GAHC010227432021 THE GAUHATI HIGH COURT (HIGH COURT OF ASSAM, NAGALAND, MIZORAM AND ARUNACHAL PRADESH)
Case No. : Crl.Pet./5/2022 RAJIB BORAH AND ANR SON OF KHIRESWAR BORAH PERMANENT RESIDENTS OF VILL - BORI GAON, DHALPUR, P.S.
BIHPURIA, DIST. LAKHIMPUR, ASSAM-784165
2: ANURUPA SAIKIA @ JUN SAIKIA W/O RAJIB BORAH PERMANENT RESIDENTS OF VILL- BORI GAON DHALPUR P.S. BIHPURIA DIST. LAKHIMPUR ASSAM-78416 VERSUS THE STATE OF ASSAM AND ANR REP. BY THE PP, ASSAM
2:JULIUS BHENGRA SON OF CHANIKA BHENGRA R/O VILL- NAPAM P.S. TEZPUR DIST. SONITPUR ASSAM PIN-78402 Advocate for the Petitioner : MR. R DE Advocate for the Respondent : PP, ASSAM BEFORE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE SANJAY KUMAR MEDHI
ORDER
10.05.2022 Heard Shri R De, learned counsel for the petitioners, who has filed this application under Section 482 of the Cr.PC in respect of a Charge Sheet No. 290/2021, dated 16.11.2021 arising out of Dergaon PS Case No. 366/2021 under Sections 302/376 of the IPC read with Section 4 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012 and Section 75 of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection) Act, 2015 in so far as the petitioner no. 1 is concerned and Section 302 of the IPC read with Section 75 of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection) Act, 2015 in so far as the petitioner no. 2 is concerned (Sessions Spl. POCSO No. 78/2021, corresponding to GR Case No.1544/2021).
2. Pursuant to the orders of this Court, scanned copies of the LCRs have been transmitted to this Court.
3. Shri De, learned counsel for the petitioners submits that both the petitioners are government servants and work in the police department. Though the ejahar dated 05.09.2021 contains serious allegations in respect of the sister of the informant who had died in an unusual circumstance, the learned counsel has submitted that the allegations made in the FIR are not consistent with the post-mortem report which does not indicate any physical injuries on the body of the deceased. Shri De, learned counsel further submits that Section 4 of the POCSO also may not be applicable under the facts and circumstances of the case and therefore, the petitioners may be protected from facing the ordeal of the trial for no fault of theirs.
4. On the other hand, Shri BB Gogoi, learned Addl. PP, Assam submits that the prayer made appears to be pre-mature as only the charge sheet has been filed and the petitioners would have adequate scope before the learned Trial Court to make out a case of discharge at the time of framing of charges. The learned Addl. PP further submits that the grounds projected are matters of trial and at this stage, any observation made by this Court would cause prejudice to either of the parties.
5. After hearing the parties and on perusal of the records, this Court finds force in the submission of Shri Gogoi, learned Addl. PP.
6. From a reading of the ejahar dated 05.09.2021, one cannot say that no offence is made out and rather, the offence appears to be a very serious one where a minor girl has lost her life and there is allegation of physical assault as well as sexual harassment and accordingly, appropriate sections of IPC and POCSO were invoked while registering the case as Tezpur PS Case No. 1888/2021 which was later registered as Dergaon PS Case No. 366/2021. Even assuming that the version in the FIR may not be consistent with the other materials, that itself will not give jurisdiction and power to this Court to interfere with the charge sheet which has been laid after completion of the investigation. In fact, this Court is of the opinion that filing of the charge sheet would indicate that there are sufficient materials against the petitioners which are enough for conviction. This Court is also of the opinion that the petitioners would be at liberty to make out a case for discharge at the time of framing of the charges by the learned Trial Court and that stage is yet to come.
7. It is a settled law that an FIR need not be an encyclopedia or elaborate description of all the facts and only the relevant facts need to be put so as to put the criminal law into motion. In this connection, one may gainfully refer to a recent decision of the Hon’ble Supreme Court in the case of Musstt Rehana Begum Vs. State Of Assam & Anr. in Criminal Appeal No 118 of 2022 decided on 21-01-
2022 wherein the Hon’ble Supreme Court has reiterated the law laid down in the case of (2021) SCC Online SC 315 (M/s Neeharika Infrastructure Pvt. Ltd. Vs.
State of Maharashtra and Ors). The relevant excerpt is quoted hereinbelow:
"23(xii) The first information report is not an encyclopaedia which must disclose all facts and details relating to the offence reported. Theref
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