1977 Supreme(Ker) 104
Judges : P.JANAKI AMMA
STATE OF KERALA - Appellant
Versus
VIJAYAN AND OTHERS - Respondent
Case No : Crl. R. C. No. 8 of 1976
Decided On : 06/03/1977
Advocates Appeared :
State Prosecutor; For Petitioner. Pirappancode V. Sreedharan Nair; V. N. Achutha Kurup; For Respondents.
The exclusion of specific charges implies a discharge of the accused for those offenses, and the jurisdiction of the court to try a case is not affected by the transfer of the case between different courts.
Headnote:
Acquittal - Criminal Procedure - S.143, 147, 148, 149, 324, 307 IPC - S.193, 209, 226, 227, 228 CrPC
Fact of the Case:
The accused were initially charged with multiple offenses under the Indian Penal Code. The case was transferred between different courts, and there were discrepancies in the charges framed against the accused. The High Court ordered a review of the acquittal of the accused on all charges, including the one under S.307 IPC.
Finding of the Court:
The court found that the Chief Judicial Magistrate had committed a mistake in holding that the accused should be tried for an offense under S.307 IPC. The commitment of the case by the Chief Judicial Magistrate was deemed illegal and a nullity. The Sessions Judge's order of acquittal was upheld, and it was concluded that there was no need for interference.
Issues: The issues revolved around the correctness of the charges framed against the accused, the jurisdiction of the Sessions Judge to try the case, and the legality of the Chief Judicial Magistrate's commitment of the case.
Ratio Decidendi: The court emphasized that the exclusion of S.307 IPC from the charge implied an order of discharge of the accused for that offense. It was also established that the Chief Judicial Magistrate had no authority to pass a fresh order of commitment, and the trial by the Sessions Judge was following an order of the High Court.
Final Decision: The order of acquittal passed by the Sessions Judge was upheld, and the Criminal revision case was disposed of accordingly.
1. As per the order in P.E. 4 of 1975, the Judicial Magistrate of the Second Class, Haripad, committed the five accused persons in this case for trial of offences punishable under S.143. 147, 148, 149, 324 and 307 of the Indian Penal Code. The Additional Sessions Judge, Mavelikara before whom the case came up for trial perused the records in the case, heard the State and the accused and held as per the order dated 23rd June, 1975 that only offences punishable under S.143,147,148,149 and 324 IPC. appeared to have been committed by the accused. Accordingly charges under the above sections were framed against the accused. Since the offences disclosed were not exclusively triable by the Court of Session, the case was transferred to the Chief Judicial Magistrate, Alleppey, under S.228 of the Code of Criminal Procedure for trial and disposal according to law. The Chief Judicial Magistrate registered the case as C.C. 222 of 1975. After the accused appeared, pw.1 was examined. Basing on his evidence and Ext. P1, the first information statement, the Chief Judicial Magistrate came to the conclusion that an offence under S.307 IPC was also disclosed. The court, therefore, again committed the accused for trial to the Additional Sessions Judge, Mavelikara, for offences including one under S.307 IPC. While it was pending trial, the High Court ordered the transfer of the case to the Sessions Judge, Alleppey. The learned Sessions Judge after recording evidence held that there was already a discharge of the accused of the offence under S.307 IPC. by the Additional Sessions Judge, Mavelikara on 23-6-1975 and also that the accused were not guilty of the remaining offences charged against them. An order of acquittal was, therefore, passed in favour of the accused. When the copy of the judgment was received in this court for the purpose of calendar review, the learned judge who bad occasion to peruse it observed that the position of law discussed by the trial court deserved to be examined. Notice was, therefore, issued to show cause why the order of acquittal on all the charges including the one under S.307 IPC. should not be set aside and the case dealt with in accordance with law. The accused who appeared through counsel maintained that there are no reasons for setting aside the order of acquittal.
2. The concerned provisions of law have to be examined to decide the regularity and correctness of the order of acquittal. S.193 of the code of Criminal Procedure deals with cognizance of offences by Courts of Sessions. It reads:
"Except as otherwise expressly provided by this Code or by any other law for the time being in force, no Court of Session shall take cognizance of any offence as a court of original jurisdiction unless the case has been committed to it by a Magistrate under this Code."
S. 209 deals with commitment of cases to the Court of Session and Chapter XVIII deals with trial before a Court of Session. Under S.226, when the accused appears or is brought before the Court in pursuance of a commitment of the case under S.209, the Prosecutor shall open his case by describing the charge brought against the accused and stating by what evidence he proposes to prove the guilt of the accused. S.227 states that if, upon consideration of the record of the case and the documents submitted therewith, and after hearing the submissions of the accused and the prosecution in this behalf, the judge considers that there is not sufficient ground for proceeding against the accused, he shall discharge me accused and record his reasons for so doing. S.228 reads as follows.
"228. Framing of charge (1) If, after such consideration and hearing as aforesaid, the judge is of opinion that there is ground for presuming that the accused has committed an offence which -
(a) is not exclusively triable by the Court of Session, he may, frame a charge against the accused and, by order, transfer the case for trial to the Chief Judicial Magistrate and thereupon the Ch