IN THE HIGH COURT OF RAJASTHAN AT JAIPUR BENCH
Mahendar Kumar Goyal, J.
Ashoka Gears – Appellant
Versus
Sh. R.N. Metals India Pvt. Ltd. – Respondent
S.B. Criminal Miscellaneous (Petition) No. 4717 of 2020
Decided On : 13-01-2021
Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881 - Section 138 - Criminal Procedure Code, 1973 - Sections 397 r/w 401 - Dishonoured of Cheque - Order of conviction - Conviction of petitioner has partly been dismissed - It is well established and recognised practice that against appellate order confirming judgment of conviction, revision petition lies under Section 397 read with Section 401 Cr.P.C - Held, Similarly, if the application for compounding is made before Sessions Court or a High Court in revision or appeal, such compounding may be allowed on condition that accused pays 15% of cheque amount by way of costs - mere settlement of dispute by way of compromise between parties, cannot be reckoned as such exceptional circumstance under which this Court can exercise its inherent and extraordinary jurisdiction vide Section 482 Cr.P.C. against order of conviction affirmed in appeal in view of availability of regular remedy of revision petition inasmuch as the factum of compromise can be taken into consideration by this Court under its revisional jurisdiction also - Criminal Misc. Petition is dismissed.
ORDER :
Mahendar Kumar Goyal, J.
1. This criminal misc. petition has been filed against the judgment dated 11.02.2020 passed by the learned Additional Sessions Judge, Women Atrocities Cases, No. 2, Jaipur Metropolitan, Jaipur in Appeal No. 46/2019, CIS No. 944/2019 whereby, the appeal against the judgment dated 14.05.2019 passed by the learned Special Metropolitan Magistrate (N.I. Act Cases) No. 5 in Regular Criminal (Complaint) No. 802/2015, convicting and sentencing accused petitioner under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881 (for brevity-"the Act of 1881"), has partly been dismissed.
2. A preliminary question arises as to maintainability of this criminal misc. petition under Section 482 Cr.P.C. against the final order of conviction.
3. It is well established and recognised practice that against appellate order confirming the judgment of conviction, the revision petition lies under Section 397 read with Section 401 Cr.P.C.
4. The Hon'ble Supreme Court has, in case of Vivek Rai & Anr. vs. High Court of Jharkhand through Registrar General & Ors.- JT 2015 (2) SC 32, held as under:
5. A three-Judges Bench of the Hon'ble Apex Court of India has, in case of Girish Kumar Suneja vs. Central Bureau of Investigation- (2017) 14 SCC 809, held as under:
6. Similarly, another three-Judges Bench of the Hon'ble Apex Court of India in case of Damodar S. Prabhu vs. Sayed Babalal H.- (2010) 5 SCC 663, held as under:
In the case of conviction, an appeal would lie to the Court of Sessions under Section 374(3)(a) Cr.P.C.; thereafter a Revision to the High Court under Section 397/401 Cr.P.C. and finally a petition before the Supreme Court, seeking special leave to appeal under 136 of the Constitution of India. Thus, in case of conviction there will be four levels of litigation.
In the case of acquittal by JMFC, the complainant could appeal to the High Court under Section 378(4) Cr.P.C., and thereafter for special leave to appeal to the Supreme Court under Article 136. In such an instance, therefore, there will be three levels of proceedings."
7. Although, the provisions of Section 397 Cr.P.C. read with Section 401 Cr.P.C., do not provide expressly that revision lies against confirmation of judgment of conviction in appeal; but, from the tenor of these provisions, such inference can reasonably be drawn. Section 397 Cr.P.C. reads as under:
Arun Shankar Shukla v. State of U.P.
Damodar S. Prabhu vs. Sayed Babalal H.
Emperor v. Khwaja Nazir Ahmad. AIR 1945 PC 18
Girish Kumar Suneja vs. Central Bureau of Investigation
Hamida vs. Rashid @ Rasheed & Ors.
K.M. Ibrahim Vs. K.P. Mohammed & Anr.
Madhu Limaye vs. State of Maharashtra
Municipal Corporation of Delhi vs. Ram Kishan Rohtagi & Ors.
Vivek Rai & Anr. vs. High Court of Jharkhand through Registrar General & Ors
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