacks complete details of the accused and witnesses.
Final Decision: The petition was dismissed with no orders as to costs.
JUDGMENT
Suresh Kumar Kait, J. - The present petition has been preferred under section 227 of the Constitution of India read with section 482 Cr.P.C. seeking setting aside of the order dated 28.02.2020 passed by learned Special Judge, NDPS Act, Patiala House Court (ND), Delhi in CR No.159/2019 titled as Kusum Lata vs. Shikha & Ors. dismissing the revision petition of the petitioner and upholding the order dated 03.01.2019 passed by learned MM rejecting the application of the petitioner filed under section 156(3) Cr.P.C. Petitioner further seeks directions to be issued to respondent no.1 for registration of FIR against respondent nos.2 to 12.
2. The brief facts of the case, as narrated in the present petition, are that petitioner is the mother-in-law of respondent no.2 and owner of the property situated at RZ-38-39/184, Gali No.2, Durga Park, New Delhi-110045 which consists of two floors where petitioner is residing with her husband.
3. On 29.10.2009, son of the petitioner got married to respondent no.2 and since then, they were residing peacefully at the first floor of the said property. Since 2018, respondent no.2 started causing problems for petitioner and her husband and used to fight with them asking them to transfer the rights of all their movable, immovable properties and business of husband of petitioner to the husband of respondent no.2 and herself. On 17.06.2018, the petitioner and her husband disentitled their son from all their properties by publishing it in the newspaper of Indian Express and Jansatta . Thereafter on 18.06.2018, husband of the petitioner made a complaint against respondent nos.2 to 8 alleging that they forcibly entered into the house of the petitioner and threatened them of dire consequences, subsequently subjected them to abuse, manhandle, defamation, mental torture, harassment, etc. however, no action was taken by police. Thereafter, on 27.06.2018, just to avoid any more dispute between petitioner and respondent no.2, petitioner s son took a rented accommodation and decided to shift along with respondent no.2 and their children, however, respondent no.2 refused to leave the said property and again called respondent nos.3 to 8 who threatened the petitioner and her husband. On 28.06.2018, respondent no.2 called the police and made a complaint and after receiving the complaint, police called the petitioner, her husband, husband of respondent no.2 and respondent nos.3 & 4 to Police Station, Sagarpur. The police did not take any action and asked respondent nos.3 & 4 to take respondent no.2 to their home and thus respondent no.2 went to her parent s home with her relatives and vacated the said property. The son of the petitioner had already shifted to the rented accommodation and vacated the portion of the said property which was in their possession and petitioner had the possession of the whole property.
4. On the morning of 29.07.2018, respondent no.2 came to the said property with a large group of people including respondent nos.3 to 12 to forcibly take possession of the said property and threatened the petitioner and her husband but it was of no avail as the neighbours of the petitioner helped and protected them from respondent no.2. The whole incident was recorded in the CCTV camera installed in the said property. After the abovementioned incident, on 07.08.2018, husband of the petitioner again made a complaint to the SHO, Sagarpur Police Station against the respondents alleging that they forcefully entering into their house with intent to assault and threatened to kill but again no action was taken by the police.
5. Thereafter in the night of 12.08.2018 at around 11:40 pm, all the respondents with other 10-15 people came to the said property and tried to forcefully break open the main door and illegally enter inside the house of the petitioner. Respondent no.2 broke open the lock on the main gate with hammers and other equipment. The whole incident was recorded in the CCTV camera but respondent no.2 b
The petitioner's ability to establish her case before the trial court due to her possession of complete details of the accused and witnesses, and the judicious exercise of power under section 156(3) ....
The court affirmed that police may refuse to register FIRs if complainants have knowledge of all material facts and identities of accused, emphasizing the need for judicial discretion in such matters....
The court affirmed that a Magistrate has discretion under Section 156(3) Cr.P.C. to determine if a complaint discloses a cognizable offence, and dismissal of such petitions is valid if the dispute is....
A Magistrate has discretion to direct a police investigation or proceed with pre-summoning evidence based on the sufficiency of available evidence in a complaint under Section 156(3) Cr.P.C.
The wide scope of the Magistrate's power under Section 156(3) CrPC to ensure a proper investigation, the need for an affidavit to support the application under Section 156(3), and the court's duty to....
The main legal point established is that an order under Section 156(3) of the CrPC is revisable if it has the effect of terminating the proceedings, and the allegations must ex facie disclose the com....
The court upheld lower courts' discretion in denying FIR registration, ruling that the petitioner had sufficient evidence and means to substantiate his claims without police assistance.
The main legal point established is that a bona fide claim of right or title can protect a person from being convicted of criminal trespass, even if the claim is ill-founded in law.
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