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2022 Supreme(MP) 1067

IN THE HIGH COURT OF MADHYA PRADESH
Vishal Mishra, J.
Anand Rai – Appellant
Versus
State of Madhya Pradesh – Respondent
Writ Petition No. 7744 of 2022
Decided On : 04-04-2022

Advocates Appeared:
Shri Vivek Tankha, Senior Counsel With Shri Varun Tankha, Advocate, for the Appellant; Shri Tushar Mehta, Solicitor General With Shri Prashant Singh, Advocate General, Shri Harpreet Ruprah, Additional Advocate General, Shri Bharat Singh, Additional Advocate General And Shri Piyush Jain, Govt. Advocate, Shri Anil Khare, Senior Counsel With Shri Uma Shankar Tiwari, for Respondent No.2

Headnote:

FIR - Whistleblower - Indian Penal Code, Sections 419, 469, 470, 500, 504, 120-B, Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, Sections 3(1)(q), 3(1)(Da), 3(2)(va) - The court considered the petitioner's status as a whistleblower and the allegations against him under various sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989. The court discussed the limitations of interference under Section 482 of Cr.P.C. and Article 226 of the Constitution of India, emphasizing the need for investigation and the exhaustion of statutory remedies before seeking relief through writ jurisdiction. The court dismissed the petition, vacated the interim relief, and advised the petitioner to seek anticipatory bail and file an application for quashing the FIR under Section 482 of Cr.P.C.

Fact of the Case:

The petitioner, a whistleblower instrumental in exposing the Vyapam Scam, was accused of defaming the complainant on social media. The FIR was registered against the petitioner for offenses under various sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989. The petitioner argued that the allegations were false and that he was being harassed due to political pressure.

Finding of the Court:

The court found that the petitioner's actions prima facie made out a cognizable offense, and the relief sought in the petition was not maintainable. The court dismissed the petition, vacated the interim relief, and advised the petitioner to seek anticipatory bail and file an application for quashing the FIR under Section 482 of Cr.P.C.

Issues: The issues involved the petitioner's status as a whistleblower, the allegations against him, the limitations of interference under Section 482 of Cr.P.C. and Article 226 of the Constitution of India, and the exhaustion of statutory remedies before seeking relief through writ jurisdiction.

Ratio Decidendi: The court emphasized the need for investigation and the exhaustion of statutory remedies before seeking relief through writ jurisdiction. The court also highlighted the limitations of interference under Section 482 of Cr.P.C. and Article 226 of the Constitution of India.

Final Decision: The court dismissed the petition, vacated the interim relief, and advised the petitioner to seek anticipatory bail and file an application for quashing the FIR under Section 482 of Cr.P.C.

JUDGMENT

1. With the consent of the parties, the matter is being taken up for consideration on the question of admission.

Challenge is being made to FIR dated 27.03.2022 registered at Crime No.2/2022 for offences under Sections 419, 469, 470, 500, 504, 120-B of Indian Penal Code and Section 3 (1)(q), 3 (1) (Da) and Section 3 (2) (va) and Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 at Police Station A.J.K., District Bhopal.

2. It is argued that the petitioner is a whistleblower who was instrumental in exposing the Vyapam Scam. It is pointed out that due to persistence of the petitioner, the whole Vyapam Scam was unearthed and later on, it was investigated by the Central Bureau of Investigation. In the present case, the FIR has been registered against the petitioner by the respondent No.2, alleging that he is a public servant and employed in Indian Naval Armament Services (INAS) and currently holding the post of Under Secretary with the State of Madhya Pradesh. It is alleged that the petitioner has defamed the complainant by posting wrong information on the social media and in furtherance to the same, some contents were posted on the Facebook on 26.03.2022, after manipulating the original contents and using abusive language making a statement in terms of caste of the complainant. Pursuant to which, the FIR was registered against him. The petitioner is trying to defame the complainant by preparing forged screenshot and by further implying that the complainant is leaking the papers with regard to examination of Varg-III. It is argued that the allegation which has made against the petitioner is posting the content of the Facebook which reads as under :-

    ^^oxZ 3 dk isij] yDl eu eRdke ds eksckby rd dSls igq¡pk bldh tk¡p gksuh pkfg, #O;kie

    dbZ vH;fFkZ;ksa us OgkV~l,i ij ;g QksVks miyC/k djk, gSa] bl ?kksVkys dh CBI tk¡p gksuh pkfg,] foxr fnuksa jktLFkku esa Hkh blh rjg REET ?kksVkyk gqvk FkkA^^

    3. It is argued that from the perusal of the aforesaid content it cannot be said that any offence is made out against the present petitioner, therefore, the present petition has been filed. It is submitted that even if the Facebook contents are taken into consideration as a toto, then no offence is made out against the petitioner. The petitioner submits that he has been falsely prosecuted and no offence of alleged Sections are made out against him. There is not even a whisper with respect to any intention of the petitioner to do such an act knowing fully well that complainant is a member of Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe or with an intention to insult or intimate or give a false and frivolous information knowing fully well that the complainant is a member of Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe. The petitioner being a whistleblower is required to place the correct contents before the public, so that the actual facts may be brought to notice of the general public at large. It is submitted that it was the petitioner who was active in unearthing the Vyapam Scam and similar case was exposed in Rajasthan REET scam by the petitioner, therefore, the investigation should be done in the matter. The offences which have been registered against the petitioner are under Sections 419, 469, 470, 500, 504, 120-B of Indian Penal Code and Section 3 (1)(q), 3 (1)(Da) and Section 3 (2) (va) of Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. The petitioner is not the maker of the messages which have been floated on the Whatsapp or Facebook, rather he has only forwarded the messages which was received to him, therefore, no such offence is made out against him. He is unnecessarily being harassed and put to prosecution by the State Agencies owing to some political pressure. Placing reliance upon the aforesaid sections, it is argued that no case is made out against the petitioner.

    Therefore, he has prayed for quashment of FIR registered against the petitioner. Placing reliance upon the judgment passed by the Hon'ble

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