Madhya Pradesh High Court
Mukesh Singh Tomar @ Pawan vs The State Of Madhya Pradesh on 5 March, 2019
1 WA 1248/18
THE HIGH COURT OF MADHYA PRADESH
W.A. 1248/18
(Mukesh Singh Tomar Vs. State of Madhya Pradesh & others)
Gwalior Dt. 05/3/19
Shri Prashant Sharma, Advocate for the appellant.
Shri Ravi Shankar Gupta, Govt. Advocate for the State.
1. The instant Intra Court Appeal filed u/S. 2 (1) of Madhya
Pradesh Uchcha Nyayalaya (Khandpeeth Ko Appeal) Adhiniyam,
2005 questions the legality and validity of the final order dated
24/8/2018 passed by the learned single judge in W.P.No. 4499/17
dismissing the petition by which a challenge was laid to the order
dated 13/6/2017, Annexure-P/1 by which candidature of petitioner
for the post of Constable (Driver) in police establishment was
cancelled on the ground that though petitioner has been acquitted of
the offence punishable u/S. 452 by judgment dated 28/7/15 passed
in Criminal Case No. 56/14 by the Judicial Magistrate First Class,
Gwalior (M.P.), but the said offence involves moral turpitude and the
acquittal is not clean and honourable.
2. Learned counsel for the rival parties are heard on the question
of admission and final disposal.
3. Pleadings are perused.
4. Learned single judge while passing the impugned order has
placed reliance on the decisions of the Apex Court in Commissioner
of Police, New Delhi & another Vs. Mehar Singh (2013) 7 SCC
2 WA 1248/18
685, Avtar Singh Vs. Union of India & others (2016) 8 SCC
471 and the Full Bench decision of this court in Ashutosh Pawar
Vs. High Court of Madhya Pradesh & another in
W.P.No.5865/16, decided on 12/1/2018 to come to a conclusion
that on the anvil of the law laid down by these authoritative
pronouncements, the discretion exercised by the competent authority
declaring the petitioner to be ineligible for appointment in the police
as constable, cannot be found fault with.
5. After having heard learned counsel for the rival parties, the
only question which falls for consideration is as to whether the
finding rendered by the competent authority that acquittal by the
competent court of criminal jurisdiction in respect of offence
punishable u/S. 452 IPC was a technical acquittal or
clean/honourable. To answer this question, this court has to
undertake scrutiny of the judgment of the acquittal and as well as
testimony of the eye-witnesses.
5.1 Indisputably, the concluding lines of para 15 of the judgment
of acquittal categorizes the acquittal to be one based on benefit of
doubt.
5.2 However, this categorization of acquittal being based on
benefit of doubt is a misnomer, which is evident from conjunctive
reading of para 11 of the judgment of acquittal and the testimony of
eye-witnesses PWs 1 to 9, namely, Rajveer Singh, Sachin, Sanjeev,
3 WA 1248/18
Maharaj Singh, Parul, Vimal, Arif, Himanshu and Manvedra,
respectively. Extracts of para 11 of the judgment of acquittal are
reproduced below:-
11& vfHk;kstu dFkkud vuqlkj ?kVuk dkfjr djus
okys O;fDr;ksa ds }kjk ?kVuk fnukad dks fgeka'kq o ekuosna z ds
ihNs&ihNs Qfj;knh latho ds ?kj esa MaMksa o lfj;s lfgr izos'k
djuk crk;k gS] ijarq mDr fcanq ij lk{khx.k fgeka'kq o ekuosanz
us vius dFkuksa esa dksbZ rF; ugha crk;k gS vkSj uk gh Qfj;knh
latho us mDr fcanq ij dksbZ dFku fd;s gSaA /kkjk&452
Hkk0n0fo0 ds vijk/k ds fy, ;g vko';d gS fd vkjksih ds }
kjk Qfj;knh ds ?kj esa migfr dh rS;kjh ds i'pkr~ izos'k fd;k
tkos ijarq mDr fcanq ij vfHk;kstu dh vksj ls ifjf{kr djk;s
x;s fdlh Hkh lk{kh us dksbZ dFku ugha fd;s gSaA izFke lwpuk
fjiksVZ esa vkjksihx.k ds }kjk migfr dh rS;kjh ds i'pkr~
Qfj;knh ds ?kj esa izo's k djus dk mYys[k gS] ijarq ek= izFke
lwpuk fjiksVZ ds vk/kkj ij mDr rF; dks izekf.kr ekuk tkuk
fof/k laxr ugha gksxk D;ksafd mDr fcanq ij Lo;a Qfj;knh latho
us U;k;ky; esa dksbZ dFku ugha fn;s gSa ftlls vfHk;qDrx.k
ds }kjk Qfj;knh ds ?kj esa migfr dh rS;kjh ds lkFk izo's k
djus ds rF; ij Hkh lansg mRiUu gks tkrk gSA
5.3 The aforesaid finding is based on testimony of eye-witnesses
PW-8 Hinmanshu and PW-9 Manvedra, whose testimony are
reproduced in extenso as under:-
PW-8 fgeka'kq jktiwr (dt.24-3-15)
izdj.k dzekad%&56@14
eq[; ijh{k.k }kjk ,Mhihvks Jh xks;y okLrs vfHk;kstu%&
1& eS vkjksihx.k larks"k flag] iou flag] foosd mQZ fcDdh o
dfiy dks ugha tkurk gWwA eSa Qfj;knh latho flag dks tkurk gwW
og esjs pkpk gSaA vkt ls yxHkx ,d&lok lky igys dh ckr
gSA ?kVuk ds le; eSa vius HkkbZ ekuosanz ds lkFk fdjkj dkWyksuh
fLFkr ?kj ds ckgj [kM+k gqvk Fkk rHkh ,d bafMdk xkMh+ ds
Mªk;oj us gekjh ?kj ds ckgj [kM+h LdkfiZvks xkM+h esa Ldszp djrs
gq, VDdj ekj nh Fkh A bafMdk xkM+h esa 4&5 yksx cSsBs gq, FksA
eSua s o esjs HkkbZ ekuosna z us mu yksxksa ls dgk fd xkM+h ns[kdj
4 WA 1248/18
pykvks rks mu yksxksa us xkM+h ls mrjdj ge yksxksa ds lkFk
>xM+k fd;k o xkyh xykSat dh FkhA >xM+s dh vkokt lqudj
esjs pkpk latho o Mªk;oj egkjkt flag ckgj vk x;s Fks ftuds
lkFk Hkh mu yksxksa }kjk ekjihV o /kDdkeqDdh dh xbZ Fkh
ftlls mUgsa pksVsa vk;h FkhA esjs pkpk latho us ?kVuk dh fjiksVZ
Fkkuk dEiw esa ys[k djk;h FkhA
uksV%& lk{kh }kjk vfHk;kstu dk leFkZu u djus ls ,Mhihvks us
lk{kh ls izfrijh{k.k esa iwNs tkus okys iz'uksa dks iwNs tkus dh
vuqefr pkgh xbZ tks izdj.k ds voyksdu mijkar nh xbZA
2&;g dguk xyr gS fd ?kVuk le; bafMdk xkM+h esa
vkjksihx.k larks"k] iou] foosd o dfiy cSBs gq, Fks vkSj eSa mUgsa
tkurk gwWA ;g dguk xyr gS fd tc eSaus o ekuosUnz us
vkjksihx.k ls dgk Fkk fd xkM+h dSls pykrs gks xkM+h esa Ldzsp vk
x;s rks vkjksihx.k us eq>s o ekuosUnz dks pkaVs ekjs FksA ;g dguk
xyr gS fd eSa o ekuosUnz tc ?kj ds vanj pys x;s rks
vkjksihx.k gekjs ihNs&ihNs ?kj ds vanj ?kql vk;s FksA ;g dguk
xyr gS fd ?kj ds vanj vkjksihx.k us ykBh MaMksa ls esjs pkpk
latho rFkk Mªk;oj egkjkt flag dh ekjihV dh Fkh rFkk larks"k
rksej us egkjkt flag ds flj esa lfj;k ekjk Fkk ftlls mls
pksV vk;h FkhA ;g dguk xyr gS fd eq>s pkph ik:y o
euh"kk cpkus vk;h rks pkjksa vkjksihx.k us muds lkFk Hkh ekjihV
dh FkhA ;g dguk xyr gS fd eSa pkjksa vkjksihx.k dks tkurk gwW
vkSj mUgha ds }kjk gekjs lkFk ekjihV fd xbZ FkhA lk{kh dks
mlds iqfyl dFku iznZ'k ih&10 dk , ls , Hkkx i<+dj lquk;s
o le>k;s tkus ij lk{kh us mDr vk'k; dk dFku iqfyl dks u
nsuk O;Dr fd;kA ;g dguk xyr gS fd eSa vkjksihx.k ls fey
x;k gwW vkSj mUgs cpkus ds fy, vkt U;k;ky; esa mlR; dFku
dj jgk gwWA
izfrijh{k.k }kjk Jh jktohj flag vf/koDrk okLrs vkjksihx.k%&
3& dqN ughaA
iqu% ijh{k.k%& dqN ughA
lk{kh dks i<+dj lquk;k esjs cksyus ij Vafdr fd;k
x;kA
lgh gksuk crk;k x;k
lgh& lgh&
¼ts-,e-,Q-lh-Xokfy;j½ ¼ts-,e-,Q-lh-Xokfy;j½
5 WA 1248/18
PW- 9 ekuosanz jktiwr (dt.24-3-15)
izdj.k dzekad%&56@14
eq[; ijh{k.k }kjk ,Mhihvks Jh xks;y okLrs vfHk;kstu%&
1& eS vkjksihx.k larks"k flag] iou flag] foosd mQZ fcDdh o
dfiy dks ugha tkurk gWwA eSa Qfj;knh latho flag dks tkurk
gwW og esjs pkpk gSaA vkt ls yxHkx ,d&lok lky igys dh
ckr gSA ?kVuk ds le; eSa vius HkkbZ fgeka'kq ds lkFk fdjkj
dkWyksuh fLFkr ?kj ds ckgj [kM+k gqvk Fkk rHkh ,d bafMdk xkMh+
ds Mzk;oj us gekjh ?kj ds ckgj [kM+h LdkfiZvks xkM+h esa Ldszp
djrs gq, VDdj ekj nh Fkh A bafMdk xkM+h esa 4&5 yksx cSsBs
gq, FksA eSaus o esjs HkkbZ fgeka'kq us mu yksxksa ls dgk fd xkM+h
ns[kdj pykvks rks mu yksxksa us xkM+h ls mrjdj ge yksxksa ds
lkFk >xM+k fd;k o xkyh xykSat dh FkhA >xM+s dh vkokt
lqudj esjs pkpk latho o Mzk;oj egkjkt flag ckgj vk x;s Fks
ftuds lkFk Hkh mu yksxksa }kjk ekjihV o /kDdkeqDdh dh xbZ
Fkh ftlls mUgsa pksVsa vk;h FkhA esjs pkpk latho us ?kVuk dh
fjiksVZ Fkkuk dEiw esa ys[k djk;h FkhA
uksV%& lk{kh }kjk vfHk;kstu dk leFkZu u djus ls ,Mhihvks us
lk{kh ls izfrijh{k.k esa iwNs tkus okys iz'uksa dks iwNs tkus dh
vuqefr pkgh xbZ tks izdj.k ds voyksdu mijkar nh xbZA
2& ;g dguk xyr gS fd ?kVuk le; bafMdk xkM+h esa
vkjksihx.k larks"k] iou] foosd o dfiy cSBs gq, Fks vkSj eSa mUgsa
tkurk gwWA ;g dguk xyr gS fd tc eSaus o fgeka'kq us
vkjksihx.k ls dgk Fkk fd xkM+h dSls pykrs gks xkM+h esa Ldzsp
vk x;s rks vkjksihx.k us eq>s o fgeka'kq dks pkaVs ekjs FksA ;g
dguk xyr gS fd eSa o fgeka'kq tc ?kj ds vanj pys x;s rks
vkjksihx.k gekjs ihNs&ihNs ?kj ds vanj ?kql vk;s FksA ;g dguk
xyr gS fd ?kj ds vanj vkjksihx.k us ykBh MaMksa ls esjs pkpk
latho rFkk Mªk;oj egkjkt flag dh ekjihV dh Fkh rFkk larks"k
rksej us egkjkt flag ds flj esa lfj;k ekjk Fkk ftlls mls
pksV vk;h FkhA ;g dguk xyr gS fd eq>s pkph ik:y o
euh"kk cpkus vk;h rks pkjksa vkjksihx.k us muds lkFk Hkh ekjihV
dh FkhA ;g dguk xyr gS fd vkjksihx.k }kjk okfil tkrs
le; ?kj ds ckgj esjs pkpk caVh dh Hkh lfj;ksa o MaMksa ls
ekjihV dh Fkh ftlls mUgs flj esa pksV vk;h FkhA ;g dguk
xyr gS fd eSa pkjksa vkjksihx.k dks tkurk gwW vkSj mUgha ds }
kjk gekjs lkFk ekjihV dh xbZ FkhA lk{kh dks mlds iqfyl
dFku izn'kZ ih&10 dk , ls , Hkkx i<+dj lquk;s o le>k;s
6 WA 1248/18
tkus ij lk{kh us mDr vk'k; dk dFku iqfyl dks u nsuk O;Dr
fd;kA ;g dguk xyr gS fd eSa vkjksihx.k ls fey x;k gW vkSj
mUgsa cpkus ds fy, vkt U;k;ky; esa vlR; dFku dj jgk gwWA
izfrijh{k.k }kjk Jh jktohj flag vf/koDrk okLrs vkjksihx.k%&
3& dqN ughaA
iqu% ijh{k.k%& dqN ughA
lk{kh dks i<+dj lquk;k esjs cksyus ij Vafdr fd;k
x;kA
lgh gksuk crk;k x;k
lgh& lgh&
¼ts-,e-,Q-lh-Xokfy;j½ ¼ts-,e-,Q-lh-Xokfy;j½
6. Pertinently, it is not disputed by the rival parties that petitioner
has been referred to as Pavan Singh in the judgment of acquittal and
the testimonies of PWs.
6.1 The statements of other witnesses are also to the same effect
where all have denied not only the presence of petitioner at the
scene of the crime but have also denied having made any statement
to the police to the effect that the petitioner had committed any
house trespass after preparation for causing hurt, assault or criminal
intimidation. In fact, entire edifice of the prosecution story came
crumbling down when these witnesses right from PW-1 to PW-9
testified before the trial court. It seems that the prosecution in
posthaste had wrongly arraigned the petitioner as an accused for
extraneous consideration.
6.2 The plain reading of testimonies of all the PWs reveals that the
offence u/S. 452 IPC which appears to be the only obstacle in the
7 WA 1248/18
path of the petitioner, could not be established. Even an iota of
evidence was not collected by the prosecution demonstrating the
involvement of the petitioner in the crime alleged. Thus, the findings
rendered by the trial court of acquittal based on benefit of doubt are
a misnomer. In actuality the acquittal of the petitioner was clean and
honourable with no element of benefit of doubt involved.
7. The other reason assigned by the competent authority of the
offence involving moral turpitude dissolves into insignificance for the
simple reason that when the offence itself was not established the
question of considering it's nature or gravity does not arise.
8. Consequently, the entire decision making process undertaken
by the competent authority vide P/1 was vitiated being based on
non-existing and extraneous consideration.
8.1 More over, the learned single judge has also failed to
appreciate the nature of acquittal being clean and honourable. The
decision of Avtar Singh (supra) and the other verdicts relied upon
by the learned single judge do not lay down that service can be
denied even when the acquittal is clean and honourable.
9. Consequently, the appeal stands allowed subject to following
directions:-
(i) The impugned order of the learned single judge
dated 24/8/2018 in W.P.No. 4499/17 alongiwth the
order dated 13/6/2017 P/1 cancelling the candidature of
8 WA 1248/18
the petitioner for the post of constable passed by the
DIG (Office & Management/Security) M.P. Bhopal is set
aside.
(ii) The competent official respondents are directed
to reconsider the suitability of the appellant herein for appointment to the post of constable/driver in police establishment after treating the judgment dated 28/7/15 passed in Criminal Case No. 56/14 by the Judicial Magistrate First Class, Gwalior (M.P.) as honourable and clean acquittal.
(iii) Let the aforesaid exercise be completed within an outer limit of 60 (sixty) days from the date of receipt of certified copy of this order. No cost.
(Sheel Nagu) (S.A.Dharmadhikari)
Judge Judge
05/3/2019 05/3/2019
(Bu)
DHANANJ Digitally signed by DHANANJAYA BUCHAKE DN: c=IN, o=HIGH COURT OF M.P. BENCH GWALIOR, ou=P. S., postalCode=474011, AYA st=Madhya Pradesh, 2.5.4.20=d94ba0c97d32b052dc2b2953e50aa22 59fffca02f0df64f6e380887af9a76471, 2.5.4.45=03210001789E00741B6821B4768B566 B4765F459D8C46A18A92D65787E3249858074 BUCHAKE 13, cn=DHANANJAYA BUCHAKE Date: 2019.03.06 10:21:45 +05'30'