2012 Supreme(Gau) 1175
IN THE HIGH COURT OF GAUHATI (AGARTALA BENCH)
S.C. Das, J.
Bijit Nagar Choudhury – Appellants
Vs.
State of Tripura – Respondent
Crl. Pet. No. 61 of 2012
Decided On: 05.10.2012
For Appellant/Petitioner/Plaintiff: Mr. H.K. Bhowmik & Mr. D. Datta
For Respondents/Defendant: Mr. D. Sarkar, PP
Headnote:
Criminal Procedure Code,1973- Section 482 – and 156(3) – Indian Penal Code,1860 - Section 420 - Sale deed - Mutation on field verification - Petitioner challenged order petitioner proposed to sell 2 gandas, 1 kara 11 dhurs of land to one for a consideration of land situated at Office Lane classified as homestead land recorded in petitioner sold out land saying it to be his land - After purchase when purchaser applied for mutation on field verification Revenue Authority found that in eastern side there is a path way measuring and petitioner had shown path way as 7 (seven feet) and thereby in sale deed he had shown of pathway land as his jote land and in northern side he had shown khas land measuring acres and it was shown in sale deed as jote land - Held, Supreme Court has held that different cases have different facts and it is the totality of evidence and the impact that it has on the mind of court that is important - No straight jacket formula can be evolved in such matters and each case must rest on its own - It is settled law that however similar in one case cannot be used as a precedent to determine the conclusion on in another - On going through case records court find that learned Magistrate has taken cognizance of offence punishable under Section 420 of Indian Penal Code considering police report (charge-sheet) filed against petitioner - Magistrate yet to decide as to whether materials placed with the charge sheet constitutes prima facie offence under Section 420 Indian Penal Code or not - Petition dismissed.
S.C. Das, J.
1. By this petition, filed under Section 482 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, the petitioner challenged the order dated 11.07.2012 passed by learned Additional Sessions Judge, (Court No. 5), West Tripura, Agartala in Criminal Revision No. 10(2)/2012 whereby and where under the learned Additional Sessions Judge upheld order dated 21.1.2012 passed by learned Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate, West Tripura, Agartala in Case No. PRC 971/2010. Heard learned counsel, Mr. H.K. Bhowmik for the petitioner and learned P.P., Mr. D. Sarkar for the respondent.
2. Facts in short, necessary for disposal of this application may be noted thus:-
2.1. The present petitioner proposed to sell 2 gandas, 1 kara 11 dhurs of land (0.0456 acres) to one Chandan Dutta (informant of the criminal case) for a consideration of Rs. 12,00,000/- (twelve lakh). The land situated at Office Lane, Agartala, classified as homestead land, recorded in Khatian No, 1816 Hal Khatian No. 2678/56. The petitioner sold out the land saying it to be his jote land. After purchase when the purchaser Chandan Dutta applied for mutation, on field verification, the Revenue Authority found that in the eastern side there is a path way measuring 8' (eight feet) and the petitioner had shown the path way as 7' (seven feet) and thereby in the sale deed he had shown 1' (one feet) of pathway land as his jote land and in the northern side he had shown khas land measuring 0.0018 acres and it was shown in the sale deed as jote land. The Revenue authority found only 0.0369 acres as the jote land of the petitioner with saleable interest and the mutation was allowed to that extent of land. The purchaser Chandan Dutta therefore filed a complaint before the Chief Judicial Magistrate and the Chief Judicial Magistrate forwarded the same to the O.C., West Agartala P.S. under Section 156(3) of Cr. P.C. to register it as FIR and to investigate into the complaint.
2.2. Accordingly, West Agartala P.S. Case No. 368 of 2010 under Section 406, 420 read with Section 34 of IPC was registered and an investigation was taken up. In course of investigation, I.O. examined the material witnesses, prepared hand sketch map of the disputed land, seized the material documents prepared by the Revenue authority at the time of mutation proceeding, i.e. the sketch map prepared by them showing the khas; land and pathway land which was sold by the petitioner saying to be his jote land and also seized the copy of the sale deed etc. and thereafter filed charge sheet against the accused-petitioner for commission of offence punishable under Section 420 of IPC.
2.3. Charge sheet was received by the court of Chief Judicial Magistrate on 07.07.2011 and considering the charge sheet (police report) learned Chief Judicial Magistrate by order dated 02.08.2011, took cognizance of offence punishable under Section 420 of IPC and thereafter case was transferred to the court of learned Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate, West Tripura, Agartala, who, in the process issued summons upon the accused-petitioner for appearance. On receipt of the summons, the accused-petitioner appeared and submitted a petition praying for discharging him on the ground that the dispute is purely of a civil nature and that the criminal case is not maintainable and he is liable to be discharged. Learned Magistrate rejected the prayer by impugned order dated 21.01.2012 passed in PRC Case No. 971 of 2010 holding that the petitioner sold out 2 gandas, 1 kara 11 dhurs of land saying to be his jote land and taken consideration money from the defacto complainant whereas he had only 1 ganda 2 karas of jote land and the rest of the land was khas land and pathway land and the petitioner thereby cheated the defacto complainant, the purchaser and therefore, the case should be tried on its own merit.
2.4. Challenging the order dated 21.1.2012, the petitioner preferred revisional application before the court of Sessions and learned Additional Sessions Judge