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1956 Supreme(All) 99

HIGH COURT OF ALLAHBAD
MEHROTRA, SAHAI, JJ.
Bohre Singh
Versus
State through Dharam Pal Singh
Criminal Revn. No. 2046 of 1956
Decided On : 23-04-1956

Advocates:
J.N. Chatterjee, for Applicants; A.G.A., for Opposite Party.

Headnote:

Bail - Power of Magistrate to Grant Bail - Interpretation of S. 497(2) and S. 497(5), Criminal P.C.

Fact of the Case:

Four accused persons were initially refused bail by the Additional District Magistrate and the Sessions Judge. Subsequently, the Additional District Magistrate granted bail to the accused, which was later cancelled by the Sessions Judge. The matter was referred to the High Court for decision on two questions of law.

Finding of the Court:

The Court held that there is no provision in the Code of Criminal Procedure that bars a Magistrate from granting bail even if bail had been refused by the Sessions Judge at an earlier stage. The Court also affirmed that the power to cancel bail granted under S. 497(5) is vested in the Court of Session and the High Court, and it can be exercised without the requirement of an application from any party.

Issues: 1. Whether a Magistrate can grant bail if bail has been refused by the Sessions Judge during the inquiry stage. 2. Can bail be cancelled on an application by a complainant.

Ratio Decidendi: The Court interpreted S. 497(2) of the Criminal Procedure Code, which indicates that the Committing Magistrate has the power to grant bail at a subsequent stage of inquiry, even if bail had been refused by the Sessions Judge. Additionally, the Court emphasized the wide powers of the Court of Session and the High Court to cancel bail under S. 497(5) without the need for an application from any party.

Final Decision: The Court answered both questions in the affirmative and directed the case to be sent back to the learned Single Judge for disposal.

Judgement

MEHROTRA, J. :- Two questions in this revision have been referred to us for decision.

2. It is necessary to give briefly the facts of the case. Four persons were granted bail by the Additional District Magistrate before whom commitment proceedings for a charge under S. 302, I.P.C. were pending. Before the Additional District Magistrate, an application was made, when the accused were arrested, on behalf of these persons for the grant of bail but by an order dated 13-10-1955, the Additional District Magistrate refused them bail. Thereupon another application was made before him on the ground that the first order was passed ex parte.

By a subsequent order dated 20-10-1955, the Additional District Magistrate again refused bail. An application was then made to the Sessions Judge for bail under S. 498 (1). Criminal P.C. which was rejected by him by his order dated 7-11-1955. Three other persons, who were also accused in the case, were granted bail by the Sessions Judge.

Subsequently, the Additional District Magistrate by his order dated 24-11-1955, granted bail to the four petitioners on the ground that the reasons for refusing them bail by the Sessions Judge did not exist. The Sessions Judge had refused them bail on the ground that they were desperate persons and were likely to tamper with the evidence. The Magistrate was of the opinion that as the evidence had already been recorded, there was no ground for refusing them bail. He, therefore, granted bail to them on 24-11-1955.

An application was made before the Sessions Judge for the cancellation of the bail granted by the Additional District Magistrate and the Sessions Judge cancelled the bail solely on the ground that after the bail had been refused by a superior Court, it was not open to an inferior Court to grant bail to the accused even though an inquiry may be pending before it. As against this order, a revision was filed in this Court and the learned Single Judge, before whom the matter came up, has referred two questions of law :

(1) Whether if once bail has been refused by the Sessions Judge during the inquiry stage, is it open to the Magistrate before whom the inquiry-is pending to grant bail ?

(2) Can bail be cancelled on an application by a complainant ?

As regards the first question, in our opinion, there is, nothing in the Code of Criminal Procedure which bars a Magistrate from granting bail even though bail may have been refused by the Sessions Judge at an earlier stage. Section 497(2) itself indicates that there is such a power in the Committing Magistrate. Section 497(2) provides.

"If it appears to such officer or Court at any stage of the investigation, inquiry or trial, as the case may be, that there are not reasonable grounds for believing that the accused has committed a nonbailable offence, but that there are sufficient grounds for further inquiry into his guilt, the accused shall, pending such inquiry, be released on bail or, at the discretion of such officer or Court, on the execution by him of a bond without sureties for Ms appearance as hereinafter provided".

This clause itself contemplates a power in the committing Magistrate to grant bail at a subsequent stage of inquiry. An application for bail may have been refused by the Sessions Judge but that did not take away the power of the Magistrate to grant bail at a later stage of the proceedings provided the other conditions under S. 497(2) were satisfied. In our opinion, therefore, there is nothing in the Code of Criminal Procedure which debars a Magistrate from granting bail even though bail had been refused at an earlier stage by the Sessions Judge.

3. As regards the second question, the words of S. 497(5), Criminal P.C. are very wide. Section 497(5) provides -

"A High Court or Court of Session and, in the case of a person released by itself, any other Court may cause any person who has been released under this section to be arrested and may commit him to custody."

The power to cancel bail granted under S. 4


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