IN THE HIGH COURT OF GUJARAT AT AHMEDABAD
B.M. TRIVEDI, J.
Bipinbhai Dahyabhai Soni - Appellant
Versus
State of Gujarat - Respondent
Criminal Misc. Application No. 20197 of 2014
Decided On : 27-12-2018
Indian Penal Code, 1860 – Sections 406, 420 and 114 – Criminal Procedure Code, 1973 – Section 482 – Quashing of FIR – Whether allegations in complaint disclose a criminal offence or not – Held, Allegations made in complaint, it clearly transpires entire dispute was civil nature, which sought to be converted into criminal litigation involving present applicant, who was the subsequent purchaser of land – FIR need not contain all facts and events and it should not be treated as encyclopedia of facts as submitted –There is no allegation made in complaint that applicant had knowledge about alleged agreement before he purchased land from Respondent – Criminal machinery should not be misused to pressurize accused to settle their civil dispute – Therefore Respondent failed to make out any case of criminal breach of trust as contemplated under Section 406 or cheating as contemplated under Section 420 of IPC – Application allowed – [Para 10,11 & 12]
Facts of the case:
Consideration regarding Quashing of FIR – Whether allegations in complaint disclose a criminal offence or not.
Findings of the court:
Allegations made in complaint, it clearly transpires entire dispute was civil nature, which sought to be converted into criminal litigation involving present applicant, who was the subsequent purchaser of land – FIR need not contain all facts and events and it should not be treated as encyclopedia of facts as submitted –There is no allegation made in complaint that applicant had knowledge about alleged agreement before he purchased land from Respondent – Criminal machinery should not be misused to pressurize accused to settle their civil dispute – Therefore Respondent failed to make out any case of criminal breach of trust as contemplated under Section 406 or cheating as contemplated under Section 420 of IPC.
Result: Application allowed
B.M. TRIVEDI, J.
1. The applicant (accused No. 2) -Bipinbhai Dahyabhai Soni has preferred the present application under Section 482 of Cr.P.C., praying to quash and set aside the FIR being CR-I No. 163 of 2014 registered with the Sola High Court Police Station, Ahmedabad for the offence punishable under Sections 406, 420 and 114 of IPC, and also the subsequent proceedings pursuant thereto.
2. As per the case of the applicant, the complainant i.e. the respondent No. 2 herein - Tikendra D. Patel had lodged the complaint alleging inter alia that his aunt i.e. Giribalaben D. Patel had entered into an agreement with Purshottambhai Patel to purchase his land bearing Survey No. 491/1 admeasuring 2000 sq. yards situated at Thaltej, Ahmedabad for a consideration of Rs. 1,00,00,000/- (Rs. One crore only), out of which she had paid Rs. 71,25,000/- to the said Purshottambhai, and had also paid Rs. 46,00,000/- (One lac US$) to his son at America for an additional land of 1000 sq. yards. It was further alleged that the said Purshottambhai, after receiving the said amount from the aunt of the complainant, sold out the said land to one Bipinbhai Soni (the applicant herein). When she came to know about the said sale, she had met the applicant Bipinbhai Dahyabhai Soni, who had taken her to the said Purshottambhai Prabhudas Patel (accused No. 1) and at that time, Purshottambhai had told Giribalaben that he would give only 900 sq. yards of land and Bipinbhai told her that he would give 1253.86 sq. yards out of the said Survey No. 491/1. However, his aunt Giribalaben insisted for 3000 sq. yard of land, to which Bipinbhai did not agree. It was further alleged that thereafter since the Purshottambhai Prabhudas Patel did not agree for executing the sale deed in respect of the land admeasuring 3000 sq. yards, she had shown willingness to purchase 1253.86 sq. yards from Bipinbhai and had given a cheque of Rs. 16,08,500/- to Bipinbhai Soni towards franking charges for executing the sale deed. The said Purshottambhai Prabhudas Patel thereafter had prepared a draft sale deed and had told her that he would deposit Rs. 30,00,000/- through RTGS in her account as she had paid Rs. 71,25,000/-. However, the said Purshottambhai did not execute the sale deed, and got prepared one declaration on which his aunt Giribalaben was asked to put her signature, but she had not put. It was alleged that since the said Purshottambhai was not executing the sale deed in favour of Giribalaben, a notice was given by his aunt to the said Purshottambhai, which was replied by him in which it was stated inter alia that since the land was sold out to Bipinbhai Dahyabhai Soni and he had done plotting of the said land in the name of Akshar Building, she could be given plot No. 5 admeasuring 1067.84 sq. yards. His aunt thereafter had given one cheque of Rs. 7,00,000/- to one Sandipbhai Kanubhai Patel, however, thereafter on 31.3.2014 the said Sandipbhai Patel had deposited Rs. 7,00,000/- and the said Bipinbhai had deposited Rs. 30,00,000/- through RTGS in her account, which amount was not accepted by his aunt Giribalaben. It was further stated in the complaint that his aunt Giribalaben was staying in America, and therefore, she had given power to the complainant to take necessary action, and therefore, he had filed the complaint. As stated earlier, the said complaint was registered with Sola High Court Police Station as CR-I No. 163/2014 on 23.5.2014 against the said Purshottambhai Prabhudas Patel, Bipinbhai Dahyabhai Soni i.e. the present applicant and Sandipbhai Kanubhai Patel for the offences under Section 406, 420 and 114 of IPC.
3. The application has been resisted by the respondent No. 2 - complainant by filing the affidavit-in-reply contending inter alia that the offences stated in the complaint are ex facie evident and apparent, for which investigation is necessitated. The respondent No. 2, therefore, has prayed to dismiss the application.
4. It may be noted that the co-ac
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