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4. Learned counsel for the Petitioner contends that a complaint under Section 138 Negotiable Instruments Act (in short N.I. Act) was filed against the Petitioner. During the said proceedings summons were not served on the Petitioner and without service of summons, the next process of issuing warrants and non-bailable warrants were resorted to. Even the procedure adopted under Section 82 Cr.P.C. was illegal as the proclamation was not published in the newspaper "The Statesman" as directed by the Court but in another news daily. Further the statutory time of 30 days notice was not adhered to. Moreover, since the Petitioner appeared before the Learned Trial Court in the proceedings under Section 138 of the N.I. Act, the Petitioner was no more an absconder and the process under Section 83 Cr.P.C. was recalled. In view thereof the direction of the Learned Metropolitan Magistrate for registration of FIR under Section 174-A IPC and the continuation thereof is an abuse of the process of the Court and is required to be quashed to meet the ends of justice. It is also contended that cognizance for an offence punishable under Section 174-A IPC can be taken only on a complaint filed under Section 195 Cr.P.C. and in the absence of a complaint, no cognizance on the charge-sheet could have been taken.

5. Learned APP on the other hand contends that the essential requirement under Section 82(2)(i) Cr.P.C. is of affixation and the requirement under Clause (iii) for publication in the newspaper is not mandatory. Hence in the absence of a proper publication also, if an affixation alone is made the requirement of procedure under Section 82 Cr.P.C. stands satisfied. Even the Learned Trial Court noted satisfaction on the basis of return of process under Section 82 Cr.P.C. by way of affixation and had thus directed registration of FIR under Section 174-A IPC.

9. As regards the next contention of the Petitioner that for a prosecution under Section 174-A IPC no cognizance can be taken on a charge-sheet but on a complaint under Section 195 Cr.P.C., it may be noted that Section 174- A IPC was introduced in the Code with effect from 23rd June, 2006. Section 195(1) Cr.P.C. provides that no Court shall take cognizance of offences punishable under Section 172 to 188 (both inclusive) of the IPC or of the abatement, or attempt to commit the said offences, except on the complaint in writing of the public servant concerned or of some other public servant to whom he is administratively subordinate. Section 195 Cr.P.C. has not been correspondingly amended so as to include Section 174-A IPC which was brought into the Penal Code with effect from 23rd June, 2006. The Legislature was conscious of this fact and that is why though all other offences under chapter X of the Criminal Procedure Code are non- cognizable, offence punishable under Section 174-A IPC is cognizable. Thus the Police officer on a complaint under Section 174-A IPC is competent to register FIR and after investigation thereon file a charge-sheet before the Court of Magistrate who can take cognizance thereon. Thus, I find no merit in the contention raised by the Learned Counsel for the Petitioner.

10. Adverting to the last contention of the learned counsel for the Petitioner that the process under Section 82 Cr.P.C. was illegal as the proclamation was not in the newspaper as directed by the Court but in the other newspaper, it may be noted that Section 82(2) Cr.P.C. provides for the procedure for publishing the proclamation. Clause (i) of Sub-Section (2) is mandatory in nature as it directs that the proclamation shall be publically read in some conspicuous place of the town in which the person ordinarily resides, shall be affixed in some conspicuous place of the house in which the person ordinarily resides, and shall be affixed in some conspicuous part of the Court- house. However, Clause (ii) of Section 82(2) Cr.P.C. is not mandatory and it states that the Court may also if it thinks fit direct a copy of the proclamation to be published in a daily newspaper circulated in the place in which such person ordinarily resides. Since Clause (ii) is not mandatory in nature, the non-adherence to the strict compliance thereon will not vitiate the process under Section 82 Cr.P.C. The abovementioned FIR for offence punishable under Section 174-A IPC is an independent cause of action and merely because the complaint case under Section 138 NI Act is settled, there is no reason that the abovementioned FIR be also quashed.