Telangana High Court
Gadam Bhanu Prakash vs The State Of Telangana And Another on 4 February, 2022
Author: K. Lakshman
Bench: K. Lakshman
THE HONOURABLE SRI JUSTICE K. LAKSHMAN
CRIMINAL PETITION No.1082 of 2022
ORDER:
This Criminal Petition is filed under Section 482 of Cr.P.C., to quash the proceedings in Crime No.828 of 2021, pending on the file of P.S. Sanathnagar, Cyberabad. The petitioner herein is accused No.6 in the above said crime. The offences alleged against him are under Sections 370, 370(A) of IPC and Sections 3, 4 and 5 of the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act, 1956 (for short, 'PIT Act').
2. Heard Sri R.Sridhar, learned counsel for the petitioner and the learned Assistant Public Prosecutor appearing for 1st respondent. Perused the record.
3. In the complaint as well as in the remand report, the only allegation against the petitioner/A6 is that on 24.11.2021 around 7.00 PM when the Inspector of Police, Sanathnagar, raided premises bearing H.No.7-2-221/125, Flat No.B5, second floor, Ashok Colony, Sanathnagar, the petitioner/A6 went to the above said premises and exploited the victim sexually. Thus, as per the contents of the FIR, petitioner/A6 is only a customer.
4. In Mohammad Riyaz v. State of Telangana1, it was held that proceedings under Sections 3, 4 & 5 of the PIT 1 Criminal Petition No.5803 of 2018, decided on 27.06.2018 2 KL,J Crl.P.No.1082 of 2022 Act and Section 370 of IPC against a customer are not maintainable.
5. Section 370 of IPC deals with trafficking of a person and as per it, whoever, for the purpose of exploitation (a) recruits, (b) transports, (c) harbours, (d) transfers, or (e) receives, a person or persons using threats or force, etc., is punishable.
6. A perusal of the complaint as well as the remand report lacks the ingredients of Section 370 IPC.
7. Section 370(A) of IPC deals with exploitation of a trafficked person. As per it, whoever, knowingly by or having reason to believe that a person has been trafficked, engages such person for sexual exploitation in any manner, shall be punished with rigorous imprisonment for a term which shall not be less than three years, but which may extend to five years, and shall also be liable to fine.
8. As discussed above, the only allegation against the petitioner/A6 is that he has information from A1 and A5 with regard to availability of victims for the purpose of exploitation sexually, he went to the premises bearing H.No.7-2-221/125, Flat No.B5, second floor, Ashok Colony, Sanathnagar, and exploited the victim sexually. Thus, he is a customer.
3 KL,J Crl.P.No.1082 of 2022
9. In view of the above, this Court is prima facie of the opinion that the contents of the complaint as well as the remand report constitute the offence under Section 370(A) of IPC, and as discussed above, the offences under Sections 3, 4 & 5 of Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act, 1956 and Section 370 of IPC are liable to be quashed.
10. This Court, vide order dated 16.06.2021 in Crl.P.No.4445 of 2021, quashed the proceedings against A6 in Crime No.278 of 2021 insofar as insofar as Section 370 of IPC and Sections 3, 4 & 5 of PIT Act.
11. Therefore, this Criminal Petition is partly allowed quashing the proceedings against the petitioner/A6 in Crime No.828 of 2021 on the file of P.S. Sanathnagar, Cyberabad, insofar as the offences under Sections 370 of IPC and Sections 3, 4 & 5 of Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act, 1956 are concerned. This Criminal Petition is dismissed insofar as the offence alleged against the petitioner/A6 under Section 370(A) of IPC. The Investigating Officer in the above Crime is at liberty to conduct the investigation, except for the offences quashed against the petitioner/A6 as above, and file final report.
Miscellaneous petitions pending, if any, shall stand closed.
__________________ K. LAKSHMAN, J Date: 04.02.2022 KL