Pharmed Chemicals Limited And … vs Sainath Agencies on 28 November, 2003

0
160
Karnataka High Court
Pharmed Chemicals Limited And … vs Sainath Agencies on 28 November, 2003
Equivalent citations: 2004 CriLJ 2253, 2004 (2) KarLJ 422
Author: K Ramanna
Bench: K Ramanna


ORDER

K. Ramanna, J.

1. This revision petition is directed against the order dated 8-5-2000 passed IV Additional C.M.M., Bangalore in C.C. No. 8141 of 2000 (PCR No. 49 of 1997), whereby, the learned Magistrate rejected the ‘B’ final report submitted by the I.O. and directed the office to register the case against the revision petitioner-accused for the offences punishable under Sections 406 and 420 read with Section 120-B of the IPC and to issue summons. Therefore, the revision petitioner herein has come up before this Court mainly on the ground that the 1 st petitioner received the chemical components and closed down the business in the middle of the year 1997 and the further allegations made by the respondent-complainant attracts the provision under Sections 406 and 415 of the Cr. P.C. read with Section 120-B of the IPC.

2. Heard the arguments of the learned Counsels appearing on both sides and perused the records.

3. It is submitted by the learned Advocate for the revision petitioners that the allegations made in the complaint does not disclose any intentional deception on the part of the revision petitioners right from the beginning of the transactions and the allegations does not constitute any offence much less the provisions of Section 420 of the IPC and therefore, it would amount to an abuse of process of Court. It is further contended that the allegations made in the complaint does not disclose any intentional deception and it must exist right from the beginning of the transaction. In support of the said contention, Counsel for the revision petitioner has relied on a decision in the case of Hridaya Ranjan Prasad Verma and Ors. v. State of Bihar and Anr. AIR 2000 SC 2341 : (2000) 4 SCC 168 : 2000 Cri. L.J. 2983 (SC), wherein it has been held as under;

“Section 482 — Quashing of complaint and criminal proceedings — Abuse of process of Court — Transaction of sale of land by appellants to respondent 2-Society — Cheques issued by respondent 2 in favour of appellant dishonoured by Bank because of insufficiency of amount in the account of drawer — FIR lodged under Sections 406 and 420 read with Section 120-B of the IPC — As a counterblast complaint filed by respondent 2 against appellants alleging offences under Sections 418, 420, 423, 504 and 120-B of the IPC — Appellants filing petition for quashing of the complaint/FIR filed by respondent 2 — Allegations in the complaint read as a whole not indicating, expressly or impliedly, any intentional deception on the part of the appellants right from the beginning of the transaction — Thus prima facie the allegations made by respondent 2 not constituting offence punishable under Section 420 or allied offences mentioned in the complaint — Held, continuing the criminal proceedings against the appellants would amount to an abuse of process of the Court — High Court erred in refusing to quash the complaint and the proceedings.

Section 415 — Cheating — Ingredients of– Distinguished from mere breach of contract — Definition contemplates two separate classes of acts viz., deception by fraudulent or dishonest inducement and deception by intentional, but not fraudulent or dishonest, inducement — In the second case intentional deception must be shown to exist right from the beginning of the transaction”.

4. That apart, the learned Counsel for the revision petitioners strenuously argued that the Criminal Law cannot be set in motion as a matter of course. In support of this contention, he relied on a decision in the case of Pepsi Foods Limited and Anr. v. Special Judicial Magistrate and Ors. , wherein, it has been held thus:

“Criminal Law cannot be set into motion as a matter of course. It is not that the complainant has to bring only two complaint to have the criminal law set into motion”.

5. It is the case of the respondent-complainant that revision petitioner who is a limited company dealing with chemicals, revision petitioners-accused 2 and 3 are said to have been approached the respondent-complainant and induced them to supply chemicals and accordingly, the revision petitioners 2 and 3 placed orders for supply of the said chemicals. Accordingly, respondent-company supplied the said materials to the revision petitioner-accused 1 to 5 between 19-6-1995 to 15-1-1997 in a sum of Rs. 7,45,208.57 ps. The revision petitioners on a loan account used to make part payment and the same was getting adjusted in the loan account by giving deductions to the payments made by them. When the revision petitioners-accused were due in a sum of Rs. 3,66,202.75 paise, the respondent issued a letter dated 20-2-1997 calling upon the revision petitioners to pay the said sum and in spite of that, revision petitioners sent a reply stating that they are unable to comply with the request of the respondent. Therefore, the revision petitioners herein have come up before this Court to stay the order dated 8-5-2000 in PCRNo. 49 of 1997 in C.C. No. 8141 of 2000 on the file of the IV Additional C.M.M., Bangalore.

6. It is seen that after presenting the complaint the Trial Court referred the matter to the jurisdictional police for investigation and submitted a report under Section 360 of the Cr. P.C. But, the police submitted a *B’ final report and the same has been challenged by the respondent. So, after recording the sworn statement of the complainant and after perusing the complaint and after considering the documentary evidence placed on record the Trial Court rejected the ‘B’ final report and directed to issue summons to the revision petitioners-accused 1 to 5. The contention of the learned Counsel for the respondent is that the petitioners cannot directly approach the Court praying to set aside the order dated 8-5-2000 passed by the IV Additional C.M.M., Bangalore, and it is the duty of the revision petitioners to first appear before the Magistrate and then they can file an application for discharge and without that they cannot approach this Court praying to set aside the order of taking congnizance.

7. I have gone through the letter dated 20-2-1997 written by the respondent to the revision petitioners and the reply dated ^5-2-1997. The revision petitioners show that they have refused to make payment Therefore, the revision petitioners-accused are yet to appear before the learned Magistrate and face the trial. At this stage, I do not find any good reasons to interfere with the order passed by the Trial Court.

8. Accordingly, the revision petition is dismissed.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

* Copy This Password *

* Type Or Paste Password Here *