Gujarat High Court
Judgename :Bankim N.Mehta
AJENDRAPRASAD NARENDRAPRASAD PANDEY - Appellant
Versus
STATE OF GUJARAT - Respondent
Special Civil Application 5 Of 2006
Decided On : 04/19/2006
Criminal Law – Constitution of India, 1950 – Article 226/227 – Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 – Section 70 – Indian Penal Code, 1860 – Sections 153a, 153b, 294, 295a, 120b – Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act, 1956 – Sections 5a, 5b and 9 – Criminal Trial – Illicit sexual acts have defamed whole religion and exploited women by videographing – Arrest warrant – Prayed to issue appropriate writ, order or direction to quash and set aside the arrest warrant issued against the petitioner under Section 70 of Code, 1973 by learned Judicial Magistrate, First Class, nadiad, in the offence registered – Alleging that "sadhus" of Swaminarayan temple and Gurukul by their illicit sexual acts have defamed whole religion and exploited women by videographing sexual acts – Case of petitioner that some of the "sadhus" of Swaminarayan sect have hatched a criminal conspiracy to rope the petitioner in criminal matters by implicating him in false cases – Held, complainant has relied on the decision of the Supreme Court in case of JAGIRSINH V/s. RANBIR SINGH and ANOTHER (AIR 1979 SC 381) wherein Court held that the object of Sec. 397 (3)is to prevent multiple exercise of revisional powers – In this case petitioner has not approached Sessions Court challenging the impugned order – Therefore, the judgment is not applicable to the facts of this case – MR. Nanavati has also relied on the decision of MADHU LIMAYE V/s. STATE OF MAHARASHTRA (AIR 1978 SC 47) on the same point of manintainability of revision application – In my view, this decision is also not applicable to the facts of this case. He has also relied on decision of ganesh NARAYAN HEGDE V/s. S. BANARAPPA AND OTHERS (1996 (1) GCD 310 (SC), on the point of inherent powers of high Court U/s 482 of Cr. P. C. But this decision is also not applicable in the facts of this case – As regards contention that mr. K. A. Savani, P. I. , L. C. B. , Nadiad Police station wrote a letter to Chairman of Shree swaminarayan temple, Vadtal informing about developments in investigation, petitioner has not produced the letter on record of this case – Copy of letter annexed with compilation indicates that it is not written by Mr. Savani as alleged – Therefore, contention that investigation is being carried out with specific intention cannot be accepted – It is significant to note that the petitioner had earlier filed a petition u/s 482 of Cr. P. C. making a prayer to quash complaint but the same is withdrawn with a liberty to file fresh application in view of alleged new developments in the case but no such petition is filed – It appears that petitioner is trying to avoid arrest by abusing process of law – Petitioner has failed to make out case for quashing and setting aside the impugned order – Petition dismissed.
( 1 ) THE petitioner by way of filing this petition under Article 226/227 of the constitution of India has prayed to issue appropriate writ, order or direction to quash and set aside the arrest warrant issued against the petitioner under Section 70 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (hereinafter referred to as "cr. P. C. ") by the learned Judicial Magistrate, First Class, nadiad, in the offence registered as I CR no. 4/2005 at Chaklasi Police Station, Dist. Kheda.
( 2 ) THE facts disclosed from the record of the case are as under : on 8-1-2005 a complaint was lodged by Swami Dharmapriydasji of Vadtal swaminarayan Temple before Chaklasi police Station against five persons for alleged commission of the offences punishable u/s. 153a, 153b, 294, 295a, 120b of the I. P. Code and u/s. 5a, 5b and 9 of the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act, 1956 alleging that "sadhus" of Swaminarayan temple and Gurukul by their illicit sexual acts have defamed the whole religion and exploited women by videographing sexual acts. On the basis of this complaint offence was registered as I CR No. 4/2005 by chaklasi Police Station against the persons named therein. Another complaint was lodged before D. C. B. Police Station, ahmedabad which was registered as I CR no. 5/2005 for the offences punishable u/ss 292, 294, 295, 420 of I. P. Code as well as u/ ss 5 and 9 of the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act, 1956. The complaint lodged by Swami Dharmaprasaddas was investigated and some of the accused were arrested. The petitioner has averred that with reference to the complaint lodged with D. C. B. Police station, Ahmedabad charge-sheet was filed against the arrested persons and the petitioner. As the petitioner was not available and absconding the Investigating Officer made an application before the learned judicial Magistrate, First class, at Nadiad to issue non-bailable warrant against the petitioner. The learned Magistrate issued arrest warrant u/s 70 of the Cr. P. C. against the petitioner. It is the case of the petitioner that some of the "sadhus" of Swaminarayan sect have hatched a criminal conspiracy to rope the petitioner in criminal matters by implicating him in false cases. The petitioner is not named in any of the complaints. When the present complaint was filed, the petitioner was busy in pursuing civil matters from 10-1-2005 in the Hon ble Supreme court. The petitioner was present before this court in the proceeding of Misc. Criminal application No. 223 of 2005. Therefore, non-bailable warrant could not have been issued on the ground that he was absconding. It is further averred that when the petitioner was in Thane he was granted transit bail to enable him to approach the competent court at Nadiad for obtaining anticipatory bail u/s 438 of the Cri. P. C. A copy of the said order was served to the police station at Nadiad on 3-10-2005. But the police intentionally neither arrested the petitioner nor called him for interrogation in respect of this complaint. The petitioner has averred that the transfer of investigation to Nadiad Police Station is without jurisdiction and therefore neither Nadiad police could have applied for non-bailable warrant nor the learned Magistrate could have issued the same. The petitioner filed an anticipatory bail application before Nadiad court but the same was rejected. Thereafter, the petitioner approached this Court for anticipatory bail but the same was withdrawn on 29-12-2005 with liberty to file fresh application. The petitioner has remained present before various courts through his counsel while pursuing legal remedies. Therefore, the petitioner was very much available and there was no reason for the police to ask for arrest warrant against the petitioner. The learned Magistrate was not justified in issuing non-bailable warrant on the basis that the petitioner was absconding. It is further averred that mr. KH. Savani, P. I. , L. C. B. , Nadiad Police station wrote a letter to the Chairman of
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