721.
(P&H HC) 30-10-2020
A. Indian Penal Code, 1860 (45 of 1860), Section 406, 420 -- Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (2 of 1974), Section 438 -- Anticipatory bail -- Agreement to sell – Criminal breach of trust -- Dispute has traits of a civil dispute -- Complainant cannot allege cheating or criminal breach of trust against petitioner on the basis of agreement to sell entered where the petitioner was never a party to said agreement -- In receipt, it was specifically mentioned that registry will be done after vacation of stay -- Petition allowed.
(Para 6-8)
B. Indian Penal Code, 1860 (45 of 1860), Section 406, 420 -- Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (2 of 1974), Section 438 -- Civil Dispute – Registration of FIR – Misuse of criminal process -- Held, there is prevailing tendency to paint civil disputes as criminal acts for applying pressure to settle the issue -- Alternative route adopted is considered to be a short cut to the civil litigation -- Number of cases involving pure and simple money recovery, specific performance issues or such like matters, FIRs are being registered by the police authorities -- In order to avoid harassment in the matters involving civil disputes, it is need of the hour that the police department at the appropriate level, looks into the process of registering FIR, especially in matters having tone of civil dispute -- It is expected that the matter would be looked into and necessary steps would be taken.
(Para 10, 11)