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

2024 Supreme(Online)(ALL) 10

HIGH COURT OF ALLAHABAD (LUCKNOW BENCH)
Hon'ble Shamim Ahmed,J.
Ashish Kumar Tiwari @ Rahul And 27 Others – Appellant
Versus
State Of U.P. Thru. A.C.S/Prin. Secy. Deptt. Home Govt. Lko. And Another – Respondent
APPLICATION U/s 482 No. - 2784 of 2024 at Lucknow



Advocates:
Petitioner: Manuvendra Singh
Respondent: G.A.

Cognizance under Section 188 IPC is invalid without a written complaint from a public servant, rendering the FIR and subsequent proceedings illegal.

Headnote:(A) Criminal Procedure Code, 1973 - Section 482 - Indian Penal Code, 1860 - Sections 143, 147, 188, 269, 281, 283 - Disaster Management Act, 2005 - Section 51(b) - Application to quash cognizance and summoning order - FIR registered without jurisdiction as Section 188 IPC is non-cognizable and requires a written complaint from a public servant for cognizance - The court found that the FIR was lodged without such a complaint, rendering the proceedings illegal. (Paras 15, 38, 46)

(B) Jurisdiction - The court emphasized that police cannot investigate non-cognizable offences without prior permission from a Magistrate, and any investigation conducted without such permission is illegal. (Paras 25, 28)

(C) Cognizance - The court ruled that the Magistrate's order to summon the applicants was non-speaking and lacked consideration of the material available, thus liable to be set aside. (Paras 12, 46)

Facts of the case:
The applicants sought to quash the cognizance and summoning order related to an FIR alleging violations of COVID-19 guidelines during a candle march. The FIR was registered without a proper complaint from a public servant.

Findings of Court:
The court found the FIR and subsequent proceedings to be without jurisdiction and quashed the cognizance and summoning order.

Issues: The main issues included the legality of the FIR registration under Section 188 IPC and the jurisdiction of the police to investigate non-cognizable offences.

Ratio Decidendi: The court held that the absence of a written complaint from the concerned public servant invalidated the cognizance taken under Section 188 IPC, and the investigation was conducted without jurisdiction.

Result: The application under Section 482 Cr.P.C. was allowed, quashing the cognizance and summoning order.

Hon'ble Shamim Ahmed,J.

1. Heard Shri Manuvendra Singh, learned counsel for the applicants, Shri Ashok Kumar Singh, learned A.G.A-I for the State-opposite parties and perused the material placed on record.

2. The instant application under Section 482 Cr.P.C . has been filed on behalf of the applicant, namely- Ashish Kumar Tiwari @ Rahul and 27 others with a prayer to stay the cognizance and summoning order dated 13.09.2022 passed by the court of Civil Judge (Senior Division) / F. T. C. IInd Pratapgarh, which has been taken on the charge sheet dated 06.08.2022, arising out of the Case Crime No.0106 of 2021, under section 143, 147, 281, 283, 188, 269, I.P.C. & 51(b) Disaster Management Act, 2005 , Police Station Kohandaur, District-Pratapgarh with a further prayer seeking any other order or direction this Court may kindly pass.

3. Learned Counsel for the applicants submitted that a First Information Report (FIR) was lodged at the police station Kohandaur Pratapgarh by opposite party no.2, on 30.05.2021 at 23:31 and as per Prosecution Story information was received through an informer that some people are going to take out a candle march from Shivpur Khurd and block the road of Kohandaur, Kandharpur in front of Shivpur village regarding the arrest of the accused related to the murder of Arvind Dubey in village Shivpur Khurd. On the information, the opposite party No.2 left from Kandharpur with his associates and reached village Shivpur Tiraha and saw that the accused persons alongwith 50-60 persons (name and address unknown) from village Shivpur Khurd were violating the Covid-19 guidelines without following social distancing and without permission people were coming carrying placards with anti-police and anti-police slogans in their hands and raising anti-police slogans. When they saw police coming to Shivpur intersection they sat on the road going to Kohdaur Near Khushhali Baba Temple and blocked the Kandharpur Road.

4. Learned Counsel for the applicants further submitted that the statement of the complainant was recorded by the investigation officer under section 161 Cr.P.C . in which the complainant reiterated the same version of the FIR dated 30.05.2021.

5. Learned Counsel for the applicants further submitted that the statement of the witnesses namely Constable Amit Kumar PNO 192612874, Cons.

Vivek Pratap Kushwaha, PNO 192612630, Sub Inspector Virendra Kumar Tripathi PNO- 880897817, & Sub Inspector Vijay Kumar PNO-0902340147, have been recorded by the Investigating Officer under section 161 Cr.P.C . their statements were also similar to the version of the FIR dated 30.05.2021.

6. Learned Counsel for the applicants further submitted that the statements of the independent witnesses, namely-Manoj Kumar Dubey Son of Indramani, Satish Dubey Son of Indramani Dubey, have been recorded by the Investigating Officer under section 161 Cr.P.C . wherein they stated that Shanu Dubey son of Nandu Dubey was not present on the spot at the time of incident and on basis of their statements name of the accused Shanu dubey was removed.

7. Learned Counsel for the applicants further submitted that the applicants were violating the Covid-19 Guidelines which were promulgated by District Magistrate, Pratapgrh, thus, the District Magistrate, Pratapgarh was duty bound to make a complaint to the learned Area Judicial Magistrate concerned either under his own signature or through any authorized official subordinate to him, but in this case a police has been lodged FIR dated 30.05.2021 and also submitted Police Report dated 06.08.2022 against the present applicants and it is very surprising that concerning Trail Court without applying its own mind, issued summoning dated 13.09.2022 in absence of a separate complaint under section 195(1)(a)(i) Cr.P.C . which is inevitable for the purpose of taking cognizance and putting the accused to trial.

8. Learned counsel for the applicants further submitted that the F.I.R. was registered under Sections 188 I.P.C., which is

                                                              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 telegram-icon
                                                              whatsapp-icon Back to top