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2024 Supreme(Online)(KER) 14518

HIGH COURT OF KERALA
P. G. Ajithkumar, J
FATHIMA KUNJU – Appellant
Versus
STATE OF KERALA – Respondent
Crl.MC 2121/2016



The court established that allegations must be substantiated by sufficient evidence; otherwise, proceedings may be quashed to uphold judicial integrity.

Headnote:

Criminal Law - Proceedings - IPC Sections 420, 354, 511 of 376 - The court examined the legitimacy of allegations against the accused, interpreting the absence of substantial evidence or serious charges against them, leading to a decision to quash the proceedings.

Fact of the Case:

The petitioners, accused No. 2, 3, and 4 in a criminal case, faced allegations of cheating and attempted sexual assault against a complainant, but the police only charged them under specific sections of the IPC after an investigation.

Issues: Whether there were sufficient grounds for continuing proceedings against the petitioners under IPC sections 420, 354, and 511 of 376.

Ratio Decidendi: The Court highlighted the insufficiency of evidence against the petitioners, failing to meet the threshold for the charged offenses, and emphasized that proceeding with such weak allegations was unnecessary.

Final Decision: The proceedings against the petitioners were quashed.

ORDER

The petitioners are the accused Nos. 2, 3 and 4 in SC No. 651/2011 on the file of the Sessions Court, Alappuzha. The 1st accused is the son of the 1st petitioner. The accused Nos. 2 and 3 are the daughters of the 1st petitioner. The 2nd respondent in this case is the defacto complainant in the above case. She is a divorcee. The 2nd respondent filed Annexure-A1 complaint before the Judicial First Class Magistrate Court-I, Harippad which was forwarded under Sec. 156(3) Cr.P.C. to the Police and consequently, crime No. 287/2010 was registered by the Kareelakulangara Police. After investigation, Annexure-A2 final report is filed against the petitioners and the 1st accused alleging offences punishable under Secs. 420, 354, 511 of 376 r/w 34 IPC . Aggrieved by the same, this Criminal Miscellaneous case is filed.

2.Heard the learned counsel for the petitioners and the learned Public Prosecutor. I also heard the 2nd respondent.

3.Even though several allegations are made in Annexure-A1 complaint, the Police filed chargesheet only under Secs. 420, 354 and 511 of 376 IPC . It will be better to extract the relevant portion of the Annexure-A2 final report submitted by the Police.

"പ്രതതികൾ 1-ആആം സസാകതിയയെയആം മറആം വതിശശസാസവഞ്ചന നടതതി ചതതി യചയ്യണയമന്നുള്ള ഉദദ്ദേശദതസാടആം കരുതദലസാടആം കൂടതിയആം, 2 മുതൽ 4 വയര പ്രതതികളുയട അറതിവആം സമ്മതദതസാടആം കൂടതി 1-ആആം സസാകതിയയെ 1-ആആം പ്രതതി വതിവസാഹആം കഴതിചച്ച് യകസാള്ളസായമന്നുആം, ടതി സസാകതിയയെയആം, 1-ആആം സസാകതിയയട മക്കളസായെ 2 -ഉആം 3 -ഉആം സസാകതികയളയആം സആംരകതിചച്ച് യകസാള്ളസായമന്നുആം പ്രതതികൾ 1-ആആം സസാകതിയയെ പറഞ്ഞു വതിശശസതിപതിചച്ച് 14.08.2008 തതീയെതതി 1-ആആം പ്രതതി ആആം സസാകതിയയെയആം 2-ഉആം 3-ഉആം സസാകതികയളയആം കൂടതി യകസാണ്ടുവനച്ച് ദചപസാടച്ച് വതിദല്ലേജതിൽ ഏവൂർ വടകആം മുറതിയെതിൽ ദചപസാടച്ച് പഞ്ചസായെതച്ച് 11-ആആം വസാർഡതിൽ "280" എന പഞ്ചസായെതച്ച് നമ്പറുള്ള വടദക്ക കരദയെതച്ച് വതീടതിൽ 1-ആആം പ്രതതിയആം 1-ആആം സസാകതിയആം ഭസാരരസാഭർതസാക്കനസാരസായെതി വസാടകക്കച്ച് തസാമസതിചച്ച് വരയവ 26.2.2010 രസാവതിയല 9.30 മണതികആം 4.5.2010 രസാവതിയല 10 മണതികആം 1-ആആം പ്രതതി, 2-ആആം സസാകതിയയെ വതീടതിയന്റെ യതക കതിടപ്പുമുറതികള്ളതിൽ വചച്ച് ബലസാതആംഗആം യചയ്യസാൻ ശ്രമതിചആം 1-ആആം പ്രതതി 1-ആആം സസാകതിയയെ ലലആംഗതികചൂഷണആം യചയച്ച് 1-ആആം സസാകതിക്കച്ച് മസാനഹസാനതിയആം മദനസാവതിഷമവആം വരുതതിയആം പ്രതതിക്കച്ച് പറഞച്ച് വതിശശസതിപതിച പ്രകസാരആം ടതി സസാകതികയള സആംരകതിക്കസായത 1-ആആം സസാകതിയയെ വതിശശസാസ വഞ്ചന നടതതി ചതതിയചയച്ച് പ്രതതികൾ കൃതരതതിൽ പരസ്പരആം ഭസാഗ ആളുകളസായെതി പ്രവർതതിചച്ച് ദമൽ വകുപ്പുകൾ പ്രകസാരമുള്ള ശതികസാർഹമസായെ കുറആം യചയതിരതികന്നു എന്നുള്ളതച്ച്.”

4.A perusal of Annexure-A2 final report would show that the main allegation is against the 1st accused. The offence under Sec. 420 IPC is alleged against the petitioner stating that with the knowledge of the petitioners, the 1st accused assured that he will marry the 2nd respondent and he will maintain charge witness Nos.2 and 3. It is alleged that the 2nd respondent and the 1st accused resided together in a house and on 26.02.2010, the 1st accused tried to commit rape on the charge witness No.2. It is also alleged that the 1st accused sexually abused charge witness No. 1 and hence, there is mental agony to charge witness No.1. Therefore, it is alleged that the accused committed the offences under Secs. 420, 354 and 511 of 376 . Even if the entire allegations in Annexure-A2 final report are accepted, I am of the considered opinion that there is no serious allegation against the petitioners and no offence is made out against the petitioners under Secs. 420, 354, 511 of 376 r/w Sec. 34 . The Criminal Miscellaneous case filed by the 1st accused is already dismissed by this Court, granting liberty to the 1st accused to file discharge petition, at the appropriate stage. But, the continuation of the proceedings against the petitioners based on Annexure-A2 final report in which the offence under Secs. 420, 354, 511 of 376 is charged, is not necessary.

5.The Public Prosecutor made available the case diary in the case and takes me through some of the allegations in the private complaint, which leads to the registration of the case. But, in

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