Mrs. Sabina, J.:- Petitioners have filed this petition under Section 482 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 for quashing of complaint No. 15 dated 19.7.2004 (Annexure P-1) and all the consequential proceedings arising therefrom including the summoning order dated 24.2.2009 (Annexure P-2).

2. Learned counsel for the petitioners has submitted that no offence punishable under Section 500 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860 (‘IPC’ for short) could be said to have been committed by the petitioners. In fact, petitioners had moved a complaint to the Director, Kandi Area Project, Block Dera Bassi qua irregularities committed by the respondent. Hence, the case of the petitioners was covered under exception eight to Section 499 IPC.

3. Learned counsel for the respondent, on the other hand, has opposed the petition and has submitted that all the petitioners with a view to defame the respondent had moved the complaint (Annexure P-6) before the Director, Kandi Area Project, Block Dera Bassi.

4. Case of the complainant, as per the complaint (Annexure P-1), in brief, is that complainant was working for the welfare of the village being the President of Development Committee of village Mal