The court established that quashing an FIR under Section 482 Cr.P.C. is permissible only when no prima facie case exists, reinforcing the need for investigations to proceed.

ORDER

1. The petitioner has preferred this writ petition under Section 482 of Cr.P.C. for quashing the FIR No.0498/2021 registered at Police Station Kotwali, District Nagaur for the offence under Sections 420, 467, 468, 471 & 120-B of IPC.

2. Learned counsel for the petitioner submits that earlier the petitioner was partner in the firm namely Jyotibha Trading Company but later on petitioner executed a partnership dissolution deed on 29.01.2021 and petitioner informed the bank that she is no more a partner of the said firm. It is argued that petitioner is not involved in the affairs of the firm with the Bank and she has been implicated in this case only on the basis of name being shown as partner in the Bank account of the firm. Therefore, it is prayed that the FIR may be quashed.

3. Learned Public Prosecutor has opposed the prayer made by the petitioner.

4. I have considered the arguments advanced before me and carefully gone through the case diary.

5. From the perusal of case diary, it is evident that the petitioner and her husband both prepared forged documents and by putting forged signature on the cheque, obtained money from the Bank in their account whereas, the account holder did not sign any cheque. Thus, a prima facie case of cheating and fraud is made out against the petitioner. In these circumstances, it can not be said that FIR is frivolous. Furthermore, FIR cannot be quashed.

6. Hon'ble Supreme Court in the case of State of Haryana & Ors. Vs. Choudhary Bhajanlal & Ors. : 1992 Suppl. (1) SCC 335], laid down guidelines for exercising inherent powers under Section 482 Cr.P.C. to quash FIR and criminal proceedings. The Court held:

"102. In the backdrop of the interpretation of the various relevant provisions of the Code under Chapter XIV and of the principles of law enunciated by this Court in a series of decisions relating to the exercise of the extraordinary power under Article 226 or the inherent powers under Section 482 of the Code which we have extracted and reproduced above, we give the following categories of cases by way of illustration wherein such power could be exercised either to prevent abuse of the process of any court or otherwise to secure the ends of justice, though it may not be possible to lay down any precise, clearly defined and sufficiently channelised and inflexible guidelines or rigid formulae and to give an exhaustive list of myriad kinds of cases wherein such power should be exercised.

1. Where the allegations made in the first information report or the complaint, even if they are taken at their face value and accepted in their entirety do not prima-facie constitute any offence or make out a case against the accused.

2. Where the allegations in the first information report and other materials, if any, accompanying the FIR do not disclose a cognizable offence, justifying an investigation by police officers under Section 156(1) of the Code except under an order of a Magistrate within the purview of Section 155(2) of the Code.

3. Where the uncontroverted allegations made in the FIR or complaint and the evidence collected in support of the same do not disclose the commission of any offence and make out a case against the accused.

4. Where, the allegations in the FIR do not constitute a cognizable offence but constitute only a non-cognizable offence, no investigation is permitted by a police officer without an order of a Magistrate as contemplated under Section 155(2) of the Code.

5. Where the allegations made in the FIR or complaint are so absurd and inherently improbable on the basis of which no prudent person can ever reach a just conclusion that there is sufficient ground for proceeding against the accused.

6. Where there is an express legal bar engrafted in any of the provisions of the Code or the concerned Act (under which a criminal proceeding is instituted) to the institution and continuance of the proceedings and/or where there is a specific provision in the Code or the concerned Act, providing efficac