1975 Supreme(J&K) 70
IN THE HIGH COURT OF JAMMU AND KASHMIR AT JAMMU
A.S. Anand, J.
Sita Ram - Appellant
Versus
Bhola Ram - Respondent
Civil Revision No. 29/1975
Decided On : 16 September, 1975
Advocate For Appellant: R.P. Bakshi
Advocate For Respondent: S.D. Sharma
A Magistrate cannot attach property without complying with the provisions of Section 145(3) and (4) of the Code of Criminal Procedure. A Magistrate cannot overreach the High Court by withdrawing the impugned order and consigning the file to records.
Headnote:
CRIMINAL PROCEDURE CODE, 1973 - SECTION 145 - ATTACHMENT OF PROPERTY - JURISDICTION - MAGISTRATE CANNOT ATTACH PROPERTY WITHOUT COMPLYING WITH THE PROVISIONS OF SECTION 145(3) AND (4) - MAGISTRATE CANNOT OVERREACH THE HIGH COURT BY WITHDRAWING THE IMPUGNED ORDER AND CONSIGNING THE FILE TO RECORDS.
Fact of the Case:
The petitioner filed a revision petition against the order of the Magistrate attaching a shop in dispute and appointing a Receiver to effect repairs. The Magistrate had treated an application for temporary injunction filed in a suit for permanent injunction as information under Section 145(1) of the Code of Criminal Procedure and proceeded to attach the property.
Finding of the Court:
The Magistrate had no jurisdiction to proceed in the manner he did as he did not comply with the provisions of Section 145(3) and (4) of the Code of Criminal Procedure. The Magistrate also acted with impropriety by withdrawing the impugned order and consigning the file to records in the face of a stay order granted by the High Court.
Issues: 1. Whether the Magistrate had jurisdiction to attach the property without complying with the provisions of Section 145(3) and (4) of the Code of Criminal Procedure? 2. Whether the Magistrate acted with impropriety by withdrawing the impugned order and consigning the file to records in the face of a stay order granted by the High Court?
Ratio Decidendi: 1. The provisions of Section 145 of the Code of Criminal Procedure are mandatory and any omission to observe them would vitiate the proceedings. The Magistrate did not ask the parties to put in their written statements and immediately proceeded to attach the property, which is illegal. 2. The Magistrate is bound to comply with the orders of the High Court and cannot overreach the High Court by withdrawing the impugned order and consigning the file to records.
Final Decision: The revision petition was allowed. The proceedings taken by the Magistrate on the so-called information under Section 145(1) of the Code of Criminal Procedure were without jurisdiction. The Magistrate was directed to submit an explanation for his actions within 20 days.
2. The fact giving rise to this petition are that a suit for permanent injunction was filed by the respondent against the petitioner and the same was pending in the court of Munsiff Nowshera, When that suit came up for hearing before the Munsiff, he perused the application for grant of temporary injunction and noticed that certain allegations had been made in that application that the petitioner did not allow the respondent to repair the shop and that whenever the respondent tried to repair it, the petitioner attacked him and created obstruction in his way. From these allegations the Munsiff Judicial Magistrate came to a prima facie conclusion that some dispute had arisen between the parties and there was likelihood of breach of peace. He treated that application for temporary injunction which had been filed in the suit for permanent injunction as information within the meaning of Section 145(1) of the Code of Criminal Procedure and directed the application to be registered as such. After considering the application, the affidavit and various documents filed with the said application, the Magistrate passed an order to the effect that he was satisfied that due to the existence of dispute between the parties there was likelihood of breach of peace and exercise of the powers u/s 145(4) proviso (3) of the Code of Criminal Procedure directed that the shop in dispute be attached. He further appointed a Receiver although it appears from the record that the Receiver was changed from time to time by the said Magistrate suo moto. The petitioner feeling aggrieved by this order filed this revision petition in this court and by order of the Court dated July 10, 1975 the petition was admitted and it was directed that the operation of the impugned order in the petition shall remain stayed pending disposal of this petition. After this stay order was received by the learned Magistrate he passed a Zimini order on July 16, 1975 to the effect that the respondent Bholla Ram at whose instance the proceedings u/s 145 of the Code of Criminal Proceedings had been initiated had made an application submitting therein, that he no longer apprehended any breach of the peace and in that view of the matter the Magistrate withdrew the preliminary order issued on June 7, 1975. He further directed that the shop in question be returned to the person from whose possession it was taken and attached and consigned the file to records.
3. Mr. Bakshi, the learned counsel for the petitioner has submitted that although the proceedings which are the subject matter of the revision petition have already come to an end and in that view of the matter the revision petition has become infructucus yet this is a case which exposes the se-anti respect shown to the provisions of law and to the orders of this court by the Magistrate and therefore, requires consideration at my hands.
4. Ordinarily speaking, since the proceedings have been dropped, I would not be inclined to go into the case in any detail yet there are certain aspects of this matter which call for a consideration as question of some importance arise in the matter.
5. The Munsiff Judicial Magistrate, treated the application for grant of temporary injunction filed in a suit for permanent injunction as information u/s 145 of the Code of Criminal Procedure and proceeded to deal with the matter in the manner prescribed in section 145 of the Code, Section 145 of the Code is intended only to provide a speedy remedy for the prevention of a breach of the peace arising out of the dispute relating to the immoveable property by maintaining one or the other party in possession. The provisions are of emerge