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1953 Supreme(All) 139

HIGH COURT OF ALLAHBAD
RANDHIR SINGH, J.
Bhaggo Singh
Versus
Sanoman Singh
Criminal Reference No. 83 of 1952
Decided On : 13-07-1953

Advocates:
S.S. Chaudhari and R.N. Misra, for Applicant; S.D. Misra, for Opposite Parties (Nos. 1 to 14).

Headnote:

CRIMINAL PROCEDURE CODE, 1898 - SECTION 145 - ATTACHMENT OF PROPERTY - RELEASE OF PROPERTY - CONDITIONS - MAGISTRATE MUST SATISFY HIMSELF THAT THERE IS NO APPREHENSION OF BREACH OF PEACE.

Fact of the Case:

A dispute arose over some cultivatory land, leading to an application by Bhaggoo Singh under Section 145 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) against Sanoman Singh and others. The Magistrate ordered the attachment of the property and issued a notice to the opposite party to file a written statement. However, the opposite party did not appear, and the Magistrate released the attached property.

Finding of the Court:

The court held that the Magistrate's order releasing the attached property was improper as he had not satisfied himself that there was no apprehension of a breach of peace. The court noted that the police report submitted earlier indicated an apprehension of a breach of peace, and the Magistrate had not received any subsequent information to suggest otherwise.

Issues: Whether the Magistrate's order releasing the attached property was proper.

Ratio Decidendi: The court relied on the provisions of Section 145 of the CrPC, which empowers a Magistrate to attach property to prevent a breach of peace. The court held that the Magistrate must satisfy himself that there is no apprehension of a breach of peace before releasing the attached property. In this case, the Magistrate had not done so, and therefore, his order was improper.

Final Decision: The court accepted the recommendation of the Additional District Magistrate and set aside the Magistrate's order releasing the attached property. The case was remanded back to the Magistrate to proceed from the stage before which the proceedings were terminated.

ORDER :- This is a reference by the Additional District Magistrate of Bahraich recommending that the order passed by the Sub-Divisional Magistrate, Bahraich releasing properly which had been attached in proceedings under S. 145, Cr. P.C. in favour of the opposite-party be set aside and it be ordered that the property may continue in attachment.

2. It appears that there was some dispute relating to some cultivatory land and Bhaggoo Singh made an application asking the Court to take proceedings under S. 145, Cr. P.C., against the opposite-party Sanoman Singh and others. On receipt of this application the Magistrate called for a report from the police and this report was submitted by the police on 6-9-1951. The police reported that the Opposite-party were influential people and that in the year 1939 there had been rioting for the possession of this property in which two persons had been killed. The culprits were prosecuted and were sentenced to imprisonment. The police also reported that the property should be attached as there was an apprehension of a breach of the peace if the property was not attached. On receipt of this report of the police the Magistrate ordered attachment of the property and issued notice to the opposite party to file a written statement, in respect of actual possession of the subject matter of the dispute. The case dragged on, it appears, and finally came up for hearing on 20-5-1952, when the opposite party did not appear. They were also not represented by any Counsel and the Magistrate passed the following order :

"Case called out Bhaggu Singh is present but the Opposite-Party is neither present nor represented despite due notice for appearance today.

There does not appear any genuine need of proceeding with the case under S. 145, Cr. P.C. now. Let the attached property be released in favour of the party from whose possession it was attached by the police."

Direction was sent to the police to execute the order passed by the Magistrate and the police reported on the 12th June, that there was no record in the office as to who was in possession and that both parties claimed possession. It also reported that there was an apprehension of a breach of the peace. On 18-6-1952, Khannan Tewari, one of the opposite-parties, made an application asking for delivery of possession of the property in his favour as he had been in possession of the property before the same was attached by the Court. On the presentation of this application the Magistrate asked for a fresh report from the police and a report was submitted by the police on the 19-6-1952.

In this report it was mentioned that the police found Sanoman Singh, and others harvesting paddy and they had been asked to keep their hands off pending orders of the Court. The police also reported that the land belonged to Saraswati Singh and Khannan Tewari and others were sub-tenants. The Magistrate then passed an order releasing the property in favour of the opposite party and suggesting to the Station Officer that he might move for proceedings under S. 145, Cr. P.C. afresh if there was an apprehension of a breach of the peace. This order was passed on 9-7-1952. Bhaggoo Singh then went in revision to the Additional District Magistrate who after considering the proceedings taken in this case has recommended that the order passed by the Magistrate may be set aside as it was illegal and the attachment of the property may be ordered to continue.

3. A number of rulings have been cited in support of the contention that the recommendation of the Additional District Magistrate asking for a cancellation of the order of release was not a proper recommendation inasmuch as such an order could not be passed. It may not be necessary to refer to all these authorities in the view that I propose to take in this case. It appears to me that the order passed by the Magistrate on 20-5-1952. was not a proper order. The mere fact that the opposite party was absent or did not come forward to show caus





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