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1976 Supreme(Online)(Bom) 1

BOMBAY HIGH COURT
B.V. Nagarkar, J
Controller of Akola area of Brooke Bond India Limited – Appellant
Versus
Gokuldas – Respondent
Criminal Revision Application No. 32 of 1973



Advocates:
For the Appellants/Petitioners: Shri Bobde
For the Respondents: Shri Palshikar, Shri Mor

A Magistrate cannot dismiss a complaint based on irrelevant documents; decisions must rely strictly on the complaint's evidence.

Headnote:(A) Trade and Merchandise Marks Act, 1958 - Section 79 - Criminal Procedure Code, 1973 - Sections 202, 203 - Revision against dismissal of complaint - The Court found that the Magistrate erred in dismissing the complaint by considering extraneous material, thus overstepping his jurisdiction. The Court ruled that a Magistrate should only weigh the material presented directly in complaint proceedings before issuing or dismissing process. (Paras 8, 11)

(B) Jurisdiction - Magistrate’s power to dismiss a complaint under S.203 is limited to the examination of the complaint and any evidence presented, without considering irrelevant documents or arguments inter partes. The ruling reinforces the principle of adherence to procedural due process. (Paras 11)

Facts of the case:
The complaint was filed by a company alleging infringement of trademark against an unknown person, later implicating a specific individual who argued the legitimacy of their actions based on an existing civil suit. This led to a detailed review of the complaint and the conduct of the Magistrate in considering non-relevant documentation.

Findings of Court:
The Magistrate’s dismissal of the complaint was unjustified as it relied on irrelevant documents and did not properly adjudicate the allegations based on the presented complaint and evidence. The dismissal was set aside, instructing the Magistrate to reconsider the complaint based on the proper legal framework.

Issues: The main issues revolved around whether the Magistrate properly exercised his discretion to dismiss the complaint based on evidential threshold grounded within the scope of his procedural authority.

Ratio Decidendi: The Court established that the purpose of an inquiry under S.202 is purely to evaluate the allegations of the complaint in light of intrinsic evidence without prejudice to material extraneous to the inquiry - upholding procedural integrity in complaint hearings.

Result: Revision Allowed.

Table of Content
1. nature of the complaint and allegations (Para 2 , 3)
2. magistrate's misuse of jurisdiction in considering non-relevant evidence (Para 4 , 11)
3. court's directive for reconsideration of the complaint post-examination. (Para 5 , 8)
4. arguments regarding the magistrate's jurisdiction and conduct (Para 6 , 7)

1. The applicant - complainant has filed this revision application challenging the order confirming the dismissal passed by the Additional Sessions Judge, Akola, in Criminal Revision Application No. 32 of 1973 arising out of an order dated 14-8-1973 passed by the Judicial Magistrate First Class, Akola in Criminal Case No. 2440/73 dismissing the complaint of the complainant.

2. The facts in brief are as under -
The complainant is the Controller of Akola area of Brooke Bond India Limited, a Company incorporated under the Indian Companies Act having its registered office at Calcutta. The Company has got branches all over India. The Company is selling one brand which is known as "Special Hotel Blend." The said tea is wrapped in a packet with a floral design with a rose flower with green leaves and a stem underneath. The details about this wrapper is to be found in paragraph No. 3 of the complaint. The complainant further recited in the complaint that the necessary trade mark of the said wrapper has been duly obtained by the Brooke - Bond India Limited in their own name and accordingly the same is used by them for selling their products stated above. The complainant further asserted that another tea is being sold in wrappers containing identical packets with the only difference in the name, namely, Flower Brand Tea but the wrappers, the floral designs are very much identical to the one which has been got registered by Brooke Bond India Limited. The design used by those sellers also shows a floral design identical to the one used by the complainant's company and on these allegations filed a complaint under S.79 of Trade and Merchandise Marks Act, 1958 and under S.420 of the Indian Penal Code against some unknown persons within the jurisdiction of the Judicial Magistrate First Class Akola. Along with the complaint an application was given under S.96 of the Criminal P.C. for seizing the packets of the tea wrapped in imitative brand. On receipt of the complaint, the Judicial Magistrate First Class ordered the police to search for whether anybody was selling tea packets as stated in the complaint and has also sent the complaint for enquiry to the police station of Akola. This complaint was filed on 4-5-1973. On the very day or on 5-5-1973 the police seized 72 boxes in the premises of a firm known as "Gemandas Popatlal and Company." The non - applicant No. 1 in this revision application is one Gokuldas who is the partner of this Company. On 5-3-1973 Shri Gokuldas made an application that these boxes were taken possession from his firm. He was selling them as an Agent of some firm from Indore and they should be returned in his custody on passing an order of Supratnama. Accordingly 67 boxes were returned to him and 5 boxes were retained in Court.

3. When the enquiry was in progress before the police, it appears that on 11-5-1973 Gokuldas made an application under S.203 of the Criminal P.C. for dismissing the complaint. In this application Gokuldas stated that he was the agent for Gold Brand Tea Manufacturer, a partnership firm of Indore for Akola District. He further stated that complainant that is the Controller of Brooke Bond India Limited was fully aware of this fact that this brand of tea was manufactured by the firm of Indore. He has stated that Brooke Bond India Limited had given a notice to Gokuldas in the year 1962 that the Indore firm had violated provisions of S.105 and S.106 of the Indian Trade Merchandise Marks Act, 1958. The Indore firm gave a reply and in the year 1967 the Brooke Bond India Limited filed a civil suit in the Court of the District Judge, Indore, for permanent injunction and other necessary re
































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