IN THE HIGH COURT OF ALLAHABAD
RAM MANOHAR NARAYAN MISHRA, J.
Smriti Singh and 5 Others - Petitioners
Versus
State of U.P. and Another - Respondents
MATTERS UNDER ARTICLE 227 NO. - 3500 OF 2023.
Decided On : 11-08-2023
| Table of Content |
|---|
| 1. background of matrimonial dispute and initial allegations. (Para 2 , 3 , 4) |
| 2. court decisions on various complaints and orders. (Para 5 , 6 , 11) |
| 3. arguments regarding the legal process of summoning. (Para 9 , 10 , 12 , 18) |
| 4. legal standards for issuing summoning orders. (Para 13 , 14 , 17) |
| 5. final decision to set aside previous orders. (Para 19 , 20) |
JUDGMENT
Ram Manohar Narayan Mishra, J.
Heard Ms. Chhay Gupta, learned counsel for the petitioners, Sri Girja Shankar Prajapati, learned counsel for the private respondent and Sri Ashish Mani Tripathi, learned A.G.A. for the State and perused the record.
2. Present petition under Article 227 of the Constitution of India has been filed against the impugned order dated 14.2.2023 passed by learned Additional Sessions Judge, Court No. 12, Meerut, in Crl. Revision No. 664 of 2022 (Smt. Smriti Singh and others v. State of U.P. and another) and the impugned summoning order dated 29.10.2021 passed by learned Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate, Court No. 7, Meerut, in Complaint Case No. 11145 of 2021 ( Rahul Kumar v. Smriti and others), P.S. Jani, District Meerut against the petitioner nos. 2 to 6 under Section 452 , 323, 504, 506 IPC.
3. The factual matrix of the case which are relevant for present petition is that respondent no. 2 Rahul Kumar, is husband of petitioner no. 1 and petitioner nos. 2 to 6 are family members of petitioner no. 1. Respondent no. 2 filed a complaint bearing Complaint Case No. 11145 of 2021 ( Rahul Kumar v. Smriti and others) with averment that his marriage with Smt. Smriti Singh was solemnized on 20.2.2018 in accordance with Hindu rites and rituals in simple manner without any dowry. She came to her matrimonial home after being send off from her parental home after marriage but she was not feeling well at the place of complainant as she is a woman of modern thinking. She was very demanding. She was also exerting pressure on complainant to come at her parental place and live with her there but the complainant was not ready to concede to this demand of his wife as it was not possible for him to leave his own parents. She is very obstinate and used to remain outside the home without any information. On 3.6.2019 when complainant was away from his house in connection with his duty, his wife Smriti in absence of complainant and being accompanied by her father, brother, sister-in-law, another brother Samarjeet and mother Urmila Devi, took away Rs. 2,00,000/- kept in the house as well as the jewellery (gold and silver) and clothes with her. When he came back to home, he found his almirah open and neighbours informed him that Smriti, her parents and others had gone taking a big bag with him. When he enquired this fact from his wife, she became abusive and threatened him to implicate in false cases. His wife was repeatedly cheating him and got her fetus aborted without his consent and in absence of complainant. When he came to know this fact, he objected, but his wife Smt. Smriti Singh threatened him to implicate in some false case if he tried to get her pregnant.
4. On 27.10.2019, on the date of Deepawali, accused persons Smriti and his family members trespassed into the house of complainant and tried to force him to go along with them at Gurgaon and live with them. When he protested to this, they ransack the things kept in his house, created commotion, abused him and threatened him with life and to implicate him in false cases. When he informed this incident to local police, his report was not lodged on the pretext that this is family matter. The complainant examined himself under Section 200 Cr.P.C. and witnesses Khemchandra and Mahendra under Section 202 Cr.P.C..
5. During enquiry under Section 200 and 202 Cr.P.C., learned trial court after perusal of material on record and considering submissions of learned counsel for the complainant came to conclusion that a prima facie case under Sections 406, 323, 504, 506 IPC is made out against Smriti and
AI
Filing multiple complaints with overlapping allegations constitutes misuse of legal process, and courts must scrutinize such cases to prevent abuse.
At the stage of summoning, the Magistrate is not required to consider the defense version or evaluate the merits of the materials or evidence of the complainant.
Allegations in dowry cases must be specific and substantiated; casual references to family members do not justify legal action.
The main legal point established in the judgment is the requirement for a prima facie appreciation of evidence and application of judicial mind while issuing summons, especially in cases involving al....
The court upheld the dismissal of a complaint under Section 203 Cr.P.C. due to contradictions in witness statements and the absence of a prima facie case for summoning the accused.
The main legal point established in the judgment is that the scope of challenging two concurrent findings under Section 482 of the CrPC is limited, and the petitioners failed to demonstrate any illeg....
A Magistrate must provide reasons and apply judicial mind when summoning accused in a complaint case, failing which the order is liable to be set aside.
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