SupremeToday Landscape Ad
Back
Next
Judicial Analysis Court Copy Headnote Facts Arguments Court observation
Listen Audio Icon Pause Audio Icon
judgment-img

1997 Supreme(Raj) 855

Rajasthan High Court
Honble AMRESH KU. SINGH, J.
Ram Pal - Appellant
Versus
State of Rajasthan - Respondents
S.B. Criminal Misc. Petition No. 552 of 1996
Decided On : November 21, 1997

Advocates Appeared:
Sandeep Mehta, For Petitioner Chandra Lekha, Public Prosecutor

Headnote:Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 – Sec. 4 and Criminal Procedure Code, 1973 – Sec. 190 – Constitution of India – Art. 20(1) – Unless there is a wilful neglect of duty the Sec. 4 will not be applicable – A mere neglect is not punishable – A case cannot be registered under Sec. 4 unless there is a complaint as required under Sec. 190(i)(a) – The present case suffers from these infirmities – Cognizance is quashed. (Para 26)

       A bare reading of Sec. 4 shows that before an offence u/S. 4 may be committed, it must be shown that a public servant has wilfully neglected his duties. A bona fide action, even though it may be erroneous, cannot be branded as wilful neglect of duty. (Para 21)

       There was no complaint under clause (a) of sub-sec. (1) of Sec. 190 Cr.P.C. alleging the commission of offence under Sec. 4 of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 by the Superintendent of Police, Churu and the Officer Incharge, who conducted the investigation and in the absence of a complaint, the power to take cognizance under Clause (a) of sub-section (1) of Section 190 could not be exercised. (Para 26)

Honble SINGH, J.–Heard the learned counsel for the petitioner and the learned Public Prosecutor and perused the orders dated 16th March, 96 as well as the order dated 26th June, 96 passed by the learned Civil Judge (Jr. Division)-cum-Judicial Magistrate Ist Class, Doongargarh in criminal case No. 116/96. By the order dated 16th March, 96, the learned Judicial Magistrate took cognizance of offence under Section 3(1)(IV) and (X) of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 and issued process against the accused Rameshwarnath, Deepanath, Chandunath and Sawannath, residents of village Purnasar, tehsil Doongargarh. By the same order, the learned Judicial Magistrate took cognizance of the offence u/S. 4 of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 and issued process against two police officers : (1) the then Superintendent of Police, Churu and (2) the then Circle Officer (Shri Rampal the petitioner), who investigated the case and after investigation submitted the final report in the case.By order dated 26th June, 96, the learned Judicial Magistrate rejected the application by which the petitioner had raised certain objections against taking of cognizance of the offence u/S. 4 of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 and had requested that the proceedings against him should be dropped.

(2). At the outset, it may be pointed out that the learned Judicial Magistrate has not even cared to mention the names of the police offficers against whom he directed the issue of process by his order dated 16th march, 96. Similarly, in the second order dated 26th June, 96, the name of the petitioner, who had raised objec- tions against the taking of cognizance has not even been mentioned. It is necessary that the subordinate courts while disposing of applications filed by parties must indicate on whose behalf the application had been filed. The name of the applicant must be disclosed in the order passed by the subordinate courts, failing to do so, would be regarded as a neglect of duty. Similarly, it is necessary that when process are issued against any person or persons u/s. 204 Cr.P.C., the name as well as sufficient particulars of the accused, who is to be proceeded against must be disclosed in the order so that no innocent person is arrested on account of a mistake which is likely to be committed if the names of the accused persons are not given in the order. Brevity to the extent of omitting the names of the parties, whose rights are affected by the order of the courts, is neither permitted by law nor it is permitted by practice. Neglect on the part of the learned Judicial Magistrate in this behalf is serious and this court expectes that such neglect will not be committed by the subordinate Judicial Officers in future.

(3). The facts necessary for the disposal of this petition may be summarised as below :–

(4). One Gangu Ram filed a complaint in the Court of learned Judicial Magistrate alleging therein that he was the owner of agriculture field Khasra No. 605, measuring 44 bighas and 5 biswas situated in Rohi of village Punrasar. According to averments made in the complaint, the complainant had gone outside his village for the purpose of earning his living by working as labour. He remained outside his village for 14 years and during this period his field remained uncultivated. It was alleged that Rameshwar Nath committed tress-pass on 10 bighas of the land belonging to the complaintant. When the complainant came to know about it, he made a protest to Rameshwar Nath and Rameshwar Nath agreed to vacate the por- tion of the land, which he had tress passed. But, when the season of sowing crop came, in place of vacating the land Rameshwar Nath, Deep Nath, Chandu Nath and Sawan Nath cultivated the land including 10 bighas in respect of which tress pass is alleged to have been committed by Rameshwar Nath. The complainant then went to the accused









































Click Here to Read the rest of this document

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
SupremeToday Portrait Ad
supreme today icon
logo-black

An indispensable Tool for Legal Professionals, Endorsed by Various High Court and Judicial Officers

Please visit our Training & Support
Center or Contact Us for assistance

qr

Scan Me!

India’s Legal research and Law Firm App, Download now!

For Daily Legal Updates, Join us on :

whatsapp-icon Back to top