Search By Topic: Penal Laws

909. (P&H HC) 10-07-2020

Haryana Development and Regulation of Urban Areas Act, 1975 (8 of 1975), Section 3(2), 3(3) 4 and 24 -- Haryana Development and Regulation of Urban Areas Rules, 1976, Rule 4 -- Haryana Apartment Ownership Act, 1983 (10 of 1983), Section 2, 6 , 24-A -- Percentage of area under roads, open space etc. in layout plans -- Common areas and facilities -- Delicencing of area meant for residential purposes and allocating the same to commercial projects -- An ambiguous term was used in the Builder-Buyer agreement that 8.0 acre was reserved for “future development” -- It is beyond comprehension how builder himself could reserve a part of the area (8.0 acres) out of 18.98 acres for future development -- Builder acted in a manner as if he was not governed by any Enactment/Rules -- Reliance placed on Builder-Buyer agreement is absurd -- An agreement between parties cannot override the law lay down to regulate urbanization and to prevent ill-planned and haphazard development -- No justification is forthcoming for delicensing of part of the area meant for housing project for commercial purpose and a huge mall (Ambience Mall) having been allowed to be raised thereon – Rights of the residents of the housing project need to be preserved -- Held, order delicencing part of residential area for commercial purpose is without authority of law and needs to be quashed -- As regards, the illegal actions and offence, if any, made out, and possible collusion between the builder and State authorities, a separate investigation is necessary by an independent agency – Direction given to Central Bureau of Investigation to investigate the entire issue after registering a formal FIR by a team of Officers to be chosen by the Director, CBI within six weeks -- An effort shall be made to complete the entire investigation within six months and a status report be submitted in sealed cover within three months.

(Para 28-36)

913. (P&H HC) 23-06-2020

A. Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (2 of 1974), Section 211  -- Framing of charge – Prima-facie -- At the stage of framing of charges, the Court has to sift and weigh the prosecution material on record only for the limited purposes to find out if it, prima-facie, discloses the necessary ingredients to constitute the alleged offence against the accused and their involvement in the crime.

(Para 9)

B. Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (2 of 1974), Section 211  -- Indian Penal Code, 1860 (45 of 1860), Section 307 -- Attempt to murder –Framing of charge – Intention or knowledge – Prima facie -- Intention has to be absolute and specific and cannot be confused with the recklessness of the offender -- Unless and until this necessary ingredient is present, the charge u/s 307 IPC would not be made out -- Court has to satisfy itself that at least, prima-facie, the act by accused irrespective of its result was done with such intention or knowledge and under the circumstances, as mentioned in the section.

(Para 13)

C. Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (2 of 1974), Section 211  -- Indian Evidence Act, 1872 (1 of 1872), Section 45 -- Medical opinion -- Framing of charge -- Medical opinion given by a doctor is only a guiding factor for the Courts and the opinion does not carry a binding effect -- Courts are free to examine and evaluate the nature of injuries independently to arrive at a just conclusion.

(Para 15)

D. Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (2 of 1974), Section 211 -- Indian Penal Code, 1860 (45 of 1860), Section 307, 326 – Attempt to murder – Injury on head – Relevance of -- Merely because the injury was caused on the head, this alone would not be sufficient to charge for the offence punishable u/s 307 IPC -- Nowhere mentioned that the assailants had come with an intention to commit murder -- Nature of injury does not, prima-facie, make out an offence punishable u/s 307 IPC -- Considering the nature of the weapon (Spade/kassi) used while causing grievous hurt, a prima-facie case u/s 326 IPC would be made out for charge.

(Para 15,17)

E. Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (2 of 1974), Section 211  -- Indian Penal Code, 1860 (45 of 1860), Section 447 -- Criminal trespass – Joint land – Framing of charge – Partition suit is still pending and rights of co-sharers are yet to eb determined -- Land in question was described as joint -- Necessary ingredients to constitute the offence of criminal trespass punishable u/s 447 IPC are not made out.

(Para 16)

921. (P&H HC) 15-05-2020

A. Indian Penal Code, 1860 (45 of 1860), Sections u/s 498-A, 506, 120-B -- Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (2 of 1974), Section 82, 482 -- Quashing of complaint/summoning order after Proclaimed offender order – Held, it would be in the interest of justice to see at the first instance whether any offence is made out against the petitioners as per allegations levelled against them in the complaint or not -- Because if the complaint fails, as a necessary corollary, all subsequent proceedings arising therefrom would automatically go.

(Para 1, 14, 15)

B. Indian Penal Code, 1860 (45 of 1860), Sections u/s 498-A, 506, 120-B -- Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (2 of 1974), Section 82, 482 -- Summoning order -- Proclaimed offender order – Quashing of -- Father-in-law, brother-in-law and sister-in-law – Role of – Specific allegations – Requirement of – No direct and specific allegations against the petitioners that they had given beatings to the complainant or demanded any dowry article or misappropriated the shtridhan It has become a common practice to use the provisions of Section 498-A IPC as a weapon rather than shield by disgruntled wives – Casual reference of their names that husband of the complainant gave her beatings at the instance of petitioners – Held, case in hand is a sheer abuse of process of law -- Consequently, the complaint and all subsequent proceedings including the summoning order and order declaring proclamation offender, qua petitioners are quashed.

(Para 1,18,19)

924. (SC) 24-04-2020

A. Indian Evidence Act, 1872 (1 of 1872), Section 139, 146 – Defence of accused -- Cross examination of prosecution witness on that point – Requirement of – A witness is required to be cross-examined to bring forth inconsistencies, discrepancies and to prove the untruthfulness of the witness – Party intending to bring evidence to impeach or contradict the testimony of a witness must give an opportunity to explain or answer when the witness is in the witness box.

(Para 56-63)

B. Indian Penal Code, 1860 (45 of 1860), Section 302, 364A – Indian Evidence Act, 1872 (1 of 1872), Section 106 -- Kidnapping – Last seen evidence – Murder – Burdon of proof – When the prosecution has proved the act of kidnapping and the last seen evidence soon before the approximate time of death of victim – Prosecution has discharged the onus of proof beyond reasonable doubt – It was then for the accused to rebut the presumption of any other intervening fact before the death of the victim.

(Para 77-81)

C. Indian Penal Code, 1860 (45 of 1860), Section 302, 364-A, 34 – Kidnapping and murder – Death Sentence/ Life Sentence -- Motive of the accused to take life was to become rich by not doing hard work but by demanding ransom after kidnapping a young, innocent boy of 8 years – Considering circumstances and facts on record, case falls short of the “rarest of rare” cases where a death sentence alone deserves to be awarded to the appellants -- Death sentence converted into the life imprisonment till the end of the life, no remission till the accused completes 25 years of imprisonment.

(Para 100)

930. (P&H HC) 03-03-2020

A. Indian Evidence Act, 1872 (1 of 1872), Section 24 -- Extrajudicial confession is a weak type of evidence however, it cannot be discarded outrightly.

(Para 26)

B. Indian Penal Code, 1860 (45 of 1860), Section 302 -- Indian Evidence Act, 1872 (1 of 1872), Section 24 – Murder -- Extra-judicial confession – Blood on danda – Blood grouping of -- As per FSL report, human blood was detected but blood group was not ascertained, there is no result, with regard to, blood grouping -- Blood so allegedly found, on the danda, does not stand sufficiently connected to be that of deceased -- No other sufficient evidence, coming on record -- Circumstance relating to extra-judicial confession, has been rightly discarded by the trial Court.

(Para 26, 27)

C. Indian Penal Code, 1860 (45 of 1860), Section 302 – Murder -- Injury by fall – Possibility of -- Doctor deposed possibility cannot be ruled out of suffering of the injuries, in case a person, under intoxication falls on stones or forcefully strikes against the wall and in cross-examination that injury of fracture of rib, can be result of fall on a hard surface -- Considering the same, it cannot be concluded with certainty that the injuries in question were caused by lathi of budberry tree and this also gives dent to the prosecution version.

(Para 28)

D. Indian Evidence Act, 1872 (1 of 1872), Section 8, 106 – Murder -- Circumstantial evidence -- Motive -- In case based on circumstantial evidence, motive gains importance -- Dispute, which had taken place about one and half year ago, relating to boundary wall of the fields, relating to which, compromise effected -- No satisfactory evidence, coming on record -- Even, no evidence, relating to the matter having given quietus, by the police, as such, has been led -- In the light of the same, the motive part, does not stand established.

(Para 29)

E. Indian Penal Code, 1860 (45 of 1860), Section 302 – Indian Evidence Act, 1872 (1 of 1872), Section 8, 24, 106 – Murder -- Extra-judicial confession – Blood on danda/ weapon of offence -- Blood grouped not connected with the blood of deceased – Doctor deposition that possibility cannot be ruled out of suffering of the injuries falls on stones or forcefully strikes against the wall and in cross-examination that injury of fracture of rib, can be result of fall on a hard surface -- Motive of previous quarrel not proved --  Prosecution version cannot be termed to be free from doubt and precisely, benefit of such doubt so arising, ought to be extended to the appellant – Appeal allowed, impugned judgment of conviction and order of sentence set aside.

(Para 26-31)

941. (P&H HC) 13-02-2020

A. Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (2 of 1974), Section 182, 401 -- Acquittal in 182 Cr.P.C. proceedings -- Revisional jurisdiction of High Court is quite limited -- Court is to interfere only if there is an illegality or infirmity apparent on the face of the judgment/order passed by a Court below or the same is perverse -- Merely because another view in the matter is possible, no inference with such judgment is to be done – Revision dismissed.

(Para 13-15)

B. Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (2 of 1974), Section 173, 190, 482 -- Cancellation report by police – Non-acceptance by Trial Court – Case adjourned for complainant’s evidence – Challenged by accused – Remedy of – Held, after the complainant produces the evidence, Ld. Magistrate may or may not summon the accused -- If the accused are summoned, they have got remedy of challenging that order by way of filing a revision petition before the Court of Sessions or/and filing appropriate application (s) in the trial Court itself – Accused have not been summoned so far – Petition dismissed.

(Para 20-30)

C. Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (2 of 1974), Section 482 – Inherent jurisdiction of High court -- Section 482 Cr.P.C. deals with inherent powers of the High Court providing that nothing in this Code shall be deemed to limit or affect the inherent powers of the High Court to make such orders as may be necessary to give effect to any order under this Code, or to prevent abuse of the process of any Court or otherwise to secure the ends of justice.

(Para 29)

943. (SC) 10-02-2020

A. Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (2 of 1974), Section 154, 482 -- Code of Civil Procedure, 1908 (V of 1908), Section 9 – Civil suit – Handwriting expert report – F.I.R. w.r.t. forged receipts – Sustainability of -- Quashing of FIR -- Handwriting expert in civil suit has opined that signatures in all the four receipts did not tally with the sample signatures which were of respondent No.2 -- It was only thereafter, FIR was registered -- In the Summary Suit, issue No.5 has been framed by the Court “whether the defendant proved that the plaintiff has fabricated the forged signature illegally and created forged receipts” – Held, when the issue as to the genuineness of the receipts is pending consideration in the civil suit, the FIR ought not to have been allowed to continue as it would prejudice the interest of the parties and the stand taken by them in the civil suit -- Based on the sole opinion of the handwriting expert, the FIR ought not to have been registered -- Continuation of FIR would amount to abuse of the process of Court – Petition u/s 482 Cr.P.C. to quash the FIR allowed.

(Para 18, 19)

B. Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881 (26 of 1881), Section 138, 139 – Indian Evidence Act, 1872 (1 of 1872), Sections 45, 72, 118(a) -- Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (2 of 1974), Section 482 -- Cheque bounce case – Quashing of complaint -- Presumption of legal enforceability debt – Rebuttal of -- ‘Y’ admitted the issuance of cheques -- Once the issuance of cheque is admitted/established, the presumption would arise u/s 139 of the N.I. Act in favour of the holder of cheque that is the complainant-appellant No.3 -- Burden lies upon the accused to rebut the presumption by adducing evidence -- High Court did not keep in view that until the accused discharges his burden, the presumption u/s 139 of N.I. Act will continue to remain -- When disputed questions of facts are involved which need to be adjudicated after the parties adduce evidence, the complaint u/s 138 of the N.I. Act ought not to have been quashed by the High Court by taking recourse to Section 482 Cr.P.C.

(Para 20)

949. (SC) 18-12-2019

A. Indian Penal Code, 1860 (45 of 1860), Section 141, 149 -- Unlawful assembly -- Common object – Ocular evidence – Injury co-relation – Requirement of -- In a case of a mob assault, especially when there is no doubt with regard to the ocular evidence, to look for corroboration of each injury by correlating it with the evidence of a prosecution witness to a particular accused and then to discredit the prosecution case on that basis cannot be upheld and is contrary to the principles of criminal jurisprudence regarding common object and the necessary ingredients for the same.

(Para 8)

B. Indian Penal Code, 1860 (45 of 1860), Section 141, 149 -- Unlawful assembly -- Common object – Ocular evidence – Vicarious liability -- All the accused were well armed, they chased the deceased coupled with the assault on those who tried to come to the rescue of the deceased -- Fact that there may not be any firearm injury on the deceased is considered irrelevant for fixing vicarious liability as member of an unlawful assembly once the presence of the accused possessed of a weapon of assault chasing the deceased along with others stands established by reliable ocular evidence.

(Para 9)

C. Indian Penal Code, 1860 (45 of 1860), Section 141, 149 -- Unlawful assembly -- Common object – Nature of -- Overt act – Requirement of -- Determinative factor is the assembly consisting of five or more persons fully armed and who entertained one or more of the common objects, as specified in Section 141 -- It cannot be laid down as a general proposition of law that unless an overt act is proved against a person, who is alleged to be a member of an unlawful assembly, it cannot be said that he is a member of an assembly -- Word “object” means the purpose or design and, in order to make it “common”, it must be shared by all -- Sharing of common object is a mental attitude which is to be gathered from the act of a person and result thereof -- It is not necessary under law that in all cases of unlawful assembly, with an unlawful common object, the same must be translated into action or be successful.

(Para 10,11)

950. (P&H HC) 18-12-2019

A. Indian Penal Code, 1860 (45 of 1860), Section 304-A – Death by rash and negligent driving – Finding of – Requirement of -- Courts failed to record finding that the petitioner (convict) was driving the vehicle in a rash and negligent manner resulting in death in motor vehicular accident -- Sine qua non for convicting an accused u/s 304-A IPC is that the convict has caused the death of any person by doing rash or negligent act not amounting to culpable homicide -- In absence of such finding, the judgments passed by the Courts below suffer from perversity.

(Para 6)

B. Indian Penal Code, 1860 (45 of 1860), Section 304-A – Death by rash and negligent driving – Application by I.O. to SMO saying the deceased was under the influence of liquor -- However, when Doctor was examined as PW2, she stated that she had not taken the blood sample of the deceased -- She also did not sent viscera of the deceased to the Chemical Examiner to verify the presence of alcohol in the stomach of the deceased – There is overwriting on Exhibit P-15 and P-16 -- First informant deposed that petitioner was arrested on 6.11.2009, whereas he was shown to be arrested on 9.11.2009 -- No dent on offending vehicle – Location of offending vehicle not shown on map – No police official was associated as witness though they were alleged to seen the incident – I.O. says vehicle was standing on extreme right side of divider, whereas accident was on extreme left side of dual carriageway – Held, prosecution failed to prove its case beyond the shadow of reasonable doubt -- Petitioner is entitled to benefit of doubt -- Revision accepted and the judgment of conviction passed by the ld. JMIC, affirmed in appeal are set aside.

(Para 6-7)