IN THE HIGH COURT OF RAJASTHAN AT JAIPUR BENCH
ASHOK KUMAR GAUR, J.
Shyam Sunder Singhvi and Ors. - Appellant
Versus
Union of India and Ors. - Respondent
S.B. Criminal Revision Petition Nos. 273, 275, 1061 of 2019, S.B. Criminal Miscellaneous (Petition) Nos. 2872, 4770, 4771, 5426, 5427, 5430 and 5524 of 2019
Decided On : 24-01-2020
Criminal Procedure Code, 1973 - Sections 70(2), 397, 401 and 482 - Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 - Sections 3 & 4 - Criminal breach of trust - Anti Corruption Bureau - Main allegation in FIR was with regard to misuse of official position of accused and to hatch criminal conspiracy to cause loss of revenue to State Exchequer - Prosecution also alleged that acts of accused amounted to criminal breach of trust and they were involved in making huge money for their personal gains - Held, When court is fully satisfied that the accused is avoiding courts proceeding intentionally, process of issuance of the non-bailable warrant should be resorted to. Personal liberty is paramount, therefore, we caution courts at first and second instance to refrain from issuing non-bailable warrants - Court finds that court below has taken into account nature of allegations levelled against accused petitioners, role of accused petitioners, impact of alleged offences on society and scope of interference in economic matters by giving undue leverage to accused petitioners affecting the interest of the society and has accordingly rejected prayer of petitioners in rightful manner - The offences under PMLA, 2002 are cognizance and non-bailable, as per Section 45 of Act - Court does not find any error in the orders passed by court below - Petitions dismissed.
JUDGMENT :
ASHOK KUMAR GAUR, J.
1. The present order will decide two sets of cases i.e. Revision Petitions filed under Section 397 read with Section 401 Cr.P.C. challenging the order dated 21.01.2019 passed by the Special Sessions Court, Jaipur (Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002) - Special Court (Communal Riots Cases), Jaipur Metropolitan, Jaipur, whereby cognizance has been taken for offence punishable under Sections 3 & 4 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 (hereinafter shall be referred as 'PMLA, 2002') & arrest warrants have been issued to secure the presence of the accused persons.
2. The other set of cases are Criminal Miscellaneous Petitions filed under Section 482 Cr.P.C. challenging order of the Trial Court wherein it has refused to convert arrest warrants of the petitioners into bailable warrants by not exercising power under Section 70(2) Cr.P.C.
(Revision Petitions)
3. This Court has taken note of the facts from the file of S.B. Criminal Revision Petition No. 273/2019 (Shyam Sundar Singhvi Vs. Union of India), which is treated as the lead case. The facts, in nutshell, are that Anti Corruption Bureau, Jaipur on 19.09.2015 registered an FIR bearing No. 251/2015 under Sections 120-B & 409 IPC and under Sections 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 13(1)(a)(c)(d), 13(2) & 14 of Prevention of Corruption Act against Sanjay Sethi, Shyam Sundar Singhvi-petitioner, Dheerendra Singh @ Chintu, Mohd. Sher Khan, Mohd. Rashid Sheikh, Dr. Ashok Singhvi, Pankaj Gehlot & Pushkar Raj Ameta.
4. The main allegation in the FIR was with regard to misuse of official position of the accused and to hatch criminal conspiracy to cause loss of revenue to the State Exchequer. The prosecution also alleged that acts of the accused amounted to criminal breach of trust and they were involved in making huge money for their personal gains.
5. The Anti Corruption Bureau (in short 'ACB') after registration of FIR commenced investigation and filed charge-sheet on 04.11.2015 against the accused persons vide charge-sheet No. 276/2015 for offences punishable under Sections 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 13(1)(a)(c)(d), 13(2) & 14 of Prevention of Corruption Act and Section 120-B and 409 IPC.
6. The ACB in the charge-sheet found that the accused Sanjay Sethi was engaged in the business of mining and he was a tout of the Department of Mines and used to identify businessmen engaged in the mining business anywhere in the State of Rajasthan, with the help of officers of the Department of Mines. The accused Sanjay Sethi, because of his close association with the co-accused Dr. Ashok Singhvi, the then Principal Secretary, Department of Mines, used to get instructions to close the mines of the businessmen for one or another reason and thereafter he used to contact the businessmen and after striking out the deal with the officers of the Department of Mines, got their mines reopened while imposing minor penalty in collusion with the officers of the Department of Mines and in lieu of the said transaction, he used to collect huge amount of money from the businessmen.
7. The ACB also found, after keeping the cell phone of Sanjay Sethi on surveillance, that six mines of co-accused Mohd. Sher Khan were closed on the ground of unsafe mining and other irregularities, only for the purpose of extracting illegal gratification from him for the official functionaries of the Department of Mines. It was further revealed to the ACB that in order to get the mines reopened, Mohd. Sher Khan contacted Sanjay Sethi and Pankaj Gehlot, through their Charted Accountant Shyam Sundar Singhvi for the purpose of reopening of mines. It was found by the ACB that the bribe amount was fixed to the tune of Rs. 2.50 Crores and it was alleged that Sanjay Sethi had informed Dr. Ashok Singhvi that deal was finalized at Rs. 1.25 Crores and out of which Rs. 1 Crore was for Dr. Ashok Singhvi and Rs. 25 Lakhs was for others and Dr. Ashok Singhvi had given his consent for the said deal. It was further found by the ACB that Rs. 2
Popular Muthiah Vs. State represented by Inspector of Police reported in 2006 (6) JT 332
Commissioner of Income Tax (Central)-I
Inder Mohan Goswami Vs. State of Uttranchal reported in (2007) 12 SCC 1
Inder Mohan Goswami Vs. State of Uttranchal reported in (2007) 12 SCC 1
Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy Vs. CBI reported in (2013) 7 SCC 439
State of Gujarat Vs. Mohanlal Jitamalji Porwal and Anr. Reported in (1987) 2 SCC 364
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