IN THE HIGH COURT OF ALLAHABAD
J.J. MUNIR, J.
Vinod Bihari Lal - Applicant
Versus
State of U.P. and another – Opposite Parties
Application U/S 482 No. 36921 of 2019
Decided On : 19-04-2023
Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 - Section 482 – Indian Penal Code,1860 - Sections 406, 419, 420, 467, 468, 471, 120-B - Offence of Cheating – Criminal Conspiracy – Charged - Constables and the driver returned to Station after taking care of the law and order in the area and doing investigation - During course of time that he was looking after the area, he came to know that son of Bihari Lal, resident of Agriculture Campus , his gang, comprising two men, is proficient in the commission of economic crimes through fraud and deceit, being offences of kind, described - FIR that for act of the two accused in running a Christian Public School at Katju Road, Shahganj, without permission of the Development Area, an FIR was lodged - Whether the said words are to be construed ejusdem generis or free - Here, the words are not a meaningless or vague end to the preceding meaningful words of the same genre. [Para 21]
Finding of Court : It must be observed that at the stage of approving the gang-chart on the basis of materials placed, the competent Authority should satisfy himself that a case for prosecution under Act of 1986 is made out. Collection of further materials to prosecute follows at a later stage when after registration of case, investigation commences - At stage of approval of gang-chart, approving Authority has to be convinced that a case for investigation under Act of 1986 is made out - In opinion of this Court, therefore, any fallacy in mode of approval of gang-chart would not be of much relevance, where case is already up for trial after conclusion of investigation - This is not to say that gang-chart betrays any violation of Rules - A perusal of material on record and the gang-chart shows due and independent application of mind by both recommending and the approving Authorities.
Result : Application fails and is dismissed.
JUDGMENT :
(J.J. Munir, J.)
1. This Application under Section 482 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973, [for short, 'the Code'] has been preferred by Vinod Bihari Lal, Director (Administration), Sam Higginbottom University of Agriculture, Technology and Sciences, P.S. Naini, District Prayagraj, seeking to quash the proceedings of Special Sessions Trial No.54 of 2019, State vs. Vinod B. Lal and others (arising out of Crime No.0850 of 2018), under Section 2/3 of The Uttar Pradesh Gangsters and Anti-Social Activities (Prevention) Act, 1986, [for short, 'the Act of 1986'], Police Station Naini, District Allahabad, pending in the Court of the Special Judge (Gangsters Act), Allahabad.
2. The First Information Report, [for short, 'the FIR'] giving rise to the crime, which after investigation, has culminated in the charge-sheet impugned, was lodged on 28.07.2018 at P.S. Naini, then District Allahabad, now Prayagraj by Pradeep Kumar Mishra, Station House Officer, P.S. Naini, District Prayagraj. On the basis of the impugned charge-sheet, Special Sessions Trial No.54 of 2019 was registered on the file of the Special Judge (Gangsters Act), Allahabad. The FIR says that the S.H.O. along with his companion constables and the driver returned to Station after taking care of the law and order in the area and doing investigation. During the course of time that he was looking after the area, he came to know that Vinod B. Lal son of Bihari Lal, resident of Agriculture Campus, Naini, Prayagraj and David Dutta son of A.B. Dutta, a resident of 86, Myorabad, P.S. Cantt., Prayagraj, are an organized gang, whereof Vinod B. Lal is the leader. This gang, comprising two men, is proficient in the commission of economic crimes through fraud and deceit, being offences of the kind, described in Chapters XVI, XVII and XXII of the Indian Penal Code, 1860, [for short, 'IPC'] and by perpetration of such offences, the members of the gang gain personal, material and pecuniary benefit for themselves. This they do by tampering and forging documents. By commission of such offences, they accumulate wealth and because of their fear and terror amongst members of the public, no one comes forward to lodge a report against them or muster courage to testify in Court.
3. It is further on said in the FIR that for the act of the two accused in running a Christian Public School at Katju Road, Shahganj, without the permission of the Development Area, an FIR was lodged on 21.07.2017 by Diwakar Nath Tripathi, Vice Chairman, Bharatiya Janata Party, Kashi Kshetra, Allahabad. On the basis of the said FIR, Crime No.170 of 2017 was registered, under Sections 406, 419, 420, 467, 468, 471, 120-B IPC, P.S. Shahganj. It was investigated and after collection of material, that came to fore a charge-sheet was filed in Court on 21.01.2018.
4. On 09.08.2017, Diwakar Nath Tripathi aforesaid lodged an FIR, giving rise to Crime No.476 of 2017, under Sections 406, 419, 420, 467, 468, 471, 120-B IPC, wherein after investigation and collection of material, substantiating the allegations, a charge-sheet was filed in Court on 04.10.2017.
5. On the 25th of August, 2017, B. Shahim Siddiqui son of late Nasimuddin Siddiqui, resident of 7D, Mahewa, Naini lodged an FIR at P.S. Naini, giving rise Crime No.726 of 2017, under Sections 147, 148, 323, 504, 506, 307 IPC against Ram Kishan and others, wherein after investigation on the basis of material collected, a charge-sheet was filed against Vinod B. Lal on 01.03.2018.
6. Again on 17.12.2017, an FIR lodged by Diwakar Nath Tripathi at P.S. Civil Lines, Crime No.761 of 2017, under Sections 419, 420, 406, 467, 468, 471, 120-B IPC was registered against P.C. Singh and others. In the aforesaid case, after investigation, on the basis of material collected, a charge-sheet was filed against Vinod B. Lal and others on 09.04.2018.
7. On the 17th of December, 2017, Rudra Narain P
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