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

2008 Supreme(Jhk) 1134

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JHARKHAND AT RANCHI
Dilip Kumar Sinha, J.
Ramesh Kumar Bajaj @ Ramesh Bajaj and Raman Kumar Sah @ Raman Kumar – Appellants.
Vs.
The State of Jharkhand and Raj Kishore Jha – Respondent
Decided On : 19.09.2008

The main legal point established in the judgment is the court's reliance on the finding of a prima facie case under the relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code to support its decision.

Headnote:

Criminal Breach of Trust - Dispute over Financial Matter - Indian Penal Code - Sections 406, 506, 384, 182, 211

Fact of the Case:

The case involved a dispute over the ownership and use of a vehicle, leading to allegations of criminal breach of trust and extortion. The police investigation resulted in conflicting charge-sheets and final forms, leading to a series of legal proceedings.

Finding of the Court:

The court found that a prima facie case was made out against the accused under Sections 406 and 506 of the Indian Penal Code, and ordered the complainant to file requisite documents and issued summons to the witnesses.

Issues: The key issues revolved around the ownership and use of the vehicle, conflicting police investigation reports, and the violation of natural justice in the legal proceedings.

Ratio Decidendi: The court's decision was based on the finding of a prima facie case under the relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code, and the examination of the legality of the impugned orders by the Revisional Court.

Final Decision: The writ petition was dismissed, clarifying that the prima facie finding and the order passed would not affect the criminal prosecution against the complainant under Sections 182 and 211 of the Indian Penal Code.

JUDGMENT

D.K. Sinha, J.

1. The petitioners have invoked the extraordinary writ jurisdiction of this Court for the quashment of the order dated 26.05.2006 passed by the S.D.J.M., Godda in P.C.R. No. 627 of 2002 corresponding to T.R. No. 1169 of 2006 by an appropriate writ/order/directions.

2. The brief fact of the case giving rise to the writ petition was that the Respondent No. 2 (Raj Kishore Jha) had presented a complaint vide P.C.R. No. 474/99 in the Court of C.J.M., Godda against both the petitioners Ramesh Kumar Bajaj @ Ramesh Bajaj & Raman Kumar Sah @ Raman Kumar stating inter alia that he was the owner of Mahindra Commander Jeep No. BR 12-4494 having all relevant documents of the said jeep in his name. On 12.05.1999 the petitioner No. 1 Ramesh Kumar Bajaj @ Ramesh Bajaj took the jeep of the complainant on hire from the complainant at the rate of Rs. 400/- per day. It was alleged that whenever the complainant Respondent No. 2 (Raj Kishore Jha) used to demand the freight of his jeep that was under use and possession of the petitioner No. 1 (Ramesh Kumar Bajaj @ Ramesh Bajaj) on hire, the latter rest assured that he would make payment sooner and asked that he needed the vehicle for some more time. On 02.08.1999 when the complainant reiterated his demand, it ignited the petitioner No. 1 Ramesh Kumar Bajaj and other accused persons present there. The petitioner Ramesh Kumar Bajaj declined having ever taken any vehicle from the complainant and in the same transaction the petitioner No. 2 Raman Kumar Sah threatened him in abusive language that he would be eliminated in case he would come to Godda. It was alleged that their such rude behaviour adversely affected the prestige of the complainant. Yet, the jeep in question was lying at the house of the Petitioner No. 2 (Raman Kumar Sah @ Raman Kumar) which could be procured and that both the petitioners intentionally usurped his jeep for their personal gains and thereby caused criminal breach of trust. However, the petitioners expressed to return his jeep on payment of Rs. 20,000/- as the extortion amount and that such act of petitioners constituted an offence under Sections 406/506 and 384 of the Indian Penal Code. The complaint was filed on 03.08.1999 which was sent to Godda Police Station under Section 156(3) of the Code of Criminal Procedure by the C.J.M., Godda, giving rise to Godda P.S. Case No. 257 of 1999, registered on 07.08.99 against the petitioners for the alleged offence under Sections 406/384/506 I.P.C.

3. The learned Counsel explained that prior to such complaint, an informatory petition was filed by the Petitioner No. 1 Ramesh Kumar Bajaj on 26.07.99 before the Officer-in-Charge of Godda Police Station complaining therein that he was having a diesel vehicle to which he had put it for repair in the garage of the Respondent No. 2 Raj Kishore Jha who presented the estimate of Rs. 25,000/- being the cost of repair. On demand the Petitioner No. 1 Ramesh Kumar Bajaj made an advance of a sum of Rs. 20,001/- to the complainant O.P. No. 2 on 18.03.1999 and the complainant Respondent No. 2 assured in presence of his own relations that he would deliver the diesel vehicle within 21 days after its repair. When the vehicle could not be delivered to the petitioner within time frame in spite of reminder, the complainant O.P. No. 2 Raj Kishore Jha came to his shop with one Shankar Thakur and Ajay Pradhan and expressed his inability to deliver his vehicle as the same could not be repaired in time as such the petitioner demanded his money back which was advanced to him. The Respondent No. 2 Raj Kishore Jha then asked him to takeaway his diesel jeep No. BR 12-4494 with all relevant documents and accordingly he transferred the custody of his diesel jeep to the Petitioner No. 1 Ramesh Kumar Bajaj. The petitioner alleged in his informatory petition that on 25.07.1999 Raj Kishore Jha suddenly came to his residence and asked him to deliver his diesel jeep and otherwise threatened to take away h






















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