1994 Supreme(Raj) 456
High Court Of Rajasthan
Judgename : B.R.ARORA
STATE OF RAJASTHAN - Appellant
Versus
PRAKASH CHANDRA - Respondent
CRIMINAL REVISION 235 Of 1992
Decided On : 10/18/1994
B.S.BHATI, CHAVAND DAN SANDU, R.Chauhan, SURESH KUMBAHAT
Headnote:Essential Commodities Act 1955- Section 10A r/ws 12AA (1) (e) - Criminal Procedure Code, 1973 - Section 4 (2) - Rajasthan food-grains and other Essential Articles (Regulation of Distribution) Order, 1976 - Clause 24 - Contravention of Order, 1976 - Whether police has power to investigate matter under the Act for contravention of provisions of Order, 1976 ? - (Yes)
Held: The Code of Criminal Procedure is a parent statute which deals with the investigation enquiry or trial of the criminal cases. Section 4 (2) Cr. P.C. provides that the provisions of the Code of Criminal Procedure are also applicable in cases where an offence under any other law is being investigated, enquired into and tried or otherwise dealt-with, subject to any enactment for the time being in force, regulating the manner and basis of investigation, enquiry or trial or otherwise dealing with such offences. Section 10-A on the Act made the offence cognizable and sub-section (1) (e) of Section 12AA of the Act authorises the Special Court to take cognizance upon a perusal of the police report of a fact constituting an offence under the Act. The jurisdiction of the police to investigate into the matter and to submit the charge-sheet, thus, has not been excluded, rather the Court has been authorised to take cognizance on the police report, also. Clause 24 of the Order, 1976, which vests certain authorities with the powers of entry, search, seizure read together with sub-section (1) (e) of Section 12AA and Section 10A of the Act, makes it clear that this Clause enables the official named therein, also, in addition to the police personnel who are authorised under the Code of Criminal Procedure in cognizable cases, with the powers of arrest, investigation including entry, search and seizure etc. The police has, therefore, power to investigate these offences, make search and seizure etc. of the essential commodities in case of any apprehension of breach of the provisions of the Order, 1976. (Para 7)
Further Held: Reading together Section 10A of the Act, which makes the offence as cognizable and non-bailable with Section 12AA (1) (e) of the Act, which authorises the Special Judge to take cognizance of the offence on the police report and Section 4(2) of the Code of Criminal Procedure, makes it clear that the police, under the Code of Criminal Procedure, which is a parent statute, has power to investigate into the matter as the offence is a cognizable one. The police had information that the provisions of Order, 1976 are being contravened by the accused and the offence under the Act has been committed by them and when the police had a reason to believe that the cognizable offence has been committed in respect thereof within the jurisdiction of the Station House Officer, Police Station, Dhan Mandi, Udaipur, then it had powers under the Code of Criminal Procedure to search and seize the essential commodities, in respect of which the alleged offence has been committed. The learned Special Judge was, therefore, not justified, in discharging the accused-respondents on this ground. The order, passed by the learned Special Judge, therefore, deserves to be quashed and set-aside. (Para 9)
Result: Revision allowed. Order of discharge set aside.
B. R. ARORA, J.
( 1 ) THIS revision petition is directed against the order dated 14-7-1992, passed by the Special Judge, Essential Commodities Act Cases, Udaipur, by which the learned Special Judge dis charged the accused-respondents for the offence under Section 3/7, of the Essential Commodities Act (for short, the Act) and further observed that the offences under Sections 406, 467, 468 and 120-B, I. P. C. are not summary triable and, therefore, if the State so likes, it may file the charge-sheet against the accused in the competent Court.
( 2 ) THE brief facts of the prosecution case are that on 22-10-1984, Bhanwar Singh, Assistant Sub-In spector of Police, Police Lines, Udaipur, was on patrolling duty in connection with Deepawali festi val. While he was in Bapu Bazar, Udaipur, he was informed by one Mukhbir that fifty-seven bags of sugar were released by the "rajasthan Janjaati Vikas Sahkari Sangh, Udaipur, to the dealers Prakash Chandra, Kanti Lal, Hari Sing, Kalu Lal, Prem Mohan and Kamal Kumar for distribution to the consumers in the tribal areas of Jhalod, Badrana, Damna, Amaliya and Nichli Sigri (Falasiya ). These dealers, instead of distributing the sugar to the consumers in the tribal areas aforesaid, sold twenty- nine bags of sugar to Prem Mohan and Kamal Kumar @ Rs. 450. 00 per quintal and truck No. RJE 2887, which was carrying these bags, is stationed in Joshiyon Ki Gali and is unloading the sugar bags. He, along with other police personnel, who were accompanying him in the patrolling party, went to Joshiyon Ki Gali and found the truck No. RJE 2887 stationed in the street. On enquiry from Cleaner Ram Chandra, it was revealed that the dealer has sold twenty-nine bags of controlled sugar to the busi nessmen in Udaipur in the black-market. Bhanwar Singh, A. S. I. , lodged a report of the incident at Police Station, Dhan Mandi, Udaipur and a case under Section 3/7 of the Act was registered against Prakash Chandra, Kanti Lal, Nana Lal, Kalu Lal, Prem Mohan and Kamal Kumar and twelve bags of sugar, i. e. , six bags each from Prem Mohan and Kamal Kumar, were recovered. The police, after necessary investigation, presented the challan against these accused in the Court of the learned Special Judge, E. C. Act Cases, Udaipur, for the offences under Section 3/7 of the Act as well as under Sections 406, 467 and 120-B, I. P. C. The learned Special Judge took cognizance against the accused and summoned them. At the time of stating the accusa tion, an objection was raised by the accused that the police had no jurisdiction to investigate into the matter and to make search and seizure and, there fore, no case to proceed with against the accused is made-out and the accused, therefore, deserve to be discharged and the proceedings are required to be quashed. The learned Special Judge accepted the contention raised by the learned counsel for the accused and held that the police had no power to investigate into the matter under the Act and the powers vest in the Officers authorised under Clause 24 of the Rajasthan Food-grains and other Essential Articles (Regulation of Distribution) Order, 1976 (for short, the Order, 1976 ). He, therefore, dis charged the accused for the offence under section 3/7 of the Act and observed that the offences under Sections 406, 467, 468 and 120-B, I. P. C. are not summary triable and the State may, therefore, file a charge-sheet against the accused in the competent Criminal Court. It is against this order of discharge that the State has filed the present revision petition.
( 3 ) IT is contended by the learned Public Prosecu tor that no order of discharge can be passed in a summary trial and the Court has to proceed in accordance with Section 262, Cr. P. C. and it is only at the time of final hearing that the order of acquittal can be passed. It has further been submitted by the learned Public Prosecutor that the offence under Section 10-A, of the Act is a cognizable and non -bailable and, therefor