2011 Supreme(UK) 206

2011 (2) N.C.C. 21
SUPREME COURT OF INDIA
Dalveer Bhandari and Deepak Verma
Criminal Appeal No. 766 of 2011
ASMATHUNNISA – Appellant
Versus
STATE OF A.P. & ANR. – Respondents
Decided on : 29.03.2011

Headnote:(A) Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, Sec. 3(1)(x) — Offence under — Ingredients for — Allegation against accused was that she merely accompanied her husband who had spoken the offending words — But the husband of the complainant in respect of whom such words were spoken was not even present at that time and place when and where alleged words were allegedly, spoken — In absence of real aggrieved person present at that point of time — Also the, entire incident alleged to take place at the residence of the wife of the complainant and not in any public place — Held no offence u/s 3(1)(x) can be made out against the accused.

        (Paras 8 to 12)

       (B) Criminal Procedure Code, 1973, Sec. 482 — Exercise of the extraordinary power u/Art 226 of the Constitution of India — Or the inherent powers u/s 482, Cr.P.C. gave the following categories of cases by way of illustration wherein such power could be exercised either to prevent abuse of the process of the Court — Or otherwise to secure the ends of justice — Held that it may not be possible to lay down any precise, clearly defined and sufficiently channelised and inflexible guidelines or rigid formulae and to give an exhaustive list to myriad kinds of cases wherein such power should be exercised — (1) Where the allegations made in the first information report or the complaint, even if they are taken at their face value and accepted in their entirety do not prima facie constitute any offence or make out a case against the accused — (2) Where the allegations in the first information report and other materials, if any, accompanying the FIR do not disclose a cognizable offence, justifying an investigation by police officers under Section 156(1) of the Code except under an order of a Magistrate within the purview of Section 155(2) of the Code — (3) Where the uncontroverted allegations made in the FIR or complaint and the evidence collected in support of the same do not disclose the commission of any offence and make out a case against the accused — (4) Where, the allegations in the FIR do not constitute a cognizable offence but constitute only a non-cognizable offence, on investigation is permitted by a police officer without an order of a Magistrate as contemplated under Section 155(2) of the Code — (5) Where the allegations made in the FIR or complaint are so absurd and inherently improbable on the basis of which no prudent person can ever reach a just conclusion that there is sufficient grounds for proceeding against the accused — (6) Where there is an express legal bar engrafted in any of the provisions of the Code or the concerned Act (under which a criminal proceedings is instituted) to the institution and continuance of the proceedings and/or where there is a specific provision in the Code or the concerned Act, providing efficacious redress for the grievance of the aggrieved party — (7) Where a criminal proceeding is manifestly attended with mala fide and/or where the proceeding is maliciously instituted with an ulterior motive for wreaking vengeance on the accused and with a view to spite him due to private and personal grudge — 1992 Suppl. 1 SCC 335 relied. (Para 22)

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