Pandharinath Condbaji Sahare vs State Of Maharashtra Through Its on 29 June, 2011

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66
Bombay High Court
Pandharinath Condbaji Sahare vs State Of Maharashtra Through Its on 29 June, 2011
Bench: A. H. Joshi, U.V. Bakre
              
      Criminal WP/230/2003                                  1




                                                                                             
                               IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY
                                         NAGPUR BENCH : NAGPUR.




                                                                     
                                CRIMINAL WRIT PETITION                NO. 230 OF 2003.




                                                                    
      PETITIONERS:                         1   Pandharinath Condbaji Sahare, Aged
                                               about   58  years,  Occ:  Nil,  R/o
                                               Ramnagar Ward, Hinganghat, District
                                               Wardha.
                                           2   Lilabai   Pandharinath   Sahare,  Aged
                                               about   52   years,   Occ:   Nil,  R/o




                                                   
                                               Ramnagar Ward, Hinganghat, District
                                               Wardha.
                      ig                                   -VERSUS-
                    
      RESPONDENTS:                     1       State of Maharashtra Through its
                                               Secretary,     Ministry of    Urban
                                               Development Department, Mantralaya,
                                               Mumbai - 400 032.
                                       2       Municipal Council, Hinganghat through
      

                                               its Chief Officer, Hinganghat.
                                       3       The President,            Municipal      Council,
   



                                               Hinganghat.
                                       4       The   Chief          Engineer,   Water   Works
                                               Department,            Municipal      Council,
                                               Hinganghat.





      Ms A. S. Athalye Advocate H/F Shri M.M. Agnihotri, Advocate for
      the petitioners.
      Shri R. S. Nayak, APP for respondent no.1.
      Shri Apurv De Advocate H/F for Shri Anjan De Advocate for the
      respondent nos.2 to 4.





                              CORAM:   A. H. JOSHI AND U.V. BAKRE, JJ.

RESERVED ON : 14TH JUNE 2011.

PRONOUNCED ON: 29th JUNE 2011.

ORAL JUDGMENT : (Per A. H. Joshi J)

1. Heard both sides. Perused the record.

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Criminal WP/230/2003 2

2. By the present petition, reliefs which the

petitioners are seeking are quoted below:

(
” i) direct the respondent Municipal Council to
initiate an enquiry for the reasons of leakage
of water due to which the citizens of Hinganghat
were affected, and;

(ii) direct the Municipal Council to initiate

prosecution against the erring officers of
Municipal Council for their negligence/failure
to supply pure drinking water to the citizens of
Hinganghat, and;

(iii)direct the State as well as by Municipal
Council, Hinganghat and the erring officer of

the respondent Municipal Council to pay
appropriate compensation to the tune of
Rs.10,00,000/- to the petitioners for the loss

of their son, and;

(iv) direct the respondent State or the Municipal
Council to give employment to one of the son of

the petitioners so as to save the family from
starving.”

[Quoted from pages no.18 & 19 of petition paper book]

BACKGROUND

3. The petitioners’ claim is based on the following

pleadings :-

(a) The petitioners are respectively father and mother of

deceased Sanjay Pandharinath Sahare. Sanjay fell

sick on 15-2-2003. He was diagnosed to be suffering

from Jaundice. He was initially treated in E.S.I.C.’s

Hospital at Hinganghat and was then sent to

E.S.I.C.’s Hospital Nagpur, when the disease became

uncontrollable.

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Criminal WP/230/2003 3

(b) There was spread of Jaundice in 3 out of 63 Wards in

Hinganghat Municipal Area in 2003. The Municipal

Council took a drive of prevention and control of

Jaundice in February 2003. The Municipal Council and

the Government had declared the Cottage Hospital at

Hinganghat to be 24 hours treatment Center for

Jaundice. Private doctors and laboratories

participated in fighting with epidemic.

(c)
ig The petitioner’s son Sanjay was serving in Industry

namely Vaibhav Textile Mills. He was 38 years of age.

He was getting wages of Rs.90 per day and was earning

Rs.2700/- per month. He used to maintain his parents

and had commitment to family. The petitioners are

entitled for compensation of Rs. 10 lacs.

4. The petitioners have placed on record case papers of

the medical treatment received by the petitioners and the medical

papers pertaining to the Laboratory analysis of contaminated

water.

5. The petitioners have also placed on record as

ANNEXURE NO.VIII, the letter written by the Civil Surgeon, Wardha

to the Chief Officer, Municipal Council, Hinganghat and other

authorities for insisting upon them to take action for fighting

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with epidemic of jaundice.

6. During pendency of the petition, the petitioner has

filed affidavit of one Dr. Mohata a private Medical Practitioner,

to substantiate the petitioner’s plea that the Municipal Council

had failed and had neglected in supplying potable water, and to

plead that the Council was supplying unhygienic and disease

infested water.

This affidavit of Dr. Mohota along with annexures is

on record at page 57 to 85 apart from annexures thereto.

7. By amending the petition, the petitioner has

incorporated averment relating to statutory duties of the

Municipal Council and its Officers to substantiate its plea for

investigation and registration of crime etc.

8. The respondent no.2 – Municipal Council has filed two

affidavits opposing the petition. First affidavit is filed on or

about 11-08-2003. Second affidavit is filed on 25-4-2006 to

counter the allegation contained in the affidavit of Dr. Mohata.

These affidavits of the Municipal Council are on record at pages

no. 14 to 51 and 86 to 111 respectively.

9. The Municipal Council – respondent no.2 has not

replied the contents of the petition answering each averment

and/or each paragraph. The affidavit-in-reply filed by the

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Council is drafted in an un-ruly manner has caused immense

inconvenience to the Court in the process of tracing denial,

admissions and special pleadings if any. This Court has,

therefore, undertaken threadbare scrutiny of averments of

respective pleadings to find out the facts which are admitted

and/or denied, and as to specific pleadings if any.

10. From scrutiny of papers, what is either specifically

pleaded or has been admitted by the respondent no.2 is summarized

as follows:

(1) Over the years in the past, the Municipal Council has

been exerting to prevent jaundice.

(2) In the year 2003, there was outbreak of jaundice.

(3) It was noticed that there were leakages in main water

supply pipeline as well as subsidiary supply

pipelines, at many places.

(4) Efforts were being made to control the leakage.

(5) Proper propaganda was being made for promoting

hygiene and health habits.

(6) Letter was written by the Civil Surgeon to the Chief

Officer bringing to his notice various deficiencies.

(7) The Chief Officer, Municipal Council had taken steps

to invite various persons for a meeting deciding

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modalities for controlling the spread of jaundice.

11. What is denied is summarized as follows:

(a) That outbreak of hepatitis was due to any failure on

the part of Municipal Council;

(b) That contaminated water was supplied;

(c) That there was any dereliction of duty by the

Officers of the Municipal Council;

(d) That there is any liability to pay compensation.

12.
ig The facts which are not denied, have to be divided

into two parts A and B under different heads and those are as

follows:

[A]

(i) Sanjay died due to hepatitis.

(ii) Sanjay was treated in E.S.I.C.’s Hospital at

Hinganghat as well as in E.S.C.I.C.’s Hospital at

Nagpur.

(iii) There are no patients of hepatitis in the Ward from

which Sanjay hails.

(iv) Sanjay was earning Rs.90/- per day and his age was 32

years, and that the petitioners have lost their

support for life.

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[B]

(i) That the Civil Surgeon & other officers of Government

had noticed the defects in the water supply.

(ii) That the defects existed in the drinking water supply

lines and suction of contaminated water, the

contaminated water entered in pipelines.

13. Apart from that the petitioner has relied upon the

Civil Surgeon’s letter Annexure-VIII, which is at page 52 in the

affidavit filed by the District Health Officer Mr. R. R. Rathod

he has confirmed that the defects were found in the pipeline,

those were brought to the notice of the Municipal Council lateron

and corrective measures were taken by the Municipal authorities.

He has also given entire statistics of the patients

suffering from jaundice, stating that as much as 738 suspected

jaundice patients inclusive of 15 pregnant women were found

during survey in the population of Hinganghat town which was

95,047 which is more than 0.73%.

14. Learned Advocate for the petitioners has placed on

record certain literature relating to reasons of outbreak of

jaundice in generality as well as in specific to the outbreak at

Hinganghat.

15. The respondent no.2 has also placed on record certain

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literature to urge that the bacteria named ‘E Coli’ which was

found in the drinking water samples does not cause jaundice.

16. The petitioner has relied upon certain citations

relating to maintainability of petition, when the involvement of

disputed questions of fact is posed as a shield for opposing the

petition and when compensation can be awarded etc. These

Judgments are as follows:

(1) (1998) 3 SCC 67 P. A. Narayanan Vs. Union of India
ig and others.

(2) (2000)3 SCC 754, Parvatidevi and others V.

Commissioner of Police, Delhi and others.

(3) (2000)4 Supreme Court Cases 543, Tamil Nadu
Electricity Board Vs. Sumathi and others.
(4) (2002)2 SCC 162, M.P. Electricity Board Vs. Shail
Kumari and others.

(5) (2004) 3 SCC 553 ABL International Ltd. & another V.

Export Credit Guarantee Corporation of India Ltd and

others.

(6) AIR 2002 SC 1598 Director of Settlements, A. P. &
others Vs. M. R. Apparao and another.

17. Learned Advocate Mr. De for the respondent no.2 has

for opposing the petition, relied upon following judgment.

AIR 1965 Supreme Court 1616, Kurban Hussein
Mohamedalli Bangawalla Vs. State of Maharashtra.

18. Considering the rival contentions, this Court has to

rule on the following points:

[1] Is the petition liable to be dismissed as it involves

disputed questions of fact?

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[2] Has the petitioner proved and made out a case that

there was spread of Jaundice in Hinganghat Town

collateral to the period of sickness of Sanjay

Sahare?

[3] Has the Municipal Council failed in performing

constitutional obligation and duties of providing

potable water to the citizens?

[4] Did Sanjay Sahare died due to hepatitis?

[5]
ig In the event answer to point nos. 2 and 3 favours

the petitioners, is Municipal Council – respondent

no.2 liable for payment of compensation to the

petitioners?

[6] If the petitioners are entitled to the compensation,

to what extent?

19. Now we would discuss the points framed by us above

for consideration herein after.

As to Point No.1:

Is the petition liable to be dismissed as it involves
disputed questions of fact?

20. We deem it appropriate to record at the outset that

we are fully alive and conscious of the position that we are

exercising the writ jurisdiction and do it in a summary procedure

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and do the fact finding whenever the fact finding does not call

for an enquiry involving full fledged and formal trial. We are

also conscious of legal position that when facts and justice

demands, and where the fact finding in summary procedure is

possible, we do not shirk the responsibility in doing said

exercise.

21. Now on the facts of present case, if we find it

possible to adjudicate the issues in a summary procedure, we

shall do it.

Whether we can do this exercise shall emerge after we

discuss remaining points, as hereinafter.

We shall therefore answer point No.1 at the end.

As to Point No.2 :

Has the petitioner proved and made out a case that
there was spread of Jaundice in Hinganghat Town
collateral to the period of sickness of Sanjay

Sahare?

22. The petition contains detailed narration as to

outbreak and spread of Jaundice in Municipal Town of Hinganghat.

23. The letter written by the Civil Surgeon which is at

Annexure-VIII makes certain things clear beyond doubt. These

things are :-

(a) There is leakage in the vault chamber of the

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filtration Center and contaminated water had

accumulated in it.

(b) In the water filtration premises, the main pipeline

had heavy leakages and surroundings were filled with

mud around the leakages.

(c) The main location of eruption of Jaundice was

Yeshwant Nagar, Hinganghat and though chlorination

was found in the water, the vault chamber was filled
ig with dirty water and the contaminated water must have

entered into pipeline due to its suction in the

leaking pipeline.

Apart from this letter, the District Health Officer

has filed an affidavit in which the outbreak of jaundice in

February 2003 in Hinganghat town is admitted in clear terms.

738 suspected jaundice patients comprising of 15 pregnant women

in the population of 95047 were found during door to door survey

and there were leakages in the pipeline which the Municipal

Council have reported to have corrected.

24. The respondent no.2 has not explained or denied the

contents of the affidavit of the District Health Officer Mr.

Rathod by filing a rejoinder or otherwise.

25. These averments are admitted by the respondent no.2,

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though by incorporating the additional paragraphs in the

affidavit-in-reply, the respondent no.2 has in an evasive manner

and argumentatively denied that it is responsible for said

outbreak. This type of evasive denial amounts to admission.

26. In the aforesaid background as to record, we hold

that there was outbreak of epidemic of jaundice in February 2003

in Hinganghat Municipal area. Point No.2 is answered

affirmatively and in favour of the petitioner.

As to Point No.3:

Has the Municipal Council failed from performing
constitutional obligation and duties of providing
potable water to the citizens?

27. As it is seen from the pleadings of the respondent

no.2 that it has denied that it has failed in performance of duty

whatsoever. Yet the respondent no.2 has not denied rather it was

unable to deny the deficiencies pointed out by the authorities

i.e. the District Health Officer, Civil Surgeon, Chief

Microbiologist of the District Health Laboratories.

On the other hand, the Municipal Council has declared

its resolve to carry out the compliance of corrective measures as

dictated by the authorities.

28. In order to demonstrate that the Municipal Council

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was vigilant and careful in the past, it has placed on record

documents to show the steps taken by it from 1997-2000. However,

the steps taken by it immediately prior to outbreak of jaundice

in 2003 are not placed on record except one contemporaneous

public notification, copy whereof is at Annexure-VI, page 51.

29. It is evident that the Municipal Council became

alert only after the news items had flashed in which it was

reported that a Legislative Assembly Question was asked and

incident

of death which had occurred received publicity. The

meeting relied upon by the respondent no.2 was called by letter

dated 26-2-2003 in response to the said news flashed in the

newspaper on 25-2-2003. All these acts have commenced only after

the alarm was caused.

30. It is thus, seen that the Municipal Council was

spending on purification and sterilization of water, however it

has utterly failed to take care and abide by the duty of ensuring

uncontaminated and potable water to the residents of Hinganghat

Town by failing in being vigilant in maintenance of main as well

as subsidiary drinking water supply pipelines, in order to avoid

access of filthy and virus infested water therein.

31. On the other hand, it is duly proved by the entire

undisputed and indisputable evidence in the form of communication

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of Civil Surgeon and affidavit of the District Health Officer

that the Municipal Council has not only failed, but has utterly

failed in discharge of duties of supplying uncontaminated and

potable water to its citizens.

32. The proved case of supply of contaminated water to

three Wards has to be looked into as a tip of iceberg. There are

no water tight compartments between different pipelines in the

Municipal area and, therefore, it would be gravely risky to

believe that the contaminated water was supplied only in three

wards and in the rest of the areas, ‘all was well’. Moreover,

the statistic is not brought forward by the Municipal Council to

suggest and/or prove that in the areas other than three Wards

where there was outbreak of jaundice, no patient of jaundice was

found.

33. It is also proved that the Municipal Council has

utterly failed to adhere to the responsibilities which is

bestowed upon it by the statute and by conferring upon it

constitutional anatomy and power by virtue of the provisions

contained in Chapter IX A of Constitution of India. In failing to

notice the patent leakages and access by suction of contaminated

water in the drinking water pipelines, the Municipal Council –

respondent no.2 has failed in discharge of duties with due

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diligence and due duty of cate.

34 Breakage and Leakages are known incidences, however,

the failure to notice and repair is an utter failure in duty.

The leakages cannot be in any manner be regarded as matters

beyond cognizance by prudent human abilities. Thus leakages are

not accountable to act beyond human control or due to vismajore.

35. The discussion herein before thus propels a

conclusion that the Municipal Council had failed in performance

of its duty of providing uncontaminated and potable water to the

citizen in the Hinganghat town.

36. This Court, therefore, arrived at a conclusion that

the Municipal Council has failed in performance of its statutory

and constitutional obligation to supply potable water to its

subjects.

37. We consider that it would be unnecessary to exert any

further on the point as to whether supplying potable water being

the duty of the Local Self Government – the Municipal Council by

deduction.

As to Point No.4 and As to Point No.5:

Did Sanjay Sahare died due to hepatitis?

&
In the event answer to point nos. 2 and 3 favours
the petitioners, is Municipal Council – respondent
no.2 liable for payment of compensation to the

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petitioners?

38. The fact of death of Sanjay Sahare is not disputed by

the respondent No.2. The medical treatment papers of the

petitioner which are at Annexure No.1 which consists of record of

observations and treatment report relating to pathology, letter

of reference to higher Center and cause of death which are on

record at page 20 to 27 have not been denied, disputed or

commented.

ig Thus, the fact that the petitioner’s son Sanjay died

due to hepatitis ie. Jaundice is proved.

39. We deem it ourselves to be bound by basic doctrine of

law of torts Ubi jus ibi remedium as strengthened and fortified

further by the doctrine of constitutional justice where the

constitutional and statutory rights would not be a piece of

decoration. Such constitutional obligation has to be capable of

enforcement and has to fructify into an order of due and

restitutive justice. In the result, the local self Government,

now with Constitutional seal, which fails in performance of its

obligation as to duty and discharge of duty of care, would be

liable for damages.

In the era of welfare state, a public authority and

local self Government would not be absolved from being liable to

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pay compensation.

40. The learned Advocate for the respondent no.2 was not

in a position to shield the liability of the respondent no.2 to

pay the compensation by claiming immunity and exemption. Any

such immunity may be an implied a fall out of any natural

phenomena such as act of nature, act of God and emergency beyond

human abilities, all distinguishable from act of negligence. No

such immunity based on facts or in law is made out by the

Respondent No.2

41. Consequently, we hold that the Municipal Council is

liable, on account of its failure, in performance of its

functions, duties and responsibilities, to pay compensation to

the petitioners.

42. The petitioners have claimed that the deceased Sanjay

was in a private industry and earning Rs.90/- per day. The

details of his qualification, earning etc. have not been given by

the petitioners. He was living jointly with his parents and

maintaining himself and his parents. By applying yardsticks as

applied in the fatal accidents and or compensation relating to

other cases, the extent of compensation to the petitioners can be

considered.

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As to Point No.6 :-

If the petitioners entitled to the compensation, to
what extent?

43. The loss suffered by the parents would, in the

result, emerge in the following shape:-

(a) Rs.90/- per day – wage excluding weekly off and

public holidays.

(b) He could be expected to get moderate rise in the

ig wages due to increase in dearness allowance and

other benefits.

(c) In the result, his wage could be considered to be

safely to be Rs.100/- per day as an aggregate without

any increase whatsoever, for years to come.

(d) His maintenance expenses, considering he being joint

with his parents, would be Rs.30/ per day. Therefore

dependance of petitioners together would be RS.70/-

per day.

(e) He would be working for 25 days in a month.

            (f)               His age was 32 years.


            (g)               By applying normal expectancy, health security etc.,


he could be hoped to have lived somewhere between 15

to 20 years. The expectancy of life of petitioners

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also be around same spell. Therefore, the multiplier

be considered to be 18 years.

44. The compensation which the petitioners would be

entitled to will be as follows:

(1) Rs.70 per day x 25 days x 12 months x 18 years

= 3,78,000 (Rupees Three Lakhs Seventy Eight Thousand

Only).

(2) The petitioners would be entitled to further
ig compensation towards loss of amenity and love and

affection which can be quantified to Rs.1,00,000/-

total amount would be Rs.3,78,000 + 1,00,000 =

Rs.4,78,000/-.

(3) In view that compensation is being paid in lump

sum, it could be reduced by Rs.50,000/- i.e.

Rs.4,78,000 – 50,000 = 4,28,000/-.

45. (a) The compensation would thus be Rs.4,28,000/-

with interest @ 6% per annum from the date of death.

(b) The petitioners would be entitled to the

consequential costs of Rs.12,000/-.

46. We, therefore, hold that the petitioners are entitled

to receive compensation of Rs.4,28,000 + 12,000 costs =

4,40,000/-. Out of the amount of compensation including accruing

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interest, a sum of Rs.4,00,000/- be kept in fixed deposit in a

nationalize bank at Hinganghat. Remaining amount i.e. Rs.40,000/-

and interest accrued be paid to the petitioners equally.

47. In the initial part of the judgment, while dealing

with the point No.1, we have noted that we shall deal with those

aspects at latter stage.

48. As has been noticed by us and we have discussed in

foregoing paras, the questions involved in point nos.2 to 6

involved certain facts which were disputed by the respondents.

These disputed facts, however, were of such nature that most of

the averments described in those facts have been admitted by the

respondent no.2 or denied evasively which amounts to admission,

and rest are indisputable being opposed barely by arguments.

49. In so far as the aspect that the petition is liable

to be dismissed as it involves disputed question of fact is

concerned, it is pertinent to note that the objection that the

petition involved disputed questions of fact is an objection to

exercise the jurisdiction and not to the existence and

availability of the jurisdiction.

50. On facts, the aspects outbreak and spread of jaundice

is proved. On facts that there existed major loopholes in

maintenance of pipeline is also an admitted fact. The aspect of

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failure of the Municipal Council to perform its duty was thus

tacitly admitted.

51. The aspects of earning capacity of the deceased and

dependents are the matter of bare reckoning and do not call for

any adjudication and fact finding. Moreover, the daily income of

the deceased pleaded by the petitioners matches with bare

‘minimum wage’, and is a most realistic claim which can be

regarded as proved.

52.
ig In the circumstances, we hold that the facts which

are disputed are of such nature that those are either

indisputable or are proved on admissions of the respondent or

failure to deny.

53. The question as to objection to exercise of

jurisdiction on account of the disputed questions of fact was

liable to be raised as a preliminary objection. It ought to have

been persuaded before the rule was issued. It is a grave

departure from propriety to raise this objection when the

petition has reached the final hearing after 9 years. We

sincerely believe that if the facts are incapable of adjudication

in summary jurisdiction, this objection still remains available.

54. On facts, we hold that the facts are of such nature

that the decision thereon in summary procedure is not only

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possible, but is convenient and capable of being done without

obstacles whatsoever.

We therefore, overrule the objection as to alternate

remedy and the ground that the petition involves questions of

fact which are disputed by the respondents.

55. In so far as the aspect of direction to initiate

prosecution is concerned, while the Municipal Council has

statutory and constitutional duty to carry out the maintenance of

water supply pipelines, by this date, the issue has become 7 to 8

years old. The petitioners and their Advocates should have

prayed for interim directions from the Court for preliminary

enquiry is to offence, if any, which could have ultimately led to

conclusion as to whether registration of offence needs to be

done. We see no impediment in propriety of praying for such a

direction.

56. We often see that the petitions, in which the prayers

for registration of crime are made, are remaining pending

primarily firstly due to the large filing and secondly due to

reasons best known to the Lawyers namely they do not press for

the matters of preliminary enquiries by way of interlocutory

orders, as in present case. Now after 8 years, a prayer of

registration of offence is to be considered. Considering the

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intricacy due to involvement of large number of staff members and

the fact that the senior Officers such as Chief Officers keep on

changing and the elected representatives are always ‘guest

actors’, the delay and further enquiry would result in making

some subordinate staff a scapegoat. Due to the delayed enquiry,

eventually, the criminal liability may not be fixed, rather such

orders would tax the system and may ultimately turn out to be a

futile exercise.

57.
ig We are, therefore, of the view that any order as to

taking action towards the criminal liability would not be

justified in the facts and circumstances of the case, we order

accordingly.

58. We make Rule absolute in terms of paragraphs 44 to

46, 54 and 57. The order for payment of compensation be complied

by deposit of amount in the Court of the Civil Judge, Junior

Division, at Hinganghat within 90 days from today.

59. Other reliefs, not granted are declined.

Issue of certified copy is expedited.

                                   JUDGE                                        JUDGE



      //MULEY//




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