Madras High Court
Harish @ Raghu vs The State Of Tamil Nadu on 27 September, 2023
Author: N.Anand Venkatesh
Bench: N. Anand Venkatesh
Crl.O.P.No.21650 of 2023
IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS
DATED : 27.09.2023
CORAM
THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE N. ANAND VENKATESH
Crl.O.P.No.21650 of 2023
& Crl.M.P.No.14953 of 2023
Harish @ Raghu ...Petitioner
Vs.
The State of Tamil Nadu,
Rep. by the Inspector of Police,
All Women Police Station,
Ariyalur,
Ariyalur District ...Respondent
Criminal Original Petition under Section 482 of the Code of Criminal
Procedure praying to set aside the order dated 23.08.2023 made in Crl MP
No.962 of 2023 in Spl SC No.11 of 2022 on the file of Court of sessions
Judge, Fast Track Mahila Court, Ariyalur.
For Petitioner : Mr.J.Jayan
For Respondent : Mr.A.Damodaran
Additional Public Prosecutor
1/6
https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis
Crl.O.P.No.21650 of 2023
ORDER
This petition has been filed challenging the order passed by the Court below in Crl MP No.962 of 2023 in Spl SC No.11 of 2022, allowing the application filed under Section 311 of Cr.PC to recall PW1 for further examination.
2. The petitioner is facing trial before the Court below for offence under Section 354C, 376(3), 294(b) of IPC and Section 6 of Protection of Child from Sexual Offences Act, 2012. The trial was completed and the case was at the stage of passing judgement on 09.03.2023. At that stage, the respondent filed an application under Section 311 of Cr.PC to recall PW1 for further cross examination. The Court below had allowed the application and aggrieved by the same, the present Criminal Original petition has been filed before this Court.
3. Heard Mr.J.Jayan, learned counsel for the petitioner and Mr.A.Damodaran, learned Additional Public Prosecutor appearing on behalf of the respondent.
2/6 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis Crl.O.P.No.21650 of 2023
4. This Court carefully went through the deposition of PW1 in the cross examination and for proper appreciation, the relevant portions are extracted hereunder :-
vjphp jug;gpy; FWf;F tprhuiz:-
vjphp vdJ Ch;f;fhuh; mjdhy; bjhpa[k; vd;why; rhpjhd;/ v';fsJ brhe;jf;fhuh; vd;why; rhpjhd;/ Vw;fdnt ePjpkd;wj;jpy; (F/tp/K/r/ gphpt[ 164(5)d; fPHhd thf;FK:yk;) mspf;f brd;w nghJ vdJ mk;kh. mg;gh kw;Wk; nghyPrhh; brhy;ypf;bfhLj;Jjhd; thf;FK:yk; mspj;njd; vd;why; rhpjhd;/ kUj;Jtkidf;F ghpnrhjidf;F miHj;Jr; brd;wnghJk; nghyPrhh; brhy;ypfb; fhLj;Jjhd; thf;FK:yk; mspj;njd; vd;why; rhpjhd;/ vjphp vd;Dld; ve;j clYwt[k; itj;Jf;bfhs;stpy;iy vd;whYk;. Vd;id fl;og;gpoj;J Kj;jk; bfhLf;ftpy;iy vd;whYk;. Vd;id bry;nghdpy; g[ifg;glk; vLj;Jf;bfhz;L mjid fhl;o kpul;odhh; vd brhy;tJk; jtwhdJ vd;why; rhpjhd;/ vdJ FLk;gj;jpy; mt;thW brhy;y ntz;Lk; vd brhy;y brhd;djpdhy; mg;go brhd;ndd;/ Vw;fdnt ePjpkd;wj;jpy; rhl;rpaspj;jnghJk;. mk;kh. mg;ght[k;. nghyPrhUk; brhy;ypfb; fhLj;jthWjhd; brhd;ndd; vd;why; rhpjhd;/ vjphpf;Fk;. ,e;j tHf;fpwF ; k; ve;j rk;ge;jKk; ,y;iy vd;why; rhpjhd;/ vjphp vd;dplk; ve;j cwt[k; itj;Jf;bfhs;stpy;iy vd;why; rhpjhd;/ rhl;rp ePjpkd;wj;jpy; Kd;g[ Kjy; tprhuizapy; mspj;j rhl;rpaj;jpw;F khwhf rhl;rpakspg;gjhy; muR jug;g[ tHf;fwp"h; FWf;F tprhuiz bra;a mDkjpf;nfhhpdhh;/ mDkjp tH';fg;gl;lJ/ muR jug;g[ FWf;F tprhuiz:-
Kjy; tprhuizapy; brhy;ypaJnghy;jhd; rk;gtk; ele;jJ 3/6 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis Crl.O.P.No.21650 of 2023 vd;Wk;. Vjphpal[ d; rkhjhdk; Mdjpdhy;. Vjphpf;F Mjuthf jw;nghJ mjid kiwj;J rhl;rpakspff; pnwd; vd;why; rhpay;y/
5. The Court below has already heard the final arguments and the matter was posted for judgement. At this stage, the respondent has filed the application under Section 311 of Cr,PC to recall PW1 for further examination. This application was allowed by the Court below on the ground that the petitioner will also have sufficient opportunity to examine the victim.
6. In the considered view of this Court, an application under Section 311 of Cr.PC cannot be entertained where an attempt is made to fill up the lacuna. Even after the cross examination on the side of the petitioner, the prosecution had further examined PW1 by treating her as a hostile witness. In view of the same, there is no question of permitting the prosecution to once again recall PW1. The order passed by the Court below in Crl MP No..962 of 2023 in Spl SC No.11 of 2022 on the file of Court of sessions Judge, Fast Track Mahila Court, Ariyalur, is hereby setaside. 4/6 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis Crl.O.P.No.21650 of 2023
7. In the result, this Criminal Original petition is allowed and there shall be a direction to the Court below to proceed further to pass the final judgement in this case. Consequently, the connected miscellaneous petition is closed.
27.09.2023
Index : Yes/No
Speaking Order/Non-Speaking Order
Neutral citation : Yes/No
To
1.The sessions Judge, Fast Track Mahila Court, Ariyalur.
2.The Public Prosecutor, High Court, Madras.
N.ANAND VENKATESH,J 5/6 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis Crl.O.P.No.21650 of 2023 rka Crl.O.P.No.21650 of 2023 & Crl.M.P.No.14953 of 2023 27.09.2023 6/6 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis