IN THE HIGH COURT OF RAJASTHAN AT JODHPUR
PUSHPENDRA SINGH BHATI, J.
Manoj Kumar, S/o. Jeetmal Dhakar - Appellant
Versus
Union of India - Respondent
S.B. Criminal Misc. Petition No. 3192 of 2021
Decided On : 15-07-2021
Criminal Procedural Code, 1973 - Section 482, 173, 91 – Savings of inherent powers of High court - Criminal misc. petition under Section 482 Cr.P.C. has been preferred against order passed by Special Judge, NDPS Cases Jodhpur in Criminal Misc. Case whereby the application filed by petitioner under Section 91 Cr.P.C. was rejected - Petitioner submits that, Station House Officer, Police Station, on basis of a confidential information, raided dhani of present petitioner and allegedly recovered seven plastic bags containing 142 kgs. 692 gms. of poppy straw - Learned counsel further submits that thereafter, an FIR was registered at Police Station, and investigation was started – Held, impugned order passed by the learned court below is quashed and set aside - The learned court below is directed to summon the necessary call details and tower locations, in the best interest of fair trial and proper opportunity to the accused-petitioner to defend his case. Such call details shall be summoned by the learned court below, only in relation to those officers, who are said to have been present at the site of recovery in question. The service provider of the mobile service shall provide such call details and tower locations to the learned court below, if they are stored in the database, and the accused petitioner shall be at liberty to use such call details and tower locations at the appropriate stage of trial to defend his case- Petition allowed.
JUDGMENT :
Pushpendra Singh Bhati, J.
1. In wake of second surge in the COVID-19 cases, abundant caution is being maintained, while hearing the matters in Court, for the safety of all concerned.
2. This criminal misc. petition under Section 482 Cr.P.C. has been preferred against the order dated 30.06.2021 passed by learned Special Judge, NDPS Cases No. 1, Chittorgarh in Criminal Misc. Case No. 233/2021 (Sessions Case No. 15/2021), whereby the application filed by the petitioner under Section 91 Cr.P.C. was rejected.
3. Learned counsel for the petitioner submits that the controversy involved in the case is akin to the one decided by this Court vide judgment dated 6.7.2021 in S.B. Crl. Misc. Petition No. 1910/2021 (Kapil vs. State), which reads as follows:-
2. This criminal misc. petition under Section 482 Cr.P.C. has been preferred against the order dated 01.03.2021 passed by learned Special Judge, NDPS Cases Jodhpur in Criminal Misc. Case No. 32/2021 (Sessions Case No. 10/2021), whereby the application filed by the petitioner under Section 91 Cr.P.C. was rejected.
3. Learned counsel for the petitioner submits that on 19.04.2020, the Station House Officer, Police Station, Osiyan, on the basis of a confidential information, raided the dhani of the present petitioner and allegedly recovered seven plastic bags containing 142 kgs. 692 gms. of poppy straw. Learned counsel further submits that thereafter, an FIR bearing No.81/2020 was registered at Police Station, Osiyan, Jodhpur Rural and investigation was started.
4. Learned counsel for the petitioner also submits that the charge-sheet in this case has already been filed. Learned counsel also submits that the petitioner repeatedly moved application for certain call details and tower location to be taken on record from 19.04.2020 (10:00 p.m.) to 20.04.2020 (05:50 a.m.). Learned counsel however, submits that the learned court below has dismissed the application preferred by the petitioner under Section 91 Cr.P.C. vide the impugned order dated 01.03.2021.
5. Learned counsel for the petitioner relied upon the judgment rendered by this Hon'ble Court in Shrawan Singh @ Baba vs. State of Rajasthan (SBCRLMP No. 273/2020, decided on 18.02.2020), relevant portion of which reads as under:
"I am of the firm opinion that summoning of these call details was absolutely imperative for fair trial and providing a just opportunity of defence to the accused. In case, the allegations set out in the application for summoning the call details are fortified from the call details, manifestly, the entire prosecution case would stand falsified. Therefore, the trial court was not justified in rejecting the application by the impugned order which does not stand to scrutiny. It is therefore ordered that the trial court shall, forthwith summon the call details of the mobile phones of all the three officers whose names are referred to in the impugned order from the service provider provided that such call details are still stored in the database. The accused shall be at liberty to use these call details at the appropriate stage of the trial."
6. Learned counsel for the petitioner further relied upon the judgment rendered by this Hon'ble Court in Narendra Singh vs. State of Rajasthan, reported in 2017 R.Cr.D. 243 (Raj.), relevant portion of which reads as under:
"5. Admittedly, the call details and location details of the police party cannot be produced by the providers. It is only at the behest of the court that the same can be requisitioned. If the recovery is fake, accused-petitioner can establish that false case was lodged against him.
6. The rejection of the application on the ground that it is not the duty of the Court to collect evidence for the defense, is not the right approach adopted by the Court below. The Court below is required to do justice and when there i
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