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

1968 Supreme(Guj) 29

Gujarat High Court
Judgename :N.G.SHELAT
BABUSING JODHANSING JAMADAR - Appellant
Versus
STATE - Respondent
CRIMINAL APPEAL 790 of 1967
Decided On : 03/14/1968

Advocates Appeared: A.H.THAKAR, DAULAT C.TRIVEDI

Headnote:Criminal Procedure Code, 1898-Secs. 260 & 537-Penal Code, 1860-Secs. 323, 332, 504 & 506-Continuing summary procedure after framing charge.

       Once the learned Magistrate on the material before him decided to frame a charge also in respect of an offence under Sec. 332 of the Indian Penal Code, he could not have continued to proceed with the case following the same summary procedure. It would not be an irregularity curable under Sec. 537 of the Criminal Procedure Code.

N. G. SHELAT, J.

( 1 ) THIS appeal arises out of an order passed on 26-9-67 by Mr. B. N. Doctor City Magistrate 10 Court Ahmedabad in Summary Case No. 50 of 1965 whereby the appellant accused came to be convicted and sentenced to suffer rigorous imprisonment for seven days and to pay a fine of Rs. 100. 00 or in default to suffer further rigorous imprisonment for ten days for an offence under sec. 332 read with sec. 24 of the Indian Penal Code. tie is further convicted and sentenced to pay a fine of Rs. 100. 00 or in default to suffer rigorous imprisonment for ten days for an offence under sec. 323 read with sec. 34 of the Indian Penal Code. In respect of the other offences for which he came to be charged he has been acquitted.

( 2 ) ONE Shri Kantilal Bapalal Mody an advocate and a receiver appointed by the City Civil Court in Civil Suit No. 806 of 1968 filed a complaint Ex. 1 against the accused-appellant in respect of offences punishable under secs. 323 504 and 506 of the Indian Penal Code of the City Magistrate 10 Court Ahmedabad. The process was directed to be issued against the accused in respect of offences under secs. 504 and 506 Part I of the Indian Penal Code. Since the offences were triable under a summary procedure as contemplated in sec. 260 (1) of the Criminal Procedure Code the learned Magistrate followed the procedure contemplated in Chapter XXII of the Code. After recording the substance of evidence of some of the witnesses the learned Magistrate framed a charge Ex 5 against the accused in respect of his having committed offences punishable under secs. 332 323 and 504 of the Indian penal Code. In the alternative he was charged for the offences under secs. 332 and 323 read with sec. 34 of the Indian Penal Code. The same procedure was continued even thereafter and after considering the effect of the evidence adduced in the case found the accused guilty and sentenced him as stated above. Feeling dissatisfied with that order the accused has come in appeal

( 3 ) MR. Trivedi the learned advocate for the appellant-accused contended that the summary procedure followed by the learned Magistrate in respect of the offences with which he came to be charged was not legal and that the proceedings therefore are liable to be quashed. Sec. 260 provides as follows :-260 (1) Notwithstanding anything contained in this Code - (a) any Presidency Magistrate (City Magistrate) (b ). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (c ). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . may if he or they think fit try in a summary way all or any of the following offences :- (A) offences not punishable with death imprisonment for life or imprisonment for a term exceeding six months;. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (2 ). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . In other words an offence punishable with imprisonment for a term exceeding six month cannot be tried by following the summary procedure contemplated in Chapter XXII of the Code. That is no doubt subject to clauses (b) to (m) set out therein. The offence under sec. 332 is punishable with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to three years or with fine or both. Since this offence does not fall under any of the clauses (b) to (m) and as the punishment for this offence is more than six months it cannot be tried following the summary procedure In the case. While therefore at the early stage i. e. before the charge came to be framed by the learned Magistrate the summary procedure adopted by him may have been proper in view of the offences punishable under secs. 323 504 and 506 of the Indian Penal Code falling under clauses (e) to (j) of sub-sec. (1) of sec. 260 of the Criminal Procedure Code but once the learned Magistrate on the material before him decided to frame a charge also in respect of an offence under sec. 332 of the Indian Penal Code he could not have continued to proceed with the case followin







Click Here to Read the rest of this document

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
SupremeToday Portrait Ad
supreme today icon
whatsapp-icon Back to top