HIGH COURT OF ALLAHABAD
H.N.Kapoor, J.
Chandi Prasad
Versus
Om Prakash Kanodia
Decided On : 25 July 1975
CRIMINAL PROCEDURE CODE, 1973 - SECTION 145, 146 - ATTACHMENT OF PROPERTY - EFFECT - JURISDICTION OF MAGISTRATE TO PROCEED WITH PROCEEDINGS UNDER SECTION 145, CR. P. C. - MAGISTRATE HAS NO JURISDICTION TO PROCEED WITH PROCEEDINGS UNDER SECTION 145, CR. P. C. AFTER ATTACHMENT OF PROPERTY UNDER SECTION 146 (1), CR. P. C. - ATTACHMENT TO CONTINUE UNTIL RIGHTS OF PARTIES DETERMINED BY COMPETENT COURT - MAGISTRATE CAN WITHDRAW ATTACHMENT ONLY IF SATISFIED THAT NO LIKELIHOOD OF BREACH OF PEACE.
Fact of the Case:
A dispute arose regarding the possession and ownership of a school building. The petitioners claimed that the school building was constructed on banjar land belonging to the Gram Sabha, while the opposite parties claimed that the building was constructed on land belonging to Balmukund Giri and that he had started the school in 1971. The Magistrate passed a preliminary order under Section 145, Cr. P. C. and subsequently attached the school building under Section 146 (1), Cr. P. C. on the ground of emergency. The petitioners filed a petition under Section 482, Cr. P. C. for quashing the proceedings before the Magistrate.
Finding of the Court:
The court held that after the Magistrate had attached the property under Section 146 (1), Cr. P. C., the attachment had to be continued until the rights of the parties were determined by a competent court of civil jurisdiction. The Magistrate could withdraw the attachment only when he was satisfied that there was no longer any likelihood of breach of the peace with regard to the subject of dispute.
Issues: Whether the Magistrate had jurisdiction to proceed with the proceedings under Section 145, Cr. P. C. after attachment of the property under Section 146 (1), Cr. P. C.
Ratio Decidendi: The court interpreted Section 146 (1), Cr. P. C. and held that the words "competent court" included courts other than civil courts, such as revenue courts and consolidation courts. The Magistrate under Section 145, Cr. P. C. adjudicates about possession for a limited purpose only and confines himself to the question of possession at the time of the passing of the preliminary order or two months prior to the date on which the report of the police officer or other information was received by the Magistrate. Therefore, the Magistrate had no jurisdiction to proceed further with the case under Section 145, Cr. P. C. except for the purpose of making an enquiry on the point whether there was no longer any likelihood of breach of the peace with regard to the subject of dispute.
Final Decision: The petition was allowed. The order of the Magistrate dated 23-4-1975 was quashed and he was directed not to proceed further with the case under Section 145, Cr. P. C. except for the purpose of making an enquiry on the point whether there was no longer any likelihood of breach of the peace with regard to the subject of dispute.
( 1 ) THIS petition has been filed under Section 482, Cr. P. C. for quashing the proceedings before the Sub-Divisional Magistrate, Naugarh, district Basti under Section 145, Cr. P. C. A dispute arose in respect of the premises in which a school was being run in Baruni Bazar in the name of Amar Bal Vidya Mandir. It was being run since 1971 in the aforesaid name by the managing committee comprising of the present applicants including the pradhan of the village, namely, Chandi Prasad. The applicants claimed that the school building was constructed on banjar land belonging to the Gram Sabha. The applicants were described as the second party. The first party consisted of Balmukund Giri (now dead), Om Prakash Kanodia and Haripati Tripathi. They are now the opposite parties. They claimed that the building was constructed on the land belonging to Balmukund Giri which he had obtained on a patta thirty years back and that Balmukund Giri himself had started the school in the year 1971 and had appointed the first party as its managing body to run the school. But he felt dissatisfied and in 1974 he appointed another managing committee to run the school by means of a registered deed. That managing committee consisted of the persons who are opposite parties Nos. 1 and 2 in this petition besides Balmukund Giri himself. The name of the school too was changed into Adharshya Amar Bal Vidya Mandir. It appears that both the parties started running parallel schools and the police reported that there was an apprehension of the breach of the peace. The learned Magistrate then passed the preliminary order dated 22-7-1974 and started proceedings under Section 145, Cr. P. C. Subsequently another station officer of Police Station Dhebarwa submitted another report dated 3-11-1974 to the effect that there was no longer any apprehension of breach of the peace. However, a third report was submitted by the station officer, police sation Dhebarwa dated 2-12-1974 to the effect that there was an apprehension of breach of the peace and the case was of grave emergency. A copy of that report has not been filed by any of the parties. On the basis of that report, the Sub-Divisional Magistrate, Naugarh ordered attachment of the school building on 4th of December, 197. 4 considering the case as of grave emergency. However, even after passing this order, the learned Magistrate proceeded with the case under Section 145, Cr. P. C. with a view to pass the final order under that section. The petitioners have filed this petition for quashing those proceedings.
( 2 ) SRI G. P, Mathur, learned Counsel for the petitioners has argued that after the order of attachment was passed by the learned Magistrate under Section 146 (1) Cr. P. C. (New), he had no jurisdiction to continue with the proceedings under S. 145 Cr. P. C. According to him, attachment was to continue until the rights of the parties were determined by a competent court exercising civil jurisdiction. He has conceded that it was open to the Magistrate to make an enquiry only for the purpose of finding out whether apprehension of breach of the peace still existed or not as the Magistrate could withdraw attachment at any time under the proviso to Sub-section (1) of Section 146, Cr. P. C. (New ). He has also argued that the proceedings under Section 145, Cr. P. C. were illegal from the very beginning and no attachment should have been made as the dispute was only with regard to the administration of the school which cannot be considered to be a dispute within the meaning of Section 145, Cr. P. C. as was held in the case of Onkar Nath Tiwari v. Ram Anjore Misra (1973 Cri LJ 1885) (All ). So far as the last argument is concerned, it may be observed that in the present case there is a dispute about the possession and ownership of the building itself as it was claimed to be his building by Balmukund Giri, who is now dead. He claimed it to be his private property and formed a trust by a registered deed appoin
Login now and unlock free premium legal research
Login to SupremeToday AI and access free legal analysis, AI highlights, and smart tools.
Login
now!
India’s Legal research and Law Firm App, Download now!
Copyright © 2023 Vikas Info Solution Pvt Ltd. All Rights Reserved.