A charge-sheet lodged by the police, whether in a non-cognizable or in a cognizable offence, does not amount to a complaint under Section 247, Criminal Procedure Code.

( 1 ) THIS is an appeal by the State directed against the order dated 12-4-1961 of the sub-Divisional Magistrate, Begumganj, acquitting the accused under Section 247, criminal Procedure Code, on the ground that the Station. House Officer was absent on that date.

( 2 ) THE accused was prosecuted by the police under Section 112 of the Motor vehicles Act. The charge-sheet lodged by the police was treated as a complaint since the offence complained of was non-cognisable and the case was triable as a summons case. Accordingly the learned Sub-Divisional Magistrate dismissed the complaint and acquitted the accused as provided by Section 247, Criminal procedure Code, inasmuch as the Station House Officer being the complainant was absent on that dale.

( 3 ) IT is urged on behalf of the State that the charge-sheet against the accused even though with respect to a non-cognizable offence could not be treated as a complaint attracting the provisions of Section 247, Criminal Procedural Code, and hence the acquittal of the accused was illegal and without jurisdiction.

( 4 ) IN our opinion the contention of the State is well founded and the acquittal of the accused has to be set aside.

( 5 ) THE learned Sub-Divisional Magistrate to hold the charge-sheet to be a complaint has relied on the case of State v. Meera Sahib, AIR 1957 Trav-Co. 132, which is a case under the Motor Vehicles Act and which relies upon King Emperor v. Sada, ILR 26 Bom 150 (FB), Mehr Chiragh Din v. Emperor, AIR 1924 Lah 258, emperor v. Shivaswami Guruswami, AIR 1927 Bom 440, Raghunath v. Emperor, air 1932 Bom 610 and Sircar v. Vasudevan Pillar, 17 Trav LJ 816. He has also relied upon, the cases of Emperor v. Ghulam Hussain, AIR 1925 Lah 237, Public prosecutor v. Ratnavelu Chetty, AIR 1926 Mad 865 (FB) and AIR 1927 Bom 440.

( 6 ) WE respectfully differ from the views expressed in the aforesaid cases. So far as this Court is concerned, it is settled that a charge-sheet lodged by the Police, whether in a non-cognizable or in a cognizable offence, does not amount to a complaint (See Emperor v. Babulal, ILR (1936) Nag 50: (AIR 1936 Nag 86), which has been followed in the case of Hatimali v. The Crown, ILR (1950) Nag 87 : (AIR 1950 Nag 38 ). It cannot be also disputed that the police have been empowered to lodge reports of offences under the Motor Vehicles Act in Courts and prosecute the offenders. The initiation of the prosecution, therefore, is on a report of facts constituting such offences made by a police officer and cognizance of the same is accordingly taken by the Court under Section 190 (1) (b), Cri. P. C. There is essentially a difference between 'a police report' and 'report of a police officer'. The former may mean a report made by police after investigation under chapter XIV of the Cri. P. C. But the latter would mean a report after such investigation or otherwise than on such investigation whether in a cognizable or non-cognizable offence. The definition of a complaint as given in the Criminal P. C. excludes from it 'a report of a police officer'. Even the Magistrate, in the instant case, has taken the cognizance of the report of the Station House Officer as if it was a chalan. In this view, therefore, it has to be held that no action under Section 247, Cr. P. C. , could be taken by the Sub-Divisional Magistrate to dismiss the prosecution and acquit the accused. If at all the Magistrate felt aggrieved by the absence of the Station House Officer he could well proceed to deal with the matter as provided under Section 249, Cr. P. C. ( 7 ) THEN, apart from the legal position as aforesaid the order passed by the sub-Divisional Magistrate is manifestly improper. The proviso to Section 247 of the code, as has now been substituted by the amendment in 1955, gives a wider discretion to the trying Magistrate in the event of a complainant being absent on the date of hearing. The report, in the instant case, even assuming It to be a complaint, was by a public serv