Allahabad High Court
Amar Singh @ Surendra vs State Of U.P. Thru. Prin. Secy. Home Lko. ... on 15 July, 2024
Author: Saurabh Lavania
Bench: Saurabh Lavania
HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT ALLAHABAD, LUCKNOW BENCH ?Neutral Citation No. - 2024:AHC-LKO:47820 Court No. - 13 Case :- APPLICATION U/S 482 No. - 6215 of 2024 Applicant :- Amar Singh @ Surendra Opposite Party :- State Of U.P. Thru. Prin. Secy. Home Lko. And 3 Others Counsel for Applicant :- Upendra Prakash Pathak Counsel for Opposite Party :- G.A. Hon'ble Saurabh Lavania,J.
1. Heard learned counsel for the applicant and learned AGA for the State and perused the record.
2. Present application under Section 482 Cr.P.C. read with Section 528 BNSS has been filed with a prayer to set aside the order dated 27.06.2024 passed by the Special Judge, POCSO Act, Court No. 44, Barabanki on an Application under Section 311 Cr.P.C. filed by the defense in Criminal Trial No. 137 of 2019, arising out of Case Crime/FIR No. 155 of 2019, under Sections 363, 366, 376 IPC & Section 3/4 of POCSO Act, Police Station- Kothi, District- Barabanki. The order dated 27.06.2024, on reproduction, reads as under:
"?????? 27.06.2024 ????? ???? ??, ????? ?? ???????? ??? ???? ???? ???????? ??????? ???? ??? ???? ??? ?? ?????? ???? ????????? ???? ?-45 ????? ?? ???? ????? ???? ????? ??? ???? ??? ?? ???? ???????? ??? ?? ?? ??? ??????? ???? ???? ??? ???????? ???????? ?? ???? ??????? ???? 313 ??? ????????? ?????? ?? ???? ??? ???? ???? ???? ??? ?? ???????? ??? ???????? ?? ??? ?? ????????? ???? ?-46 ?? ????? ??? ????? ???? ??? ?? ?? ????? ??? ???????? ?? ??? ?? ????? ??? ?? ????????? ???? ?-33/1 ?? ?-33/2, ???? ??? ????????? ?????? ?? ???? 311 ?? ??????? ??????? ?????? pw2/??????? ?? ???? ???? ???? ??? ??? ???? ?? ???? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ???????? ?? ?? ???? ???? ??? ??? ???????? ?? ?????? ????? ????????? ???? ?-33 ?? ???????? ?? ?? ???? ???? ??? ??? ???????? ??? ???? ???????? ??? ???? ?? ?????? ?? ??? ?????? ????????? ???? ???? ???? ????? ????? ?????? ??????? ????????? ???? ?? ???????? / ???????? ?? ??????? ???????? ??? ??????? ????? ??? ??????? ?? ???? ????
????????? ???? ?-33 ??? ??? ???? ??? ?? ?? ???????? ???? ??? ??? ???????? ?? ?? ????? ?? ?? ???? ??? ?? ???? ??.???????. 2 ?????? ?? ?????? 19-02-2020 ?? ????? ??????? ???? ????? ???? ???? ???? ???? ?? ???? ?????? 18-11-2021 ?? ??????? ???? ???? ??????? ??? ?????? ?? ???????? ???????? ??????? ???????? ????? ????? ???? ????? ?? ????? ????? ???? ???? ?????? ??0-202/2017 ????? ?????? 112 ?/2012 ??????? ???? 323/324/504 ???????? ???? ??????? ???? ???????? ??? ????? ??? ????? ???? ???? ???? ??? ?????? ????? ?????? 649/2013 ????? ?????? 112/2012 ??????? ????-323/308/506 ???????? ???? ??????? ???? ???????? ??? ????? ??? ???? ??? ???????? ??????? ????? ??? ????? ????? ????? ????? ???? ????? ???? ?????? ??0-59/2013 ????? ?????? 161/2013 ??????? ????-147/148/149/307/302/323/336/506 ???????? ? 5 ??????????? ???? ???? ????? ???? ???????? ??? ????? ??? ?? ??? ?? ???????? ?? ???????? ???? ?? ??????? ?????? ??? ???? ?? ???? ??? ?? ??? ?? ?? ???????? ??????? ?? ?? ??? ?? ???? ??? ???? ??? ?? ?? ??? ?? ??? ???? ?? ???? ????? ?? ?? ?????? ?????? ????? ??? ???? ?? ???? ??? ???? ??? ?? ??? ?? ?? ??? ?? ????????? ????? ?? ?? ???? ????? ??? ?????? ???????? ??????? ?? ??? ???? ???? ?? ??? ?? ???? ?? ?????? ???? ?? ??? ????? ???? ???????? ?? ???? ????????? ???? ?????? 18-11-2021 ?? ???????? ???? ?? ???????? ??????? ?? ?????? ?????? ???? ???? ??.???????. 2 ??????? ?? ???? ?? ???? ?????? ?? ???? ???? ???????? ?? ???? ?? ???? ? ????? ??? ??? ???????? ???? ???? ?? ?? ????? ??????? ???? ?? ???? ??.???????. 2 ??????? ?? ???? ???? ?? ???? ?? ???? ??.???????, 2 ??????? ?? ??? ?????? ?? ?? ?? ?????? ???? ????? ??? ?? ?????? ?? ???? ???? ???? ?? ???? ????? ???? ???? ?? ??? ?? ??? ?? ???? ??.???????. 2 ?? ????? ?? ???? ?????? ????? ??? ??? ???? ?? ???? ?? ???? ? ???? ?? ???????? ?? ????? ???? ??? ?????? ?? ???????? ????????? ????? ?? ????? ?? ?????? ????? ???? ???? ??. ???????, 2 ???? ???? ????? ???? ???????? ??? ????? ??? ??????? ?? ?? ?????? ?? ?? ????????? ????? ???? ???? ??. ???????, 2 ??????? ?? ??????? ???? ????? ???? ?????? ??.???????, 2 ??????? ?? ???? ???? ?? ???? ???? ?? ???? ?????
??? ????????? ?????? ?? ??????? ???? 311 ?? ????????? ?? ???? ?????? ???? ?? ??? ?? ?? ??????? ??-
311. ?????? ?????? ?? ??? ???? ?? ??????? ??????? ?? ??????? ???? ?? ?????- ??? ???????? ?? ?????? ?? ???? ???? ????, ?????? ?? ???? ????????? ?? ?????? ??????? ??? ???? ??????? ?? ?????? ?? ??? ?? ??? ?? ???? ?? ?? ???? ??? ??????? ??, ?? ????? ??, ?????? ?? ?????? ?? ??? ??? ??? ? ???? ??? ??, ??????? ?? ???? ??, ???? ??????? ??, ????? ???? ??????? ?? ?? ???? ?? ???? ???? ???? ?? ???? ??????????? ?? ???? ??, ?? ??? ???????? ?? ????? ?? ????????? ???????? ?? ??? ???? ??? ??????? ?? ??????? ?????? ?????? ???? ??, ?? ?? ??? ??????? ?? ??? ????? ?? ???? ??????? ????? ?? ??? ???? ??????? ?? ???? ???? ??????? ??????
???? ????????? ?? ?????? ?? ?? ???? 311 ??? ????????? ?????? ??? ?? ??????? ?????? ??? ???????????? ?? ?????? ???? ??? ????????? ???? ??? ??? ?? ??? ?? ???? ????????? ??? ???? ????????? ??? ???? ???????? ?? ????? ??? ????????? ????????? ?? ??? ???? ??????? ?? ??????? ?????? ?????? ?? ??? ?? ???? ?????? ?? ?????????? ???? ??? ??? ???? ?? ????????? ???? ??? ???
????????/?????? ?????? ????????? ???? ??? ????? ??? ?? ?????? ?? ???????????? ??? ???? ???????? ?? ?????? ????? ???????? ?? ?????? ?? ????? ?? ??? ?? ?? ??????? ??????? ???? ????????? ?????? 19.02.2024 ?? ?? ???????? ??? ??????? ?? ??? ???? ????? ??????? ?? ????? ??? ???? ?? ?????? ???? ???? ?????? ???? ???? ?? ?? ??? ???? ?? ????? ?????? ??? ???? ?? ?? ???? ???? ?? ???? ???? ??? ?????? ???? ??????? ???? ???????? ?????? ?????? ?? ??? ??? ???? ??? ???? ??????? ??.???????. 2 ???????? ??? ?????? 06.03.2020 ?? ??????? ??? ??? ???? ???? ?? ???? ???? ??? ????? ??? ?? ???? ?? ?????? ???????? ?? ??? ?? ???????? ??? ?? ????????? ???? ?? ???? ?? ???? ???? ???? ???? ?????? ???? ??? ??? ???? ?????? ???? ??????? ?? ?????? 01.03.2021 ?? ??????? ??, ????? ???? ???? ?? ?? ???? ???? ?? ?? ?? ??? ???? ?????? ?????? 18.11.2021 ?? ??.???????. 2 ???? ???????? ??? ??????? ??? ??? ???? ???? ?? ????????/???????? ?? ??? ?? ????? ????????? ???? ?-30 ????? ???? ???? ???? ????????? ???? ?? ???????? ??????? ??????? ?????? ???? ???? ??? ?? ????? ???? ??? ?? ?? ??????? ???????? ??? ???? ?? 10:30 ??? ?? ??????? ?? ??? ???????? ???-??? ???? ???????? ?? ?????? ?? ??? ???? ?? ??? ???????? ??? ???? ??? ?? ????? ?? ?? ???? ???? ??? ? ??? ???? ??? ???? ??? ???? ???? ?? ???? ??? 03:45 ?? ??? ?? ??????? ????? ????????? ???? ?? ??? ?? ???? ?? ?????? ???? ??? ????????? ???? ?? ?????? ???? ?? ???? ???? ??? ??.???????, 2 ?? ???? ???? ?? ???? ?? ???? ?? ?????? ?? ???? ??? ??? ?? ?????? ?? ?????? 18.11.2021 ?? ???? ?? ???? ?? ?????? ??? ???? ?? ???? ?? ???? ?? ?? ?????? ??? ?????? ???? ?? ?????? ???????? ????????? ???? ????? ?? ??? ??? ???? ?? ???? ?????? ???? ?? ???? ?? ?????? ???? ??. ???????, 2 ?? ?????? ?? ??????? ??????? ??? ???????? ?? ??????? ???? ?????? ?? ???-??? ?????? ??????? ?? ?????? ?? ??????? ??????? ?? ??????? ???? ?? ??????? ?? ???? ?????? ???? ??? ??? ?????? ??????? ?? ?????? ?? ??????? ??????? ????? ??? ?? ??????? ??????? ?? ???? ?? 18 ???? ?? ?? ??? ?? ?????? ?? ???? ?? ?????? ?? ??? ???? ?? ????? ???? ????????? ???? ??? ?? ?? ??????? ??? ?? ??????? ?? ??????? ????????????? ??? ?????? ?? ?????? ??? ????????? ?? ?? ?????? ???? ??? ??? ??? ??????? ????????? ?? ??????? ???? 33 (5) ??? ?? ???????? ???? ??? ?? ?? ????? ???????? ????????? ????? ?? ???? ?? ???????? ??? ??????? ?? ??? ???-??? ???? ?????? ???? ???? ???????? ???? 35 ??? ?? ???????? ???? ??? ?? ?? ????? ???????? ?????? ????? ?? ??? ??????? ?? ??? ???? ?? 30 ??? ?? ???? ???? ?? ??????? ?? ???????? ???? ????? ??? ????? ?? ?????? ?? ?? ?????? ??? ???? ?? ??????? ???? ??? ??? ???? ?? ?? ?????? ?? ?? ??? ????????? ?????? ?? ???? 309 ?? ?? ????????? ?? ??????? ?? ?????? ???? ?? ????? ???????? ?? ?????? ???? ?? ??? ???? ?? ??? ?? ???????? ???? ??? ?? ?? ???????? ?? ??????? ?????? ?? ???????? ?????? ???? ???? ?? ?? ???????? ???? ??? ?? ?? ?? ???? ?? ????? ???? ???? ???? ????? ?? ???? ??????? ?? ??? ???????? ???? ???? ???????? ??? ?????? ???, ?? ????? ?? ???? ???? ?? ???? ??? ??? ?? ?????? ?????? ??? ?? ?? ???????? ???? ??? ?? ?? ??? ??? ?????? ???????? ??? ??????? ??, ????? ???? ????? ??????? ???? ??? ??????? ?? ?????? ????? ???? ???? ??? ?? ??? ??? ??? ???? ?????? ?? ????? ??????? ?? ??? ??? ???? ?? ???? ???????? ????? ?? ???? ???
??????? ????? ??? ???? ?? ?????? ???? ?? ???? ?? ??????? ?????? ??????? ???????? ??? ??? ???-??? ?????? ?? ??????? ??? ????? ???? ????? ??????? ?? ???????? ???? ??? ???? ?? ?????? ???? ???? ?????? ???? ???? ???? ????? ?? ??? ????????? ?????? ?? ???? 311 ?? ???????? ?? ????? ???? ?? ???? ?? ?????? ?? ?????? ?????? ???? ?? ?? ???? ?? ?? ??????? ???????? ?? ??? ??????? ???????????? ??? ?? ???? ??????? ??? ???? ???? ???? ?????? ??????? ????? ??? ???? ???? ?????? ???? ??? ????????? ???? ??????? ??? ???? ????? ???? ??? ???????? ???? ??? ???? ?? ?????? ?? ??.???????. 2 ?? ????? ??????? ???? ?? ??, ???? ??????? ?? ???????? ??? ?? ???-??? ???????? ??? ??? ??? ??? ?? ?? ???? ?????? ??? ???? ?? ??? ?? ?????? ???? ?? ?????? ?? ?? ????????? ???? ?? ?? ??? ?????? ?????? ???? ????? ?????????? ?? ??????? ??? ????????? ???? ??????? ??? ???? ????? ???? ??? ??????? ?????? ???? ???? ???
??? ???? ????????? / ????? ????????? (?????? ????), ???????? ???? ?????? 44, ????????"
.
3. Learned counsel for the applicant, challenging the order dated 27.06.2024, in nutshell, submitted that on account of certain difficulties including the illness and the engagement in other cases, learned counsel for the applicant in the trial Court could not cross-examine the victim/P.W.2 on various aspects of the case and on account of failure to cross-examine the victim/P.W.2, for the reason beyond the control, the trial Court closed the opportunity of cross-examination of the victim/P.W.2 vide order dated 19.02.2020 and therefore, an application under Section 311 Cr.P.C. was moved on 10.01.2023 and taking note of this aspect of the case as also the principles related to Section 311 Cr.P.C., the trial Court ought to have allowed the application and in not doing so, the trial Court erred in law.
4. Learned counsel for the applicant in support of his contention has placed reliance on the judgment passed by this Court at Allahabad in Application U/S 482 No. 43085 of 2022 (Nanhe and Another Vs. State of U.P. and Another) on 10.04.2023 and by Honb'e High Court of Karnataka at Bengaluru in Criminal Petition No. 4449 of 2022 (Mahammad Ali Akbar @ Ali Umar Vs. State of Karnataka) on 06.06.2022.
5. Learned A.G.A. opposed the present application. He stated that the application was moved with sole intention to delay the trial, which is impermissible and in this view of the matter, the application has rightly been rejected by the trial Court.
6. Considered the submissions advanced by the learned counsel for the parties and perused the record.
7. From a perusal of paper book the following facts are borne out:
(i) The victim/P.W.2 was partly cross-examined on 19.02.2020;
(ii) On 06.03.2020, the victim/P.W.2 was present in the Court and on this date, the case was adjourned on the application seeking adjournment preferred by the defense;
(iii) It appears that on account COVID-19 Pandemic, the matter could not be taken up between 06.03.2020 and 01.03.2021;
(iv) On 01.03.2021, the victim/P.W.2 was present in the Court and on this date also, she was not cross-examined and in the interest of substantial justice, the case was adjourned fixing the date 18.11.2021;
(v) On 18.11.2021, the victim/P.W.2 was present in the Court for further cross-examination and an adjournment, application was moved by the defense, which was rejected and opportunity for cross-examining the victim/P.W.2 was closed;
(vi) The order dated 18.11.2021 was not challenged nor has been challenged in the present application;
(vii) After a huge delay i.e. after a delay of about 14 months an application under Section 311 Cr.P.C. was preferred by the applicant on 10.01.2023;
(viii) The application aforesaid has been rejected by means of impugned order dated 27.06.2024;
(ix) From 10.01.2023 to 27.06.2024 why the application could not be disposed of no reason has been given in the present application;
8. Aforesaid facts indicates that the application under Section 311 Cr.P.C. preferred by the defense on 10.01.2023 was preferred with intention to delay the conclusion of the trial.
9. It would be apt to indicate that the case is at the stage of recording the statement of the accused under Section 313 Cr.P.C.
10. Having observed above and taking note of the observations made by the trial Court in the order dated 27.06.2024 and the principles related to recall of witness under Section 311 Cr.P.C. settled by the Hon'ble Apex Court in the case(s) of Natasha Singh vs. CBI, (2013) 5 SCC 741 : (2013) 4 SCC (Cri) 828 : 2013 SCC OnLine SC 444, State of Haryana vs. Ram Mehar and others; (2016) 8 SCC 762, Swapan Kumar Chatterjee vs. Central Bureau of Investigation, (2019) 14 SCC 328; Varsha Garg vs. State of Madhya Pradesh and Others; 2022 SCC OnLine SC 986 and as also by this Court in Application under Section 482 Cr.P.C. No. 274 of 2022 (Ram Nayak Singh vs. State of U.P. & Another) and in the judgments referred by learned counsel for the applicant as also the spirit of Section 33(5) of the POCSO Act, 2012, according to which a child is not called repeatedly to testify in the Court and also the intent of Section 35(2) of POCSO Act, 2012, according to which the trial, as far as possible, should be concluded within a period of one year from the date of taking cognizance of offense, this Court does not find any illegality in the impugned order dated27.06.2024.
11. Accordingly, the present application is rejected. No orders as to costs.
Order Date :- 15.7.2024 Mohit Singh/-