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2023 Supreme(P&H) 2835

IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB AND HARYANA AT CHANDIGARH
ASHOK KUMAR VERMA, J.
Vishwas Pandey – Petitioner
Versus
State of Haryana – Respondents
CRM-M-37434 of 2022 (O&M)
Decided On : 20-03-2023

Advocates Appeared:
Mr. Ruhani Chadha, Advocate; For the Petitioner
Mr. Gaurav Bansal, Assistant Advocate General, Haryana.
Mr. Kunal Dawar and Mr. Mayanak Aggarwal, Advocates for Respondent No. 2-Complainant.

Headnote:(A) Criminal Procedure Code, 1973 - Section 311 - Power to summon material witness and ensure fair trial - The trial court allowed an application under Section 311 Cr.P.C. for summoning additional witnesses one being essential for proving the inquiry report significantly affecting the just decision of the case. (Paras 3, 10, 11)

(B) The rights of the accused to a fair trial must be upheld; the exercise of Section 311 is to ensure that justice is not compromised due to oversight. The court's discretion in allowing additional witnesses to fill any lacuna is mandated by a fair trial, promoting the pursuit of truth rather than procedural technicalities. (Paras 9, 10)

Facts of the case:
The petitioner was discharged from his position following an inquiry for assaulting a colleague and subsequently committed murder against another colleague in the employment premises. The prosecution sought to summon additional witnesses after a significant delay, claiming oversight of important documents as the reason for their earlier omission.

Findings of Court:
The court upheld the trial court’s decision to allow the prosecution’s application, arguing that additional evidence is essential for a just decision, and no prejudice was found against the accused.

Issues: The key issues were related to the integrity of the evidence provision under Section 311 Cr.P.C. and the relevance of new evidence at a later stage of proceedings.

Ratio Decidendi: The court emphasized that the objective of Section 311 Cr.P.C. is to facilitate justice by averting failures due to inadvertent omissions, ensuring a fair trial for all parties involved.

Result: Petition dismissed.

Table of Content
1. impleading necessary parties for adjudication. (Para 1)
2. quashing petition on allowance of additional witnesses. (Para 2)
3. arguments regarding delay and necessity of witnesses. (Para 3 , 4)
4. court's role in ensuring fair trial and justice. (Para 5 , 9 , 10)
5. interpretation of section 311 cr.p.c. (Para 7)
6. just decision requires admission of additional evidence. (Para 8 , 12)
7. court must prioritize truth over technicalities. (Para 11)

JUDGMENT

Mr. Ashok Kumar Verma, J. (Oral)

CRM-33865-2022

Prayer in this application filed under Section 482 Cr.P.C. is for impleading Devendra Nagpal-complainant as respondent No. 2 being a necessary party for proper adjudication of the case.

Heard.

For the reasons stated in the application which is supported by an affidavit, the same is allowed and applicant-Devendra Nagpal- complainant, is hereby impleaded as respondent No. 2. Amended memo of parties filed along with the application is taken on record.

CRM-M-37434-2022

Through this petition filed under Section 482 Cr.P.C., prayer has been made for quashing of impugned order dated 07.07.2022 (Annexure P-4) passed by learned Sessions Judge, Faridabad, in case FIR No. 761 dated 09.11.2018 registered under Section 302 IPC and Section 25 of the ARMS ACT , 1959 at Police Station Mujesar, District Faridabad, whereby application moved by the prosecution under Section 311 Cr.P.C. for summoning additional witnesses has been allowed.

2. Briefly, the petitioner earlier was working in Tata Steel Processing and Distribution Limited, Faridabad. On the basis of one complaint made against him of having assaulted a colleague, he was charge-sheeted and inquiry was held against him in which he was held guilty. Thereafter, the petitioner was discharged from the service. The complaint of assault was made by Sandeep Kumar Singh which was forwarded to the Management by deceased-Arindam Pal and inquiry was conducted by Subhomoy Majumder. Aggrieved with the inquiry report, the petitioner shot dead Arindam Pal in the premises of the company. During the course investigation, the proceedings of the inquiry conducted against the petitioner were obtained by the Investigating Officer, but due to oversight, only some of the documents pertaining to the petitioner and his employment were placed on record but other documents could not be placed on record. The prosecution through learned Public Prosecutor moved an application under Section 311 Cr.P.C. to examine Sandeep Kumar Singh, who was assaulted by the petitioner, Sh. Subhomoy Majumder, who conducted the inquiry against the petitioner and Sh. Anand Vivek, Head (HR), Tata Steel Processing and Distribution Limited, as additional witnesses, which was allowed by the trial Court vide order impugned herein. Hence, the present petition.

3. Learned counsel for the petitioner, inter alia contends that the trial Court has erred in allowing the application under Section 311 Cr.P.C. vide impugned order dated 07.07.2022 (Annexure P-4) as the same was filed just to delay the matter. He further submits that the provisions of Section 311 Cr.P.C. should not be allowed to be used to fill lacunae in the case. The names of aforesaid additional witnesses who were sought to be examined by the prosecution were never mentioned in the list of witnesses, at the time of preparation of challan and now after a gap of 04 years, the prosecution wants to examine the said additional witnesses. The prosecution in order to prove its case had moved the application under Section 311 Cr.P.C. for summoning and examining the aforesaid witnesses, after recording of statement under Section 313 Cr.P.C. Learned counsel contends that a great prejudice will be caused to the petitioner, in case, the prosecution is allowed to lead additional evidence at such a belated stage and to fill up the lacuna. In support of his contentions, learned counsel for the petitioner has relied upon judgments in (i) CRM-M Nos. 30860, 30863 and 30864-2017, Sandeep K

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