2014 Supreme(All) 1449
ALLAHABAD HIGH COURT
BEFORE : V.K. SHUKLA AND SHASHI KANT, JJ.
GOPAL GUPTA AND ANOTHER ....Petitioners
Versus
STATE OF U.P. AND OTHERS ....Respondents
(Criminal Misc. Writ Petition No. 10987 of 2014, decided on 12th September, 2014)
Counsel :
Rajiv Lochan Shukla and Awadhesh Kumar Mishra for the Petitioners; A.G.A., Manish Goyal, Sushil Shukla and Syed Ali Murtaza for the Respondents.
Headnote:(Indian) Penal Code, 1860—Sections 354, 328, 376, 323, 324, 307 and 458—Rape—Judicial Officer—Residing in a high security area under 24 hours consistent surveillance of police, subjected to rape by her relatives plea that—Intentionally evidence of rape was fabricated whereas no rape had occurred for using the same as weapon of vengeance to harass and victimize the petitioners—Court found that investigation in question not to be free, fair and impartial—And directed to hand-over investigation to C.B.I.—As a matter pertains to judicial officer, CBI after concluding the investigation inform the Registrar General of the Court of the out come of investigation fair investigation is a part of constitutional right under Articles 20 and 21 of Constitution of India. [Paras 33 to 43]
Result; Order Accordingly.
Hon’ble V.K. Shukla, J.—In the present case a Judicial Officer, of the rank of Additional Civil Judge, residing in well protected residence provided to her in the high security Judges’ compound, at Aligarh an area protected under 24 hours police surveillance, has come up with the case that in the intervening night of 2.6.2014, at 12.30 pm, she has been subjected to rape by two of her relatives.
2. First Information Report of the said incident has been lodged by her brother Dheeraj Jindal and same has been registered as Case Crime No. 633 of 2014, under Sections 458, 328, 354, 376, 323, 324, 307 IPC, Police Station Civil Lines, District Aligarh. On the said FIR in question being lodged against two persons who have been named as accused in the aforesaid case, they have rushed to this Court complaining therein that it is impossible to conceive of a situation that a judicial officer residing in high security area under 24 hours consistent surveillance of police has been subjected to rape. No one has witnessed the incident in question but for the lady in question. It is being asserted that this is a glaring case wherein lodging of FIR is being used as weapon for vengeance to harass the petitioners by all means fair and foul by a lady judicial officer and the local machinery is alive to the situation that the incidence in question is farce and a pretence but as complainant is a judicial officer with closed mind one sided investigation is being carried out without caring to investigate the other side of the story that here a judicial officer has intentionally fabricated evidence of rape whereas no rape has occurred for using the same as weapon of vengeance to harass and victimize the petitioners.
3. Petitioners have also submitted that law that has been framed for protecting the rights of women, in the present case has been misused with impunity and thus, the very purpose for strengthening of law for protection of women has been frustrated in the peculiar facts of the case and this Court should come to the rescue and reprieve of the petitioners, as it is duty of the investigating agency and the Court, at the end of the day, to find out the real unvarnished truth.
4. Petitioners have further proceeded to mention that sister of petitioner No. 2 namely Ragani Jindal has been married to Dheeraj Jindal, the informant and she has been having matrimonial discord with her husband and his family members, and as against them FIR in question namely Case Crime No. 28 of 2013 under Sections 498-A, 323, 504, 313 IPC read with Section 3/4 of D.P. Act has been lodged on 14.5.2013 and therein Judicial Officer has also been arrayed as an accused.
5. It has also been sought to be mentioned that Judicial Officer is living separately from her husband and her daughter and she has got full affiliation with her family members, and in view of this affiliation with her family members, she continues, to support her family members in each of their activity be it fair or foul. Details of matrimonial discord inter se Ragini Jindal and Dheeraj Jindal has been given, including the various proceedings that has been so initiated and in this background, it has been submitted that she by misusing her official position, has come forward to help out her family members and in this background it has been sought to be contended that while she was posted at District Agra she has proceeded against Boby and Babbu Gupta by lodging FIR, pertaining to offences under Sections 307, 452, 504, 506 I.P.C., that they attempted to kill her at her official residence and in the said incident in question petitioners claim that police after investigating the matter, found the case to be false and submitted final report. Petitioners have further contended that not only this another FIR in question has been lodged at Bareilly under Sections 417,468, 120-B, 504 I.P.C. and qua the same writ petition has been filed before this Court wherein interim order has been passed. Petitioners subm