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1980 Supreme(MP) 388

High Court Of Madhya Pradesh
M.D. Bhatt, J.
Bajji
Versus
State of Madhya Pradesh
Decided On : Nov 05,1980

Headnote:(1) Criminal P.C., 1973-Ss. 153(2), 190(1) (b), 190(1) (a), 202 & 208 - offence under section 211, IPC-is a non-bailable offence-station officer investigated the case without order of a Magistrate-the challan is not a police report but a complaint-procedure prescribed under sections 202 & 208 should be followed by the Magistrate before committing the case to Sessions Court.

       The station officer, in a case under section 211, IPC started investigation without order of a Magistrate and put up the 'challan' before the Magistrate. The Magistrate treating the challan as a police report, without following the procedure prescribed under sections 202 & 208, Cr. P.C. committed the case to the Court of Sessions.

       Held: Offence under section 211 is non-cognisable. The police officer investigated the case without the order of the Magistrate. The report made by the police on an unauthorised investigation of a non-cognisable case, is a complaint under section 190 (1) (a) and not a 'police report' under section 190 (1) (b) of the Code. The Magistrate wrongly took cognizance of the case. The case should have been treated as 'complaint' case. The provisions of section 155 (2) are mandatory 1974 Cr. LJ 185 & 1978 Cr. L.J. 318 relied on. [Para 4]

       (2) Criminal P.C., 1973-S. 200 & 202-complaint case exclusively triable by Session Court-the committing Magistrate should examine the complainant and all witnesses before committing the case.

       While in other cases it is optional with the Magistrate who takes cognizance of a complaint, to make an inquiry under section 212 of the Code to determine "whether or not, there is sufficient ground for proceedings", but, in a case where the offence disclosed by the complaint is exclusively triable by a Court of Sessions (according to First Schedule), it is obligatory upon the Magistrate to make an inquiry himself and to examine not only the complainant under section 202 of the Code but all witnesses also. 1980 Cr. LJ 593 relied on, [Para 6]

       (3) Criminal P.C, 1973-Ss. 465 (1) & 202 (2)-distinction between 'illegality' and 'irregularity'-compliace of section 202 (2) skipped over-trial vitiated as it is an illegality not carable.

       The theory behind the distinction between an "irregularity" and an "illegality" is that section 465 (1) of the Code speaks only of an ''irregularity" which would be curable unless actual failure of justice is proved. If it is an "illegality", the case would be out of the purview of section 465 (1) of the Code. While "irregularity" means the failure to comply with the procedural provisions of the Code, the "illegality" means defects which strike at the very root of jurisdiction or the sub-stance of justice. [Para 7]

       Where in a complaint case the procedure precribed under section 202(2) was totally skipped over, the erroneous procedure adopted was something so vital as to cut at the root of jurisdiction and was not curable under section 465. [Para 7]

       

JUDGMENT :

( 1. ) THIS is the accuseds petition under section 482 of the Code of Criminal Procedure for quashing his commitment to the Court of Session for trial under Section 211 of the I. P. C. and also the Sessions Trial which is in advance mid stage of prosecution evidence.

( 2. ) STATION Officer of police station Sleennabad Tahsil Sehore filed a written complaint against the applicant-accused Bajji, under Section 211 of the I. P. C, in the Court of Magistrate First Class Sihore, alleging that the applicant-accused had lodged a written report dated 15-3-76 with the police that Mst. Bondobais death had been caused by lathi assaults of one Sipe-hiya and that this report, on investigation by the police, was found to be false since, Mst. Bandobai had died a natural death. The Magistrate, on the filing of this complaint, immediately took the cognizance of the offence without examining the complainant, viz. the station officer of the police station Sleennabad, under Section 200 of the Code; and also without examining the complainant and all his witnesses under Section 202 of the Code, and issued the bailable warrant for appearance of the applicant-accused. After his appearance, and after hearing the parties, the applicant-accused, vide Magistrates order dated 13-9-76, which is impugned before me, was committed to the Court of Session to stand his trial under Section 211 of the I. P. C. After the accuseds commitment to the Court of Session the learned Sessions Judge, after considering all such papers and documents, as already filed along with the complaint, framed the charge, on U-10-76, under Section 211 of the I. P. C, against the applicant-accused. Evidence of eight prosecution witnesses was recorded thereafter; and when the case was fixed for adducing remaining evidence on 4-11-76, the applicant-accused filed an application before the Court of Session for quashing the commitment proceedings on the ground of illegality inasmuch as, the complainant and all his witnesses were not examined, as was required to be done by the mandatory provision viz. proviso to Sub-section (2) of Section 202 of the Cr. P. C. 1973. The learned Sessions Judge held that the complaint filed by the Station Officer, Sleennabad was a "police report", covered under Section 190 (1) (b) of the Code; and as such, the Magistrate was competent to take cognizance of offence, upon such police report; and consequently, the procedure prescribed under Sections 202 (2) and 208 of the Code in the matter of "private complaints" was not applicable. o the case and the Magistrate was right in committing the case to the Court of Session, in accordance with Section 209 of the Code, without examining the complainant or his witnesses. The applicant-accuseds petition, was therefore, dismissed. Hence now, his present petition under Section 482 of the Code.

( 3. ) THE learned Counsel for the applicant-accused has urged before me that the offence under Section 211 of the I. P. C, being a non-cognizable offence, which could not be investigated by the officer in-charge of the police station without sanction of the Magistrate, as enjoined by Section 155 (2) of the Code, the complaint could not be treated as a "police report" and could only be treated as a "private complaint", necessitating, therefore, the compliance of the procedure enjoined. by Sections 202 (2) and 208 of the Code; and this being not done, commitment proceedings and so also the consequent Session: Trial, deserved to be quashed.

( 4. ) I have considered the arguments in the light of the material available in the record of committal proceedings and the record of pending Sessions Trial. The foremost initial question to be considered is whether the cognizance of the offence under Section 211 of the I. P. C. by the Magistrate, was taken on a "police report" or on a "private complaint". The offence under Section 211 of the I. P. C. is indisputably a "non-cognizable offence1 as is evident from the classification given in the













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