HIGH COURT OF ALLAHABAD
H.N. Kapoor, J.
Dakhini Prasad Srivastava
Versus
State of Uttar Pradesh
Decided On : 28 October 1977
CRIMINAL PROCEDURE CODE - SECTION 457 - ORDER FOR DELIVERY OF PROPERTY - INTERPRETATION - VEHICLE SEIZED BY POLICE - CLAIM BY TWO PERSONS - ORDER FOR DELIVERY IN FAVOUR OF ONE CLAIMANT - APPEAL BY OTHER CLAIMANT - JURISDICTION OF SESSIONS JUDGE - REVISION BY HIGH COURT - SCOPE - LEGALITY OF ORDER - REVIEW OF EVIDENCE - POWER OF HIGH COURT.
Fact of the Case:
A car was seized by the police as an abandoned vehicle. Two persons, Dakhini Prasad Srivastava and Hari Babu, claimed ownership of the car. The Magistrate ordered the release of the car in favor of Dakhini Prasad Srivastava on his executing a bond. Hari Babu filed an appeal against this order, which was allowed by the Sessions Judge. Dakhini Prasad Srivastava filed a revision petition in the High Court.
Finding of the Court:
The High Court held that the Sessions Judge had no jurisdiction to entertain an appeal against the Magistrate's order. The High Court also held that the Magistrate had erred in reviewing his earlier order releasing the car in favor of Hari Babu. However, the High Court found that there was sufficient evidence to support the Magistrate's finding that the car had been recovered from the possession of Dakhini Prasad Srivastava and that he was entitled to its possession.
Issues: 1. Whether the Sessions Judge had jurisdiction to entertain an appeal against the Magistrate's order under Section 457 of the Criminal Procedure Code? 2. Whether the Magistrate had erred in reviewing his earlier order releasing the car in favor of Hari Babu? 3. Whether there was sufficient evidence to support the Magistrate's finding that the car had been recovered from the possession of Dakhini Prasad Srivastava and that he was entitled to its possession?
Ratio Decidendi: 1. Section 458(2) of the Criminal Procedure Code provides for an appeal against an order passed under Section 457(1) of the Code. However, in the present case, the Magistrate's order was not passed under Section 457(1), but under Section 457(2) of the Code. Therefore, no appeal lay against the Magistrate's order. 2. The Magistrate had erred in reviewing his earlier order releasing the car in favor of Hari Babu, as he had no jurisdiction to do so. 3. There was sufficient evidence to support the Magistrate's finding that the car had been recovered from the possession of Dakhini Prasad Srivastava and that he was entitled to its possession. The car was found parked in front of Dakhini Prasad Srivastava's house, and he had produced a stamped receipt for Rs. 7,500 signed by Hari Babu, which indicated that he had purchased the car from Hari Babu.
Final Decision: The High Court allowed the revision petition, set aside the order of the Sessions Judge, and restored the order of the Magistrate.
( 1 ) THIS revision is directed against the order and judgment dated 19-91977 of Additional Sessions Judge, Allahabad in Criminal Appeal No. 94 of 1977, setting aside the order of the Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate dated 19-5-1977, by which he had ordered that Ambassador Motor Car No. UTB 9376 would be released in favour of Dakhini Prasad Srivastava, on his executing a bond for Rs. 10,000. 00 with condition to produce the car if and when required by the authorities.
( 2 ) THE facts giving rise to this revision are as follows : On 16-9-1976 at 11. 40 P. M. Sub-In-spepctor Sri Chandra Shekhar Sharma along with Constable Pashupat Nath while patrolling on Zero Road found an Ambassador Car No. UTB 9376 lying in the lane infront of the roadways bus stand without any care and owner. He considered the car to be an abandoned one and seized it and brought it to the Police Station Kotwali and made an entry in the G. D. report No. 79. On 17-9-1976 the present petitioner, Dakhini Prasad Srivastava made an application Under Section 457, Cr. PC claiming the car to be his and requested that it may be given in his custody. The Magistrate called for the police report and fixed 20-9-1976 for the disposal of that application. On that very day another application was moved by Hari Babu, opposite party claiming that that car belonged to him and the same be given in his custody. The report of the Station Officer was called for on the basis of that application and the same was ordered to be put up for disposal on 18-9-1976. On 18-91976 on the basis of the report of the Sub-Inspector, an ex parte order was passed ordering that the car be released in favour of the owner on giving proof of registration in his name on furnishing security of Rs. 5,000. 00. It appears that on the basis of that order possession of the car was taken by Hari Babu, but he subsequently brought it back and returned it to the police station as his surety had withdrawn and the surety was discharged. On 20-9-1976 the present revisionist brought it to the notice of the Magistrate that his application remained undisposed of. The learned Magistrate then ordered that the order passed by him on 18-9-1976 was stayed and that both the parties should produce evidence in support of their respective claim. After hearing both the parties and considering the entire evidence brought on the record, the learned Magistrate passed the order dated 19-5-1977 that the car would be released in favour of the present revisionist, Dakhini Prasad Srivastava on his executing a bond of Rs. 10,000. 00. Hari Babu then filed an appeal against this order and that appeal was allowed by the learned Sessions Judge by the impugned order dated 19-9-1977, Feeling aggrieved Dakhini Prasad has filed this revision.
( 3 ) LEARNED counsel for the applicant has argued that no appeal lay against the order of the Magistrate and as such the order passed by the learned Sessions Judge in appeal is without jurisdiction. There is certainly force in this argument. The order was passed Under Section 457, Cr. PC The only provision for filing an appeal is Under Section 458 (2), Criminal P. C. but that obviously confines itself to the order Under Section 458 (1), Criminal P. C. Section 458, Cr. PC reads as follows: 458. (1) If no person within such period establishes his claim to such property, and if the person in whose possession such property was found is unable to show that it was legally acquired by him, the Magistrate may by order direct that such property shall be at the disposal of the State Government and may be sold by that Government and the proceeds of such sale shall be dealt with in such manner as may foe prescribed. (2) An appeal shall lie against any such order to the Court to which appeals ordinarily lie from convictions by the Magistrate. There is thus general provision for filing appeal against every order passed Under Section 457, Cr. PC The learned counsel for the opposite party, however, argu
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