Allahabad High Court
Surendra Nath Rai vs State Of U.P. Thru. Addl. Chief Prin. ... on 23 November, 2024
Author: Saurabh Lavania
Bench: Saurabh Lavania
HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT ALLAHABAD, LUCKNOW BENCH ?Neutral Citation No. - 2024:AHC-LKO:77698 Court No. - 12 Case :- APPLICATION U/S 482 No. - 10618 of 2024 Applicant :- Surendra Nath Rai Opposite Party :- State Of U.P. Thru. Addl. Chief Prin. Secy. Deptt. Home Lko. And 3 Others Counsel for Applicant :- Yogesh Kumar Mishra,Dharmendra Kumar Yadav Counsel for Opposite Party :- G.A. Hon'ble Saurabh Lavania,J.
1. Heard learned counsel for the applicant and learned A.G.A. for the State-opposite party.
2. By means of the present application under Section 528 B.N.S.S., the applicant has sought the following main reliefs:
"to quash the Order dated 20.09.2024, Criminal Revision no. 360/2022 "Surendra Nath Rai vs Shalini Yadav passed by the additional and Session Judge FTC Gonda, in Case Crime No. 0116/2021, U/S -306 IPC, lodged in Police Station- Kotwali Nagar, District- Gonda. And as well including impugned order u/s 173(8) passed by chief judicial magistrate on 07.07.2022, in case crime no. 28872/2021, State vs. Shalini Yadav u/s 306 IPC. Police Station Kotwali Nagar District Gonda, as for as it relates to Applicant as stated in Annexure No.1 & 5, to this petition.
It is further prayed that this Hon'ble Court may kindly be pleased to direct the opp. Party no.2&3 to investigate the case some points that have not been investigate, in case crime No. 116/2021 ", State vs Shalini Yadav.", pending in the court of. A.D.J, District Gonda, in the interest of justice."
3. Facts of the case, in brief, which appear from the record, are as under:
(i) The informant-applicant/Surendra Nath Rai, a Head Constable, at relevant point of time, at Police Station - Gauriganj, District - Amethi, made a written complaint at Police Station - Kotwali Nagar, District - Gonda on 14.02.2021, registered as Case Crime No. 0116/2021 under Section 302 of Indian Penal Code, 1860 (in short "IPC").
(ii) According to the FIR, the opposite party no. 2/accused and the deceased/Manish Kumar Rai (son of the informant Surendra Nath Rai) were known to each other and were in relationship, while the opposite party no. 2/accused was posted at Faizabad (now Ayodhya). It also appears from the FIR that the opposite party no. 2/accused was transferred from District - Faizbaad to District - Gonda and the deceased/Manish Kumar Rai was found in unconscious state at Irrigation Colony, Gonda where the opposite party no. 2/accused was residing and the deceased (son of the informant Surendra Nath Rai) was admitted in the hospital where under treatment he expired.
(iii) The FIR indicates that poison was administered by the opposite party no. 2/accused.
(iv) The Investigating Officer (in short "I.O."), thereafter recorded the statement of various persons including informant-applicant/Surendra Nath Rai (father of the deceased/Manish Kumar Rai), Akhilesh Kumar Singh and Ms. Sangeeta as also statement of Ms. Chitralekha Shukla and others.
(v) From the statements of the informant recorded by the I.O. during investigation which includes Majeed Bayan (supplementary statement) it prima facie appears that it is a case of suicide.
(vi) The I.O., upon completion of investigating, submitted the charge sheet No. 01 dated 25.09.2021 under Section 306 IPC.
(vii) Thereafter before the Chief Judicial Magistrate, Gonda (in short "Magistrate") the applicant/informant preferred an application in terms of Section 173(8) Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (in short "Cr.P.C.").
(viii) The Magistrate, vide order dated 07.07.2022, rejected the application of the applicant after observing that the cognizance has been taken and the matter is at the stage of committal.
4. At this stage, it would be apt to indicate that as per the judgment of the Hon'ble Apex Court passed in the case of Vinubhai Haribhai Malaviya Vs. State of Gujarat, reported in (2019) 17 SCC 1, the order for further investigation could be passed till the commencement of trial.
5. The order of Magistrate dated 07.07.2022 was assailed by the applicant by means of Criminal Revision No. 360 of 2022 (Surendra Nath Rai Vs. Shalini Yadav and Others) before the Session Court.
6. The Additional Session Judge/FTC-11, Gonda (in short "Revisional Court") after considering the various aspects of the case including the statement of the informant/applicant, dismissed the revision vide order impugned dated 20.09.2024. The relevant portion of the order dated 20.09.2024 impugned is extracted herein-under:
"9- ?????? ??? ???????? ????? ???? ?????? ???? ???? ??????? ?????? 784/22 ?? ?????? ?? ????? ???? ?? ?? ????? ??????? ?????? ?????? ???? ?????? ???????????? ???, ?? ???? ?? ???? ??, ?? ???? ???? 161 ?????????? ????? ???? ??? ??, ?????? ?????? ???? ??? ?? ?? "?????? ???? ?? ???? ????? ?? ???? ???? ?? ???? ????, ???? ??????? ?? ????, ???? ?????? ???? ????? ?? ????? ??? ????? ???? ????? ?? ????????? ?? ???? ??????? ?????" ?????? ?????? ????? ??? ?? ???? ???? ???? 161 ?????????? ??? ??? ???? ?? ?? "?????? ???? ????? ?? ???? ???? ??? ????? ????????? ??? ?? ????? ?????? ?? ??? ??, ????? ????? ???? ????? ??, ????? ???? ?? ?????? ?? ???? ??? ?? ??? ?? ?? ????? ?? ???? ???? ?? ?? ??? ?? ??? ?? ??? ??? ?? ???, ??? ??? ?? ???? ?? ??? ?? ?????" ???? ????? ?? ???? ???? ???? 161 ?????????? ??? ??? ???? ?? ?? 13 ????? 2021 ?? ??? 4-5 ??? ?? ???? ?? ????? ?? ???? ???? ????? ?? ??? ?? ?? ?????? ???? ?? ???? ???? ?? ????? ??????? ?? ???? ??? ??? ??? ???, ?? ?????? ???? ?? ????? ?? ??? ???? ??? ??? ?? ?? ?????? ???? ?? ????? ?? ??? ???? ?????? ?? ???? ????? ??? ??, ?????? ?????? ???? ?? ?????? ???? ????, ????? ??? ?? ??? ?????? ?????? ?? ???? ???" ???? ?????? ???????????? ??? ?? ???? ???? ???? ??? ??? ???? ?? ?? "???? ????? ???? ???? ??? ?? ?????? ???? ?? ??? ???? ???? ????? ?????? ?? ??? ??, ??????????? ?? ??????? ????? ?? ???? ?????? ??? ???? ?? ?? ???? ?? ????? ?????? ???? ?? ?? ??????????? ??????? ?? ?????? ?? ??? ?? ?????? ???? ?? ???? ????? ???? ?? ??????? ?? ??? ?? ???? ???? ????? ???? ??? ?? ???? ???? ?? ??? ?? ????, ?????? ????? ?? ???? ?? ???? ????? ???? ??? ???? ?????? ???? ?? ?? ?????? ???? ????? ???? ??? ?????? ???? ?? ????????? ?? ?????" ???? ??????? ?????? ?? ???? ???? ???? 161 ?????????? ??? ??? ???? ?? ?? "???? ??? ???? ????? ????? ?????? ????? ??? ???? ???? ???, ???-???? ????? ???? ?? ???? ?????? ???? ?? ????? ?? ??? ???? ??? ??, ?????? ???? ?? ????? ?? ??? ?????? ??? ??? ?? ????? ?????? ???? ?? ?????? ???? ???? ??, ????? ?? ?? ??? ??? ?? ??? ??? ??? ?? ??? ????? ????? ??? ???? ???? ??, ???? ??? ?? ??? ?????? ?????? ?? ???? ?? ?? ??? ???? ??? ??? ???" ?????? ?????? ???-????? ??? ?????? ????????? ??????, ????? ????? ??? ?? ???? ???? 161 ?????????? ?? ????? ???? ??? ??? ???-????? ?? ??? ???? ????? ??? ?????? ???? ??? ???? ?? ?? ???? ???? ??? ??? ?????? ?????? ??? ????? ?? ?????? ??????? ?? ???????????? ??? ?? ???? ???? ???????? ???? 306 ????????? ?? ??? ????????? ?? ??????? ??????? ???? ??? ??? ???? ?? ?? ???? ????????? ?? ?? ????????????? ?????? ?????? ????????? ?????? ???? ?? ??????? ???? 306 ????????? ?? ???? ????-???? ???????? ??? ??????? ???? ???, ??? ?? ??????? ????? ??????? ??????????, ?????? ?????? ?????? 28.10.2021 ?? ?????????? ???? ???, ????????? ???????? ?????? 05.08.2022 ?? ???? ???????? ?? ???????? ?? ???? ???? ??????? ?? ???????? ??? ????????? 1 ???????????? ??? ? ????????? 2 ?????? ????? ??? ?? ???? ????? ?? ???? ??? ??? ???? ?? ???? ?????? ???????????? ??? ?????? ?????????-???? 32? ???????? ???? 319 ?????????? ???? ??? ???? ???? ???? ?????????? ???????? ???? ??? ??? ?? ????? ??? ??????? ?????????? ?????? ???? ???????? ???? ??? ?? ?????? ???? ??? ?? ?? "???????? ?????? ??? ????????? ?????? ???? ?? ??????? ???? ???? ???????? ??? ??????? ????? ?? ??????? ????-???? ?? ???????? ?????? ?????????? ???? ?? ???? ??? ???????? ?????? ????? ?? ???? ?? ??, ??? ??? ????? ?? ?????? ?? ???????? ???? ??? ?????????-???? ???????? ??? ??????? ???? ???? ????? ???? ??? ???????? ?????????-???? ?????? ???? ???? ???" ??????? ???? ??? ???????????? ?? ????? ??? ???? ??? ??????? ?????????? ?? ????????? ?? ???????? ???? ??? ???? ???? ????? ???? ??, ?? ???? ????? ??? ??????? ???????? ???????? ?????? ????? ??? ????? ?????? ??????? ????-???? ?? ??????? ???? ?? ?????? ???? 173 (8) ?????????? ?? ??? ???? ??? ?????????-???? ?? ???? ????? ????? ?? ?????? ???? ??? ??, ?????? ?????? ?????? ??? ?????? ??????? ???? ???? ???? ??? ?????? ???? ???? ?? ???? ????????? ???? ????? ???? 173 (8) ?????????? ?? ??? ?????????? ?? ??????? ???? ???? ?? ?????? ?? ??????? ?? ?????? ????????? ???? ???? ?? ?????? ?????? ?? ?????? ???? ??? ??? ?????? ???????? ???????? ?????? State through CBI vs Himendra Reddy and another Criminal appeal arising out of SLP No 7628-7630/2017 Decided 28 April 2023 ??? ???????????? ???? ??? ?? ?? The police can continue to investigate even after the court take cognizence of an offence based on the initial police report. This is because the pendency of a further investigation does not affect the chargesheet.
10- ?? ?????? ??????? ???? ???????? ??? ?????? ???????? ?????? ????-???? ???? ???? ?? ?????? ?? ?????? ?? ?? ?????? ??????? ???? ???? ?? ?????? ???? ??? ??, ?????????? ?? ??? ????? ????? ?? ????? ???? ? ???????????? ?? ??????? ?? ????? ??? ?????????? ?????? ?????????-???? ?? ??? ???????? ?? ??? ???????? ???? ??? ??, ????? ??? ??????? ?????? ????????? ???? ????? ?? ?????? ???????? ?? ??? ??? ??????? ?????????? ?? ???????? ?? ?????? ??? ????? ??? ????? ???? ? ??????? ?? ?????? ???????? ???? ????? ???? ??, ?????? ????????? ? ????????? ???????? ??? ?????? ????????? ???? ???? ??? ?????? ???????? ?????? ??????? ???????? ?? ?????? ?????? ???? ??? ???????? ???? ????? ???? ??? ??, ?????? ??????? ???????? ?????? ????????? ???? ???? ?? ??? ???????? ?????? ???? ???? ???
11- ???????????? ?? ??? ?? ???????? ???????? ??????? ???? ?? ???? ? ???????????? ???????? ????? ?? ???? ? ???????????? ?? ????? ????? ?? ???? ???? ??????? ???? ?? ??? ??? ???????????? ?? ???? ??????? ???? ???
12- ?????? ???????? ???????? ?????? ???? ???? ???? ???? ???? (2012) 9 ??.??.??. -460 ??? ?? ?? ???????????? ???? ??? ?? ?? "????????? ???????? ?? ?????? ???????? ?????? ??? ?? ?????? ?? ??? ???????? ?? ?????? ???? ?? ????????? ???? ?? ?? ????? ? ???"
13- ?????? ???????? ???????? ?????? ???? ?????? ???? ????? ???, (2013) 5 ??.??.??. ????? 762 ??? ?? ??? ?? ???? ????????? ?????????? ???? ?? ?? "????????? ????????? ????????????? ???? ?? ?????? ?? ?? ???????? ???? ???? ????? ?????? ?? ???????? ?? ??? ?? ????? ??? ???? ????? ?? ?? ???? ???????? ???????? ????? ???? ?? ??? ??? ????????? ????????????? ?? ?????? ???? ???? ????????? ??????? ???"
14- ??? ??????? ???????? ???????? ?? ???? ??? ??????? ?????? ???????? ?????? ????? ?????? ???? ???????? 07.07.2022 ??? ??? ???????? ??? ???????? ?????? ???? ???? ??? ?????? ???? ??????????? ?? ??? ????????? ?? ????????????? ?? ?????? ??, ??????? ?????? ???????? ?????? ????? ?????? ???? ??? ????????? ??? ???? ?? ??? ??????????? ???? ???? ??, ??????? ??????? ??????? ????? ???? ?? ???? ?????? ???? ????? ???"
7. It would be apt to indicate that present matter relates to "investigation".
8. Expression "Investigation" has been defined in Section 2(h) of Cr.P.C. (now repealed) which reads as under:-
""investigation" includes all the proceedings under this Code for the collection of evidence conducted by a police officer or by any person (other than a Magistrate) who is authorized by a Magistrate in this behalf;"
9. Regarding expression "investigation", it would be appropriate to refer the paras 53 to 55 of the judgment passed in the case of Kailash Vijayvargiya vs. Rajlakshmi Chaudhari and Others; reported in 2023 SCC OnLine SC 569. The Hon'ble Apex Court by this judgment remanded the matter back to the Magistrate to decide the application under Section 156(3) Cr.P.C. preferred by the victim afresh, wherein allegations were levelled to attract the offence indicated under Section 417, 376, 406, 313, 120 IPC, which was initially rejected by the Magistrate, and thereafter the Magistrate in compliance of order of remand of High Court, without recording reasons, directed the Police to lodge an FIR and investigate the matter. The aforesaid paras are reproduced hereinunder:-
"53. The Code vide Chapter XII, ranging from Section 154 to Section 176, deals with information to the Police and their power to investigate. Section 154 deals with the information relating to the commission of a cognizable offence and fiats the procedure to be adopted when prima facie commission of a cognizable offence is made out. Section 156 authorises a police officer in-charge of a Police station to investigate any cognizable offence without the order of a Magistrate. Sub-section (3) of Section 156 provides for any Magistrate empowered under Section 190 to order an investigation as mentioned in Section 156(1). In cases where a cognizable offence is suspected to have been committed, the officer in-charge of the Police station, after sending a report to the Magistrate empowered to take cognizance of such offence, is entitled under Section 157 to investigate the facts and circumstances of the case and also to take steps for discovery and arrest of the offender. Clauses (a) and (b) of the proviso to sub-section (1) to Section 157 give discretion to the officer in-charge not to investigate a case, when information of such offence is given against any person by name and the case is not of serious nature; or when it appears to the officer in-charge of the Police station that there is no sufficient ground for entering the investigation. In each of the cases mentioned in clauses (a) and (b) to the proviso to sub-section (1) to Section 157, the officer in-charge of the Police station has to file a report giving reasons for not complying with the requirements of sub-section (1) and in a case covered by clause (b) to the proviso, also notify the informant that he will not investigate the case or cause it to be investigated. Section 159 gives power to a Magistrate, on receiving such report of the officer in-charge, to either direct an investigation or if he thinks fit, proceed to hold a preliminary inquiry himself or through a Magistrate subordinate to him, or otherwise dispose of the case in the manner provided by the Code.
54. Sections 160 to 164 deal with the power of the Police to require attendance of witnesses, examination of witnesses, use of such statements in evidence, inducement for recording statement and recording of statements. Section 165 deals with the power of a Police officer to conduct search during investigation in the circumstances mentioned therein.
55. The power under the Code to investigate generally consists of following steps : (a) proceeding to the spot; (b) ascertainment of facts and circumstances of the case; (c) discovery and arrest of the suspected offender; (d) collection of evidence relating to commission of offence, which may consist of examination of various persons, including the person accused, and reduction of the statement into writing if the officer thinks fit; (e) the search of places of seizure of things considered necessary for investigation and to be produced for trial; and (f) formation of opinion as to whether on the material collected there is a case to place the accused before the Magistrate for trial and if so, taking the necessary steps by filing a chargesheet under Section 173."
10. In the instant case, the charge-sheet was filed, after recording the statements of the witnesses of the prosecution and collecting the evidence including medical opinion/post-morten report, under Section 306 IPC.
11. Further, the order dated 20.09.2024 indicates that the applicant has already preferred an application under Section 319 Cr.P.C.
12. Having considered the aforesaid facts and circumstances of the case as also the settled principle of law on the issue, this Court is of the view that no interference is required in the impugned order(s) dated 07.07.2022 and 20.09.2024.
13. For the reasons aforesaid, this Court finds no force in the present application. It is accordingly dismissed. Costs made easy.
Order Date :- 23.11.2024/Mohit Singh/-