HIGH COURT OF JAMMU AND KASHMIR AT JAMMU
Hasnain Massodi, J.
Kartar Singh & Ors. -Appellant
Versus
State Of J&K & Anr. -Resopndent
561-A Cr.P.C. No. 186-2009
Decided On : 16-12-2010
Criminal Breach of Trust - Construction Contract - Section 405 Ranbir Penal Code - Summary
Fact of the Case:
The petitioners, involved in a construction contract, were charged with criminal breach of trust for allegedly misappropriating cement supplied by the Public Works (R&B) Department. They sought quashment of the charge sheet and the formal charges against them.
Finding of the Court:
The court analyzed the definition of criminal breach of trust under Section 405 Ranbir Penal Code and concluded that the petitioners could be held liable for the alleged offences. The court dismissed the petition, emphasizing that the factual aspects of the case would be determined during the trial.
Issues: The issues revolved around the alleged misappropriation of cement supplied for the construction work and whether the petitioners could be charged with criminal breach of trust.
Ratio Decidendi: The court clarified that dishonest misappropriation or conversion to one’s own use is not necessary to constitute the offence of breach of trust. Use of the property in violation of prescribed mode or legal contract amounts to criminal breach of trust.
Final Decision: The petition was dismissed, and the trial court was directed to proceed with the trial expeditiously.
2. The petitioners assailed the order dated 01.06.2009 through the medium of a revision petition before Learned Sessions Judge Kathua. The revision petition, however, did not succeed and was rejected on 05.11.2009. The Revisional Court was of the opinion that issues raised in revision petition touched factual aspects of the matter and could be only dealt with after trial was allowed to proceed.
3. The petitioners undeterred by the Trial Court order and their failure in the Revisional Court have come up with the present petition under Section 561-A Cr.P.C. invoking inherent powers of the Court for quashment of the charge sheet filed against the petitioners by Police Station Billawar as also order dated 01.06.2009, whereby the petitioners have been formally charged of the offences publishable under Section 409, 407, 406, 420/109 RPC.
4. The petitioners base their case primarily on the ground that Public Works (R&B) Department as a matter of fact sold 700 bags of cement including 140 bags alleged to have been misappropriated by the petitioners to the petitioner no.1, inasmuch as the department deducted price of the supplied cement from the amount payable to the petitioner No. 1 on account of execution of the contract work. It is urged that there was thus no "entrustment" within the meaning of Section 405 Ranbir Penal Code and the petitioners could not be held liable to have committed criminal breach of trust punishable under Section 406 Ranbir Penal Code. The charge sheet, it is pleaded, did not disclose commission of offences alleged therein, by the petitioners and the Trial Court was not right in taking cognizance in the charge sheet, issuing process against the petitioners and thereafter formally charging the petitioners of the offences
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