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2009 Supreme(Jhk) 288

JHARKHAND HIGH COURT
D. K. SINHA, J.
Ajay Paswan - Appellant
Versus
The State of Jharkhand &Ors. - Respondent
Writ Petition (Cr.) No. 274 of 2008
Decided on : 20-2-2009

Advocates appeared:
P.P.N. Roy. Sr. Counsel; Sanjay Kumar and Rajiv Lochan:for Petitioner; M/s. Rishi Pallava and R.P. Singh, J.C. to G.P.II, for the State.

Subsequent statements for the same occurrence should be treated as falling under Sections 161/162 of the Code of Criminal Procedure and not as fresh materials for the institution of another F.I.R.

Headnote:

Article 226 - Quashment of F.I.R. - Section 306 of the Indian Penal Code - Section 173 of the Code of Criminal Procedure - The court discussed the legality of a second F.I.R. for the same occurrence, the power of the investigating agency to further investigate under Section 173(8) of the Code of Criminal Procedure, and the implications of subsequent statements by the informant. The court emphasized that subsequent statements for the same occurrence should be treated as falling under Sections 161/162 of the Code of Criminal Procedure and not as fresh materials for the institution of another F.I.R.

Fact of the Case:

The petitioner sought to quash a second F.I.R. for the same occurrence, arguing that it was not maintainable as an earlier case had been registered for the same occurrence.

Finding of the Court:

The court found that the second F.I.R. was unsustainable as the investigating agency had ample scope to further investigate the case under Section 173(8) of the Code of Criminal Procedure, and the subsequent F.I.R. was not maintainable.

Issues: Legality of second F.I.R. for the same occurrence, power of investigating agency to further investigate under Section 173(8) of the Code of Criminal Procedure, implications of subsequent statements by the informant.

Ratio Decidendi: Subsequent statements for the same occurrence should be treated as falling under Sections 161/162 of the Code of Criminal Procedure and not as fresh materials for the institution of another F.I.R.

Final Decision: The writ petition to quash the second F.I.R. was allowed.

ORDER:-

Petitioner has invoked the extraordinary writ jurisdiction of this Court under Article 226 of, the Constitution of India for quashment of the second F.I.R. vide Jaridih P.S. Case No.90 of 2008 dated 13-9-2008 registered for the alleged offence under Section 306 of the Indian Penal Code being not maintainable for the reasons that an U.D. Case N.o.10 of 2008 was registered earlier for the same occurrence at the Jaridih Police Station on 30-6-2008.

2. The Investigating Officer after investigation in the case of unnatural death submitted final form under Section 173 of the Code of Criminal Procedure.

3. The occurrence as presented by the prosecution took place at different stages. The sequence of the occurrence is that the wife of the informant Saroj Kumar Jaiswal namely Lakshmi Jalswal was kidnapped by the petitioner on 31-5-2008 as alleged by the informant giving rise to Chas P.S. Case:; No.131 of 2008 registered on 24-6-2008. Lakshmi Jaiswal was recovered by the Chas police but thereafter she opted to live with her parents at Jainamore. The police after investigation of the said case submitted final form under Section 173 of the Code of Criminal Procedure observing that the allegation as levelled by the informant against the petitioner accused Ajay Paswan was not found true.

4. In the next sequence the informant alleged in respect of Unnatural Death Case No.10 of 2008 registered at Jaridih Police Station that his wife Lakshmi Jaiswal committed suicide on 30-6-2008 out of agony and pain on account of her alleged kidnapping. Yet, the informant did not disclose or point out finger against any person or the petitioner as an abettor of such suicide. The Jaridih Police after investigation of U.D. Case No. 10 of 2008 submitted final form on 139-2008 before the S.D.J.M., Bermo at Tenughat but simultaneously the Jaridih Police sought for and the Court of S.D.J.M. without recording reasons in the order sheet dated 13-9-2008 accorded permission to the Police for further investigation the U.D. Case • No.10 of 2008.

5. Nevertheless. in the meantime, the in formant Saroj Kumar Jaiswal lodged an another F.I.R. giving rise to Jaridih P.S. Case No.90 of 2008 against the petitioner Ajay Paswan for the alleged offence under Section 306 of the Indian Penal Code by way of presenting a written report on 13-9-2008 in respect of suicide committed by his wife Lakshmi Jaiswal the petitioner as abettor though he had given the petitioner a clean chit earlier in the written report on the basis of which U.D. Case No. 10 of 2008 was 'registered and the S.D.J.M., Bermo at Tenughat had already accorded permission : after applying his judicial mind for further investigation of U.D. Case aforesaid.

6. The learned Sr. Counsel Mr. Roy emphatically submitted that the petitioner carries no grievance at all if the U.D. Case No. 10 of 2008 is permitted for further investigation under Section 173(8) of the Code of Criminal Procedure at the behest of the Investigating Officer but the petitioner is highly prejudiced for the institution of fresh case for the same offence by the same informant giving rise to Jaridih P.S., Case No.90 of 2008 which is barred under law as a person cannot be vexed twice for the' same allegation. The statement of the informant if made subsequently before the police either orally or in writing for the same alleged occurrence nay, be treated as his statement falling under Sections 161/ 162 of the, Code of Criminal Procedure.

7. Mr. Roy, the learned Sr. Counsel relied upon a decision reported in (2001) 6 SCC 181 : (AIR 2001 SC 2637) wherein the Apex Court in T.T. Antony v. State of Kerala and others observed :

"An information given under sub-section (1) of Section 154, Cr.P.C. is commonly known as the first information report (FIR) though this term is not used in the Code. It is a very important document. And as its nickname suggests it is the earliest and the first information of a cognizable offence recorded by an officer in charge of a police








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