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1996 JLJ 8
(FULL BENCH)
V.L. Bhat, C.J., A.K. Mathur and S.K. Dubey, JJ.
Anand Swaroop Tiwari v. Ramratan Jatav and others
Cr. Revn. No. 69 of 1994; Decided on 23.8.1995.
(2) Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 -- S. 14 -- Court created undern is a special Court—its not a Sessions Court -- it is a Court of original jurisdiction -- provisions under S. 193 of the CrPC are not applicable to it. AIR 1984 SC 718 followed. [Para 15]
(3) Criminal P.C., 1973 -- S. 2 (J) (g) -- ‘enquiry‘ as defined under -- has a very wide connotation under the Code- trial is a judicial proceeding-- enquiry takes in investigation into facts. AIR 1966 All. 66 and AIR 1978 Pat. 225 discussed. [Para 16]
(4) Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 -- S. 14 -- purpose sought to be achieved by creating special Court -is speedy trial -- words‘ ‘speedy trial" used under -- should be understood widely as to include all stages of investigation. AIR 1957 SC 389 followed. [Para 18]
(5) Words and Phrases -- expression "to try" -- means to examine judicially, to examine and investigate a controveny by legal method to submit someone to judicial enquiry, to submit a case to judicial examination. [Para 18]
(6) Words and Phases -- word" trial" -- means a judicial examination in accordance with the law of the land, of a cause, either civil or criminal, of the issues between the parties, whether of law or facts, before a Court that has jurisdiction over it. Blacke‘s Dictionary, relied on. [Para 18]
(7) Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocites) Act, 1989 -- S. 14 -- Special Court created under -- Can take cognizance on police report and on private complaint as well directly. 1993 JLJ 679 confirmed. 1994 JLJ 203 and 1995 CrLJ 2376 overruled. [Para 26]
¼1½ vuqlwfpr tkfr vkSj vuqlwfpr tutkfr ¼vR;kpkj fuokj.k½ vf/kfu;e] 1989 & /kkjk 3 ds v/khu vijk/k & /kkjk 14 ds v/khu l`ftr fo’ks"k U;k;ky; naM çfØ;k lafgrk dh /kkjk 193 ds v/khu lqiqnZxh dk;Zokgh ds fcuk laKku dj ldrk gSA 1993 ts ,y ts 679 iq"VA 1994 ts ,y ts 203 rFkk 1995 lhvkj ,y ts 2376 myVs x,A , vkb vkj 1984 ,l lh 718 rFkk , vkb vkj 1957 ,l lh 389 vuqlfjrA 1993 ¼1½ lhvkj ,y ts 760 rFkk 1994 lhvkj ,y ts 3815 voyafcrA ¿iSjk 15
¼2½ vuqlwfpr tkfr vkSj vuqlwfpr tutkfr ¼vR;kpkj fuokj.k½ vf/kfu;e] 1989 & /kkjk 14 & mica/k ds v/khu l`ftr U;k;ky; & fo’ks"k U;k;ky; gS & ls’ku U;k;ky; ugha gSa & og vkjafHkd vf/kdkfjrk okyk U;k;ky; gS & naM çfØ;k lafgrk dh /kkjk 193 ds v/khu mica/k ml ij ykxw ugha gSaA , vkb vkj 1984 ,l lh 718 vuqlfjrA ¿iSjk 15
¼3½ naM çfØ;k lafgrk] 1973 & /kkjk 2¼1½ ¼N½ & mica/k ds v/khu rFkk ifjHkkf"kr ^tk¡p* & lafgrk ds v/khu cgqr gh O;kid vFkZ j[krk gS & fopkj.k U;kf;d dk;Zokgh gS & tk¡p esa rF;ksa dk vUos"k.k vkrk gSA , vkb vkj 1966 bykgkckn 66 rFkk , vkb vkj 1978 iVuk 225 foosfprA ¿iSjk 16
¼4½ vuqlwfpr tkfr vkSj vuqlwfpr tutkfr ¼vR;kpkj fuokj.k½ vf/kfu;e] 1989 & /kkjk 14 & fo’ks"k U;k;ky; ds l`tu }kjk çkIr fd;k tkuk bZfIlr mn~ns’; & ‘kh?kz fopkj.k gS & mica/k ds v/khu ç;qDr ‘‘kCn ^^‘kh?kz fopkj.k** & O;kid rkSj ij vFkZ yxk;k tkuk pkfg, ftlesa vUos"k.k ds lHkh çØe lfEefyr gksaA , vkb vkj 1957 ,l lh 389 vuqlfjrA ¿iSjk 18
¼5½ ‘‘kCn rFkk okD; & in ^^fopkj.k djuk** & vFkZ gS U;kf;dr% ijh{k.k djuk] fdlh fookn dh fof/kd <ax ls ijh{kk rFkk mldk vUos"k.k djuk] fdlh dks U;kf;d tk¡p ds fy, lqiqnZ djuk] fdlh ekeys dks U;kf;d ijh{kk ds fy, lqiqnZ djukA ¿iSjk 18
¼6½ ‘‘kCn rFkk okD; & ‘‘kCn ^^fopkj.k** & vFkZ gS ns"k ds vuqlkj] flfoy vFkok nkafMd fdlh gsrqd dk] i{kdkjksa ds chp fof/k vFkok rF; ds fook|dksa dk] mldh vf/kdkfjrk j[kus okys U;k;ky; ds le{k U;kf;d ijh{k.kA CySDl fMD"kujh voyafcrA ¿iSjk 18
¼7½ vuqlwfpr tkfr vkSj vuqlwfpr tutkfr ¼vR;kpkj fuokj.k½ vf/kfu;e] 1989 & /kkjk 14 & ds v/khu l`ftr fo’ks"k U;k;ky; & iqfyl fjiksVZ rFkk çkbosV ifjokn ij Hkh çR;{kr % laKku dj ldrk gSA 1993 ts ,y ts 679 iq"VA 1994 ts ,y ts 203 rFkk 1995 lhvkj ,y ts 2376 myVs x,A ¿iSjk 20
V.L. Bhat, C.J. -- 1. First respondent herein filed a complaint before the Special Court Bhind under section 14 of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 (for short the Act) alleging that the petitioner and second respondent committed offences punishable under section 342 I.P.C. and section 31 (1) (x) of the Act. The Special Court took cognizance and issued process. The revision petitioner challenges this order contending that since the Sessions Court has been specified as the Special Court, it cannot take cognizance of any offence without committal order by a competent Magistrate.
2. The earliest decision of this Court on this controversy is one by Pandey, J. in Sukhlal Jatav v. State of M.P. (1993 JLJ 679) taking the view that a case under the Act cannot he committed to the Special Court and the Special Court is a Court of Original jurisdiction and is entitled to take cognizance without committal. Hon. Dwivedi, J, in Meerahai v. Bhujbal (Misc. Cr. Case No. 1270 of 1992) referred the matter to a Division Bench taking the view that the Special Court is only a Sessions Court, that it is required to follow the procedure prescribed in the Code of Criminal Procedure (for short the Code) since no separate procedure is described under the Act and a charge-sheet or complaint under the Act has to he filed before a competent Magistrate who could commit the case to a Special Court and that the Special Court has no jurisdiction to take cognizance on the has is of a charge-sheet or a complaint. The order of reference is reported in 1994 JLJ 203.
3. A Division Bench of the High Court consisting of Hon. Tejshankar, J. in Meerabai v. Bhujbal (1995 Cri.L.J. 2376 - 1995 MPJR 172) agreed with the view taken in Meerabai's case and over-ruled the view taken in Sukltlal Jatav's case. When the present case came before one of' us (Bhat, C.J,), it was contended that the decision of the Division Bench required re-consideration and accordingly, the matter was referred to a larger Bench. This is how the case has come before us.
4. Hon. Pandey, J. followed the view taken by a Division Bench of Kerala High Court in Re. Director General of Prosecution reported in 1993 (1) Cr. Law Journal 760. The High Court of Kerala relied on certain observations in A.R. Antule's case (AIR 19R4 SC 718). The Court was of the view that Special Court under the Act is neither a Court of Sessions nor a Court of Magistrate but a Court of original jurisdiction which, in the absence of provisions in the Act regarding the procedure to be followed by it can take cognizance of an offence and proceed with trial under the Code without being inhibited by section 193 of the Code. The Court also relied on the observations in State of Bihar v. Ramnaresh (AIR 1957 SC 389) wherein the context of section 494 of the old Code, corresponding to Sec. 321 of the Code, it was held that expressions 'try' or 'tried' used in Sec. 494 are wide enough to cover all types of enquiry and trial. A similar view has been taken by the Orissa High Court in Udhabhai v. Gova Bindhani, (1994 Cr.L.J. 3815). A contrary view was taken by a Division Bench of Patna High Court in Jhagru Mehto v. State of Bihar (1991 Crimes 1 Page 643). The Court took the view that in the absence of any provision under the Act as to the procedure to be followed by Special Court, procedure prescribed in the Code has to be followed in view of section 5 of the Code, but there appears to be serious lacuna in the Act inasmuch as section 193 of the Code prohibits a Court of Sessions from taking cognizance of an offence without committal, that there is no express provision in the Act conferring on a special Court power to take cognizance of an offence without committal and committal procedure is essential.
5. Learned counsel appearing for the revision petitioner supported the view taken by the Division Bench of this Court on the basis of following submissions; Special Court is really a specified S
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