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2022 Supreme(MP) 128

IN THE HIGH COURT OF MADHYA PRADESH
Deepak Kumar Agarwal, J.
Damodar alias Damol v. State of M.P.
Criminal Revision No. 901 of 2022 (G); Decided on 11.5.2022*

Advocates:
Rishikesh Bohre for applicant; Pramod Pachori, Public Prosecutor for respondent/State.

Headnote:

(1) Criminal P.C. 1973 -- S. 397/401 -- revision -- scope of jurisdiction -- jurisdiction of High Court in criminal revision is severely restricted -- cannot embark upon re-appreciation of evidence. (1975) 4 SCC 649 and (2004) 7 SCC 659 followed. [Para 7]

(2) Penal Code, 1860 -- S. 354 -- Criminal P.C. 1973 -- S. 360 -- probation of good conduct -- conviction under section 354, IPC -- benefit of probation not available as offence relates to outraging modesty of woman -- cannot be treated to be trivial or lenient view cannot be taken -- just and proper sentence should be imposed. (2013) 10 SCC 31 followed. [Para 10]

(3) Penal Code, 1860 -- S. 354 -- Criminal P.C. 1973 -- S. 357 -- trial Court convicted and sentenced applicant under section 354, IPC -- appeal dismissed -- criminal revision -- no illegality committed in convicting and sentencing applicant -- at time of commission of offence in 2011, no minimum sentence was presecribed -- from last 11 years he is attending Court proceedings -- suffered jail sentence near about two months -- conviction of applicant affirmed -- sentenced to period already undergone -- fine amount enhanced -- shall be paid to victim/prosecutrix as compensation -- revision partly allowed. [Paras 8, 11 & 12]

¼1½ naM çfØ;k lafgrk] 1973 & èkkjk 397@401 & iqujh{k.k & vfèkdkfjrk dh O;kfIr & nkafMd iqujh{k.k esa mPp U;k;ky; dh vfèkdkfjrk vR;f/kd lhfer gS & lk{; dk iquZewY;kadu ugha dj ldrkA ¼1975½ 4 ,l lh lh 649 rFkk ¼2004½ 7 ,l lh lh 659 vuqlfjrA ¼iSjk 7½

¼2½ naM lafgrk] 1860 & èkkjk 354 & naM çfØ;k lafgrk] 1973 & èkkjk 360 & vfÒ;qä ÒkŒnaŒlaŒ dh èkkjk 354 d¢ vèkhu n¨"kfl) & ifjoh{kk dk Qk;nk mls miyH; ugha gS D;¨afd vijkèk efgyk dh yTtk ls lacafèkr gS & rqPN g¨uk ugha ekuk tk ldrk vFkok mnkj n`f"Vd¨.k ugha fy;k tk ldrk & U;k;laxr rFkk mfpr naMkns'k vfèkj¨fir fd;k tkuk pkfg,A ¼2013½ 10 ,l lh lh 31 vuqlfjrA ¼iSjk 10½

¼3½ naM lafgrk] 1860 & èkkjk 354 & naM çfØ;k lafgrk] 1973 & èkkjk 357 & fopkj.k U;k;ky; us ÒkŒnaŒlaŒ dh èkkjk 354 d¢ vèkhu vkosnd d¨ n¨"kfl) rFkk naMkfn"V fd;k & vihy [kkfjt & nkafMd iqujh{k.k & vkosnd d¨ n¨"kfl) rFkk naMkfn"V djus esa d¨Ã voSèkrk ugha dh xà & 2011 esa vijkèk djrs le;] U;wure naMkns'k fofgr ugha Fkk & xr 11 o"kZ ls og U;k;ky; dk;Zokgh esa mifLFkr g¨ jgk gS & yxÒx n¨ ekl dk tsy naMkns'k Ò¨x pqdk gS & vkosnd dh n¨"kflf) vfÒiq"V & igys Ò¨xh xà vofèk rd naMkfn"V fd;k x;k & tqekZus dh jde ofèkZr dh xà & ihfM+rk@vfÒ;¨D=h d¨ çfrdj d¢ :i esa lanÙk dh tkosxh & iqujh{k.k Òkxr% eatwjA ¼iSjk 8] 11 ,oa 12½

ORDER

1. This Criminal Revision under section 397/401 Cr.P.C. has been filed by the petitioner against the judgment dated 19.1.2022 passed by First Additional Sessions Judge, Guna in Criminal Appeal No.500089/2016, by which his appeal has been dismissed and the Appellate Court maintained the conviction and sentence passed by the Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate, Guna in Criminal Case No. 2311/2011, by which the petitioner has been convicted for the offence under section 354 of IPC and sentenced to rigorous imprisonment for one year with fine of Rs.500/-.

2. Brief facts necessary for disposal of this revision are that on 28.9.2011 at 12.30 PM prosecutrix, a married lady, aged about 35 years lodged an FIR against petitioner and two others at Police Station Fatehgarh, District Guna alleging that on the date of incident on 27.9.2011 in the evening at 7.00 PM she was returning from market. On the way she met accused Nandlal and petitioner Damodar on one motorcycle and on another motorcycle co-accused Man Singh. Man Singh told her that he is going to Badhuria and will drop her at her house. On his invitation she sat on his motorcycle. All of them stopped in Badhuria crossing and thereafter accused Man Singh with bad intention caught hold of her hand. When she objected, another accused Nandlal with bad intention caught hold of her another hand. Thereafter petitioner Damodar pressed her breast. She cried and after leaving them ran away. Her sister-in-law (Bhabhi) came there and on seeing her they started abusing her with filthy language and threatened her by saying that if you lodge report she will be killed. Thereafter along with her sister-in-law she came to her house and narrated the story to her husband and lodged report. On her report, crime under the aforesaid offence was registered. She was sent for medical examination. No external injury was found. Accused persons were arrested. After investigation, charge sheet has been filed.

3. Learned trial Magistrate convicted the petitioner along with accused Man Singh for the offence under section 354 of IPC and sentenced to one year rigorous imprisonment with fine of Rs.500/-. His appeal was dismissed by appellate Court. After dismissal of appeal, petitioner has surrendered on 3.3.2022 and since then he is in jail custody.

4. Aggrieved by aforesaid conviction and sentence of Court below the petitioner has filed this revision on the ground that on the basis of contradictory evidence, Court below erred in convicting and sentencing the petitioner.

5. Heard learned counsel for both the parties and perused the record.

6. After perusing the record, it is apparent that the counsel for the petitioner has not raised any legal ground in the revision to point out as to what illegality has been committed by the Court below in convicting and sentencing the petitioner.

7. The apex Court in the case of Duli Chand v. Delhi Administration reported in (1975) 4 SCC 649 has held that, the jurisdiction of High Court in a criminal revision application is severely restricted and it cannot embark upon a re-appreciation of the evidence. The said judgment has been relied by the apex Court in the case of State of Maharashtra v. Jagmohan Singh Kuldip Singh Anand and Others reported in (2004) 7 SCC 659).

8. In the opinion of this Court, the Court below has dealt with every aspect of the matter and, therefore, the decision making process adopted by the Court below cannot be found fault with and no illegality has been committed in convicting and sentencing the petitioner. In this view of the matter, I find no reason to interfere in the matter.

9. Learned counsel for the petitioner submitted that he is the first offender and he should be released on probation.

10. Hon. apex Court in the case of Ajahar Ali v. State of West Bengal, (2013) 10 SCC 31 has held that benefit of probation is not available to the persons convicted of offence under section 354 of the I.P.C. as the offence relating to modesty of a woman cannot be

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