2022 Supreme(Online)(Kar) 52419
1
IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU
DATED THIS THE 3RD DAY OF JANUARY, 2022
BEFORE
THE HON’BLE MR. JUSTICE K.NATARAJAN
CRIMINAL PETITION NO.10016/2021
BETWEEN
L SURESH
S/O J D LAKKANNA,
AGED ABOUT 52 YEARS,
B N ROAD,
GUNDLUPETE TOWN,
GUNDLUPETE TALUK,
CHAMARAJANAGARA DISTRICT-571 111.
... PETITIONER
(BY SRI ANANDA KUMAR Y.D., ADOVCATE
FOR SRI M SHARASS CHANDRA, ADVOCATE)
AND
1 . STATE OF KARNATAKA
CHAMARAJANAGAR TOWN P S,
REP BY SPP
HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA,
BENGALURU-560001
2 . S M MAHADEVU
TALUK TAHASILDAR,
CHAMARAJANAGAR,
KARNATAKA-571111
... RESPONDENTS
(BY SRI MAHESH SHETTY, HCGP FOR R1
NOTICE TO R2 DISPENSED WITH)
THIS CRIMINAL PETITION IS FILED UNDER SECTION 482
OF THE CODE OF CRIMINAL PROCEDURE, PRAYING TO QUASH
THE CHARGE SHEET AGAINST THE PETITIONER/ACCUSED NO.3
IN THEIR CR.NO.105/2015 (C.C.NO.230/2017) OF RESPONDENT
2
NO.1 CHAMARAJANAGARA TOWN POLICE AT CHAMARAJANAGAR
REGISTERED FOR OFFENCE PUNISHABLE UNDER SECTION 353
READ WITH SECTION 149 OF IPC WHICH IS PENDING ON FILE
OF THE SENIOR CIVIL JUDGE AND CJM AT CHAMARAJANAGAR.
THIS CRIMINAL PETITION COMING ON FOR ORDERS THIS
DAY, THE COURT MADE THE FOLLOWING:
The magistrate's permission to register a case must be in accordance with law and the ingredients of the offence must be attracted against the accused person.
Headnote:
CRIMINAL PROCEDURE CODE - SECTION 155(2) - QUASHING OF PROCEEDINGS - SUBJECT: Quashing of criminal proceedings against the petitioner for obstructing a flag hoisting ceremony and disrespecting the National Flag.
Fact of the Case:
The petitioner was accused of obstructing a flag hoisting ceremony and disrespecting the National Flag. The police registered a case against the petitioner under Section 353 read with Section 149 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860 (IPC) and Section 186 of IPC and under Section 2 of Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1964. The petitioner filed a petition under section 482 of Cr.P.C for quashing the criminal proceedings against him.
Finding of the Court:
The court found that the magistrate had not applied his mind and had endorsed the requisition as "Permitted" without giving proper reasons for allowing the police to register the case in a cognizable offence against the petitioner and others. The court also found that the ingredients of Section 353 IPC were not attracted against the accused person.
Issues: Whether the magistrate's permission to register the case was in accordance with law.
Ratio Decidendi: The court held that the magistrate's permission to register the case was not in accordance with law and that the ingredients of Section 353 IPC were not attracted against the accused person. The court relied on the judgments of co-ordinate benches of this Court in the case of BP Prasad Vs state of Karnataka and another in Crl.P.No.426/2019 dated 17.09.2019 and in another case Moin Basha Kurnooli vs The State Of Karnataka in Crl.P.No.100319/2014 C/W Crl.P.No.100326/2014, dated 25.07.2014.
Final Decision: The court allowed the petition and quashed the criminal proceedings against the petitioner.
This petition is filed by the petitioner accused No.3
under section 482 of Cr.P.C for quashing the criminal
proceedings against the petitioner in Crl.No.105/2015
(CC.No.230/2017) pending on the file of the Senior Civil
Judge
and
CJM,
Chamarajanagar
for
the
offences
punishable under Section 353 read with Section 149 of the
Indian Penal Code, 1860 (for short 'IPC') and 186 of IPC
and under Section 2 of Prevention of Insults to National
Honour Act, 1964.
2. Heard the arguments of learned counsel for the
petitioner and learned High Court Government Pleader for
the respondent No.1-State and learned counsel for
respondent No.2.
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3. The case of the prosecution is that on the
complaint of respondent No.2 one Mahadevu S.M., the
Tahsildar of Chamarajanagar filed a written complaint to
the police alleging that on 15.08.2016 after hoisting the
National Flag when the Minister for Chamarajanagar
District (incharge) in charge was addressing the gathering
at that time a group of accused persons along with this
petitioner rushed towards the dias showing black flag and
obstructed the smooth functioning of the flag hoisting
ceremony and thereby disrespected the National Flag.
After receiving the complaint the police sent the requisition
to magistrate under Section 155 (2) of Cr.P.C and the
magistrate permitted the police to registered the case as
the offence is under the non cognizable offence and then
after registering the case, the police filed charge sheet for
the offence punishable under Section 353 read with
Section
149
of
IPC,
in
Crime
No.105/2015
(CC.No.230/2017)
pending
on
the
file
of
Chamarajanagara Town Police, Chamarajanagara and the
same is challenged before this Court.
4
4. The learned counsel for the petitioner contended
that the co-accused persons had already filed similar
petition in Crl.P.No.8174/2020 which came to be a allowed
and all the accused persons except this petitioner have
been obtained the order of quashing in their favour and
the investigating officer did not follow the proper
procedure for registering the case. The magistrate
without application of mind endorsed the requisition as
"Permitted" which cannot be considered as permission in
accordance with law. Therefore, it is violation of provision
of section 155 (2) of Cr.P.C. Hence prayed for allowing
this petition.
5. The learned HCGP though objected but fairly
admits that the magistrate has not applied mind and
endorsed only as "Permitted" not giving proper reason for
allowing the police to register the case in a cognizable
offence against the petitioner and others
6. Heard the arguments and perused the records,
admittedly the magistrate upon receipt of the report from
5
the
police
made
an
endorsement
as
permitted.
Investigating officer obtained the permission seeking to
register the case and file the report but the magistrate
without application of mind made an endorsement on
15.08.2015 stating that "Permitted". Considering the
judgment of co-ordinate bench of this Court in the case of
BP Prasad Vs state of Karnataka and another in
Crl.P.No.426/2019 dated 17.09.2019 and in another case
Moin Basha Kurnooli vs The State Of Karnataka in
Crl.P.No.100319/2014 C/W Crl.P.No.100326/2014, dated
25.07.2014
this
Court
had
quashed
the
criminal
proceedings against the other accused persons that is
accused Nos.1, 2, 4 to 11, on the ground the permission
accorded by the magistrate is not in accordance with law
and against the principles laid down by this Court. The
permission is not in accordance with the Section 155
Cr.P.C. The ingredients of Section 353 is not at all
attracted against the accused person. The police dropped
the offences under Section 186 of Indian Penal Code and
Section 2 of Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act,
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1964. Therefore, accused No.3 having similar allegation
against him and the co-accused were already benefited the
order in their favour for quashing the proceedings and
therefore this petitioner is also entitled for quashing