JUDGMENT

SAIKIA, J.— Special leaves granted.

2. These five appeals are from as many similar orders of the High Court of Karnataka at Bangalore dismissing the appellant companys criminal revision petitions impugning the respective orders passed by the Judicial Magistrate First Class, Gokak holding that the appellants complaints against the respondents alleging offence under Section 630(1)(b) of the Companies Act by not vacating the companys quarters as required by it even more than six months after retirement of the respondents, were barred by limitation and the same could not be taken into consideration.

3. Respondent 1 in each of these criminal appeals was appointed on August 1, 1942, June 11, 1945, November 24, 1939, May 1, 1939 and January 23, 1937, respectively, in the service of the appellant company and they retired on March 14, 1984, October 1, 1983, February 12, 1984, October 4, 1983 and January 27, 1981, respectively, from the appellant companys service, whereafter each of them was required to vacate his companys quarter. Each having declined to vacate the company quarter even more than six months after retirement, despite legal notice, the appellant company filed a private