2014 Supreme(MP) 1038
MADHYA PRADESH HIGH COURT
U.C. Maheshwari, J.
Nirmal Singh Gogi - Appellant
Versus
State of Madhya Pradesh - Respondent
M. Cr. C. No. 5440 of 2014
Decided On : 27-06-2014
For Appellant/Petitioner/Plaintiff: Shri Shashank Verma, learned counsel.
For Respondents/Defendant: Shri Akshat Namdeo, learned PL.
The main legal point established in the judgment is that the framing of charges must be in accordance with the record of the charge sheet and Police Report filed under Section 173 of Cr.P.C.
Headnote:
Section 482 - Quashment of charges - [Section 294, 323/34, 324/34, 506, Part-II of IPC] - The court held that the charge of Section 324/34 of IPC was framed against the applicants contrary to the record of the charge sheet and Police Report filed under Section 173 of Cr.P.C. The court set aside the charge of Section 324/34 of IPC against the applicants and affirmed the other charges framed by the trial court.
Fact of the Case:
The applicants filed a petition under Section 482 of Cr.P.C. for quashment of the order dated 10.2.2014, passed by the Sessions Judge, Bhopal, affirming the order dated 29.11.2013, passed by the Judicial Magistrate, Ist Class, Bhopal, framing charges against the applicants for various offences under the IPC.
Finding of the Court:
The court held that the charge of Section 324/34 of IPC was framed against the applicants contrary to the record of the charge sheet and Police Report filed under Section 173 of Cr.P.C. The court set aside the charge of Section 324/34 of IPC against the applicants and affirmed the other charges framed by the trial court.
Issues: The main issue was whether the charge of Section 324/34 of IPC was framed against the applicants in accordance with the record of the charge sheet and Police Report filed under Section 173 of Cr.P.C.
Ratio Decidendi: The court found that the charge of Section 324/34 of IPC was not in line with the record of the charge sheet and Police Report filed under Section 173 of Cr.P.C., and therefore set aside the charge against the applicants.
Final Decision: The court allowed the petition in part by setting aside the charge of Section 324/34 of IPC against the applicants and affirmed the other charges framed by the trial court.
U.C. Maheshwari, J.
1. Learned PL submits inspite his intimation, he is not under receipt of the case diary and seeks short adjournment to call and produce the same.
2. On the other hand, applicants' counsel submits that this petition is preferred alongwith copy of the charge sheet and, therefore the question raised in this petition could be adjudicated even in the absence of the case diary on the basis of such copy of charge sheet.
3. In view of availability of the copy of the charge sheet on record, the case diary of the case does not appear to be necessary, hence with the consent of the parties, instead to hear this petition only on the question of admission, the same is heard for final disposal.
4. The applicants have filed this petition under Section 482 of Cr.P.C. for quashment of the order dated 10.2.2014, (Ann. A-1), passed by the Sessions Judge, Bhopal in Criminal Revision No. 07/14, affirming the order dated 29.11.2013, passed by the Judicial Magistrate, Ist Class, Bhopal in Criminal Case No. 10545/13 framing the charges against the applicants for offence punishable under Sections, 294, 323/34, 324/34and Section 506, Part-II of IPC.
5. It is noted that aforesaid Criminal Revision has been dismissed by the Sessions Court holding that the same is not entertainable and not after examining the order of the trial court on merits.
6. Shri Shashank Verma, learned counsel for the applicants, after taking me through the petition as well copy of the charge sheet alongwith the impugned orders argued that even on taking into consideration the entire case of the prosecution including the FIR and interrogatory statements of the witnesses and the MLC reports of the victim is accepted in their entirety, even then the offence of Section 324/34 of IPC is not made against the applicants and in such premises, the charge of such Section has been framed contrary to the Police Report filed under Section 173 of Cr.P.C. and the papers placed alongwith the same. In continuance, he said that the Sessions Court has also committed error in not considering the sustainability of the order of the trial court framing the charges on its own merits and committed error in dismissing the revision by holding that such court did not have jurisdiction under Section 397 of Cr.P.C. to examine the matter. In this regard he also said that so far framing of charge is concerned, such order was a final order at the stage of framing the charge and the same could not be deemed to be an interlocutory order and on that ground the revision of the applicants could not have been dismissed without examining the merits of case by the Sessions Court.
7. On asking the applicants' counsel that in view of prima facie evidence in the charge sheet, how other charges framed by the trial court could be quashed or set aside, on which he restricted his prayer and said that in any case the charge of Section 324/34 of IPC as framed by the trial court be quashed by allowing this petition in part and till such extent, the orders of both the courts below be set aside.
8. On the other hand, Shri Akshat Namdeo, learned PL for respondent-State by justifying the impugned order said that same being passed on proper appreciation and assessment of the charge sheet is in accordance with law. It does not require any interference. However, in response of some query of the court asking that in view of nature of injury sustained by the victim and stated in MLC report and OPD ticket of the hospital annexed with the charge sheet, how the impugned charge of Section 324/34 of IPC could be sustained against the applicants as framed by the trial court, on which he said that although according to the nature of the injury stated in medical report and of the implement by which the aforesaid injuries could have been caused, as stated by the Doctor, the case of victim does not come under the purview of Section 324 of IPC but such question could be adjudicated by the trial court effectively after recording th