2022 Supreme(All) 1292
IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT ALLAHABAD
Karunesh Singh Pawar, J.
Gaurav Sharma – Applicant
Versus
State of U.P. and Another – Opposite Party
Application U/S 482 No. 25924 of 2022
Decided On : 29-11-2022
Advocate Appeared:
For the Applicant : Abhishek Tripathi, Vibhu Rai
For the Opposite Party : G.A., Sanjay Kumar Dubey
Headnote:
Indian Penal Code, 1860 – Sections 307, 147, 148, 149, 120-B – Criminal Procedure Code, 1973 – Section 161, 482, 319 – Quashing order – Examination of witnesses by police – Power to proceed against other persons appearing to be guilty of offence – Attempt to murder – Punishment for rioting – Criminal conspiracy – Petition has been filed under Section 482 CrPC for quashing order passed by Addl. district & Sessions Judge, Court No.5, in S.T. State versus and others and the further proceedings thereof, arising out of Case Crime under sections 307, 147, 148, 149, 120-B I.P.C., P.S., district – Held, Trial court has not considered aforesaid material, i.e. statement of injured under section 161 CrPC, statement of his two sons under section 161 CrPC, confessional statement of co-accused person, recovery of only one motorcycle, i.e. Platina and hence by overlooking evidence collected by investigating officer which demonstrate that present applicant was not present at time and place of occurrence, neither there was any material to indicate his conspiracy in commission of offence and merely relying on statement recorded during examination of injured witness before it which finds no corroboration with entire prosecution case earlier; rather is in stark contradiction to earlier prosecution case and material collected by investigating officer, therefore, impugned order cannot be sustained and is liable to be set aside – Petition allowed.
JUDGMENT :
1. The petition has been filed under Section 482 CrPC for quashing order dated 28.7.2022 passed by Addl. district & Sessions Judge, Court No.5, Hathras in S.T. No.216 of 2019 State versus Yogesh Baghel and others and the further proceedings thereof, arising out of Case Crime No.126 of 2019 under sections 307, 147, 148, 149, 120-B I.P.C., P.S. Hathras Kowali, district Hathras.
2. Heard Mr. Vibhu Rai, learned counsel for the petitioner and learned A.G.A. for the State as also Mr. Sanjay Kumar Dubey, learned counsel for respondent No.2 who has submitted that he does not want to file any counter affidavit. Both the parties' counsel state that the matter may be finally decided.
3. Learned counsel for the petitioner submits that the petitioner is presently working as Assistant Clerk in Seth Harijan Das Girls Inter College, Hathras (to be hereafter referred to as 'college'). The injured Madan Mohan Gautam was also working as Clerk at that time in the college.
It is submitted that regarding forgery committed by the injured in his two appointment letters, a complaint was filed by the applicant to the District Magistrate, Hathras, on which a reply was called from the Manager. Thereafter, the District Inspector of Schools, Hathras directed the Manager on 31.8.2020 to submit a report regarding illegal appointment of injured Madam Mohan Gautam. In the meantime, Madam Mohan Gautam, injured was also involved in appointment of one Rajeshwari on class-IV post on forged and fabricated papers and he had also taken bribe to procure the said appointment in the college. When the said illegality was surfaced, Rajeshwari was removed from service and Madan Mohan Gautam was attached in the government labrary by the District Inspector of Schools. Since Rajeshwari has given huge amount of money for appointment to the injured Madan Mohan Gautam, hence her son Laltu alias Lalit was having enmity against Madan Mohan Gautam.
On the date of the incident, i.e. on 12.4.2019, the injured Madan Mohan Gautam was transferred back to the college and joined. On that day, he was attacked by Laltu alias Lalit along with the two co-accused persons. One gun shot injury was shown in the medical examination report.
It is submitted that in the first information report, presence of the applicant has not been shown on the spot, although suspicion was raised upon the applicant along with other co-accused persons.
The prosecution witness Yashomani Gautam (respondent No.2) who is son of the injured in his statement has alleged that three accused persons fired on his father with an intent to kill, however, presence of the present applicant was not shown at the spot. Again, suspicion was raised by him.
Another son of the injured Rajatmani alias Rahul in his statement has clearly mentioned the name of three assailants, i.e. Vishal, Laltu and Kanha and has alleged that all the three assailants were on a Platina motorcycle and fired with an intent to kill at his father Madan Mohan Gautam. The injured Madan Mohan Gautam has also taken the name of aforesaid three accused persons, i.e. Vishal, Laltu and Kanha. He also did not show presence of the applicant at the place of occurrence. In fact, he has not even taken the name of the applicant in any manner. He even stated that he is not aware as to who is behind this conspiracy and this fact can be culled out by interrogation of Vishal, Laltu and Kanha.
The co-accused Laltu in his confessional statement has confessed the guilt and has stated that the conspiracy was hatched by him with other two co-accused persons and one motorcycle Platina black colour was also made available by Yogesh Baghel and some cash was also given by him. He has also not taken the name of the applicant in the incident. After conclusion of investigation, charge-sheet was filed by the investigating officer against Yogesh Kumar, Laltu, Vishal Sharma and Kanha. The investigating officer did not find complicity of the applicant. One Bajaj Platina Black motorcycle No.UP