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2023 Supreme(Raj) 1778

IN THE HIGH COURT OF RAJASTHAN AT JAIPUR BENCH
ASHOK KUMAR JAIN, J.
Rajendra Kasana and Anr. - Appellants
Versus
State of Rajasthan and Anr. - Respondents
S.B. Criminal Appeal No. 2728 of 2019
Decided on : 19-04-2023.

Advocates:
Advocate Appeared:
For the Appellant :Mr. Madhav Mitra, Senior Advocate with Mr. Gurvindra Singh and Mr. Inder Jeet Tax
For the Respondent: Mr. S.S. Mahla, Public Prosecutor, Mr. Pankaj Gupta, Mr. O.P. Pareek, Ms. Meenaksr. Pareek, Mr. Pawan Kumar Verma, Ms. Akansha Sbarma and Ms. Poonam Ch&z : Sharma

Headnote:(A) SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 - Section 14A(1) - Cognizance of offense - The court analyzed the circumstances under which cognizance was taken for an attempt to rape, considering conflicting FIRs and allegations of mala fide intent in filing charges - Emphasized the principle that the trial court's cognizance decision should respect previous findings unless proved incorrect - It was concluded that warrants for arrest issued inappropriately at first instance should be set aside. (Paras 1, 20, 22)

(B) Double Jeopardy - Legal principle forbidding prosecution for the same offense after conviction or acquittal is not violated when the charges differ in nature, even when facts are similar. (Paras 16, 19)

(C) Jurisdiction of Trial Court - The right of the trial court to take cognizance is established as long as there are sufficient grounds based on the evidence available, which may differ from police recommendations. (Paras 20)

Facts of the case:
The appeal concerns an FIR alleging an attempt to rape a minor victim while on the same day similar charges emerged in another FIR involving different parties. The appellants were alleged to have entered the victim’s home and attempted to sexually assault her. Following a police investigation recommending a Final Report (FR), the trial court took cognizance against the appellants.

Findings of Court:
The appeal against the cognizance order was partially allowed, with the trial court's denial of further proceeding to issue a warrant of arrest found to exceed its jurisdiction.

Issues: The main issues included the propriety of the trial court's cognizance in light of prior FIRs and whether the issuance of arrest warrants was justified.

Ratio Decidendi: The court maintained that the trial court must base cognizance on available evidence, not just police reports, and ruled that the conditions surrounding issuance of arrest warrants were misapplied.

Result: The appeal challenging the order of cognizance is hereby dismissed, but the issuance of arrest warrants is set aside.

Table of Content
1. basis of appeal regarding cognizance order (Para 1 , 2)
2. arguments on mala fides and duplicity of prosecution (Para 3 , 4 , 5 , 6)
3. respondent's assertions regarding the propriety of cognizance (Para 7 , 8)
4. scope of appeal under sc/st act (Para 10 , 11 , 12 , 13)
5. differentiation of allegations between firs (Para 14 , 15 , 16)
6. trial court's jurisdiction and limits on examination of merits (Para 17 , 18 , 19)
7. outcomes of the appeal and orders made (Para 20 , 21 , 22)

JUDGMENT :

Mr. Ashok Kumar Jain, J. - The instant appeal under Section 14A(1) of SC/ST (POA) Act (hereinafter referred as "Act of 1989") aggrieved from an order of cognizance dated 21.9.2019 relating to FIR No. 234/2015, P.S. Mahila Thana, Alwar, whereby learned Special Judge (POCSO Act) No. 1, Alwar, after rejecting the FR, had proceeded to take cognizance against the appellants.

2. The fact in a nutshell that on 20.8.2015, an FIR No. 234/2015 was registered at P.S. Mahila Thana, District Alwar, on the complaint of a minor victim with the allegation that, when on 19.8.2015 around 11 a.m., the victim was alone at her home, both the appellants forcefully entered her room and tried to rape her. Police after conducting investigation submitted an FR in the matter on various grounds. Thereafter, a protest petition against the Impugned order was passed and a warrant of arrest was issued against the appellants.

3. Learned Counsel for the appellant heavily relied upon report submitted by the police after a joint investigation in FIR No. 234/2015, P.S. Mahila Thana, Alwar, FIR No. 346/2015, P.S. Arawall Vihar, 342/2015, 349/2015, P.S. Arawali Vihar and 775/2015, P.S. Kotwall, Alwar; and submitted that in FIR No. 345/2015 registered at P.S. Arawali Vihar, a charge-sheet was filed against Karan Singh, Kedar Singh and Goverdhan Singh but cognizance was taken against appellant No. 1 as well. Aftur framing of charge, trial had already begun in the said case but after Investigation in FIR No. 234/2015, police had submitted a FR before the Court and learned Trial Court without application of mind and over looking the facts submitted with FR, initiated the process for taking cognizance against the appellants, knowing that on similar facts, a charge-sheet in FIR No. 346/2015, P.S. Arawali Vihar had already been filed. He submitted that, on similar facts, appellants were forced to face charges in two cases, one in FIR No. 346/2015, P.S. Arawali Vihar and other in present case.

4. He relied upon the principles of law laid down by the Hon'ble Supreme Court in the case of T.T. Antony v. State of Kerala and Ors. , reported in (2001) 6 SCC 181 and submitted that the criminal proceedings initiated by the complainant in the present matter is mala fide and was Instituted just to harass the present appellants with the ultimate aim of encroaching upon a piece of land for which a serious dispute is already pending before the Civil Court. He further submitted that the facts and the documents submitted along with the petition and thereafter, clearly indicated that the dispute between parties pertained to a piece of land for which a forged agreement and other documents were prepared by the family members of the present complainant. He further referred to the FIR No. 775/2015, P.S. Kotwall, Alwar, wherein, after Investigation, pole had concluded that the signature of Shyain Babu on an agreement, which is in favour of Naval Devi, was forged, and the Investigating officer had filed a charge-sheet against Naval Devi and Mamraj Verma under Sections 420 , 467, 468, 469, 471 and 120B I.P.C.; as Naval Devi and Mamraj Verma are close relatives of the victim/complainant. It is further submitted that at the time of the incident, the appellants were not present at the spot, which can be verified from call details, and the Investigating Officer had concluded that the appellants were not present at the spot and no such crime had actually taken place. He further submitted that the stateme

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