IN THE HIGH COURT OF MADHYA PRADESH AT GWALIOR BEFORE HON'BLE SHRI JUSTICE ASHISH SHROTI

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ON THE 12 OF JANUARY, 2026 WRIT PETITION No. 19950 of 2023 ARUN PRATAP SINGH CHAUHAN Versus THE STATE OF MADHYA PRADESH AND OTHERS Appearance:

Mr. Siddharth Sharma - Advocate for the petitioner.

Mr. B.M. Patel - GA for the State.

ORDER The petitioner has filed this writ petition challenging order dated

21.07.2023 (Annexure- P/1) passed by respondent no.4, whereby he has been found unsuitable for appointment on the post of Constable (G.D.) on account of his involvement in a criminal case.

2 . The facts necessary for decision of this case are that the petitioner participated in Police Constable Recruitment Process-2020. He successfully passed the written test as also the physical test and was allotted District- Sagar for his posting.

3. Before issuance of the appointment order, the character verification of the petitioner was done wherein it was found that a criminal case was registered against him at Police Station- Morar, District-Gwalior (M.P.) for the offence punishable under Sections 294, 323, 506, 147 & 149 of IPC. It was alleged against the petitioner that on 04.01.2021 at around 5:00 PM, he alongwith co- accused persons assaulted the complainant Sumit Kumar with lathi, iron rods as a result of which he sustained injury. An FIR was, accordingly, lodged by the complainant against the petitioner and others on 13.01.2021. The challan was thereafter filed by Police in competent court.

4 . The petitioner’s father Shri Shailendra Singh (one of the accused)

approached this Court by filing M.Cr.C. No.31601/2022 under Section 482 of Cr.P.C. This Court stayed further proceedings of the Trial vide order, dated 25.07.2022. Later on, the said case was withdrawn by applicant therein on 02.01.2021 in view of mutual settlement between the parties. The criminal case also ended with acquittal of petitioner and others under Section 320(8) of Cr.P.C. vide order, dated 04.01.2023, passed by Judicial Magistrate First Class, Gwalior.

The petitioner thus stood acquitted in view of compromise between the parties.

5. The matter was placed before the Screening Committee in its meeting held on 25.04.2023. The Screening Committee opined that the offence under Section 149 of IPC alleged against the petitioner involves moral turpitude and as per instructions issued by the State Government vide circular dated 14.07.2018 (Annexure-P/4), he is unsuitable for appointment. Accordingly, the impugned order has been passed by respondent no.4 on 21.07.2023 declaring the petitioner unsuitable for the post. Para 4, 5 & 6 of the order being decisive for this case are reproduced hereunder for ready reference:

"4. अ(cid:2)यथ(cid:5) (cid:6)ारा अपने सािथय(cid:14) के साथ िमलकर लाठ(cid:19), ड(cid:21)डो, स(cid:23)रया एवं लोहे के पाईप (cid:6)ारा िगरोहबंट होकर गु(cid:21)डागद(cid:34) करते हुए फ(cid:23)रयाट(cid:37) सिुमत कुमार चौहान के साथ बेरहमी एवं कूरता के साथ मारपीट क(cid:42) गई। (cid:44)जससे फ(cid:23)रयाद(cid:37) को िसर म(cid:46) एवं दोनो पैर(cid:14) म(cid:46) कई प गंभीर चोटे आई है। पूव(cid:50) म(cid:46) भी आरोपी (cid:6)ारा फ(cid:23)रयाद(cid:37) क(cid:42) प(cid:44)(cid:51) और ब(cid:53)च(cid:14) के साथ मारपीट क(cid:42) गई है, (cid:44)जससे अ(cid:2)यथ(cid:5) क(cid:42) आपरािधक मानिसक (cid:55)व(cid:57)ृ(cid:58) और म(cid:59)हलाओं तथा ब(cid:53)च(cid:14) तक का िलहाज न करने क(cid:42) (cid:59)हंसा(cid:61)मक (cid:55)व(cid:57)ृ(cid:58)

(cid:62)प(cid:63) होती है।

5. उ(cid:65) (cid:55)करण छानबीन सिमित म(cid:46) पर(cid:37)(cid:68)ण हेतु बैठक (cid:59)दनांक 25.04.23 को रखा गया, पर(cid:37)(cid:68)ण उपरांत सिमित ने पाया (cid:59)क शासन के िनद(cid:71)श (cid:72)मांक एफ-17-

01/2002/17/दो/सी-2/ (cid:59)दनांक 24.07.18 के अनुसार अ(cid:2)यथ(cid:5) पर पंजीब(cid:73) अपराध क(cid:42) धारा 149 नैितक अधोपतन क(cid:42) (cid:74)णे ी क(cid:42) होकर गंभीर (cid:55)कृित क(cid:42) है।

6. अ(cid:2)यथ(cid:5) के आचरण से उसक(cid:42) आपरािधक गु(cid:21)डागद(cid:34) क(cid:42) मनोव(cid:57)ृ(cid:58) एवं म(cid:59)हलाओं एवं ब(cid:53)च(cid:14) पर