Judicial Analysis Court Copy Headnote Facts Arguments Court observation

2021 Supreme(All) 460

IN THE HIGH COURT OF ALLAHABAD
SURYA PRAKASH KESARWANI, SHAMIM AHMED, JJ.
Arjun and Others - Petitioners
Versus
State of U.P. and 2 Others - Respondents
Criminal Misc. Writ Petition Nos. 642, 798, 1243, 1403, 1306, 1411 of 2021, 17198, 17194 of 2020
Decided On : 12-08-2021

Advocates Appeared:
For the Petitioner: Pintu Tiwari.
For the Respondent: G.A.

Point of Law: Gangster - Quash of FIR - A first information report on basis of a single case is valid and permissible under Act, 1986. No difficulty to hold that first information report may be lodged on basis of a single case, provided ingredients of definition of ‘Gang’ under Section 2(b) of Act, 1986 is prima facie satisfied.

Headnote:
Uttar Pradesh Gangsters and Anti-Social Activities (Prevention) Act, 1986 - Sections 2, 2(b), 2(c) and 3 - Anti-social activities - Seeking quash impugned first information reports - Whether on a solitary criminal case registered against petitioners, a case under Section 2/3 of Act, 1986 can be registered - Petitioners submits that merely on basis of solitary criminal case registered against petitioners, a case under Section 2/3 of Act, 1986 cannot be registered.
Finding of the Court : Where a group of persons act either singly or collectively, by violence, or threat or show of violence, or intimidation, or coercion, or otherwise with the object of disturbing public order or of gaining any undue temporal, pecuniary, material or other advantage of himself or any other person, indulge in anti-social activities as described in sub-clauses (i) to (xxv) of Section 2(b), they shall be a ‘Gang’ as defined in Section 2(b) and thus, a ‘gangster’ under Section 2 who shall be liable for punishment under Section 3 of the Act, 1986.
Result: Writ petitions dismissed.

JUDGMENT :

Surya Prakash Kesarwani, J.

1. Heard learned counsel for the petitioners and the learned A.G.A.

2. This batch of writ petitions were finally heard at length with the consent of the learned counsels for the parties as noted in the order dated 19.02.2021.

3. Considering the facts and circumstances of the case, the provisions of the Uttar Pradesh Gangsters and Anti-Social Activities (Prevention) Act, 1986 (hereinafter referred to as ‘the Act, 1986’) and the submissions of the learned counsels for the parties, the following questions are framed for determination:-

“(i) Whether on a solitary criminal case registered against the petitioners, a case under Section 2/3 of the U.P. Gangsters and Anti Social Activities (Prevention) Act, 1986 (hereinafter referred to as "the Act, 1986") can be registered ?

(ii) If the answer to the question no.(i) is in affirmative, then whether the impugned First Information Report registered under Section 2/3 of the Act, 1986, deserves to be quashed ?”

Facts:-

4. The basis for registering first information reports against the petitioners are given in the impugned first information reports. Therefore, for ready reference, the first information reports under challenge in each of the present writ petitions, are reproduced below:-

“(A) CRIMINAL MISC. WRIT PETITION No. - 642 of 2021

The First Information Report No.442/2020, dated 13.12.2020 registered against the petitioner under Section 2/3 of the Uttar Pradesh Gangsters and Anti-Social Activities (Prevention) Act, 1986 at P.S. Civil Lines, District Muzaffarnagar:-

^^lwpuk tqckuh oknh & ÁHkkjh fujh{kd Jh MhŒdsŒ R;kxh & eSa ÁHkkjh fujh{kd MhŒdsŒ R;kxh e; gejkg dkŒ 316 jkgqy dqekj e; 01 tjc iEi ,D'ku xu e; 10 dkjrwl 12 cksj e; 01 Vh;j xSl eu e; 08 lSy Vh;j xSl e; ljdkjh cqysjks ;wih&12 ,Tkh&0415 e; pkyd dkŒ 590 ;'kiky e; ,d tjc fiLVy e; 10 dkjrwl ds jokuk 'kqnk jrk jiV jksŒ vke rkjh[kh bejkstk ls okn ns[kjs[k 'kkfUr O;oLFkk x'r] pSfdax lafnX/k O;fDr@okgu o rkyk'k okafNr vfHkŒ x.k foospuk eqdnek ejtqvkr o okyk & okyk Jheku ftyk eftLVªsV eqtQjuxj egksn; dk;kZy; ls vuqeksfnr 'kqnk xSaxpkVZ xSaxyhMj tksuh mQZ 'kqHke o vtqZu vkfn dk ÁkIr dj okil Fkkuk vk;kA pktZ Fkkuk lqiqnZ [kqn fy;k deZŒ x.k dk gokys 'kqnk vLykg cknLrwj jgkA vafdr fd;k fd xSax pkVZ esa ¼1½ tksuh mQZ 'kqHke iq= jkds'k fuoklh lqugsMh [kM[kMh pqfM;kyk dLck o Fkkuk xkxygsMh tuin lgkjuiqj mez 25 o"kZ vkijkf/kd bfrgkl & eqŒvŒla 247@2020 /kkjk 392] 411 HkkŒnŒfoŒ o pktZ 'khV uEcj 221@2020 fnukafdr 13-9-2020 Fkkuk flŒykŒ eqtQuxj eqŒvŒlaŒ 249@2020 /kkjk 307 HkkŒnŒfoŒ pktZ lhV uEcj 341@2020 fnukafdr 07-10-2020 Fkkuk flŒykŒ eqŒ uxj ¼2½ vtZqu iq= uksjrks flag fuoklh gfjuxj Fkkuk iqjdkth tuin & eqŒ uxj mez 23 o"kZ vkijkf/kd bfrgkl & eqŒvŒlaŒ 247@2020 /kkjk 392] 411 HkkŒnŒfoŒ pktZ lhV uEcj 221@2020 fnukafdr 13-9-2020 Fkkuk flŒykŒ eqtQjuxj lfØ; lnL; gS vius xSax ds lkFk vius futh vkfFkZd ,oa HkkSfrd ykHk ds fy, mijksDr vijk/k dkkfjr djrs gS budk ;g d`R; 2¼1½ ,oa 3 mŒÁŒ fxjksgcUn vf/kŒ ,oa lekt fojks/kh fØ;kdyki 1986 ds varxZr ifjHkkf"kr gS vfHk;qDr x.k dk turk esa bruk Hk; o vkard O;kIr gS fd buds fo:} dksbZ Hkh O;fDr xokgh nsus rFkk fjiksVZ fy[kkus ds fy, rS;kj ugha gSA mijksDr vfHkŒ x.kksa dk lekt esa LoPNUn jguk tufgr esa ugha gSA vr% vfHk;qDrx.kksa ds fo:} /kkjk 2¼1½ ,oa 3 mŒÁŒ fxjksgcUn vf/kŒ ,oa lekt fojks/kh fØ;kdyki 1986 dk vfHk;ksx iathd`r djkrk gawA uksV% c;ku tqckuh tks cksyk gS dkŒ 771 mes'k uk;d }kjk ogha 'kCn o 'kCn VkbZi fd;k x;k gSA gLrk{kj cukrk gawA**

(B) CRIMINAL MISC. WRIT PETITION No. - 798 of 2021

The First Information Report No.0728/2020, dated 07.11.2020 registered against the petitioner under Section 2/3 of the Uttar Pradesh Gangsters and Anti-Social Activities (Prevention) Act, 1986 at P.S. Robertsganj, District Sonbhadra:-

^^udy rgjhj fgUnh oknh Á/kku ys[kd Fkkuk jkcVZxat lksuHkæ vkt fnukad 07-11-2020 dks eSa ÁHkkjh fujh{kd e; gejkg dkŒ jfodkUr ljkst] dkŒ les'k ;kno e; ljdkjh okgu ;wih&64 th&0389 pkyd ,pŒ,eŒ jfoUæ ukFk feJ ds jokuk 'kqnk ns[kHkky {ks= 'kkfUr O;oLFkk fM;wVh dkfEcax Fkkuk