SupremeToday Landscape Ad
Back
Next
Judicial Analysis Court Copy Headnote Facts Arguments Court observation
Listen Audio Icon Pause Audio Icon
judgment-img

2022 Supreme(MP) 1271

IN THE HIGH COURT OF MADHYA PRADESH
Sushrut Arvind Dharmadhikari, J.
Mithun Kushwaha – Appellant
Versus
State of Madhya Pradesh & Ors. – Respondents
Writ Petition No. 21445 of 2022
Decided On : 12-10-2022

Advocates Appeared:
Shri Mukund Sharma - Advocate, for the Appellant; Shri Praveen Namdeo - Government Advocate, for the Respondent

Headnote:(A) Constitution of India - Article 226 - Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 - Sections 154(3) and 156(3) - Writ Petition seeking direction to police for action on FIR - Court emphasizes the necessity of exhausting alternative remedies before approaching the High Court, noting that aggrieved persons should approach Magistrate under Section 156(3) for relief - The Division Bench clarifies that the writ petition is non-maintainable when alternative remedies exist. (Paras 3, 6, 8)

Facts of the case:
The petitioner filed a writ petition due to inaction by police authorities regarding an FIR, despite prior representation made to the Superintendent of Police.

Findings of Court:
The court held that the writ petition cannot be entertained since the petitioner has not availed of alternative remedies prescribed under the Cr.P.C.

Issues: The primary issue addressed was the petitioner's failure to seek remedy under the Cr.P.C. before invoking the jurisdiction of the High Court.

Ratio Decidendi: The court ruled that before filing a writ petition, grievances regarding FIR registration or police investigation should first be directed to the Magistrate under Section 156(3) Cr.P.C., reaffirming the need for alternative remedies.

Result: Writ petition dismissed.

Table of Content
1. petitioner seeks relief for police inaction (Para 1 , 2)
2. state argues alternative remedy exists (Para 3)
3. court notes procedural obligations (Para 4 , 5 , 6 , 7)
4. writ petition dismissed; alternative remedies advised (Para 8 , 9)

JUDGMENT

1. The present petition, under Article 226 of the Constitution of India has been preferred by the petitioner seeking the following reliefs:-

    'I. It is therefore, prayed that; this Hon'ble Court may kindly be pleased to direct the respondent authorities Police Authority to take appropriate action as per the proviso of Cr.P.C. by issuing appropriate writ of mandamus to compel him to perform their public duties in its entirety.

    II. The Hon'ble Court may kindly be pleased to direct the Superintendent of Police Bhopal to take appropriate action in the application of Section 154(3) of Cr.P.C. 1973 and direct him to conduct disciplinary proceeding against police in-charge of subordinate police station.

    III. That, this Hon'ble Court may kindly be pleased to decide the case on merit as petitioner is not interested to withdraw the instant writ petition on ground of availability of alternative remedy under Section 156(3) of Cr.P.C. 1973.

    IV. Any other relief which the Hon'ble Court deem fit and proper looking to the facts and circumstances of the case may also be granted in favour of the petitioner, in the interest of justice for abrogating the same.'

2. Learned counsel for the petitioner submits that the petitioner is aggrieved by inaction of the Police Authority in not taking appropriate action in the FIR under Section 154(3) of Cr.P.C. 1973. In this regard, petitioner has preferred representation before the Superintendent of Police, Bhopal on 19.04.2022 (Annexure P/2) but no action whatsoever has been taken thereupon. As such, the instant petition has been filed.

3. Per contra learned Government Advocate for the respondents/State contended that the relief prayed in this petition cannot be granted to the petitioner in view of the fact that petitioner is having an alternative efficacious remedy of filing complaint before the Magistrate under section 156(3) of the Cr.P.C. He further submits that it is well settled that disputed questions of fact cannot be looked into by this Court in Article 226 of the Constitution of India. As such, the present petition is liable to be dismissed at the threshold.

4. Heard learned counsel for the parties and perused the record.

5. In the case of Sakiri Vasu vs State Of U.P. And Others ((2008)2 SCC 409) has held as under:-

    11. In this connection we would like to state that if a person has a grievance that the police station is not registering his FIR under Section 154 Cr.P.C., then he can approach the Superintendent of Police under Section 154(3) Cr.P.C. by an application in writing.

    Even if that does not yield any satisfactory result in the sense that either the FIR is still not registered, or that even after registering it no proper investigation is held, it is open to the aggrieved person to file an application under Section 156 (3) Cr.P.C. before the learned Magistrate concerned. If such an application under Section 156 (3) is filed before the Magistrate, the Magistrate can direct the FIR to be registered and also can direct a proper investigation to be made, in a case where, according to the aggrieved person, no proper investigation was made. The Magistrate can also under the same provision monitor the investigation to ensure a proper investigation.

    13. The same view was taken by this Court in Dilawar Singh vs. State of Delhi JT 2007 (10) SC 585 (vide para 17). We would further clarify that even if an FIR has been registered and even if the police has made the investigation, or is actually making the investigation, which the aggrieved person feels is not proper, such a person can approach the Magistrate under Section 156(3) Cr.P.C., and if the Magistrate is satisfied he can order a proper investigation and take other suitable steps and pass such order orde

Click Here to Read the rest of this document
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
SupremeToday Portrait Ad
supreme today icon
logo-black

An indispensable Tool for Legal Professionals, Endorsed by Various High Court and Judicial Officers

Please visit our Training & Support
Center or Contact Us for assistance

qr

Scan Me!

India’s Legal research and Law Firm App, Download now!

For Daily Legal Updates, Join us on :

whatsapp-icon Back to top